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Hi Pierre.
Make sure you use a closed solenoid in the pod
(that leads to your waterproof toggle switch in the cockpit) and make your
battery connections tight.
As to any other spark producers in the pod, I don't
know and leave it to others to reply if they know.
Kindest Regards,
Bill Akins.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 5:53
PM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST]
Battery/motor pressurization
Hi guys,
So, is separating the pod from the rest a
suficient way to ensure security?
Or can the battery still produce a spark
that could ignite the hydrogen
inside the
pod?
Pierre
----- Original Message -----
From: <SFreihof@aol.com>
To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Sent:
Thursday, January 27, 2005 11:46 AM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST]
Battery/motor pressurization
> Hi Bill;
>
> I agree,
the hydrocaps are a must have, and thank you for the extensive
>
information on them. I think I'll still separate the electrical and
> pressure systems to isolate the elements and the
components.
>
> Stan
>
> In a message dated 1/26/2005
3:45:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, "Akins"
> <lakins1@tampabay.rr.com>
writes:
>
>>Hi Stan.
>>
>>In my system
design, I am going to run flexible conduit containing the
>>wires
from the battery pod directly to the hollow steering shaft of the
>>motor. I will attach the conduit to the steering shaft with a
waterproof
>>connector. Tubing running through the steering
shaft
>>to maintain pressure in the motor will be unnecessary since
the steering
>>shaft itself will be connected to the battery pod via
conduit and the
>>battery pod will be air equalized, therefore the
steering shaft will act
>>as its own tubing since the steering shaft
interior is open
>>to the inside of the motor housing's interior thus
not only carrying the
>>wires from the battery pod to the motor, but
also the equalized air from
>>the pod to the motor
housing.
>>
>>I will not need anything other than a scuba
tank and scuba regulator to
>>equalize my system. On descent, the
scuba regulator will sense the
>>increase in pressure (via its purge
valve) and open that valve and allow
>>air into the battery pod
which is joined via the conduit
>>to the motor's hollow steering
shaft and will pressurize both the battery
>>pod and motor at the
same time. When the inside pressure is equal to the
>>outside
pressure the scuba regulator's purge valve will automatically
>>close and stop venting air into the battery pod and
motor.
>>
>>On accent, the air exhaust valve on the scuba
regulator will allow
>>expanding air from the motor and battery pod
to exhaust out of the scuba
>>regulator. Simple yet
effective.
>>I don't need any other check valves nor tubes. As to
hydrogen explosion
>>concerns I will be using a hydrolator and
hydrocaps. See the article below
>>on
hydrocaps.
>>
>>Kindest Regards,
>>Bill
Akins.
>>
>>
>>Home Power tests the
Hydrocaps
>>One of the perpetual chores in home power systems is
watering the
>>batteries. These large lead-acid cells always seem
thirsty for distilled
>>water. As these batteries recharge, some of
their water escapes.
>>Periodic watering of these large cells is
essential for battery survival.
>>Failure to do so results in the
early demise of these expensive batteries.
>>Hydrocaps are devices
which greatly reduce the battery's water consumption
>>and also offer
vital safety and operating features.
>>The Lead-Acid Recharging
Process
>>The electrolyte in lead acid batteries is a dilute (Å25%)
solution
>>of sulphuric acid in water. As the lead-acid cell reaches
a full
>>state of charge, some the water in the electrolyte is broken
down
>>into hydrogen and oxygen gasses by the recharging current.
These
>>gasses escape from the vent on the top of each cell. This
process,
>>called "gassing", accounts for the water lost from the
cells. The
>>actual amount of water the cell loses during recharging
depends on
>>several factors. High temperatures (>90¡F), high
rates of recharge
>>(>C/20), and elevated voltage limits (>2.44
VDC per cell) all increase
>>the amount of gassing that occurs during
the recharging process.
