Die Hard Platinum Marine 31 Specs

[KYC]

I have a DHP 31M battery in one of my cars that I want to swap out to build a small solar+battery+inverter set-up for my van.

I can not find any information on what my amp hours are.

It is:
100amp/20 hour.
92amp/10 hour

What is my actual amp hour rating?

I am under the impression that the amp hour rating is for 1 hour.

How much can I safely drain from this battery in 1 hour if I do not want to drain more than 50%.

 

[JCTex]

It's going to be hard to say because the battery isn't new. Its OE numbers aren't there anymore. Second your Platinum (actually an Odessey rebranded, although, alas, no longer sold by Sears) is not a true house battery. Part of the design is to start engines, too. So, it's really a more like a hybrid, albeit a. Rey good one.

I'm all for repurposing, also; but when it comes to solar, I don't think hand-me-down batteries are a good part of the plan. Remember, solar doesn't power anything. None of our RV or offroad devices can run directly off the solar controller. Everything gets electricity from the battery bank. That's the key to the whole system. You can have great panels, controller, inverter, and components; but if your bank isn't big enough or doesn't operate great, all the above is a waste.

I would be surprised if you we're able to get 40 usable Ah out of your Platinum at 50%. That might do your 12V refer and some lights, maybe. However, since rain and clouds happen, you'd have no backup Ah for Day 2.

I recommend a minimum of AGM over gel or wet cell. 2-6V's will give you more lead and more Ah storage than a 12V case. FWIW, I chose to build my system starting with 2 Lifeline CT-6's. They are expensive and heavy but should give me 150 Ah usable at 50%. I have to run some med equipment at night as well as my refer; so, my Ah needs are higher than most.

J Lewis

 

[comptiger5000]

Generally, standard amp hour ratings are at the 20 hour rate. Drawing power out of the battery faster will give you less total power before it's drained (hence why the 10 hour rate is lower).

 

[KYC]

It's going to be hard to say because the battery isn't new. Its OE numbers aren't there anymore. Second your Platinum (actually an Odessey rebranded, although, alas, no longer sold by Sears) is not a true house battery. Part of the design is to start engines, too. So, it's really a more like a hybrid, albeit a. Rey good one.

I'm all for repurposing, also; but when it comes to solar, I don't think hand-me-down batteries are a good part of the plan. Remember, solar doesn't power anything. None of our RV or offroad devices can run directly off the solar controller. Everything gets electricity from the battery bank. That's the key to the whole system. You can have great panels, controller, inverter, and components; but if your bank isn't big enough or doesn't operate great, all the above is a waste.

I would be surprised if you we're able to get 40 usable Ah out of your Platinum at 50%. That might do your 12V refer and some lights, maybe. However, since rain and clouds happen, you'd have no backup Ah for Day 2.

I recommend a minimum of AGM over gel or wet cell. 2-6V's will give you more lead and more Ah storage than a 12V case. FWIW, I chose to build my system starting with 2 Lifeline CT-6's. They are expensive and heavy but should give me 150 Ah usable at 50%. I have to run some med equipment at night as well as my refer; so, my Ah needs are higher than most.

J Lewis

Thank you for the reply.

I am going to run the occasional water kettle, TV, small water pump for drinking, an air purifier and some lights to be used intermittently.

I have to rethink my set-up. What you said makes sense, but I don't have the cash for that.

If I keep all appliances to 12v would I be able to run everything if I am careful of usage? Nothing is being run constantly. All intermittent usage.

 

[228B]

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KYC, how old is this DHP Group 31? These are great batteries but they like to be charged a certain way.
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JCTex is correct when he says in so many words that solar power (as we use it - "off-grid" solar) is *battery* power. The battery [bank]'s health is the heart of the system. I have a neat little solar-powered trailer galley setup in a teardrop trailer project that uses that very battery. Last spring, I was here a lot, confirming what I'd learned from various well-reputed sources online. I now have a great-functioning system.
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I live up just north of LAX. You're welcome to check this system out and to bring your battery up here and we can connect it to the charger that Odyssey had made for that battery ($). We need to see if it will take a serious charge. ...and chances are your battery has been chronically under-charged by the vehicle's alternator, with insufficient absorption-phase voltage and time durations. My offer stands. Let's see if we can't bring that 75-lb baby up to snuff.
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Send me a PM if you'd like.
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- Chris
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[JCTex]

Yes, I think so; but my answer is to your system, not that old battery. As much as we enjoy guessing and hoping, it's just not that way here.

Watts is the common ground. It is the measure for how much electricity a device needs to function. Watts is watts, no matter whether they come from 12V or 120V force of current. An energy use inventory is the only way to test your system. Spread sheet a column for device, watts required to operate it (for one second), minutes it will be used in a 24-hr day, [multuply watts x minutes], [divide by 60 minutes], [divide by 12V], [result is Ah per day for 12V device]. You have add some watts if the device requires them at each start up.

If you can get by without using any 120v device, you should. Inverters use some of your stored electricity to step the current up and to operate themselves. So, 120V is no efficient boondocking. If you must use a 120V device, and it is sensitive electronics (phone/camera charger, microwave, TV, etc.) you need a pure sine wave inverter. Many modern 120V devices like chargers can be equipped with an adapter to step down to 12V.