BATTERY USER MANUAL Recommended charging, equalization and preventive maintenance procedures for Rolls Batteries.
RENEWABLE ENERGY AGM GEL MARINE MOTIVE POWER RAILROAD & DIESEL STARTER
TABLE OF CONTENTS 02 02 02 02 03 04 04 04 05 06 08 09 10 13 15 16 17 17 18 18 19 22 23 24 27 29 29 33 35 36 37 39 44 Manual Equipment Needed Safe Handling Procedure Inspection Quick Check List Installation Battery Orientation Cable Sizing Warning Parallel / Series Connections Flooded Lead Acid Batteries Inspection & Initial Charge of Flooded Lead Acid Batteries Flooded Lead Acid Battery Charging Flooded Battery Charging Parameters Activation & Inital Charge of Dry-Shipped Flooded Lead Acid Batteries Batter
MANUAL Rolls Battery has been manufacturing deep cycle lead-acid batteries since 1935. Experience gained has helped achieve an unmatched reputation along with specific measures to obtain the maximum performance and life from our product. This manual provides the recommended setup, charging, equalization and preventive maintenance procedures necessary to maximize the life of your Rolls batteries.
QUICK CHECK LIST SHIPPING/RECEIVING (MUST INSPECT PRIOR TO DRIVER RELEASE!) • All parts are included • No acid spill • No visual damage to the batteries • Verify electrolyte levels INSTALLATION • Protective equipment should be worn • All electrical components should be turned off • Acid spill cleanup material should be readily available INITIAL CHARGE • Verify electrolyte levels (add distilled water as necessary) • Measure specific gravity • Set up battery charge voltage/current limits GENERAL • Safety firs
INSTALLATION Rolls deep cycle batteries are manufactured for use in a wide variety of applications. No matter the use, it is important that the battery is installed securely, free of contaminants and that all connections are in good contact with the terminals. Excessive heat or cold temperatures will result in the reduction of the overall life of your batteries.
Wire Gauge Size Amperage 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 1 00 0000 25 30 40 55 75 95 130 150 195 260 TABLE 1: Wire gauge sizing by amperage WARNING Loose or over-tightened connections may cause high resistance. The result is an unwanted voltage drop as well as excessive terminal heating, causing the terminal to melt or even catch fire. To limit the possibility of damage or fire, use a torque wrench to properly adjust terminal connections during your regular maintenance schedule.
FLOODED LEAD ACID TERMINALS Terminal connections should be tightened to 25 ft/lbs or 33 N.m for all flooded FS, 4000, 4500 & 5000 Series models. AGM & GEL TERMINALS Torque settings vary by terminal type, please refer to the chart below and/or provided specifications: AGM Terminals Torque N.m Button Terminal (M8) Button Terminal (M10) AP LT DT (AP and stud terminal) M6 (TP08) M8 (TP08) 9.6-10.7 12.2-14 5.6-7.9 9.6-10.7 5.6-7.9 3.9-5.4 9.6-10.
To increase capacity and voltage, connect the batteries in series parallel as shown in Figure 2.
FLOODED LEAD ACID BATTERIES
INSPECTION & INITIAL CHARGE OF FLOODED LEAD ACID BATTERIES WARNING • ALWAYS WEAR THE PROPER PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (GOGGLES, GLOVES, CLOTHING) WHEN HANDLING FLOODED BATTERIES AND ELECTROLYTE. • WET BATTERIES MUST BE FULLY CHARGED BEFORE BEING DELIVERED TO THE END USER. • UNLESS INSTRUCTED BY ROLLS TECHNICAL SUPPORT, NEVER ADD ACID TO THE BATTERIES AT ANY TIME. USE DISTILLED WATER ONLY. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN MALFUNCTION AND WILL VOID WARRANTY.
FLOODED LEAD ACID BATTERY CHARGING MULTI-PHASE CHARGING The most common type of charge method at present is a three phase charge plus periodic equalizations. Check with your charger manufacturer for specific programming instructions. BULK CHARGE The first phase of the charging process is the bulk charge. This is when the maximum amount of current flows into the battery bank until a desired voltage is reached.
