Posted by Charles Foot on May 19, 2007, 5:39 pm
Is anybody here running a bank of NiFe cells, or has anybody here used
them in the past?
I'm looking at building a new battery bank, 48 volt, around 1000 Ah.....
pretty costly, and I'm looking at all the alternatives prior to
committing to something I'm going to have to live with for (hopefully)
the next 20 years or so.
Any and all views most appreciated.
Posted by Ecnerwal on May 19, 2007, 8:45 pm
> Is anybody here running a bank of NiFe cells, or has anybody here used
> them in the past?
> I'm looking at building a new battery bank, 48 volt, around 1000 Ah.....
> pretty costly, and I'm looking at all the alternatives prior to
> committing to something I'm going to have to live with for (hopefully)
> the next 20 years or so.
> Any and all views most appreciated.
Google NiFe group:alt.solar.*
Should inform you a bit from someone other than the delightfully
objective folks that sell the things...
Personal non-experience comment - my sister has NiFe batteries. The
behavior and usefulness of her battery bank is why I won't. Inefficient
to charge, high self-discharge, both behaviors typical and well
documented.
--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Posted by DJ on May 19, 2007, 9:52 pm
wrote:
> > Is anybody here running a bank of NiFe cells, or has anybody here used
> > them in the past?
I have seen possibly the world's largest NiFe bank at a wind turbine
site in Quebec. Up in Cap au Chat sits the world's largest Darrieus
turbine (broken, as all Darrieuses I've ever seen are). The NiFe bank
is/was the Starter Motor. And once running, the 4 MegaWatt "egg
beater" then charged them back up.
> > I'm looking at building a new battery bank, 48 volt, around 1000 Ah.....
> > pretty costly, and I'm looking at all the alternatives prior to
> > committing to something I'm going to have to live with for (hopefully)
> > the next 20 years or so.
> > Any and all views most appreciated.
Buy really good (Surrette, etc) lead acid batteries and tend to them
religiously. You can get 20 years out of a good set.
> Personal non-experience comment - my sister has NiFe batteries. The
> behavior and usefulness of her battery bank is why I won't. Inefficient
> to charge, high self-discharge, both behaviors typical and well
> documented.
Exactly. Like big NiCad batteries, their biggest feature is their
ability to "flash discharge" and dump huge amounts of power quickly
(and get charged equally as fast). Not a great match for an off grid
system...
DJ
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> them in the past?
> I'm looking at building a new battery bank, 48 volt, around 1000 Ah.....
> pretty costly, and I'm looking at all the alternatives prior to
> committing to something I'm going to have to live with for (hopefully)
> the next 20 years or so.
> Any and all views most appreciated.