East Penn 6 Volt Golf Cart Battery - Gp GC2 from carquest -- is this any good?

[island406]

There are some great deals up here, they're 72 cell panels, but that said, with the PWM not allowing me to get the max voltage, but $79 fot the controller vs. about $225 for the MPPT, it may be a wash, but I am likely missing something.
Thanks again for your response!


Mod note - You want to remember our sponsor sells solar products - links to competitor's sites are not allowed.

[SunEagle]

There are some great deals up here, they're 72 cell panels, but that said, with the PWM not allowing me to get the max voltage, but $79 fot the controller vs. about $225 for the MPPT, it may be a wash, but I am likely missing something.
Thanks again for your response!


Mod note - You want to remember our sponsor sells solar products - links to competitor's sites are not allowed.

Based on the information that Sunking was trying to provide you, the two systems will provide the same amount of power.

In system 1, the cost for the 200 watt 72 cell panel was probably around $1/watt or $200 plus the $225 for the MPPT controller comes to $425.

Since the PWM controller can only use 67% of the panel wattage you need to purchase 300 watts to get 200 watts of generation. The cost for the 2 x 150 watt panels at $2/watt would come to $600 plus the $79 for the PWM charger equals $679 total.

If I had a choice to pay $425 or $679 for the same energy generating system I think it would be a no brainer which one I would pick.

[Sunking]

Based on the information that Sunking was trying to provide you, the two systems will provide the same amount of power.

In system 1, the cost for the 200 watt 72 cell panel was probably around $1/watt or $200 plus the $225 for the MPPT controller comes to $425.

Since the PWM controller can only use 67% of the panel wattage you need to purchase 300 watts to get 200 watts of generation. The cost for the 2 x 150 watt panels at $2/watt would come to $600 plus the $79 for the PWM charger equals $679 total.

If I had a choice to pay $425 or $679 for the same energy generating system I think it would be a no brainer which one I would pick.

You would pick the one with the cheap controller like most other knuckleheads do.

[SunEagle]

You would pick the one with the cheap controller like most other knuckleheads do.

Already did and have regretted it. Wish I had come here first and gotten the straight poop from guys like you. I now know better.

[Sunking]

Already did and have regretted it. Wish I had come here first and gotten the straight poop from guys like you. I now know better.

Suneagle I was just poking some fun at you.

[SunEagle]

Suneagle I was just poking some fun at you.

And I take those pokes with pride.

I'm not mad at your jabs, I am mad at myself for not coming here for the right info before I leaped off the cliff like some of the others that come here and ask their questions after the fact.

I thank you for your knowledge and humor.

[island406]

Knucklehead is much nicer than what my kids call me so it's ok...please remember that my goal is to have a redundant system. In January when the mercury drops to -40F it will be good to know that if a component fails I am covered... so 2 pwm controllers @$79 vs. 2 MPPM's @$225, if I only get 2/3 of the output from my panels which are 100 watt, I could buy another panel for $179 I know I can get the 200 watt panels for close to $1.00/watt, but I am trying to use my existing rack which held 2-30 watt panels, so I am paying a premium. The $ are very close, or maybe you guys have another idea, I am at a place where I could return some pieces.

Thanks again

[Sunking]

Island I was not calling you a Knucklehead, or anyone for that matter. -40F? Not what I envisioned for an island. Island to me is something like Jamaica, Bahama's, or Bermuda.

[Mike90250]

There is some debate over the longevity of the complicated MPPT controllers vs the simpler PWM controllers.

I've had my morningstar mppt 60 "warranty replaced" after 3 years.

[island406]

Seriously, knucklehead is fine, no offense taken

I would still like thoughts on what folks think of running two panels with separate controllers into the battery bank. As mentioned we only use the place seasonally and my concern is a component failure over the winter.

All information I have received so far suggests this will work, but maybe one PWM and one MPPT rather than two PWM's so we could take advantage of the MPPT's cycling, though I would suspect the different charging cycles could be a problem. Our electric needs are small, getting 66% of the two 100w panels should more than suffice (please don't ask me to inventory our load as the laptop, wifi and dish chargers don't list their real draw and I don't have a meter (knucklehead) these panels provide far more juice than our old 30w panels which ran thru a 1999 pwm controller.
Thanks again!