EXAMPLE: 2 strings of 6 Volt 6 CS 25P models 20 hr AH rate = 820 AH x (2 strings) = 1640 AH I = 10% of 1640 AH = 164 Amps. T = 0.42 x 1640/164 = 4.2 hrs If charger output is 120 Amps max, 120 is used. T = 0.42 x 1640/120 = 5.75 hrs FLOAT CHARGE When the Absorption charge is completed, the batteries require a certain amount of voltage to maintain a full charge when no load is applied. This Float voltage maintains the battery bank at a constant full state of charge.
To prolong battery cycle life, Rolls recommends setting the Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD) between 1.85 volts per cell (VPC) to 1.95 volts per cell (VPC). This may be adjusted up or down, depending how often you wish to run the charging source (generator or alternative power) when the voltage of the battery bank reaches the programmed set point. WARNING: Low Voltage Disconnect only cuts off the draw from the inverter/ charger. It does not disconnect all loads from the battery bank.
FLOODED BATTERY CHARGING PARAMETERS Regular Cycling / PSOC Recovery Regular Cycling / PSOC Recovery 5.00 5.00 Infrequent Cycling / TABLE 2 (a): Flooded Charging Parameters - Regular Cycling/PSOC Recovery Backup System Infrequent Cycling / Backup System TABLE 2 (b): Flooded Charging Parameters - Infrequent Cycling/Backup System NOTE: Use highlighted values when charge equipment is supplied with temperature compensation at 5mv/ºC/Cell.
Temperature sensors should be mounted directly to side of a cell casing below the electrolyte level to determine accurate cell temperature. On dual-container models, remove the cover and mount the sensor directly to cell. See Figure 6. When using chargers that do not feature temperature compensation, voltage settings should be monitored and adjusted based on actual cell temperature.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY The specific gravity of electrolyte in a battery is the most accurate measurement to determine if the cells are in fact, fully charged. The specific gravity should be constant for 3 hours for an accurate full charge reading. Check the state of charge as related to specific gravity. Initial charging may take 10 hours. Once the battery is fully charged, verify the electrolyte level in the cell once more. The fluid should be 1/4”-1/2” below the vent tube on each cell as shown in Figure 7.
Following activation, top up cells with distilled water only as necessary. Replace vent caps and remove any spillage. If necessary, clean up spills as outlined below. Do not add additional electrolyte after activation. *Do not place on charge until electrolyte temperature is below 35°C (95°F). BATTERY MAINTENANCE & STORAGE Batteries should be kept clean at all times. If installed or stored in a dirty location, regular cleaning should be performed.
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE For the first 6-12 months of a systems life you should check the following things: MONTHLY • Measure and record resting/loaded voltage. • Check and record electrolyte levels. • Test and record specific gravity measurements. • Record ambient temperature where the batteries are installed. • Inspect cell integrity for corrosion at terminal, connection, racks or cabinets. • Check battery monitoring equipment to verify operation. • Add distilled water as necessary.
WINTER STORAGE Prior to placing batteries into winter storage make certain the electrolyte level is approximately 13 mm (1/2”) above the top of the separators. The electrolyte level in a very cold battery will be lower than normal, so let batteries warm to a normal ambient temperature before judging electrolyte levels. If the batteries become discharged, the electrolyte may freeze when stored below -7°C (20°F). Specific Gravity Freezing Temperature 1.280 1.265 1.250 1.200 1.150 1.100 -69ºC (-92ºF) -57.
FREQUENCY Most multi-phase charge controllers offer pre-programmed equalization schedules known as preventative equalizations. These are typically set for a shorter 1-2 hour period every 30, 60 or 90 days and are beneficial in balancing and removing small amounts of accumulated sulfation on an ongoing basis.
4. Measure and record the specific gravity of each cell in the battery bank and temperature of a test cell. If the temperature rises above 46ºC (115ºF) and approaches 52ºC (125ºF), terminate the equalization cycle. You may need to give the batteries a chance to cool off and attempt the cycle again. Check individual cell temperatures using an IR temp sensor to isolate possible damaged cells. 5. If cells are severely sulfated, it may take several hours for the specific gravity to rise. 6.
PULSE CHARGING Pulse charging has shown that the banks do not get as sulfated as one with the traditional 3-Stage charging, but will not eliminate the need for controlled, preventive equalization. The benefit of pulse charging is that the bank will suffer less overcharge and hence less maintenance. BATTERY ADDITIVES Most battery additives are mainly a form of a common preservative, EDTA. These additives help to increase the solubility of the sulfate in the electrolyte (common salt effect).
