TYS 9 EnerSys Battery Help

[WindFarmer]

Greetings from Haiti

I am working in Port Au Prince installing a "grid/gen tied " PV system with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the batteries that were delivered were (24) Flooded 2V TYS 9 EnerSys batteries (see attached docs).

I guess I am used to seeing clear Float, Absorb and Equalize Voltages easily identifiable in the the product spec sheet, but at this point I am unsure of these values with the resource material I have been able to source.

Can anyone out there with allot more knowledge than a humble RE installer like myself that relies on clear instructions help a brother figure out the Absorb,Float and Equalize set points. Also if it helps the batts came from Europe.

Thank you in advance......trying to make it home by new years..

Peace, Marc

[Vic]

Hi Marc,

Those batteries look to be very,  very good.  The Data Sheet is comprehensive,  but some of the tables could use better labels.  That Table for compensation verses High,  Medium,  and Low appears to be compensation for SG readings verses the height of the electrolyte,  above the plates  --  they have a huge volume of electrolyte Reserve,  above the plates.

That charge disconnect,  and recharge setting,  might be a bit difficult to manage on an off-grid system.

Please try to contact the Manufacturer,  Distributor,  or Dealer that supplied the batteries,  for specific instructions on setting Absorb,  Float,  and Freshening charge voltage values,  for off-grid systems that are Solar charged,  and in use 24/7.

You can calculate the Temperature Coefficient of the above voltages from their table.

EDIT:  Do these batteries currently have electrolyte in them?
Have the batteries received their Commissioning Charge?
And,  other than Absorb,  Float, and EQ voltage,  and indications that an EQ is needed,   what are your primary concerns/questions? <

Not a lotta time at this moment ...   FWIW,  Good Luck!!  Looks like it will be a very nice system.   Vic

[Westbranch]

I concur with VIC, contact the manufacturer.

In the meantime  Sec 3.3  says you can charge at 2.3V/2Vcell  x 24 = 55.2Volts, if temps are between 25*C and 35*C.

Sec 3.3 is a bit cryptic about EQs though, they seem to be saying you need to EQ after a 80% DoD is achieved...

looks like they are HD telecom type batteries of some sort.

good luck.

[WindFarmer]

Thanks for the information guys....

Vic,

  Do these batteries currently have electrolyte in them?
No they don't.... it looks quite involved (see attached) I need give them a commissioning charge with the new Context XWs coupled with the gen but would like to have all my settings right before I start the "timed event". I will probably get the XWs programmed with the (4) Trojan T-1260's (we have hooked to old 24V Trace here for a backup for small loads) then switch to the new set after I have followed the steps in filling the batteries.

And,  other than Absorb,  Float, and EQ voltage,  and indications that an EQ is needed,   what are your primary concerns/questions?

Equalization.....what the battery rep communicated to my colleague was the following (I believe at @25c):
V equalisation: 2.4 V/cell -> 57.6 V
V absorption: 2.35 V/cell -> 56.4 V
V float: 2.23 V/cell -> 53.5 V

The equalize seems low as I am used to Trojans, Dekas, Rolls etc.

I'm just trying to make sense of this....thanks for all the help and patience guys.

Peace, Marc

[mike90045]

If I recall correctly, the XW inverter looses it's settings when you loose DC power.   You may want to rig up something to keep the power on when you switch batteries over.
There is a scrip that can run off a flash drive in the ComBox, to SAVE the programmed settings, and another scrip to RESTORE the settings.  You have to download the scripts off the combox software site

[WindFarmer]

Thanks for the info mike90045.......I will look into that and perform some tests.....I will let you know......Paix

[Vic]

Thanks for the information guys....

Vic,

  Do these batteries currently have electrolyte in them?
No they don't.... it looks quite involved (see attached) I need give them a commissioning charge with the new Context XWs coupled with the gen but would like to have all my settings right before I start the "timed event". I will probably get the XWs programmed with the (4) Trojan T-1260's (we have hooked to old 24V Trace here for a backup for small loads) then switch to the new set after I have followed the steps in filling the batteries.

And,  other than Absorb,  Float, and EQ voltage,  and indications that an EQ is needed,   what are your primary concerns/questions?

Equalization.....what the battery rep communicated to my colleague was the following (I believe at @25c):
V equalisation: 2.4 V/cell -> 57.6 V
V absorption: 2.35 V/cell -> 56.4 V
V float: 2.23 V/cell -> 53.5 V

The equalize seems low as I am used to Trojans, Dekas, Rolls etc.

I'm just trying to make sense of this....thanks for all the help and patience guys.

Peace, Marc

Hi Marc,

YES,  the Veq  seems quite low,  and the Vabs a bit low,
BUT,  these batteries appear to have an electrolyte that is 1.240 at full-charge.  This will reduce the Absorb and EQ voltages.

Have not had the time to study the  earlier manual that you provided,  let alone the latest.

Commissioning dry/moist batteries is a fairly involved task,  but,  really (generally),  it is just watching battery voltages,  current and temperature,  for most other batteries.   These are probably not much different.  However,  this process might take a couple of days.   Without Grid power,  this is a bit more of a task.

If your inverter/charger allows a Limit on battery charge current,  this will help you maintain a constant voltage and current into the batteries.

It is nice that you have gotten more info f on charge voltages ...  more later.
Thanks for the info,   Vic

[russ_drinkwater]

I love the transparent housing as it takes all the guess work out of what is the internal state of the cells.
Easy to see if any commencement of stratification, are all lengths of the plates gassing at equalization, what the state of any sediment buildup in the bottom of the cell and the list goes on!
Wonder what the life expectancy will be of the material?
Should last the life of the cells if under good cover.