trojan batteries

9 Posts
Nov 13, 2009 05:11 pm
trojan batteries

I started with two L16h 420 ah trojan batteries. they were used for lights, small radio, small computer. About seven months later I add four L16h-ac 435 ah trojan batteries.
I connected them (by the book) and I figure I have About 1260 amp/hr total. I have had no problems with the batteries. The batteries are in a row. I have the 420's closest to the inverter and the C60 controller. Should I move them (420's) to the middle? Make them the middle pair?
I have read the fourms and see that is NOT good to mix battery sizes. Are these battery sizes to far apart?
Will the 420's drag down the 435's. They all charge very good. When I added the distiled water they all took the same amount. Not much.
I have two kyocera 40 watt, one kyocera 85 watt, one kyocera 130 watt solar panels. one Air-X 400 watt wind turbine. Xantrex prosine 1800 inverter and xantrex C60
controller. I'm seeking opinions, advise.
Thanks
Ray
 
46 Posts
Nov 13, 2009 06:16 pm
Re: trojan batteries

Wow, nice mix. Solar salad of sorts. By adding different batteries together you have basically put them all at the same capaticy as the weakest one(s). They are all very similar, so it should'nt be of much concern (although it would probably drive me crazy). That they all seem to need the same amount of water is a good sign.
I am interested to know how you have all your modules configered. Seperate charge controllers? -m
 
9 Posts
Nov 13, 2009 07:55 pm
Re: trojan batteries

Mike,
I have the panels wired seperately. Inline fuse for each one. pos wires going into one pos bus bar and neg wires going one neg bus bar. 8ga wire going from the bus bars to the controller.
When I got the L16h-ac 435 batteries is was told that the L16h 420s were no longer availible. that is why the two different sizes. thanks for the reply
Ray
 
46 Posts
Nov 13, 2009 09:27 pm
Re: trojan batteries

Sounds like a pretty good setup. I also have an air x, but haven't really gotten it set up and going. Does it run well in conjunction with the modules? Any problems? I know that the manual says wiring with solar modules may "confuse" the air x's controller.
 
73 Posts
Nov 14, 2009 07:46 am
mixture of panels

Ray,

Sorry to change the subject, but I'm really interested in your buss bar arrangement for the different sized solar panels. You mention an inline fuse for each different panel, then you are running all the positives to a common buss bar and all the negatives to a common buss bar and then feeding your charge controller off the pos & neg buss bars. What type of enclosure are you using to hold your inline breakers?

Do you have a pics of your buss bar set-up? I've been meaning to convert my set-up to one very similar to yours.

I'd be very grateful for any info you could send my way.

James
 
9 Posts
Nov 14, 2009 10:04 am
Re: trojan batteries

I have the air-x about twenty feet off the ground. About 40 feet of wire into a automotive 40 amp circuit breaker I got at Auto Zone. then a southwest 30 amp dc meter I got at Altestore. then to the pos terminal of number one battery. black wire going to number six battery. I have no problems with the Air-x or the solar panels. they dont affect each other. I have had both (air-x and panels)charging the batteries at the same time. On those days I couldn't stop smiling. Follow the owners manual / instructions closely, things should be fine.
 
9 Posts
Nov 14, 2009 10:56 am
Re: trojan batteries

mixture of panels

When I first started, I ran the all solar panel wires straight into the charge controller. when i got the last panel things got sloppy. wires coming and going, not very pretty. I went to Lowes/Home Depot and got two 9 slot bus bars and screwed mounted them on a 9x11 peice of wood. nailed the peice of wood to the wall. I used tie wraps on the wires to make things neater. Inline fuse holders are from Auto Zone. I'm using the old glass type automotive fuses.
I want to go to a junk yard and get a fuse box from a old car. Try to elimanate the inline fuses.
sorry no pics. I have seen the bus bar boxes on the internet. I cant afford them. money is tight.
 
578 Posts
Nov 14, 2009 06:36 pm
Re: trojan batteries

james:

they make something for paralleling stings of pv modules.  it is called a combiner box.  it is listed for the application, and intended to go right next to the array to allow for changing wire type and leaving the area of the array in conduit.  each string goes through an appropriately sized circuit breaker on the ungrounded (positive) while each of the grounded conductors (negative) goes on the negative busbar.  you can pull the combined output to your pv disconnect, then an appropriately sized charge controller.

good luck

james - altE staff

AltE
"Making Renewable Do-able"
http://www.altEstore.com/

Tel: 877.878.4060 x107  or +1.978.562.5858 x107
Fax: 877.242.6718  or +1.978.562.5854
 
73 Posts
Nov 15, 2009 07:58 am
Re: trojan batteries

james:

they make something for paralleling stings of pv modules.  it is called a combiner box.  it is listed for the application, and intended to go right next to the array to allow for changing wire type and leaving the area of the array in conduit.  each string goes through an appropriately sized circuit breaker on the ungrounded (positive) while each of the grounded conductors (negative) goes on the negative busbar.  you can pull the combined output to your pv disconnect, then an appropriately sized charge controller.

good luck

james - altE staff

James
I have a Midnite Solar MNPV3 with 3 Kyocera 40watt modules in parallel. I was thinking that I could get the larger MNPV6 and add more modules. BUT I thought that I could not add larger wattage modules..Like, if I add a 135 watt Kyocera module to a larger combiner and keep the 40 watt modules. Would the 135watt module be brought down to the 40watt modules output? OR is it because the voltage specs are so close AND that they are in parallel, that it doesn't matter what module I add in parallel, they will all behave nicely? I will need to upgrade my charge controller..
 
578 Posts
Nov 16, 2009 09:48 am
Re: trojan batteries

different modules OF THE SAME NOMINAL VOLTAGE may be wired in parallel using a combiner box as long as you are going to a PWM or SHUNT type controller. 

if i understand correctly, in your case 3 kyo 40w (12v nominal) and 1 kyocera 135w (12v nominal) are all to be wired to a 12v nominal system.  if this is the case a 30 to 60a, 12v, pwm controller should work.  each of the modules will have its own circuit breaker in the combiner with an ampere rating as mentioned on the module label (max series fuse).

 the combiner box should go by the array and allow for leaving the array in conduit.  if you enter a building, the conduit should be metallic until the point of the first disconnecting means.

hope that helps,

james
altE staff

AltE
"Making Renewable Do-able"
http://www.altEstore.com/

Tel: 877.878.4060 x107  or +1.978.562.5858 x107
Fax: 877.242.6718  or +1.978.562.5854
 
73 Posts
Nov 16, 2009 07:56 pm
Re: trojan batteries

perfect..I learned something new today..Thanks James..
 

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