How Many Amps Are Your Battery Back up Systems

I can't even tell you how much cash that BatteryMinder has saved me. I've had the 2-4-8 unit for a couple years now - bought it off Northern Tool when they first came out. Best thing I ever bought.

Everything I own right now has at least a 5 year old battery. The Harley has the original from 03 ... and I charge it twice a year .. and only put about 100 miles on it the past 2 years. In other words, it gets abused and shouldn't be alive ... but I can go out there right now & crank the thing to life. Tractor battery is 6 years old, and died the very first winter it sat when it only had 30 hours on it. I managed to string it along for 3 years until I bought that BatteryMinder, and now that battery is still going strong. Same with my Polaris atv - that battery kept dying for the first few years. Now that one is at age 6, with the battery draining accessories on it and all.

SMITTY wrote:I can't even tell you how much cash that BatteryMinder has saved me. I've had the 2-4-8 unit for a couple years now - bought it off Northern Tool when they first came out. Best thing I ever bought.

Everything I own right now has at least a 5 year old battery. The Harley has the original from 03 ... and I charge it twice a year .. and only put about 100 miles on it the past 2 years. In other words, it gets abused and shouldn't be alive ... but I can go out there right now & crank the thing to life. Tractor battery is 6 years old, and died the very first winter it sat when it only had 30 hours on it. I managed to string it along for 3 years until I bought that BatteryMinder, and now that battery is still going strong. Same with my Polaris atv - that battery kept dying for the first few years. Now that one is at age 6, with the battery draining accessories on it and all.

Smitty and Gerry G, you have sold me on the battery minder. For 39.95 on sale at Northen, maintains even 5 12v in pararrel or even (I like this one) two 6V in series. My understanding is that at this price it is not really a charger but a desulfidator and maintainer, and that is fine. Not to be confused with the Battery ten--...

Had two high quality 6V's in series some time ago that eventually died likely sulplidation and not keeping a charge on them, not to change subject but if anyone ever buys a couple of high quality 6V ~220 amp hr batterys will not be unhappy with the power availiable vs the well bought 12V local auto store "deep cycle-marine) versions like I currently have. I cannot speak for the 6V batteries they sell at SAM's though I am pretty much talking the Trojan brand and other brands like US Battery or related industrual grades.

We should have a section all it's own on alt power/batteries ! Mayor!!

Uglysquirrel wrote:
Smitty and Gerry G, you have sold me on the battery minder. For 39.95 on sale at Northen, maintains even 5 12v in pararrel or even (I like this one) two 6V in series. My understanding is that at this price it is not really a charger but a desulfidator and maintainer, and that is fine. Not to be confused with the Battery ten--...

Had two high quality 6V's in series some time ago that eventually died likely sulplidation and not keeping a charge on them, not to change subject but if anyone ever buys a couple of high quality 6V ~220 amp hr batterys will not be unhappy with the power availiable vs the well bought 12V local auto store "deep cycle-marine) versions like I currently have. I cannot speak for the 6V batteries they sell at SAM's though I am pretty much talking the Trojan brand and other brands like US Battery or related industrual grades.

We should have a section all it's own on alt power/batteries ! Mayor!!

It is a slow charger and often will charge "dead" batteries other chargers won't. (by breaking up large sulfate crystals other chargers will not). Yes, at just over 1 amp output in "charge mode" it may take a few days to charge a large battery.

It also may take weeks to desulfate a battery in really bad condition. My camper lost power over the winter and there was a modest load which totally depleted and sulfated my 5 year old 31M deep cycle Optima batteries. My regular charger did nothing, the Battery Minder got the charging started, I then charged them with the regular charger and they tested very low capacity). After 2 months on just the Battery Minder. the 5 year old AGM batteries tested at 70% of nominal capacity! Quite useful.

gerry

Gerry, the Samlex PSW works beautifully on starting the entire machine all at once. Details below. In few words, could not tell the machine was on inverter power.

