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englishbully
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# Posted: 8 Dec 2020 09:51pm - Edited by: englishbully
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Hi, new to the forum and recently purchased an off grid cabin ..I am new to off grid so please bare with me as i have little knowledge of solar power.First off,my cabin is running solar panel with a charge controller connected to 2 flooded crown cr370 6volt batteries set up in series.Anyhow with little knowledge about battery types ,I began reading and attempting to learn about flooded batteries .The previous owner has the 2 batteries on a rolling tray stored in the cabin.From what i gather this dangerous due to gassing and unsure why the previous owner has this set up as he lived in the cabin like this for over a year...So my plan is to unhook the batteries and build a box and have it vented to the outside correctly..So my question is :Is it safe to disconnect the batteries and charge controller from solar panel for the winter season ?will leaving the solar panels up still draw power even though unconnected or should they be covered up?Any help is much appreciated .
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Bruces
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 06:36am
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It is safe ,make sure you disconnect the panels first from the charge controller ,batteries next or you can fry the controller .
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 07:56am
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as above and hook back up in reverse order to unhooking. LA batteries that are in good shape and fully charged can handle freezing temps for a few months, but if they are degraded some or not fully charged, I'd leave them hooked up to the panels and charging or bring them home and put them on a charger once a month.
Mine at my cabin have been hooked up to my panels for 5 years. No need to disconnect in winter.
I wouldn't worry too much about your batteries being inside for one more winter. You don't want them in a confined space unvented and you should't keep them inside either, but nothing really bad is going to happen if you leave them as is over the winter
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Brettny
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 08:13am
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Why disconnect them at all if your leaving them there? The CC should take care of them just fine over winter.
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englishbully
Member
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 08:17am - Edited by: englishbully
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Thank you for responding.Actually I would rather leave them hooked up since the charge controller will hold charge and float the batteries.But I do plan on going up to the cabin for a few days a month in the winter months and from everything I have read about gassing gets me a little nervous ..as of right now the batteries are not connected to any power draws as i am using a generator for that if i do go up .I would just feel safer if i took batteries to my garage over the winter and build a box for them .Or will it be safe to leave it inside until winter passes while still using cabin on generator?
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FishHog
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 09:04am
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well I'm not sure what is making you nervous. In a confined space Hydrogen gas can build up and be an issue, your cabin is not that confined of a space.
Its not ideal, but I wouldn't give it a second thought for one winter.
But you have to do what makes you feel comfortable, so read more so you understand the concerns and either you are still nervous and need to move them or your not and realize one winter will be fine.
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englishbully
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 09:32am
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Thank you for the reply.Actually among other internet readings.I usually watch nb88 on youtube .He is pretty informative and in this video he has the same solar setup as me except he has his batteries vented in a box as mine is not ;Take a look as he talks about a battery box and venting:
https://youtu.be/YtEc05t9Zdc
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spoofer
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 10:19am
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I have the same setup as the tube guy. I presently Don't vent. I am going to next spring because of that issue. I have been off grid for 5 years at the cabin with only an occasional headache.
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englishbully
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 10:45am
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Do you live in the cabin as your primary living location?do you live in an area where you have cold winters? Do you think the headaches are from the gas?
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Brettny
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 12:44pm
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I dont see the benefit of having batteries in your living space when you then need to vent and blow cold air in. People usualy have thin in the living space to keep them warm and capacity high. Then they vent them and I'm sure cool them down in the coldest part of the year.
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englishbully
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 01:11pm - Edited by: englishbully
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Its not to cool them down its to vent out the hydrogen ges emitted from the wet cell batteries.the video link below can give you more explanation:
https://youtu.be/YtEc05t9Zdc
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razmichael
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 01:59pm
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I'm with the "it's not ideal but sort it out next year" group. There are cars, RVs, boats etc that have batteries in a living space or under the back seat. When being charged aggressively (equalization) can see some H given off but the main risk is if the space is tightly contained and there are electronics in the same space that may cause a spark. The amount of H that would be needed in the cabin to be a health risk is really really high which you will not get from the batteries. Your cabin is not a tight contained space.
