What battery is best for living off the grid?

[Old Scool Bus]

I use 4, 12 volt, floor scrubber batteries (acid). they are hooked up series and parallel to give me 24 volts, which feeds a 4500 amp inverter with 100 amp smart charger they have worked great the last 5 years. I paid $200 Cnd each   

I have 4 6volt ones hooked up the same way. Got mine free from a tow motor place. Been in use since May.

I also in a separate bank have 6 gel cells 12 volt used when I got them and I have been using them for 2 years. The do however need replaced.

[PP]

After a bad experience and learning the proper way to maintain wet batteries, I swear by them. I check my water levels weekly and constantly monitor the charge level, which is something I didn't do before (charge level) and ended up replacing the entire bank in a year. If you don't mind regular maintenance, the Trojans are your best bet for the money, and take Jim's (Safetyman) advice to heart and get the proper meter. My $.02 worth, Will

[cody]

I'm very interested in this idea but for both my daughters house and the anti-KOA, Menards here in this area, it's like home depot, has now started carrying 400 amp wind turbins for 499 and also 80 watt solar panels for 499, I'm very interested in offsetting some of our utility costs by maybe a combination of the 2, I'm thinking about the battery end of it, we already have a 1000 watt freedom inverter that could be used, so I'll be watching and reading closely.

[belfert]

I'm very interested in this idea but for both my daughters house and the anti-KOA, Menards here in this area, it's like home depot, has now started carrying 400 amp wind turbins for 499 and also 80 watt solar

400 amps at what voltage?  If it was 240 volt AC it could power an entire house and then some.  I doubt the city would ever let me install one of these.

I'll have to see if the Menards in my area has these.

[cody]

400 watts not amps, sorry, my mind is gone lol at 12 volts, same as nicks wind turbine

[Old Scool Bus]

I don't think the solar in your area specially winter time will be worth the expense at least that small of a unit.

[cody]

I had figured that 1000 watts is a good starting point, this area has a lot of solar usage and even more wind turbines, I just hadn't taken the time to check into them in the past to any great degree, I had built a solar heater that hung from a window about 20 years ago based on a design I found in the Mother Earth News that worked quite well in the winter, we used that for a couple of years then it got damaged and not replaced. 

[Ericbsc]

All I know about batteries is the same as snakes. Both will bite you before you know they are there!! I guess I went to simple. I got a good deal on 6 autocraft deep cycle maint free 12 volt. Got 6 for app. $400.00. Did I go wrong?

[bobsw]

I love my 8D AGM's

[Oregonconversion]

Well it sounds like I want sealed gell batteries. I think maintainance free sounds great. Also the charge rate. And the fact that they do not need to be vented and will not corode my stuff.

GO DUCKS!

[luvrbus]

Gell batteries are touchy about charging make sure your charger will work AGM batteries are not there is a difference in the 2 batteries 

good luck

[belfert]

I wouldn't recommend anyone buy gel batteries because they are so picky on charging and such.  AGM batteries are much better and most sealed batteries are AGM these days anyhow.

My inverter has both gel and flodded settings and the manufacturer of my AGM batteries recommended using the gel setting.

[Oregonconversion]

I have a xantrex RV3012 so I don't think I'll have a problem charging

[TomC]

My starting batteries are Interstate 31's (2) and my deep cycle are Lifeline 8D (2).  I can set the inverter/charger that has 3 stage charging so both sets of batteries are happy on the same setting.  I don't believe you can do that with GelCells.  Good Luck, TomC

[HB of CJ]

These are large, heavy STORAGE batteries and not based upon automotive starting battery technology or infrastructure like size or case dimensions.

The are a nominal 1.2 VDC PER CELL and you need ten (10) of them for a nominal 12VDC system, or 20 for a 24VDC system and so on.

They are old technology.  The nickle iron batts were called Edision Cells, which gives you an idea.  In theory they should last practically forever.

Alkaline, not acid.  Crazy things require a layer of battery oil on top of the electrolyte to keep the O2 in the air from reacting with it.  Require equalization.

Actually enjoy being totally flat discharged, then overcharged to prolong life.  They will boil if properly charged and require LOTS of distilled water.

Could you make your own nickle iron cells?  Dunno.  Have no idea where you can find NEW nickle irons right now.  $Expensive$ when you could.

Heavy for their capacity and size.  If you have lots of physical space and a strong floor, nickle iron batts would be the batt of choice.  Freezing doesn't hurt.

Nickle Cadiums are not considered ecologically friendly.  Ni Fe batts love being left in a state of partial discharge with no harm.  Good luck.  HB of CJ (old coot)