offered by Busse-Yachtshop.com
AIR 403 Land Manual Document #0049 REV D
SOUTHWEST WINDPOWER 8/20/2001 31
NOTE: Refer to battery manufacture for specific recommendations regarding installation,
maintenance, charging and operation.
Lead Acid, Wet Lead Acid or flooded lead-acid batteries are the most commonly used
batteries to store electrical power. These are available in vented types (most common),
where water can be added, and also in sealed types, where water cannot be added.
Absorbed Glass Mat or AGM batteries utilize a fiberglass mat saturated with sulfuric acid.
AGM batteries are also sometimes called "starved electrolyte” or "dry", because the
fiberglass mat is only 95% saturated with sulfuric acid and there is no excess liquid. An AGM
battery is cleaner and can be shipped without any hazardous material requirements. They
are far superior for most uses, can take a fair amount of abuse and are non-spilling even
when broken. The major disadvantage is a higher cost than a flooded battery, approximately
2 to 3 times. In cases where fumes and leakage are not an issue, the more economical
choice is probably a flooded industrial lead-acid
GEL Cell or sealed lead-acid batteries are frequently selected in applications where
batteries cannot be vented or cannot be mounted in an upright position. Gel cells are cleaner
in the sense that they do not vent gasses like lead acid batteries. However, gel cells are
more sensitive to charge voltage (and cannot typically be charged with an automotive type
battery charger) since they cannot vent except in emergencies (which may cause irreversible
damage). In addition, the gel cells are much more sensitive to higher temperatures and
cannot tolerate being discharged for long periods of time relative to a flooded lead acid
battery. Therefore, the charge on gel cells must be regulated properly. If using gel cells,
follow the manufacturers’ recommended regulation set points. Gel cell batteries may require
an external battery temperature compensated regulator. Consult your manufacturer for
specific recommendations. Specifically, due to the extra cost of gel celled batteries and the
temperamental characteristics of these batteries, we do not recommend them.
Nickel Cadmium or Nickel Iron batteries are generally used in extreme conditions. These
batteries will perform at temperatures less than -40
° C (-40° F). They are capable of
delivering higher current and cycle deeper and more often than lead acid AGM and gel
batteries. Nickel iron batteries can have a 20+ year life. Nickel iron is one of the most
environmentally friendly batteries; however, nickel cadmium batteries contain heavy metals.
The disadvantages of this type of battery are its high cost and its low-efficiency charge.
Consult your manufacturer for specific recommendations.
The choice of one’s battery system is closely connected to where the battery bank is placed
and how one chooses to use the battery system. There are several good web sites (one of
our distributors has an excellent web site,
http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Deep_Cycle.htm for
more complete information regarding the choice of batteries. If you do not have a battery
system already, please consult these resources to make the best choice for your system.
9.2 Regulator Options
The internal electronics protect you and your batteries from excess voltage from the AIR
403, they control the turbine rotor RPM, and serve as a flexible battery charge regulator. The
internal regulator senses the voltage from the battery and determines whether or not to
continue charging. Once the battery voltage matches the regulation set point the regulator
will “stop” the turbine from charging. (In high winds there may still be a trickle charge.)
