Battery Installation Recommendations

[joaa]

Hello everyone,

I'm currently in the process of installing 290 series-connected lead acid batteries in a 40ft container and would appreciate your input on the battery arrangement. To address potential electrolyte leakage, the manufacturer has advised me to place a pan beneath the batteries.

I have two options in mind and would like to hear your thoughts on them:

Option 1: Installing the batteries in two rows, with each row separated by 85cm from the other.Option 2: Installing three rows of batteries on each side, with a 115cm gap between the two sets.

I'm interested in any insights or experiences you may have regarding these options. Which arrangement do you recommend, and why?

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

 

[hwy17]

You can't tease the internet with 290 tallboys and not give us some show and tell. Did you have a buddy parting out an old diesel electric submarine? Tripped over a remote telco site on the ground in a parking lot and no one claimed it?

 

[joaa]

You can't tease the internet with 290 tallboys and not give us some show and tell. Did you have a buddy parting out an old diesel electric submarine? Tripped over a remote telco site on the ground in a parking lot and no one claimed it?

I didn't understand your sarcastic comment. Do you have anything that can add knowledge to me?

 

[hwy17]

No. I would choose option 1. Based on no experience and no useful rationale.

 

[joaa]

any other answer please

 

[rhino]

You have the images reversed based on the description in the text.. it's not clear to me on the dimensions but I'd go with the 2 rows since that would make it easier to maintain with the much wider area between the two rows. Would also think about some kind of fire proof separation between groups of cells in each of the rows.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Option 3:

Set your head on fire and put it out with a hammer.

is your goal to create a 3480V battery or a 580V battery, or something in between?

 

[timselectric]

Option 3
For me as well.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Option 3:

Set your head on fire and put it out with a hammer.

is your goal to create a 3480V battery or a 580V battery, or something in between?

Ah. So 580V battery. I can now see that you've depicted single CELLS, not batteries.

Still... Option 3. You are creating a nightmare of epic proportions no matter how you look at it.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

I didn't understand your sarcastic comment. Do you have anything that can add knowledge to me?

More like playful banter trying to ascertain where you got so many batteries with no idea what to do with them.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I didn't understand your sarcastic comment. Do you have anything that can add knowledge to me?

Consider that you're asking for advice on something that appears completely absurd without additional context.

It's a bit terrifying that you're asking for DIY advice on a 580V system that can go as high as 715V.

 

[joaa]

Consider that you're asking for advice on something that appears completely absurd without additional context.

It's a bit terrifying that you're asking for DIY advice on a 580V system that can go as high as 715V.

Why do you believe that 580 volts is dangerous? There has never been a project that has used lead acid to generate 580 volts

 

[joaa]

The project will be completed whether I write here or not. I am an external observer seeking your expertise in solar energy to identify potential issues and provide feedback on what is going well. However, I want to clarify that I am not placing any responsibility on this forum. In the unlikely event that something goes wrong, I can state that I was aware of it because of the information I obtained from this forum, allowing me to anticipate any potential problems.

 

[timselectric]

Why do you believe that 580 volts is dangerous?

The fact that you don't know is more scary.

 

[joaa]

If the supplier of the batteries didn't scare the client, what does that suppose to mean?

 

[jberger]

I think you'll need to go with option 2 in order to give yourself enough working room between the rows for a lift table, watering system, etc.

It would appear that you've never worked with large strings of lead acid batteries, so I would encourage you to research this application very carefully. You can easily kill yourself in this enclosed space, and that's not hyperbole, a telco engineer would require training and supervision to even monitor a similar space due to the risks involved.

Since you mentioned pans, there is a lot more to consider to try and make it serviceable.
You need absorbing pillows on top of the pans, and make certain the pillows are indicating so you know when there is an issue.
Ventilation is going to be a hard requirement and you will probably need an air sampler, recorder and alerting device to even enter the space.
Since you mentioned the container is 40ft. are you trying to repurpose a metal shipping container? If so, the corrosive gases given off by these batteries is going to be an issue that you'll need to spend some time on.

This setup will kill you in an instant if you screw anything up, this is not a "learning" system.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

If the supplier of the batteries didn't scare the client, what does that suppose to mean?

They want to sell someone a ridiculous number of expensive cells?

 

[OzSolar]

The OP continues to come to the DIY forum for professional engineering advice. I can only imagine what a mess he/she/them and thier employer is making.