Useable capacity of GZ 1200 Wh tanks

MendoMan
MendoMan Member Posts: 21 ✭✭

Hi,

I would like to know what is the real world useable capacity of the GZ tanks. It is stated that their capacity is 1200 Wh, I believe. I now have HIK installed and currently just have a 1500x but plan on getting a 3000x plus 2-4 tanks or just a single 6000x. So, would the 3000x with 2 tanks provide a full 5400Wh (3000 + 2400) of available Wh energy, which would be close to a single 6000x? Thanks, and BTW, the HIK works great with my 1500x - just need coverage for possible 2-3 day power outage.

Best Answers

  • GOAL ZERO ADMIN
    GOAL ZERO ADMIN Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 708 admin
    Answer ✓

    Hi @MendoMan,

    You can use the full capacity of the tanks. This means you would get a total of 5400Wh if you paired two tanks with the Yeti 3000X. Keep in mind that the tanks are still lead acid batteries. Using the full capacity of the tanks often will cut the life of the battery short and you may need to replace them more often than normal.

  • GOAL ZERO ADMIN
    GOAL ZERO ADMIN Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 708 admin
    Answer ✓

    Hi @MendoMan,

    Keeping the Yeti 3000X in battery saver mode will be best practice to maintain the health of the battery when it is not full. You will also want to use the system once ever 3 months to give it some exercise.

    The battery profiles should apply to the tanks as long as you have the firmware on the Link up to date.

Answers

  • MendoMan
    MendoMan Member Posts: 21 ✭✭

    Ok. Next question - what are best battery management practices for a 3000x with several tanks (for battery health)? And, do the battery profiles also apply to the tanks? Thanks.

  • MendoMan
    MendoMan Member Posts: 21 ✭✭

    Well, I have been using a custom profile of 10-90%. Is there a big difference in terms of long-term battery health between a profile of 10-90 and 15-85? Thanks.

  • jg164
    jg164 Administrator, Moderator Posts: 337 admin

    @MendoMan,

    Using the charge profiles feature only helps the Yeti's Lithium battery.

    I don't have exact numbers on the AGM batteries used in the Tank, but I know that using less of the full range will dramatically increase the number of usable charge discharge cycles, by as much 100x more cycles (5000+ vs ~450) according to the Depth of discharge vs Cycles chart on this post.

    https://www.batteriesinaflash.com/deep-cycle-battery-faq


    Each variety of battery chemistry has its own version of that and other charts.

    In general:

    • Using the middle voltage range = more cycles
    • Keeping the battery in a room temperature = more cycles
    • Using lower charge and discharge current = more cycles
    • Using the Diagonal wiring method for parallel multi-battery circuits = more cycles

    Knowing more about the factors that effect battery life will help you make better plans for your use case.