* Model PST-60S-12a (don rowe $187, free shipping)
* the 2-265 cfm convections and combustion kicked on at the same time thru the Coal Trol, did not sound any different from a commercial power start, no initial motor stall, hum, anything, fans went to 50% FSM. I did not try 99% yet though the major load is likely at starting so 99% should not be a issue.
* At this fsm speed with the feed motor off, 169 watts, with feed 191 watts.
* The kill-a -watt ran just like on commercial power, 59.6 cycles, 120.1 volts. (my kill-a -watt will not run happily on several msw's I have, it did today)
* Starting voltage was 12.62 volts, at load for 15 minutes it stabilized at 12.2 volts. This is different for every install.
* also put a 100 amp fuse in the hot line ($10 for holder, $5 for fuse from rowe)
* batteries were hooked up with 6 gage marine grade wire (cabelas internet) with 6 gage welding cable copper lugs soldered to wire. The soldering is a pita and requires a technique, not easy to get the solder wetted within the wire center.

Ug

Uglysquirrel wrote:Gerry, the Samlex PSW works beautifully on starting the entire machine all at once. Details below. In few words, could not tell the machine was on inverter power.

* Model PST-60S-12a (don rowe $187, free shipping)
* the 2-265 cfm convections and combustion kicked on at the same time thru the Coal Trol, did not sound any different from a commercial power start, no initial motor stall, hum, anything, fans went to 50% FSM. I did not try 99% yet though the major load is likely at starting so 99% should not be a issue.
* At this fsm speed with the feed motor off, 169 watts, with feed 191 watts.
* The kill-a -watt ran just like on commercial power, 59.6 cycles, 120.1 volts. (my kill-a -watt will not run happily on several msw's I have, it did today)
* Starting voltage was 12.62 volts, at load for 15 minutes it stabilized at 12.2 volts. This is different for every install.
* also put a 100 amp fuse in the hot line ($10 for holder, $5 for fuse from rowe)
* batteries were hooked up with 6 gage marine grade wire (cabelas internet) with 6 gage welding cable copper lugs soldered to wire. The soldering is a pita and requires a technique, not easy to get the solder wetted within the wire center.

Ug

Glad to hear it worked well! Just like col-trols and many motors, Kill-a-watts... don't like "dirty" power. which Modified Sine Wave inverters produce.

BTW, I have a Hobart 770122 Lug Crimper which is not expensive, uses a hammer and tapered crimp area which handles many size lugs, not the very expensive handle type which need a die for each size lug. One tool does many size lugs. Proper crimping is considered superior to soldering. both for the reason you state and risk of a bad joint overheating.

gerry

Back to the Future fans will remember the quote "1.21 gigawatts? 1.21 gigawatts? Great Scott!" I couldn't help but think of this famous line when I read the question.

And I could not hold it back any longer LOL

Gerry, I like the quiet at night no genny at night stoka still on, does not attrack the genny thieves like they had in the Oct storm, come to find out was talking to a lineman, he indicated people were stealing the downed copper wires.

A pretty poignant example of what is beginning to happen in this country.

Ah, sorry, back to batteries....

Gerry, I like the quiet at night no genny at night stoka still on, does not attrack the genny thieves like they had in the Oct storm, come to find out was talking to a lineman, he indicated people were stealing the downed copper wires.

A pretty poignant example of what is beginning to happen in this country.

Ah, sorry, back to batteries....

well I am back. so far I have sold my tripplite inverter and spent $500 for a AIMS 1500 watt pure sinwave inverter/ charger. I figured AIMS would be a high quality inverter but guess again. the first one I purchased back on november 27th went up in smoke after an hour and yes I checked that the wires were connected properly and I just received the replacement one from the manufacturer today and it does not work at all. I called their tech support and told me to put a charger on the batteries for a few hours and call him back. the 2 6volt batteries combined read 13.5 volts this time I am demanding my money back and going to a different brand.

atcfan wrote:well I am back. so far I have sold my tripplite inverter and spent $500 for a AIMS 1500 watt pure sinwave inverter/ charger. I figured AIMS would be a high quality inverter but guess again. the first one I purchased back on november 27th went up in smoke after an hour and yes I checked that the wires were connected properly and I just received the replacement one from the manufacturer today and it does not work at all. I called their tech support and told me to put a charger on the batteries for a few hours and call him back. the 2 6volt batteries combined read 13.5 volts this time I am demanding my money back and going to a different brand.

Samlex has three grades of PSW inverters, the one discussed above was the mid grade.