Especially during winter, just keep them connected and charged. A fully charged FLA battery will not freeze -70f range.
Next year sort out some type of battery box with venting but I would not be concerned for the time being.
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 03:17pm
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These batteries vent hydrogen only when being charged. The higher the charge rate, the more hydrogen. If they are just in float there is almost no, if any, hydrogen coming off them. Even a moderate charge isn't going to create enough hydrogen to create an explosive atmosphere inside a cabin. I've had 6 of them in my cabin for 10 years.
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ICC
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 03:19pm
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Are the tops of the batteries at least protected to prevent accidental shorting by a dropped metallic object? While the off-gassing of hydrogen has some potential for explosion, and there is potential acid damage from the "misting" that can occur under some charging conditions, a short circuit could result in a very damaging explosion with a spray of acid all over the place.
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englishbully
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 05:29pm
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Thanks for the response NorthRick .I feel a little more at ease
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englishbully
Member
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 05:32pm - Edited by: englishbully
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ICC, yes the tops are somewhat protected.they are sittng under a shelf.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 06:23pm
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Just a thought... maybe put the batteries in a heavy duty plastic tote. They seal fairly well... top protection for the terminals and you could then vent the tote to the outside. BUT..... if you do put them in a tote or a purpose built box, definitely vent the container! In a closed container you could potentially build up enough hydrogen to cause problems if there were an ignition source.
As has been said, the possibility of the concentration of hydrogen getting high enough in your open cabin to be explosive is not great.... they only begin off gassing at about ~14v... so during Absorption and or during equalization. Not sure where you are but in the northern regions in winter unless you have an oversized panel array or use very little electricity, you should hit absorption but not likely float too often and most northerners find too little charging sunlight to equalize this time of year.
All this said.... yes it is best to have the batteries in an enclosed and vented box. Do this when you can... and as ICC points out, PROTECT the tops from stray metal objects!
Case in point.... was helping a neighbor troubleshoot an inverter issue on a 48vdc/240vac system. The lid was off the battery box and someone had sat a long metal flashlight on the edge of the box. My eyes had seen it but my brain didn't really register it. The inverter was in a corner just in front of the end of the battery box. I was trying to squeeze into the space to get my volt/ohm meter on the terminals at the inverter when I heard a metallic clang behind me. I instinctively stood up and spun around as my mind had already figured out what had happened. As my light shone in the battery box I saw the metal flashlight with one end across a negative post and the other end within a half an inch of a positive post! I carefully moved it away and out of the box.... I pretty much needed a new pair of shorts after that incident!
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englishbully
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 06:38pm - Edited by: englishbully
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Good info, but since it is winter time I would just avoid all that extra work as I run the cabin on generator currently in the winter, I currently go to the cabin maybee every other weekend only .So until spring,I would just disconnect the batteries and put a float charger on them in my garage.and build the box and venting over the winter.But the general consensus is not to worry about and do what i gotta do when winter ends.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 07:05pm
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You have solar keeping the bat-bank charged yet you dont use that power when you are there but run a gen instead. Im sorry, I dont get it.....
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spoofer
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 07:38pm
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Englishbully- I find that a proper sized coleman cooler is ideal for battery storage. I drilled vent holes on the sides and also a larger doorknob size hole on one end for the wires. I have screwed a 400 watt voltage inverter to the top of the cooler, so that everything is kind of self contained.
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englishbully
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2020 07:58pm
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Hey Spoofer , I thought you said you didnt vent?
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NorthRick
Member
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# Posted: 10 Dec 2020 05:57pm
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Quoting: englishbully Good info, but since it is winter time I would just avoid all that extra work as I run the cabin on generator currently in the winter, I currently go to the cabin maybee every other weekend only .So until spring,I would just disconnect the batteries and put a float charger on them in my garage.and build the box and venting over the winter.But the general consensus is not to worry about and do what i gotta do when winter ends.
I use the batteries to quietly power the cabin over most of the weekend. On Sunday I will fire up the generator and charge them back up. I'll also knock any snow off the solar panel for whatever that is worth in December at 62* north latitude.
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