Lets try this again...walmart replaced my dc batteries.

[Hogheavenfarm]

Understood. They have been cycling since December with this issue. They are not in parallel, they are series. I did charge the low one fully before I started the 24v system, as they were showing this discrepancy when they were in a parallel 12v system. So as I undrstand it though, it is okay as long as during float they are the same, which will be when they are at 13.6 or so. This generally occurs as the sun is going down and my controller is lowering the charge, then they both drop quickly to 13.1v where they will be the following morning if I haven't had them run a load.
During the day at "float", they show the difference, but taking less than 2 amps generally but at volts from 13.6v to 14.3v.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Understood. They have been cycling since December with this issue. They are not in parallel, they are series. I did charge the low one fully before I started the 24v system, as they were showing this discrepancy when they were in a parallel 12v system. So as I undrstand it though, it is okay as long as during float they are the same, which will be when they are at 13.6 or so. This generally occurs as the sun is going down and my controller is lowering the charge, then they both drop quickly to 13.1v where they will be the following morning if I haven't had them run a load.
During the day at "float", they show the difference, but taking less than 2 amps generally but at volts from 13.6v to 14.3v.

0.7V@ 2A input? The high battery at 14.3V @ 2A means it's effectively in absorption at float. This may cause accelerated degradation. It may also be a sign of already present degradation and impending failure.

Voltage discrepancies are the most dangerous at absorption as the high battery may be overcharged (fast degradation) and the low battery may be undercharged (not as fast degradation).

 

[Hogheavenfarm]

The high battery never goes above 14.8, the low one never exceeds 14.3. I have never seen them both in the recommended 14.4-14.8 zone at the same time. The high battery is the older one, the low battery is the new one, but only by a month. I can see LiFePo4's in the future.
I can disconnect everything and charge the low one again if I have to.

 

[Alkaline]

I purchased these 2 group 24 never start batteries in June of last year one of them started to show signs of failing last week I brought them both into Walmart and they load chest item with their battery analyzer and he both failed and I was able to get 2 new replacements kudos to Walmart for making it somewhat easy.

OMG those things are the most WORHTLESS POS, can't even use then as a boat anchor! Walmart Batteries = closest thing to cancer.

Never hold voltage, always die... Truly the dark ages with these things. JUNK.

Before lithium the only decent Deep Cycle battery you can buy is the interstate deep cycle. All the rest... SOO BADDDDDD....

 

[Supervstech]

I purchased these 2 group 24 never start batteries in June of last year one of them started to show signs of failing last week I brought them both into Walmart and they load chest item with their battery analyzer and he both failed and I was able to get 2 new replacements kudos to Walmart for making it somewhat easy.

I return a LOT of Walmart batteries. I have several diesel vehicles… anyway… if you return them too frequently, Walmart puts you on a list… and it will be impossible to return. The battery serial numbers get flagged as well.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

OMG those things are the most WORHTLESS POS, can't even use then as a boat anchor! Walmart Batteries = closest thing to cancer.

Never hold voltage, always die... Truly the dark ages with these things. JUNK.

Before lithium the only decent Deep Cycle battery you can buy is the interstate deep cycle. All the rest... SOO BADDDDDD....

You know that the Interstates are essentially identical to the Everstarts? Same manufacturer? Made in Mexico?

Maybe you don't know how to take care of them?

They are middle-of-the-road at best. If you take diligent care of them with occasional equalization charges, yes. They can last awhile. I have one of the big 29DC "deep cycle" beasts (122Ah @ 1A rating) from 2014 that's still working at about 70% rated. It underwent massive abuse during times in its life with excessive charge and discharge for a custom application, but with good maintenance, it's still going.

 

[Northernchateau]

I have had 2 remote solar power webcam units running for 6 years.
Both have a 175 w panel, one has a Rich solar and one a Renogy charge controller.
Max draw with webcam at night running IR is about 15 watts.
Both units run 24 volts systems and I think the controllers cut off at 23.6 volts.
I started with and still use Walmart group 28 or 29 deep cycle batteries. Batteries are in a vented cooler that ends up under the snow.
I have a spare pair of batteries for both units as we get a lot of snow and grey days so I end swapping them out for a pair I charged at home.
At the start of this year I repair charged all my batteries and load tested them.
The results were, any battery that is 4 or more years old had less then 50% in them running the load test down to 11.8 volts.
All and all @ $100 a battery for me that's hard to beat for a battery that hasn't failed and temps here go to -30 degs F.