>>If all the cells in a lead-acid battery are
to be totally refilled
>>and equalized, then a certain amount of
gassing will have to take
>>place. It's up to us to deal with this
situation. First, we must
>>add distilled water to the cells to make
up for the water hydrolyzed
>>into hydrogen and oxygen. Second, we
must deal with the potentially
>>explosive mixture of hydrogen and
oxygen being vented from the cells.
>>Hydrocaps offer solutions to
both these problems.
>>Hydrocaps
>>A Hydrocap is a catalytic
gas recombiner than converts hydrogen and
>>oxygen gasses into pure
water. A catalyst is a substance which encourages
>>other substances
into chemical change without actually participating
>>in that change,
sort of a chemical ambassador. The process occurring
>>in the
Hydrocap is similar to that occurring in an automotive
catalytic
>>converter.
>>The Hydrocap replaces the regular
cell cap. When the cell is gassing,
>>the hydrogen and oxygen gasses
are vented into the Hydrocap. Inside
>>the Hydrocap, a catalyst of
platinum and other platinum group metals
>>recombine the gasses into
pure water. This water is then dripped
>>back into the cell. The
Hydrocap recycles the water that the cell
>>gives off as hydrogen and
oxygen gasses. This eliminates the danger
>>posed by the hydrogen gas
and vastly reduces watering the cells.
>>When the cell is gassing,
some of the recharging energy is not being
>>stored in the cell, but
is breaking down water into its constituent
>>elements- hydrogen and
oxygen. Some of the energy used in the conversion
>>of water into
hydrogen and oxygen is retrieved by the Hydrocap.
>>When the Hydrocap
is operating it gets warm. This heat energy is
>>a by product of the
catalytic recombination of the hydrogen and oxygen
>>back into water.
While this may seem just an interesting aside,
>>we found the
Hydrocap's warmth very useful as an indicator of the
>>cell's state
of charge.
>>Testing the Hydrocap
>>We installed 6 Hydrocaps
on two Trojan L-16W batteries (350 Ampere-hours
>>at 12 VDC) in the
Plywood Palace on 9 March 1989. These batteries
>>are recharged by a
motley assortment of five PV panels (Å200 peak
>>Watts) and our home
made Mark VI engine/generator system (12 to 16
>>VDC from 5 to 100
Amps). See HP2, page 25, for a description of
>>this engine/generator
system. I usually add about a pint of distilled
>>water to each cell
per month. Each cell (and this battery has six)
>>has an electrolyte
capacity of three quarts. We've been cycling
>>this battery about
three times a week; this means lots of recharging
>>and its
associated water consumption. Basically, this battery is
>>consuming
about $8 worth of distilled water a year.
>>I removed the cell caps,
filled the cells with water, and replaced
>>the stock caps with
Hydrocaps. I then fired up the Mark VI
>>engine/generator
>>to recharge the battery and check out
the Hydrocaps' operation.
>>The battery was already just about full
from the PVs' daily input.
>>It only took a few minutes before the
battery voltage rose to 14.5
>>VDC at 17 Amperes input (about a C/20
rate for this battery). The
>>battery was now gassing slightly. I
raised the voltage limit on
>>the Mark VI to 14.8 VDC and now I could
hear the cells gassing violently.
>>Each of the Hydrocaps was
starting to get warm. I continued to recharge
>>the battery for a
while and found that for this particular battery
>>the Hydrocaps
stayed warm (but not hot) with a voltage limit of 14.6
>>VDC. I found
this fascinating. For the very first time I had some
>>feedback on
how much each cell was actually gassing. The more a
>>cell gassed,
the hotter its Hydrocap became. This battery is over
>>9 years old
and has one cell which is slightly weaker than the rest.
>>I've
determined this by long term voltage measurement of the
individual
>>cells during all sorts of charge/discharge rates. Sure
enuff, the
>>Hydrocap on that particular cell was the slowest to warm
up.
>>The heat output of each Hydrocap provides three valuable bits
of
>>battery information. One, it allows the user to accurately
determine
>>the voltage at which his battery gasses (a good voltage
setpoint
>>for regulators). Two, it allows early detection (and
correction
>>via equalizing) of a weak cell by its relatively cooler
Hydrocap.
