A recent report conducted by NERC (North American Electric Reliability Conference) highlights the increased risk of power outages this summer – with demand sharply increasing (more data centers, more AC needed with rising temps, etc.) and no improvement to current grid infrastructure in sight. In fact, the U.S. is projected to need an additional 10 […]
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What is an electrical substation? It is that part of the electrical generation, transmission and distribution grid, that contains equipment that transforms line voltage from high to low and vice versa. The locations can also contain other elements such as protection and communications equipment. All of these critical elements are backed up by batteries. It […]
In this episode Allen hosts Pete DeMar, who has over 40 years of experience in the stationary battery industry, shares his background and expertise in battery failure analysis. Al Warner, with an equally impressive history of involvement in batteries, also shares his experiences in the military and the UPS industry, highlighting his learning journey and […]
Enhance Uptime with Proactive Battery Maintenance Insights IEEE Std. 450™-2010 and IEEE Std. 1188™ – 2005 amended by IEEE Std. 1188a™ – 2014 and other battery related standards such as NERC PRC-005 require a visual inspection of the battery. What exactly does this mean? This presentation will describe a methodological approach to visual inspection that […]
Improve Battery Life and Reliability Through Better Charging Practices This tutorial Is all about battery charging. During the presenter’s 40 plus years working in the back-up power industry in various capacities, it became obvious that in many cases, batteries were not being properly charged, with various consequences. The proper charging techniques along with what happens […]
How to be Safe When Working On or Around Stationary Batteries This webinar will detail physical, mechanical, chemical and electrical safety concerns that could be encountered when working on batteries. Safety codes will be examined, personal protective equipment detailed, and electric shock and arc flash hazards identified. Related Tech Note Stationary Battery Safety Podcast The […]
Understanding Thermal Challenges in Stationary Battery Systems Stationary lead-acid batteries are designed to operate under certain environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and cleanliness. Operating outside these constraints has many effects on batteries. Most battery warranties are based upon operating conditions This webinar will define the desired conditions and what happens to the battery during […]
In the latest episode of DC Power Hour, Dave Neubert recaps the Battcon conference in Miami with the Battery Blarney duo, George and Allen. Allen, a founder and Hall of Fame member, discusses the history of Battcon, which began to address negative press around VRLA batteries by fostering dialogue among industry stakeholders. Despite Allen’s absence […]
In this episode of DC Power Hour, the Battery Blarney duo of George and Allen, along with our resident load bank technician and engineer Josh Fox, delve into the intricacies of load testing and load banks. They emphasize the critical importance of load testing in assessing battery capacity and highlight challenges faced by utilities in […]
In this episode of DC Power Hour, the Battery Blarney Duo delve into the topic of ground fault testing, welcoming special guest Ron Dickinson who shares his experiences with ground faults on his installations. They discuss the nuances of ground faults, distinguishing them from short circuits, and explore techniques to mitigate issues such as corrosion […]
Listen in this episode of DC Power Hour as our Battery Blarney Duo of George and Allen welcome George Turner, another industry veteran who recently joined Eagle Eye as an advisor/EEU instructor. They discuss and recollect the evolution of batteries over the span of their careers. Episode Highlights 0:59 – I (George Turner) started in […]
Battery monitoring has been around for a while. This author first got interested in the subject in the early 1990s when Albér came out with a device that measured the internal DC resistance of a battery cell/unit. To me, this was a giant step forward in battery maintenance. After all, with the advent of Valve-Regulated […]
Heat is detrimental to Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid (VRLA) battery operation and life. And, like all stationary batteries, they should be operated in an environment that allows for natural air movement and ventilation around the battery. It is important to maintain the battery at approximately 77ºF (25ºC). If this is not possible, and the battery is operated […]
All too often, stationary batteries are purchased many months before they are destined to be put into service and they are put in temporary storage. This storage can be either away from or at the installation location. Also, sometimes batteries are installed at their intended location but are not connected to the charging system. This […]
Clarifying Two Key Methods for Evaluating Battery Health The first point is that resistance testing and impedance testing are carried out by similar but importantly different methods; resistance is measured by using a DC current to perturb (excite) the cell, while impedance uses an oscillating (AC) current. The resistance method eliminates other parameters present in […]
These type of batteries should never be referred to as “sealed” or “maintenance-free” batteries because they are neither. Definitions The Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) technology is also sometimes referred to as “Absorbed Electrolyte”, “Immobilized Electrolyte” or “Starved Electrolyte.” They derive the name from the methodology used to immobilize the liquid dilute sulfuric acid electrolyte. A […]
Realistic Battery Life Stationary batteries of all chemistries are usually rated in watts or Ampere-hours (Ah) which indicates the amount of power (current) that can be delivered over a period of time. These ratings are dependent upon operating temperature and depth of discharge. They are also rated in terms of expected years of useful service […]
In 2011, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) released the Protection System Maintenance Standard, PRC-005-2. NERC comes under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The mission of NERC is to ensure the reliability of the bulk power system in the USA and Canada. FERC is an independent government agency that is part of the […]
A properly implemented maintenance program will aid in prolonging battery life, prevent avoidable battery failures, reduce premature battery replacement, ensure that the battery systems is charged properly at full capacity and deliver it the stored energy to the load when required. Eagle Eye Power Solutions’ maintenance procedures are based on the recommendations issued by the […]
Listen in this episode of DC Power Hour as our battery Blarney duo of George and Allen field questions from Doug on our sales team. They discuss topics ranging from seismic racking to spill containment and neutralization to chargers. Episode Highlights 1:57 – What are the seismic and UBC zones and how have they changed […]
In this episode of the DC Power Hour David and Allen introduce Ed Rafter, a special guest on DC Power Hour, who is an expert in UPS batteries. They discuss the differences between ups and downs, voltage, discharge times, and other aspects of battery powering. Ed has a 40-year career in mission-critical applications, focusing on […]
In this episode the Battery Blarney Duo talk about a great topic once again, the Battcon 2023 recap. We’ve been waiting a few weeks to discuss this as George has been traveling, doing some training around North America. He’s back and in studio with us along with Allen and Chris joining in so sit back […]
In this episode, George Pedersen of The Battery Blarney Duo answers questions about the basic concept and workings of battery backup for electric substations and their critical components. He touches on topics including ensuring the stability and reliability of the electricity grid, reducing the risk of equipment damage, keeping communications systems powered and preventing costly […]
The discussion about the chemistry and applications of batteries continues in this episode with Al Warner, Dan Lambert, and The Battery Blarney Duo. They compare flow and lead acid batteries in terms of their reliability and need for maintenance. They examine the problems with energy-storage batteries, such as a zinc manganese battery, as well as […]