From: J & D Goldman (jmgoldma_at_dwx.com)
Date: 12/20/02
Message-ID: <004701c2a892$e5f00840$12dececf@gateway> From: "J & D Goldman" <jmgoldma_at_dwx.com> Subject: Re: new batteries for the domestead Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 19:44:14 -0600
website of possible interest to off-gridders:
www.amplepower.com
-Dan G.
-----Original Message-----
From: Rob Savoye <rob_at_welcomehome.org>
To: domesteading_at_sculptors.com <domesteading_at_sculptors.com>
Date: Thursday, November 21, 2002 12:07 AM
Subject: new batteries for the domestead
>
> Today I had the fun of upgrading the batteries in my off-grid
double domes.
>I used to have 12 Trojan L16s, which where pretty much the standard.
When they
>started to show their age by not holding a charge well in the cold,
(a real
>problem here at 8700 feet) I decided it was time to replace them.
After all,
>they are about 8 years old, and it's really cold here alot.
>
> Recently a company named Surette (Rolls Battery in Canada) has been
making
>off grid house batteries, but their history is making fork lift
batteries.
>Anyway, rather than replace the Trojans (with a 5-7 year life span)
with more
>of the same, I got crazy, and put in a set of 8 6CS-25PS, replacing
the 12
>L16s. The L16s are about 350AH, and the Surette's are about 850AH. So
I
>basically doubled my power, mostly to ride out the week long overcast
winter
>storms better, and so I can run some computers other than my laptop
for work.
>
> The interesting part was these batteries weight 320 lbs apiece! I
had
>to start by shoveling a long path for the truck in 2 feet of fresh
snow, to
>get the truck close to the power shed. Then hand trucking them into
the power
>shed was interesting... It was as much sledding as rolling...
>
> After that, 2 hours of wiring, and all systems (12VDC, 24VDC, and
120VAC)
>were fully back on line. Other than trying to move them, I like the
Surette
>batteries, and with a 15 year life span, I look forward to not doing
this
>again in 8 years.
>
> - rob -