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So I am rewiring a battery backup and I've run into an issue... Previously, everything was wired up with 4guage. But in my new wiring plan, I have incorporated a 15amp breaker on the negative battery terminal. But the lugs on the breaker are too small for 4guage. I could use something like...

I wondered why grounding the battery negative is practiced. Isn't an in line fuse off of the negative terminal all you need?

NEC: National Electric Code. I thought that might be it. ;) Yes! That is exactly how I'm using it; stand alone power supply charged by the grid. It is a backup that supports the tank until I can roll out the Honda. I have an alarm on the system which notifies my phone if the grid drops. But...

Thank you for the detailed reply and guidance. When I discovered that the two lead-acid batteries were dead, I went out and purchased two more, as they performed well for my application. Unfortunately, I can not return them. So I will have to work with these, and upgrade the batteries when...

Just checked out your build; I am impressed. The (2) lead acid batteries I will use, I plan on placing inside a plastic milk crate which will rest on a pair of 2x4s on the metal base of the rack. I've already run 10 gauge, solid core from the water main to the rack location. My plan is to...

This rack has all of my electronics for a large salt water aquarium. If I ground the entire rack, can I use it for this purpose? I plan on building something out of wood, because a metal rack for this purpose just doesn't feel right. Unless I get feedback from the more experienced users saying...

Yes... it took about 5 pounds of baking soda and a gallon of water before it was safe to dispose of.

Yes, I have come to learn that these batteries aren't the best choice for the intended application (power storage for when the grid goes down). But, they are purchased and installed, so, I'll work with whatever they can give. I'll upgrade them to a battery better suited for power storage next...

It was fully charged with a 10 amp NoCo. Then I put the 1.25 amp tender on it. It was when I took the tender off and just let it sit with a meter on it, that I saw the voltage drop I described.

So you are saying that I can use these batteries down to 6 volts? That would be 50% DoD, wouldn't it?

I have a fully charged Lead Acid battery. With the battery tender on it, it reads 12.9 volts. When I take the tender off, it drops to 12.7 volts. And after 15 minutes, it dropped to 11.7 volts. But now it sits at 11.7 volts for the last 4 hours without the tender. Why would it make such a...

Yes, finding information on these batteries, including on their website, is limited. When I purchased them, I asked the sales person how many amp hours the battery was rated at. They couldn't tell me because it wasn't listed on their website. I found them to be rated at 65 amp hours. So I have...

And by "cycled", you mean running them down and then recharging? They currently sit as 13.4 volts. I'm thinking I'd like to hook up a load and run them down to about 12.5 volts and recharge. Is that a "cycle"?

Well... I've already purchased them, and I can't bring them back. So while they may not be ideal for reasons I don't know/understand, I've made the commitment.

With lead-acid batteries, there is no "set it and forget it". It only took 4 or 5 lead-acid battery deaths for me to learn this simple lesson. These batteries are for the long-term storage of power. I just invested in two brand new lead-acid batteries ($100.00 each) and I would like to get a...

Are you speaking of the diagram I posted or the picture of the two new batteries? Why isn't ideal?

In the past, I've wired my banks as in option 4. But I wired the two batteries together and then added the charger to the first battery in the string. It looks like this... I notice you have the positive tied to the nearest post and the negative to the post on the terminal farthest from the...

At one point in my experimentation with storing power, I had three Duralast batteries all purchased at the same time. I wired them up in parallel and placed each on its own trickle charger. But some of the batteries swelled. My friend told me that this happens when energy passes through a fully...

UPDATE: So I reconditioned the Duralast Deep Cycle battery I mentioned earlier in the thread. The results weren't good. After recondition and a full charge, I was able to run a 60 watt lightbulb and a box fan for 50 minutes. Also, now I am saddled with the job of responsibly disposing of the...

Question: How will cold impact charging. I've set myself up under the deck on the concrete. It is there that the work will take place. I plan to charge outside and am wondering how the cold air (35 degrees) will impact charging?

Perhaps the Duralast are not ideal. But for $99.00, I thought they were good enough for storing power to be used during a power outage. In mission critical stuff (my saltwater aquariums) I have a VMAX AGM Deep Cycle that will support the entire tank for 6 hours and more depending on if the...

Why not give me an opportunity to give it a try? When I'm done, I will report back for further discussion. Sound like a good plan?

Again, this is about experimentation and learning. A fool's errand would be buying new batteries when for a few dollars, you can refurbish. Again, it may not work, but the value in education is worth the time and effort to me.

Anyone who follows instructional videos from India is asking for trouble. I'm not interested in doing what they show. It's sloppy, unprofessional and never meets the standards that I set. Nope, I wouldn't chance anything I see in those videos.

I haven't begun the process. I'm waiting on my safety gear. There are many ways to go about reconditioning a battery. And I would be interested in hearing what your procedure is for reconditioning a battery. Lastly, if there is something wrong with my process, I'd like to hear your thoughts...

Yeah... I understand that. Good to make note of. Thanks!

If I wanted, I could easily drive to the store and buy two new batteries. This is more about educating myself.

Unfortunately, "set it and forget it" does not apply to lead acid batteries. However, I am guilty of just that. I've been using Duralast deep cycle marine batteries from AutoZone. And while they work well when fresh and new, I need to learn to keep after them so that they remain reliable and...

Yes... already did the search. Thank you.

Sand Battery?

The primary reason for using solar is because there is no electricity currently installed in the shed. That is a project for next spring. I was trying to come up with a temporary solution to get through the winter. I thought about covering the plants in a tent and then use a 12volt heater off...

So I am trying to come up with a solution for this heating need: Many of the plants in my yard are potted and placed about. In the winter months, these plants are pruned and placed in a shed. During the day, the shed reaches about 68 degrees. But at night, it drops down to 46 degrees and it is...

This makes complete sense to me. So you balance the battery bank by adding/removing resistance through wire length?

Aren't these two diagrams the same... electrically speaking?