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Hi again,
Also, where do you buy your waterproof
connectors?
Pierre
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 6:37
PM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST]
Battery/motor pressurization
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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