[rescue] RE: Submarine batteries

[rescue at sunhelp.org]

I hate to reply to my own messages, but I'm the one who
posted without enough research in the first place...

> Sambo, how in the *BLEEP* are you going to power anything
> noticeable with 2,4, or 6 of these cells?  It would take
> a grunch of these, plus a DC-AC converter, to power anything
> that was expecting US 110VAC...because the individual cell
> output on these batteries is low volts high crankage.

So I decided to question the answers I thought I knew, and
found out a few things by starting at
  http://www.geocities.com/bjb_darden/dcfaq.htm
and then crawling around the web from there.
Specifically,
 - Reasonable standard potential for one cell is ~2 Volts
   (as I remembered) but that's based on chemistry, not
   something specific to submarine cells.  Duh--Rip suddenly
   gets news flash about 1.5VDC AA/AAA/C/D batteries.
 - Car battery is 6 cells, produces ~12V
 - 6 submarine-cell batteries will also (conveniently) produce
   ~12V, which there are plenty of inverters to turn into
   110VAC (okay, really more like 115-120VAC RMS, but who's
   counting...)

So it looks as though 6 submarine cells might actually
suffice for a backup to windmills...as long as local floor
loading permits (7500-9000 lbs. for 6 cells depending on
certain details...)

I guess my only remaining item for Sambo is:
  Let me know when you want help taking gravities and
  watering the battery--it'll be like old times for me...

  --Rip