[Sunking]

Island no problem using two system to a common battery.

[bahamasolarnoob]

woohoo
The Bahamas Government’s plan to eliminate import duties on solar panels and associated inverters was yesterday described as “long overdue”

....Guilden Gilbert, vice-president of Alternative Power Solutions (APS) Bahamas, told Tribune Business that eliminating the existing 10 per cent duty on solar panels and solar powered air conditioners would further reduce the costs of renewable energy systems...

...The 45 per cent duty on solar panel inverters is also set to be eradicated come July 1...

...The Government also moved to create a new tariff heading for LED light fixtures, and reduce duty rates on these products from 35 per cent to zero.....

Batteries too I heard!

[James1079]

Will be a good beginner battery. Dekka makes good batteries. There are not two numbers, you are looking at two different batteries:
G110-12 is 230 AH
G92-12 is 215 AH

Point of reference the T-105 is 225 AH at 20 hour rate.



Assuming you will use a MPPT controller with these two batteries you do not want to go above 400 watts to charge them. If you have not pulled the trigger yet I recommend you use 200 Grid Tied panels and a MPPT Controller. Will make life much easier with Expansions using panels that are 200 watts GT. Grid Tied panels are less expensive than battery panels. Trust me. Look at any MPPT controller, 200 watts is the common denominator. Actually 215 is the sweat spot.

I hear you about the Taxes in the Bahamas, dam Brits. Perhaps you will get lucky someday and the USA will invade and Annex the islands and throw the Brits off. Dang you are only 150 miles off the US coast. Its a 20 minute flight or a 6 hour boat ride.

I have 8x G110-12 in series for 48v bank. I'm trying to choose the right voltage regulation configuration on my Morningstar mppt 60 controller. How do I find out the manufacturer's suggested absorption, float, equalize voltages?

[Sunking]

I have 8x G110-12 in series for 48v bank. I'm trying to choose the right voltage regulation configuration on my Morningstar mppt 60 controller. How do I find out the manufacturer's suggested absorption, float, equalize voltages?

That is an East Penn Deka Battery, a FLA model. Charge sheet here, but do not look for any voltages for FLA. For their FLA line you charge until specific gravity indicates fully charged. If you are charging wiht Solar you have a very slim chance of ever fully charging the battery. That means charge as high of a voltage the controller will let you set it. Start with Bulk/Absorb/Float = 64 volts. If at the end of the day you reach full charge, reduce voltage to 65 and repeat. You are looking for the voltage that just gets you to fully charged. Being Solar it is likely there is no voltage high enough. So get a good hydrometer and go to work.

FWIW that is the instructions for any FLA battery on solar. 3-Stage is useless on solar. It takes 12 to 16 hours to fully saturate a battery. Impossible with only 2 to 6 Sun Hours. That is why you must have a generator to get them charged up fully at least once a week.

[James1079]

That is an East Penn Deka Battery, a FLA model. Charge sheet here, but do not look for any voltages for FLA. For their FLA line you charge until specific gravity indicates fully charged. If you are charging wiht Solar you have a very slim chance of ever fully charging the battery. That means charge as high of a voltage the controller will let you set it. Start with Bulk/Absorb/Float = 64 volts. If at the end of the day you reach full charge, reduce voltage to 65 and repeat. You are looking for the voltage that just gets you to fully charged. Being Solar it is likely there is no voltage high enough. So get a good hydrometer and go to work.

FWIW that is the instructions for any FLA battery on solar. 3-Stage is useless on solar. It takes 12 to 16 hours to fully saturate a battery. Impossible with only 2 to 6 Sun Hours. That is why you must have a generator to get them charged up fully at least once a week.

Thank you. I don't have a generator. I do have grid power here. Should I invest into a 48 volt charger to top them up once a week?

https://www.morningstarcorp.com/custom-settings/custom-settings-east-penn-manufacturing-company-inc-dekamk-batteries/

also I found this should I just import the values for the East Penn Deka FLA a into my TriStar mppt 60?