Will Has a Question, Part 3 1/2

Here is an interesting battery for Will.

Yes, it HAS been a while since the last post. This time of year just seems to keep me busy.

Last update on Will’s system we essentially concluded he is going to need a huge battery. Batteries should not be a system afterthought. They are probably the most important and expensive part of the system. Do it right and you can minimize having to do it again, unless you can find a “forever” battery.

I know Sun Electronics has several kinds of batteries, because I have been there and seen them. And bought them. The thing is John has all kinds of stuff that never gets shown on the web site until they have a closeout sale. I bet John doesn’t even know what lurks in the back corners. Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to just call them and tell them your situation and maybe they’ll surprise you.

Well, in a conversation with a fellow who got a quote from Tony for a pretty substantial battery, I learned about one that is real interesting. Understand, MY interest because right now I have one bank that is well on its way to ruin and others that are pushing up to 6 years old. I need batteries myself. Golf car batteries are generally considered beginner batteries and the better stuff can cost a lot more. Better can last a lot longer, too, making the expensive stuff cheaper. We’re talking about quality, here.

Well, here’s this lithium battery, the Simpliphi 3.8. It comes in 24 or 48v configuration, 3.8kwh. It is the good kind of lithium, that is they don’t burst into flames. It is much lighter and much smaller than conventional batteries, so if you need a really big (capacity) battery, you don’t have to build a new wing on the house to hold the battery. Apparently the built in battery manager (BMS) let’s you use it like any other battery and, in effect, go to 100% discharge of rated power. The BMS holds the necessary reserve to keep from harming the battery.

So, with a lead acid battery you strive to use less that 50% of capacity to maintain better battery life and the Simpliphi lets you use 100%. That means you have an even smaller pile of batteries in the power room. Throw in a lot more useful cycles (around 10,000) and this battery starts to look economical if you take the long view.

Unit size is 13.5″x14″x8″ and it weighs about 78 lbs. 3 of these weigh about the same as 3 1/2 Trojan T105s and have the usable power equivalent of around 16 of the Trojans! Wow.

It seems there are wall brackets available to fit these batteries, too. Compact, long life, neat installation, no hydrogen or acid fumes and long term economy. What’s not to like?

–Neal