 

[Vigo]

Hopefully OP is still watching this? I feel like it got a little mean for a second!

When i first went off-grid i had 5kw of panels and 4x 24DC everstarts. Then i hooked up the other 5kw of solar, so 10kw of solar on those group 24 marine batteries. Then i wanted to change my golf cart from 24v to 48v (and parallel it to the house pack! lol) so i put those group 24s in there and replaced them with 4x 29DCs and ran that way for a while.

Just because you have 10kw of panel doesnt mean you are trying to shove 10kw of charge through a group 29 straw. That's up to your settings. I don't even think it's a patently bad idea unless you ARENT using anywhere near 10kw when the sun is up, but you ARE using more than your batteries can provide when the sun is down. THEN it's 'inherently bad design choices'. In my case i ran ~4kw of AC during the day on top of all the other normal living stuff including a 4500w drier, but i only ran ~2kwh of window unit AC and a refrigerator overnight. That worked ok and i don't really think it was stupid, just a stepping stone. Panels aren't getting any cheaper but batteries have either stayed the same (FLA) or gone down (lifepo4) the entire time i've been doing this, so buying the panels first and the batteries later makes some sense from that perspective, especially when your house battery you're 'abusing' has all of $400 wrapped up in it. I could light $400 on fire and have it be a better financial decision for me than for somebody else to spend $8 at Starbucks, none of that is a fixed black and white thing.

I am super happy with my Walmart marine batteries and will stick them anywhere they will fit. Car, RV, golf cart, house, whatever. The price is right, the reliability is good, the ease of exchange if needed is honestly best in the business, at least for a Joe Blow retail customer. You really can't do better than this unless you're in some sort of business relationship with a battery vendor who's giving you wholesale pricing and a back-scratching exchange policy. Yeah they're not true deep cycle, not a lifepo4 but for what they are they're as good as it gets.

 

[73powerstroke]

You know that the Interstates are essentially identical to the Everstarts? Same manufacturer? Made in Mexico?

Maybe you don't know how to take care of them?

Johnson controls I believe

 

[Zwy]

Johnson controls I believe

No longer Johnson Controls, it was purchased by Clairos. https://www.clarios.com/who-we-are/...world's largest automotive battery enterprise.

As for your battery problem, the biggest problem with lead acid and solar systems is the absoprtion phase. You actually need to 2 banks so you can reach full charge often with any lead acid battery system, nevermind equalization. Banks are switched so loads run off one bank while the other bank is brought up to full charge. Absorption takes time, pretty hard to accomplish once the sun goes down.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

No longer Johnson Controls, it was purchased by Clairos. https://www.clarios.com/who-we-are/our-history#:~:text=1985 - DELKOR,world's largest automotive battery enterprise.

As for your battery problem, the biggest problem with lead acid and solar systems is the absoprtion phase. You actually need to 2 banks so you can reach full charge often with any lead acid battery system, nevermind equalization. Banks are switched so loads run off one bank while the other bank is brought up to full charge. Absorption takes time, pretty hard to accomplish once the sun goes down.

Heh... I can never remember the name...

It's the same building, people and equipment... just independent from JC now:

Johnson Controls Sells Off Its Automotive Battery Business - CleanTechnica

Johnson Controls Power Solutions has sold off its automotive battery business to Brookfield Business Partners for $13.2 billion. That includes its more than 16,000 employees across 56 locations around the world. Brookfield Business Partners is rebranding the business unit as Clarios.

cleantechnica.com

 

[73powerstroke]

Hopefully OP is still watching this? I feel like it got a little mean for a second!

When i first went off-grid i had 5kw of panels and 4x 24DC everstarts. Then i hooked up the other 5kw of solar, so 10kw of solar on those group 24 marine batteries. Then i wanted to change my golf cart from 24v to 48v (and parallel it to the house pack! lol) so i put those group 24s in there and replaced them with 4x 29DCs and ran that way for a while.

