It’s hard to believe how difficult it can be to get batteries.
First I tried to get batteries from the solar place in Golden Valley. In March, I REALLY needed two 6 v golf cart batteries for the camper. After several failed attempts (the shop was always closed when I stopped by), I once again talked to John and planned on picking them up the day they were delivered with a visiting friend. Fortunately, I called in the morning, John advised that the shipment wouldn’t come in until 2 days later.
I wasn’t going to drive 80 miles again, I ended up buying two Interstate batteries at an RV place in Kingman. They were NOT charged, as I noticed after I hooked them up. They were also almost empty, couldn’t believe how much water they hold. And, they only come with a 6-months warranty.
I July, I had another lead on batteries from a solar guy in Kingman, but every time I called or stopped by, they didn’t have batteries, they’d be there in two weeks. I got tired of nagging them.
I finally bought a couple Trojans at the local hardware store (only had 2 batteries at my garage) when I was ready to set up the wind gen in September and needed at least 400 ah. Was going to order 12 if they could get me a deal, but that’s when I found out how prices had gone up. I remember they were just under $100 in 2006. I paid $125, when they checked into the pricing for me, they had gone up again.
I decided to have a look at the Surrettes again, started looking on the web and compared the prices to June, when I had taken some notes from http://www.wholesalesolar.com/products.folder/battery-folder/Surretterolls.html.
6/5/07: Surrette S-530 $250
9/28/07: $312
Holy cow!
I also wasted a lot of time searching on the web. Was THRILLED when I saw the fantastic deals at
http://www.thesolar.biz/Surrette_Batteries.htm:
Trouble is, they just don’t update their website.
From my notes:
9/28/07 left msg re. Surrette / Trojan pickup
Called a few hours later after nobody called me back.
Web:
Model S-460 6Volt 350AH 117Lbs PRICE: $199.97
Model S-530 6Volt 400AH 130Lbs PRICE: $227.97S-460 price is now 275.95!
Trojan T-105 currently: had no price, probably $110 – 115
Pickup in Scottsdale only, have to charge sales tax and $40 pickup fee.
They didn’t have ANY pickup location for the Surrettes and I just don’t appreciate their bait and switch and lack of info. So I called Wholesale Solar, they got back to me right away, there’s NO FEE pickup in Vegas (much closer than Scottsdale), no sales tax.
They were really great to work with.
I dealt with Judy by email and then just waited for the closing date for my credit card, so I’d have another month to pay for them (or pay interest.) I called in the order today and I told Judy about my experience with these old prices on the web and she told me that actually the prices had gone up again since last week, but they had honored the price on their site since they hadn’t had time to update yet.
I sure wish everybody did business like Wholesale Solar.
Of course I also wish I’d ordered in June, but I didn’t have the money then. The 4 surrettes are for my main 24 v system, I already got the Air X for it. Getting it all set up will take a while, so I’m glad the batteries aren’t scheduled to arrive in Vegas for a few weeks. Have to decide where to put them (probably build something outside) and how to move them (127 lb is more than I can carry), install the wind gen and I still have to get an inverter. Don’t know yet if any of my chargers can be set to 24 v.
I also looked at solar panels online, but it just turns me off to see that they’re mostly oil company made. It’s simply unpleasant to think of buying Shell, BP, GE … And so incredibly EXPENSIVE! With winter being around the corner, I’m hoping for lots of wind.