Recycle and Reuse Old Lead Acid Batteries Part 2

[@gentiligiuliano7882]

Is there a 3rd part? I'm waiting to see how to assemble a working cell

[@affordablesolarguy]

oh sorry,, I ran into some money,, and began building lithium iron phosphate systems for self and friends, have not done anything beyond pooring a couple lead plates,, sitting on a shelf now. No burning or running gas engines allowed all summer here in oregon, fire hazards and all,, I do want to make one huge battery backup from all the lead acid though,, but daughter is about to have a baby,, life is passing so fast.

[@jamest.5001]

You can supposedly get better performance from a battery replacing the negative plate with carbon felt, if I had batteries down this far, I think I'd get the carbon felt,

[@affordablesolarguy]

I am preparing a video on carbon coating all my negative plates, and, I'm using Epson salts for the electrolyte. If it works, I will never have to purchase batteries again, and will make one huge one like your thinking.

[@justthinkalittle8913]

lol take a multi-meter to that felt and tell me the resistance. mine seems non-conductive.

[@jamest.5001]

I was wanting to build nickel iron batteries, using 5gallin square buckets to build either 24 or 48v batteries, maybe even larger, 10--20 gallon drums, if they are round build a spiral from nickel and iron, steel, maybe look into carbon or other material to improve the performance. With a fiberglass mesh to insulate the plates. With each plate connected to the terminal in multiple locations across the top, with brass or copper bar, and copper rivets then insulated with jewelers wax, coating everything up to the point it passes through the cover! It should have something like 1500 ah in 5gal , maybe 2-2.5k ah, a 20 gal. I imagine being upwards of 4k ah plus, and build in a float system to allow a reservoir to be attached, keeping the cells full of electrolyte. Possibly 1 gal per 5 gal size, or 5gal for the large 20 gal with a large nickel plated copper terminals with 2x 3/8", 2x 1/4" connections per terminal, allowing a series connection, aswell as a charge / discharge connection, with cell voltage connections, making testing health easier, it would not be easy or cheap building such batteries, maybe a heavy nickel plating over sheet steel could be cheaper than nickel sheet, with the plates and fiberglass divider bring a total of about 4mm thick , a 1-2 gallon size would likely be 50-100,150 ah, possibly, but before investments are made I think about a year of testing should be made on a 12v battery made from pint jars , and cycle them daily! Maybe multiple times daily, to be Shure they are worth building from those materials!

[@howiehowdy]

I must see you make plates and assemble a battery!

[@affordablesolarguy]

I just made 2 huge plates and have broken down and smelted 4 of these batteries, I will follow up as things progress, I'm considering making huge 2 volt cells out of the batch. 6 huge 2 volt cells

[@fredfried8786]

Hello Dan,. Trying to order my 100 amp wifi controller from make sky blue. What seller are you usually using?

[@affordablesolarguy]

heh, I just try to buy from the "China Factory Store", or find the cheapest I can find with free shipping actually. And I only use Ebay, don't like the direction of Amozon and how it treats its employees. Lastly, I didn't even know they make a 100 amp controller, need do find that.

[@affordablesolarguy]

ok, found it I think,, this is the actual factory store in China, click on "products" makeskyblue.com/collections/all

[@affordablesolarguy]

I quickly scanned the 100 amp controllers, vs, 2 60 amp version 118, for a combined 120 amps. I would buy the 2 60 amp ANY DAY, over the one, 100 amp personally. Cheaper, You have redundancy , so if one goes out, your not suffering . And the version 118 is so frigin reliable, I trust it.

[@affordablesolarguy]

Having 2- 60 amp also allows for modification and expansion to other locations without having to buy another. So one array out in the shop or barn, into old lead acid bank, the other into Litium Ion in your home,, etc. etc. Options, Im all about options and redundancy. Never be caught without backup controller.

[@fredfried8786]

So I wound up purchasing. The new 100. They contact me back. They Tell me that it has been branded to their new brand Bettsun. It's on the way. But their website still has a picture of the make sky blue.