Just because you have 10kw of panel doesnt mean you are trying to shove 10kw of charge through a group 29 straw. That's up to your settings. I don't even think it's a patently bad idea unless you ARENT using anywhere near 10kw when the sun is up, but you ARE using more than your batteries can provide when the sun is down. THEN it's 'inherently bad design choices'. In my case i ran ~4kw of AC during the day on top of all the other normal living stuff including a 4500w drier, but i only ran ~2kwh of window unit AC and a refrigerator overnight. That worked ok and i don't really think it was stupid, just a stepping stone. Panels aren't getting any cheaper but batteries have either stayed the same (FLA) or gone down (lifepo4) the entire time i've been doing this, so buying the panels first and the batteries later makes some sense from that perspective, especially when your house battery you're 'abusing' has all of $400 wrapped up in it. I could light $400 on fire and have it be a better financial decision for me than for somebody else to spend $8 at Starbucks, none of that is a fixed black and white thing.

I am super happy with my Walmart marine batteries and will stick them anywhere they will fit. Car, RV, golf cart, house, whatever. The price is right, the reliability is good, the ease of exchange if needed is honestly best in the business, at least for a Joe Blow retail customer. You really can't do better than this unless you're in some sort of business relationship with a battery vendor who's giving you wholesale pricing and a back-scratching exchange policy. Yeah they're not true deep cycle, not a lifepo4 but for what they are they're as good as it gets.

Maybe I missed something but I don't see a previous post and I don't recall one.

 

[Vigo]

I dont understand what you mean by previous post?

 

[Browneye]

Heh... I can never remember the name...

It's the same building, people and equipment... just independent from JC now:

Johnson Controls Sells Off Its Automotive Battery Business - CleanTechnica

Johnson Controls Power Solutions has sold off its automotive battery business to Brookfield Business Partners for $13.2 billion. That includes its more than 16,000 employees across 56 locations around the world. Brookfield Business Partners is rebranding the business unit as Clarios.

cleantechnica.com

I dunno how you guys keep up with this stuff.

The best cheap fla's for you solar guys would be the GC2's - 6V golf cart batteries. Unless you're buying high-amp hour blocks, put these in series to reach your operating voltage and run with them. They're heavy, last a long time, perfect for deep cycle, relatively cheap, and very easy to replace one if any develop bad cells. Water them, get a hydrometer, and keep on top of them, they'll last a good 7-10 years.

 

[73powerstroke]

I dont understand what you mean by previous post?

Ok I see. I thought you were saying you got a little mean.. no the thread.. ok.
I dont take offense. Not everyone on here has a clue. I definitely don't go on here much anymore because there is alot of bs. People are quick to make statements with no facts. Or personal experience. I know who's who on here. But I appreciate it. If more people thought like you we would have a nice place here.

 

[73powerstroke]

I dunno how you guys keep up with this stuff.

The best cheap fla's for you solar guys would be the GC2's - 6V golf cart batteries. Unless you're buying high-amp hour blocks, put these in series to reach your operating voltage and run with them. They're heavy, last a long time, perfect for deep cycle, relatively cheap, and very easy to replace one if any develop bad cells. Water them, get a hydrometer, and keep on top of them, they'll last a good 7-10 years.

The Costco ones?

 

[Zwy]

Heh... I can never remember the name...

It's the same building, people and equipment... just independent from JC now:

Johnson Controls Sells Off Its Automotive Battery Business - CleanTechnica

Johnson Controls Power Solutions has sold off its automotive battery business to Brookfield Business Partners for $13.2 billion. That includes its more than 16,000 employees across 56 locations around the world. Brookfield Business Partners is rebranding the business unit as Clarios.

cleantechnica.com

One of the battery manufacturers closed a plant in northern US but I can't remember which one it was.

On a sidenote, both Duralast (Autozone) and Diehard (Advance Auto Parts) are made by Clarios. I had a few Diehard GC2's here lately and tested them for capacity. Brand new, the label states 225Ah. I tried to find out if that is on a 20 hour rate but could not find any information.

I tested the capacity at a 20 hour rate, just like a Trojan T105. All came in at around 175Ah. I figured they are claiming 225Ah but at a 100 hour rate or longer. I ran the figures thru a Peukert Calculator and it came out at 115 min@75A discharge which the label also states. They are selling a 175Ah/20hr battery and claiming it is 225Ah.

