Automatic Voltage Regulators, AVR, and Surge Protectors

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, jimeve said:

Got a deep cycle battery 120 Ah hooked up to an inverter, not sure how long it would last with a 50 inch TV. 

 

Hey, Jim... If that battery is a "wet" cell - which I am sure it likely is - be careful to monitor the voltage. You will experience best life of that battery if you don't let the "at rest" voltage drop below about 12.6 volts. It also should be cycled periodically - discharge it using your computer or appliances to get it down to that 12.6 or maybe even 12.5 - maybe twice yearly. Otherwise, the battery will accumulate sulfate on the internal plates and that will reduce the life of it. Buy a hygrometer - if you can find one - to monitor the voltage via the electrolyte (water and acid) of each cell, unless it is a sealed battery... Also, coat the electrodes of the battery and the connectors with grease or Vaseline to prevent corrosion.

[Dave Hounddriver]

8 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

If that battery is a "wet" cell - which I am sure it likely is

It will likely be a sealed gel.  I am sure he did his research and things have change SO SO much since you had your yacht.  I ran my entire one bedroom apartment with aircon, toaster, microwave etc all able to run at the same time.  Only thing beyond the reach was the on-demand hot water heater.  My 2 x 200 sh lasted 8 hours if I kept the aircon use to a bare minimum.

[Tommy T.]

14 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

It will likely be a sealed gel.  I am sure he did his research and things have change SO SO much since you had your yacht. 

Yeah, Dave, I hear you.

Actually, I had sealed gel batteries on the yacht for many years. I mentioned the wet batteries because those still seem to be the most commonly available everywhere. They are also much cheaper than those gel batteries. (I loved those batteries - abuser friendly and long lasting!).

If he has gel batteries, then, of course, my suggestions would be different regarding voltage and overall treatment. I guess I was just assuming that the wet batteries would most likely be found here, mainly due to cost?

Edited March 2, 2021 by Tommy T.

[jimeve]

10 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

Yeah, Dave, I hear you.

Actually, I had sealed gel batteries on the yacht for many years. I mentioned the wet batteries because those still seem to be the most commonly available everywhere. They are also much cheaper than those gel batteries. (I loved those batteries - abuser friendly and long lasting!).

If he has gel batteries, then, of course, my suggestions would be different regarding voltage and overall treatment. I guess I was just assuming that the wet batteries would most likely be found here, mainly due to cost?

Wet cell, that's all I could get my hands on at the time. I would have preferred Gel type batteries or even better, Lithium-ion batteries.

[Tommy T.]

11 hours ago, jimeve said:

Wet cell, that's all I could get my hands on at the time. I would have preferred Gel type batteries or even better, Lithium-ion batteries.

Okay, Jim. Then I will stick with my suggestions regarding care and feeding of your back-up battery... Do not discharge the battery(s) below 12.6 volts. Doing so will drastically reduce the life of your battery. However, do discharge down to that voltage periodically then recharge to full capacity maybe once every six months or so. This will keep it happy. Always test your battery at full rest - maybe an hour or more after discharging or recharging.

[jimeve]

28 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Okay, Jim. Then I will stick with my suggestions regarding care and feeding of your back-up battery... Do not discharge the battery(s) below 12.6 volts. Doing so will drastically reduce the life of your battery. However, do discharge down to that voltage periodically then recharge to full capacity maybe once every six months or so. This will keep it happy. Always test your battery at full rest - maybe an hour or more after discharging or recharging.

Tested the battery this morning, 12.8v. Is it okay to charge this up with a 12v car charger? only it won't fully charge, maybe needs longer time to charge. It's a motor-lite super heavy duty battery, a bigger than a normal battery. 

[Tommy T.]

20 minutes ago, jimeve said:

Tested the battery this morning, 12.8v. Is it okay to charge this up with a 12v car charger? only it won't fully charge, maybe needs longer time to charge. It's a motor-lite super heavy duty battery, a bigger than a normal battery. 

Car battery chargers are not the best, but they are what is available, right?

Just follow my suggestions from the previous post and you should be right. Make sure you do not discharge below 12.6 volts (rested voltage) or let the charger keep holding the battery at full  voltage - 12.8? - forever. Keeping a battery at full voltage over long times (months or years) tends to make them "sulfate"  - which is when the plates inside accumulate coatings that reduce the life and viability of the battery.

That is why you need to periodically cycle the battery to keep it active and happy. Maybe once per year or six months, you should run the battery down to 12. 6 volts, or below, with a load, then recharge it fully again. If the cells are accessible, you should check that the water level is full in each cell. If not, then re-fill to the level with distilled water only.

Oh... also, do not place the battery on cement or concrete floor. Be sure to put it on a wood plank or other wood. Cold, cement floors tend to draw the power out of batteries...

Edited March 3, 2021 by Tommy T.

[Huggybearman]

11 hours ago, jimeve said:

Tested the battery this morning, 12.8v. Is it okay to charge this up with a 12v car charger? only it won't fully charge, maybe needs longer time to charge. It's a motor-lite super heavy duty battery, a bigger than a normal battery. 

Car battery chargers are not ideal. Multi-stage ‘intelligent’ chargers are best. To fully charge a deep cycle battery can take many hours as the charge current tails off towards the end of the charge period. There is a supplier on Shopee based in Puerta Galera that deals in Victron chargers and inverters which are made in the Netherlands and are top quality. If you want your set-up to last it’s worth investing in the best. 
 

I have just assembled a second UPS using their equipment and I know it will last for years if cared for properly.

The first one using the same equipment has been in daily use for the last five years and still going strong. 

Edited March 3, 2021 by Huggybearman
Upload of pic of components prior to installing in a UPS cabinet.

[sonjack2847]

15 hours ago, Huggybearman said:

Multi-stage ‘intelligent’ chargers are best.

Yes mine is built into the inverter. Always right has had this setup for a few years and his is still going strong.