2014: Resolving to Be Better to My Batteries

With the advent of the new year it's a good time to give your flooded lead acid batteries a little love; maybe not the kind of love one seeks beneath the mistletoe, but something akin to opening the battery box and casting a glance down each cell.

 

I started the new year by topping off all of the cells in our battery bank.  I couldn't remember when I last checked them but it must have been a while because they were certainly thirsty.  Some of my customers with off-grid or battery backup systems have inspired me to do better in 2014.  Many keep a notepad or tablet by their battery box for the sake of recording each watering and equalize session.

Batteries are a little like plants on your windowsill.  They will treat you well if you give them a little care from time to time.  We have some beautiful orchids that my wife waters and feeds.  She takes good care of them and they keep returning blooms (even now in the dead of winter!).  Determining the condition of batteries in a box isn't as simple as a glance at the windowsill, but a diary of care that's easy to pickup and look through can be a good start toward that regular maintenance.

Ron is one of the people who I always think of when my mind wanders to examples of battery care excellence.  He lives way off the grid in West Virginia.