SPECIFIC GRAVITY & VOLTAGE READINGS BATTERY CELL READINGS CELL # SPECIFIC VOLTAGE DATE: CELL # 1 25 2 26 3 27 4 28 5 29 6 30 7 31 8 32 9 33 10 34 11 35 12 36 13 37 14 38 15 39 16 40 17 41 18 42 19 43 20 44 21 45 22 46 23 47 24 48 SPECIFIC VOLTAGE INSPECTION CHECKLIST CHECK CHECKLIST: (CONT’D) BATTERIES CLEAN & DRY TERMINALS CONNECTIONS VENT CAPS TIGHT HYDROCAPS ELECTROLYTE LEVELS CHECK & TOP SPECIFIC GRAVITY TERMINALS CLEAN VOLTAGE CHECK
AGM & GEL VRLA BATTERIES
ROLLS AGM & GEL VRLA BATTERY CHARGING INSTRUCTIONS To maximize the life of your Rolls AGM or GEL VRLA battery, it is important that it is properly charged. Over or under-charging a VRLA battery will result in shortened cycle life. The best protection from improper charging is the use of a quality charger and routinely checking that the charger current and voltage settings are maintained. VRLA CHARGER INSPECTION The charger cabling should be insulated and free of breaks or cuts.
VRLA ABSORPTION CHARGE TIME Where : T = 0.42 x C /I T = ABSORPTION CHARGE TIME C = 20 hr RATED CAPACITY (total battery bank) I = Charging Current (Amps) (recommended 20% to 35% of C20 discharge rate) 0.42 = ( 20%/50%) + 5% (5% is added due to losses) EXAMPLE: 2 strings of 6 Volt S6-460AGM models 20 hr AH rate = 415 AH x (2 strings) = 830 AH I = 20% of 830 AH = 166 Amps T = 0.42 x 830/166 = 2.1 hrs NOTE: If charger output is 120 Amps max, 120 is used T = 0.42 x 830/120 = 2.
VRLA VOLTAGE REGULATED CHARGER A = 2.45V/Cell (+/- .05V/Cell) AGM 2.38V/Cell (+/- .05V/Cell) GEL F= 2.30V/Cell (+/-.25V/Cell) AGM 2.28V/Cell (+/- .25V/Cell) GEL End Amps VRLA CONSTANT CURRENT CHARGER When using a constant current charger it is important to adhere to the termination criteria mentioned below to minimize the chance of excessive over-charge. See Table 5 & 7 for the recommended constant current charge profile. A = 2.45V/Cell (+/- .05V/Cell) AGM 2.38V/Cell (+/- .
Storage Temperature Refresh Charge Interval Below 20ºC (68ºF) 20ºC (68ºF) - 30ºC (86ºF) Higher than 30ºC (86ºF) 9 Months 6 Months 3 Months TABLE 6: Storage Temperature & Refresh Charge GEL BATTERY INSTALLATION & CHARGING Designed and well-suited for regular cycling as well as float and backup applications, Rolls sealed OPzV GEL batteries have a low internal resistance allowing quick recharge and a low self-discharge rate (less than 2% per month).
RENEWABLE ENERGY APPLICATIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY APPLICATIONS Most deep cycle batteries used in the Renewable Energy Industry were originally designed and manufactured for use in Industrial applications where consistent charge cycles are carried out from six to twelve hours until the batteries reach a full state of charge. In Renewable Energy (RE) applications, a lengthy charge time is not typical and in most instances a maximum of 4-6 hours of peak charge is achieved each day due to limited daylight and varying weather conditions.
CYCLE LIFE Battery manufacturers rate the cycle life of their batteries by comparing the level of discharge on the battery and the frequency of cycling. Higher battery discharge will result in shorter cycle life. In reverse, a smaller discharge percentage will extend the expected cycle life of the battery as the battery will provide more charge/discharges.
BATTERY SELECTION Choosing the appropriate battery for the application is key to long battery life and performance. Once the load is determined a battery bank should be selected to meet the system design. If a battery bank of a specific capacity is needed, it is important to select a battery model which offers sufficient capacity, but also minimizes the number of parallel strings required to accomplish the desired voltage and capacity.
DISCHARGE RATES Discharge and recharge rates should be considered when selecting and sizing a battery bank. Battery manufacturers publish multiple discharge rates for each battery model, which range from 100 hrs to 1 hr. These are often referenced for various type of applications. The most common in Renewable Energy applications is the 20 hr rate as this closely matches a 1 day period.
