Deep Cycle Batteries - which to choose??

Discussion in 'Designing, building, making and powering your life' started by Shack Living, Nov 15, 2006.

  1. Changellain

    Changellain Junior Member

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    So.. deep cycle batteries?

    I'm in the middle of the difficult decision about batteries too. I was almost convinced of the NiFe batteries, but I was reading somewhere that the batteries that are currently made are no-where near as good quality and wont likely last the amount of time suggested. If I could find some good quality second hand ones I might consider it still.. but I don't think I'm willing to gamble the big $$ to bring in the new made in china batteries myself.

    I've been looking at good quality Rolls or Raylite batteries. They're expensive as well, but the Rolls come with a 7 +3 year warranty.. Raylites only 3 +2 years. I'm looking for other suggestions as well. I'd rather spend the extra money now than have to replace cheap batteries every 5-6 years.

    Any and all suggestions are welcome at this point. They're for an off-grid small home.
     
  2. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    not sure about where you are changellain?

    but research a batteries co' who recycles used batteries, here we need to go to brissy to do that, but as far as i know those using these batteries are more than satisfied. they come with a warranty. and they deliver themselves and put them in place for you.

    we would struggle to have any renewable energy but if it relied upon batteries worth $12k to $18k then no way jose, those prices for the rich and famous.

    our main ethic is to recycle and not cause new manufacture as much as possible.

    the technology seems to be heading in an elitist way. seems to they are softening people up to accommodate power outages, this is likely to become an issue when solar is relied upon as it or wind cannot supply on demand and i can't see them installing big batter banks imagine the cost?

    len
     
  3. Changellain

    Changellain Junior Member

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    The property is in southern NSW, so a bit too far for QLD batteries. The system is only small, guessing that the panels will charge about 633Ah on a good day - we'll have a more accurate idea when we visit next time with the new multimeter. I'm really only interested in running a 12v DC fridge as the first priority. Other stuff is "nice" but not essential. The fridges I've seen are about 200 litre and use about 70amps per day (except in the USA where I could get the nice 300L Sunfrost ones that use only 30amps per day! I *wish*!!).

    If we had the power for a fridge, then all we'd really need is some hot water and we'd be able to move up there at a pinch. While we don't have $10k or more to spend on batteries.. I would be willing to spend upto $4-ish-k if it means they're going to last. (I'm guessing that we won't have any money in 5 years to replace them. :giggle: )
     
  4. Grasshopper

    Grasshopper Senior Member

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    You might just need to hack your chest freezer for about $150 and turn it into an efficient fridge.
    https://mtbest.net/chest_fridge.html
     
  5. Grasshopper

    Grasshopper Senior Member

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  6. Changellain

    Changellain Junior Member

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    Thanks Grasshopper! I've actually done this before. ;)

    It did indeed use about .2kW a day in our case. We converted a F&P chest freezer about 3.5 years ago. Sadly it died at about the 3 year mark. We discovered that freezer tubes are designed to be frozen, and if not frozen, they rust quite easily. Ours developed a gas leak and it was a sudden and painful death with no repair possible.

    The other downside of the chest freezer is needing a second one for frozen goods. The second one uses about 1kW per day, so it cancels itself out pretty quickly.

    It was pretty heartbreaking to throw my beautiful scratch-free fridge away. I'll not do that again until I'm sure that the tubes are made to be rust free under fridge conditions.

    Now I have a 200L fridge/freezer upright, and I miss my chest fridge so much. The upright is so much noisier!
     

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