Trojan is owned by C&D Technologies, good company. I'm not so sure on Johnson Controls anymore, Johnson used to manufacture for AC Delco and Motorcraft starter batteries which lasted a long time. Not so anymore, Delco and Motorcraft will fail at the 3 year mark regularly.

 

[Zwy]

The Costco ones?

Be careful, I'm not sure if Interstate is the brand Costco sells now.

If it were me in your situation, I'd go buy a couple of cheap LFP like the Redodo for $299 shipped to your door. I bought a pair for my boat trolling motor when they were Zoom, I haven't had an issue.

 

[Alkaline]

You know that the Interstates are essentially identical to the Everstarts? Same manufacturer? Made in Mexico?

Maybe you don't know how to take care of them?

I know that you don't know what you are talking about because interstate is made in Mexico by JCI (now Clarios) while Evermax is made in Deka in East Pennsylvania and if you were unlucky to get batteries during their transition you got screwed.

At one they were made in the same place by JCI but now they are not.

Lay off the eggos Grape Fruit from now on

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I know that you don't know what you are talking about because interstate is made in Mexico by JCI (now Clarios) while Evermax is made in Deka in East Pennsylvania and if you were unlucky to get batteries during their transition you got screwed.

At one they were made in the same place by JCI but now they are not.

Lay off the eggos Grape Fruit from now on

Looks like I was right and wrong, and you are right and wrong:

From OP's post:




"MADE IN S. KOREA" - definitely not DEKA.

And FYI from 2015 (well before the Clarion buyout):



I've been pretty happy with the S. KOREA made Duracell AGM. 4 year full replacement warranty... that I've never needed to use

 

[MichaelK]

The Costco ones?

The ones I have personal experience with are Trojan T-105 golf-carts. After five years of service, when I was ready to upgrade to much larger capacity batteries, they still held a charge and had a specific gravity of 1.265. Instead of recycling them, I passed them on to a neighbor, and they are still in service today. Whether or not the CostCo ones are just as good is not confirmed.

As I have always stated before is that the weak link of lead-acid battery utilization is chronic undercharging. Provide them with max current charging almost every day, and keep them topped off with distilled water, and they will give you long years of service. Hook them up to a dinky little 100W panel and walk away and they die.

 

[sunsurfer]

That's what happened. One worse than the other. It was at 10.7v and the other at 13.5 usually. I have shunt meters with state of charge on them. Sorta odd to read the Chinese manual for calibration.
Of course I'm monitoring them together.

looks like you have a dead(shorted) cell, thats why it reads 10.7. You can verify with a DVOM reading each cell in sequence if you pull off the caps and see which cell exactly. Walmart batteries are pretty much junk. Its not a true deep cycle.

 

[73powerstroke]

looks like you have a dead(shorted) cell, thats why it reads 10.7. You can verify with a DVOM reading each cell in sequence if you pull off the caps and see which cell exactly. Walmart batteries are pretty much junk. Its not a true deep cycle.

These are sealed maintenance free crap. The battery would easily charge back up to normal . But fail a load test.
Either way I decided to disconnect everything and shelve the batteries. I can either sell them since I've not used them or something.

 

[MiSh]

The ones I have personal experience with are Trojan T-105 golf-carts. After five years of service, when I was ready to upgrade to much larger capacity batteries, they still held a charge and had a specific gravity of 1.265. Instead of recycling them, I passed them on to a neighbor, and they are still in service today. Whether or not the CostCo ones are just as good is not confirmed.

As I have always stated before is that the weak link of lead-acid battery utilization is chronic undercharging. Provide them with max current charging almost every day, and keep them topped off with distilled water, and they will give you long years of service. Hook them up to a dinky little 100W panel and walk away and they die.

I'm going into year nine with my 2, T-105's in my camper. Added water twice in nine years! Keep em on a charger topped in storage with zero issues. Pretty much bulletproof for a camping setup.

 

[73powerstroke]

I'm going into year nine with my 2, T-105's in my camper. Added water twice in nine years! Keep em on a charger topped in storage with zero issues. Pretty much bulletproof for a camping setup.

That's awesome what do you usually run with them when you're using them