>>Three, when all the Hydrocaps reach the same temperature,
then all
>>the cells are equalized (at the same state of charge). And
accessing
>>this information is low tech, just feel the temperature
of the Hydrocaps!
>>It's now been over two months since the Hydrocaps
were installed
>>on our L-16Ws. I checked the water before writing
this and all of
>>the cells are still full. I have not added a drop
of water to the
>>battery during this test period. Operation without
the Hydrocaps
>>would have consumed about 1.5 gallons of distilled
water during this
>>interval. I assume that I will have to eventually
add some water
>>to the battery, even with the Hydrocaps. >From the
virtually zero
>>decrease in electrolyte level to date, I think that
yearly watering
>>of the cells is possible in well proportioned
systems. Every time
>>we open a battery's cell to add water we risk
contamination of that
>>cell. Batteries are chemical machines and
depend on the purity of
>>their reactants for longevity. Hydrocaps
reduce the frequency of
>>required water addition and thereby lessen
the possibility of cell
>>contamination.
>>The top surfaces
of our batteries are staying cleaner. During recharging
>>without
Hydrocaps, a fine mist of acid electrolyte is expelled from
>>the
cells along with the hydrogen and oxygen gasses. With the
Hydrocaps,
>>there is actually a negative pressure within the cap.
The gas
>>recombination
>>creates a slight vacuum within
the Hydrocap, and the acid mist is
>>washed back down into the cell
by the recombined water. Slick.
>>The process keeps the acid
electrolyte from reaching the top of the
>>battery's case and
corroding everything. Cleaning the tops of our
>>batteries is one of
my least favorite chores. My nose always itches
>>when I've got acid
on my fingersÉ
>>Based on a catalytic reaction, the Hydrocaps last a
long time. The
>>manufacturer says, and I quote, "The life expectancy
of a Hydrocap
>>is more than 5 years with overcharge rates below 3
Amperes for two
>>hours each day." What this means to those of us
using PVs as energy
>>sources in properly proportioned systems, is
very long lifetimes.
>>If our power sources aren't grossly
overcharging our batteries, then
>>a set of Hydrocaps should last
between ten and twenty years. Sizing
>>Hydrocaps
>>Since
different batteries have different cap sizes and styles,
the
>>Hydrocaps must be fitted for a particular battery. The
manufacturer
>>aided us, as he does all his customers, in selecting
the right size,
>>shape and overcharge rate for our battery system.
Fortunately, Hydrocap
>>makes a specific model that will fit most any
battery and situation.
>>Hydrocap Cost
>>The manufacturer
sells Hydrocaps directly to the end user for $5.50
>>each, delivered,
in quantities of six or more. I figure that over
>>the lifetime of a
set of Hydrocaps I'll spend at least two times
>>their purchase price
on distilled water alone. And this doesn't
>>include my time to
refill and cleanup the batteries, or the added
>>safety factor of
greatly reduced explosive hydrogen surrounding the
>>batteries during
recharging, or the interesting and useful information
>>offered the
the cap's heat. The Hydrocaps are worth at least what
>>they
cost.
>>Hydrocap Access
>>Contact Mr. George Peroni at
Hydrocap Corp., 975 N.W. 95 Street,
>>Miami, FL 33150 ¥ telephone:
305-696-2504. George not only sized
>>our Hydrocaps, but was very
helpful in providing technical information
>>about his product.
Conclusion
>>Hydrocaps are a must for lead-acid battery users. They
increase
>>the safety of the battery area by reducing explosive
hydrogen gas.
>>They are cost-effective by their savings in distilled
water alone.
>>They reduce battery maintenance while increasing
battery longevity
>>and reliability. They also offer direct tactile
feedback regarding
>>the state of charge of the battery's individual
cells. We're now
>>running Hydrocaps on all our cells and are
specifying them on all
>>the batteries that Electron Connection Ltd.
installs. Hydrocaps
>>should be considered necessary, basic equipment
for any system using
>>lead-acid batteries.
RP
>>
>
>
>
>
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