GRID-CONNECTED BACKUP There are two distinct uses for a grid-connected battery bank. The first, and the most common is a power backup system. The purpose is to provide temporary power in the instance of grid loss. This is simular to a UPS system, but is typically on a much larger scale with higher storage capacity. The second is a grid-tied system with battery backup.
WARRANTY GLOSSARY & FAQ'S
WARRANTY We build one mean battery and we back them with comprehensive warranties that lead the industry in length of coverage. We’re confident that our batteries will perform time after time, year after year. However, should a problem arise, you may be assured that you're covered better than any other battery warranty in the business.
ROLLS BATTERY WARRANTY PROCEDURE Please refer to product warranty for the specific model as terms and conditions may vary. For warranty requests and inquiries, please submit your request via support ticket (www.rollsbattery.com/support) or by email to support@rollsbattery.com DAMAGED BATTERY YES Damaged batteries DO NOT qualify for Rolls Battery product warranty NO Check individual cell voltages < 2.1 VPC Charge battery at 0.1/c20 for 10 hours Cells < 1.250 Charge battery at 0.
LEAD ACID BATTERY GLOSSARY ABSORBED (OR ABSORPTIVE) GLASS MAT A technique for sealed lead-acid batteries. The electrolyte is absorbed in a matrix of glass fibers, which holds the electrolyte next to the plate and immobilizes it, preventing spills. AGM batteries tend to have good power characteristics, low internal resistance, and good behavior during charging. AMP, AMPERE Unit of electrical current. Abbreviated “A”. AMP-HOUR Unit of electrical energy, one amp of current flowing for one hour.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY The density of a material, expressed as the ratio of the mass of a given volume of the material and the mass of the same volume of water; a specific gravity greater than 1 means heavier than water, less than 1 means lighter than water. The specific gravity of the electrolyte in a battery can be used to measure the state of charge of the battery.
TROUBLESHOOTING & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS The following is a list of common scenarios, questions and concerns regarding system setup, battery charging and maintenance procedures. Please refer to these as general guidelines. For further assistance with your specific system setup, please contact your Installer. NOTE: specific gravity readings should be taken at full charge, after the batteries have been allowed to cool and are resting in a Float voltage charge for 1-2 hours.
• Indicates there may be connection issues within each series connection or parallel strings. 1. Clean and inspect all cabling and connections. Physically disconnect cable, inspect for terminal concaving (Over torqued), grease and re-torque connections. *Specific gravity readings vary more than .030 in multiple strings of batteries indicates an imbalance of charge. If specific gravity readings continue to vary after charging each string individually a corrective equalization charge may be necessary.
• When a charge is initiated the voltage of the battery bank rises very quickly and the charger goes quickly into the Absorption charge cycle or shuts off charge to the batteries completely. 1. This is often an indication of sulfated batteries which may be causing alower than normal impedance in reference to the charger. Capacity of the bank will be reduced and may be confirmed by running a load test. 2. An increase in Absorption time may be necessary to de-sulfate the battery bank. 3.
• Specific Gravities readings at full charge vary significantly, (greater than .030) • This may be caused by multiple parallel strings of batteries in a bank, which often result in charge imbalance. It is not recommended that a system exceed 3 strings of batteries connected in parallel. • Charge voltage settings may be too low. Verify they meet Rolls recommended charging parameters for Flooded or AGM models. • An increase in Absorption charge time may be necessary. Increase in 15 to 30 minute increments.
• Battery Terminal has melted This is most common with loose connections, causing a highly resistant connection. This resistance has caused heat buildup and melted the terminal connection. • This can be caused by: • Loose connections • Over-tightened connections • Improper sized cables (too small). • Corroded connections • Improper use of washers/lock washers.
CONTACTS Surrette Battery Company Ltd. PO Box 2020, 1 Station Road Springhill, Nova Scotia, Canada B0M 1X0 PHONE: 1 902 597 3767 (local) 1 800 681 9914 (toll free) FAX: 1 902 597 8447 (local) 1 800 681 9915 (toll free) CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1 902 597 4005 customerservice@rollsbattery.com SALES: 1 902 597 3767 (local) 1 800 681 9914 (toll free) sales@rollsbattery.com TECHNICAL SERVICE: 1 902 597 3767 (phone) 1 800 681 9914 (toll free) support@rollsbattery.com TECHNICAL SUPPORT TICKET: support.
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