diy solar

diy solar

Solar house generator I started DIY back in 2000 - My path from Trace to Xantrex (on FLA battery) to XW Pro inverters on Tesla Model S batteries

Refactored the battery pack today, 2 shelves with 3 rows of 2 modules each now neatly aligned AND connected to the bus bar and running

20221017_151705.jpg

Got the NEG bar heat shrunk and installed

20221017_151713.jpg

Here are the NEG taps, one for each of the current 2 shelves, one tap for each 3 rows together. Eventually 4 taps per NEG and 4 per POS bar distributing the electron flow

20221017_151717.jpg

Same for the POS bar, 2 taps for 2 shelves. Lower one is the POS contact for the ESP 32 BMC. The BMC's NEG tap is on the top of the NEG bar

Pic with the raceway covers in place. POS view

20221017_152617.jpg

NEG view

20221017_152623.jpg

and FINALLY

with the plexy glass shield re-installed

20221017_153050.jpg

I am also FINALLY happy with the way it is setup, protected and configured
Should not have to touch it again until the next set of modules are ordered and arrive

This is 60 kw-hours on those 2 shelves. Amazing the energy density of the Tesla modules
so, this is 1/2 of the full potential of battery capacity I could/will have some time in the future
 
Battery cables in PVC conduit.
SMA says not to do that, they get hot.
Ampacity in free air is considerably higher. How do your current draw vs. ampacity numbers look?
 
Battery cables in PVC conduit.
SMA says not to do that, they get hot.
Ampacity in free air is considerably higher. How do your current draw vs. ampacity numbers look?

4/0 cables except for the leads that come with the Jack-in-the-box controller. Jack Rikard mentions reaching 300 amps on his big system on those 2/0s

most I have seen is 155 amps. Eventually when I get more panels, I calc I will hit 200 amps some times
There is 250 amp breaker between battery and inverter.

that would be 12.5 kw out to the inverter. Current xantrex is 5.5kw. Should not be a problem until I get a second XW Pro inverter way down the line - got to get the first one first. Then two 4/0s in that one 2" conduit will be replaced with that raceway below in the picture and one 4/0 per 1.5' conduit between the raceway and the Conext PDP (power distribution panel) box. All those DIY wires will be properly placed in the PDP box - it really is a nice box.

so for now, I am safe.
 
Thanks for sharing your journey with us. A lot of great info here. My buddy had trace 4024 inverter sitting since 1998. Till I got some batteries for him and wired it to a 530ah 24v bank. It is a nice piece of equipment. However he is also considering get XW down the road. You know when trying to decide on my batt bank upgrade. ( I have AGM) I was also looking at used tesla cells. But the volatile nature of it just scared me away. I figured Lifepo4 is a tamer beast. But it looks like you know what you are doing. Great setup.
 
I did....


for about 15 minutes - lol

it has been fixed now, and the melted holder retired

below you can see the "better" method

View attachment 117932

I thought we were suppose to install like that as the thread/bolts on each end acted as a pre-fuse. ;)

At the 7:30 time stamp, Thomas Massie discusses he had the fuse mounted right on the battery and had to move it and put in a larger one from the car... I'm not sure why we buy those fuses/fuse holders from EVTV if we can't use them or they melt. Did you try it with the cable lug directly on or under the fuse connection and it still got warm?

 
I'm not sure I'd use a high voltage fuse for what really is a low voltage system, that fuse he used is for the full pack, .... scratch that, I just realized he IS using the full pack... no wait, he's not at 600volts, he's at 48 but using the full pack for parallel so yea, he should be running a low voltage fuse, not high.

Looks like they're 450 amp, 690VDC
 
I thought we were suppose to install like that as the thread/bolts on each end acted as a pre-fuse. ;)

At the 7:30 time stamp, Thomas Massie discusses he had the fuse mounted right on the battery and had to move it and put in a larger one from the car... I'm not sure why we buy those fuses/fuse holders from EVTV if we can't use them or they melt. Did you try it with the cable lug directly on or under the fuse connection and it still got warm?

As it is now

I know, not in a holder

Fuse 400amp.jpg

can also use the T class fuse that Will has recommended.

$95 200 amp https://www.amazon.com/Go-Power-FBL-200-Class-Block/dp/B001539B60?keywords=t+class+fuse&qid=1666120634&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjAzIiwicXNhIjoiMy45MSIsInFzcCI6IjMuMTAifQ==&sr=8-5&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc&linkCode=sl1&tag=vehicledwelling-20&linkId=2879db3c23928c44964a3996c45eb0f6&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Here is the 400 amp one from EVTV $58 + SH


Fuse only.

The holder is $58 more - that is why I didn't replace it. Other sources list it for over $100-$188 just plain special it is


Just need a fuse that will handle 400+ amps
 
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Did you try it with the cable lug directly on or under the fuse connection and it still got warm?

with Lug on Fuse tab, it works great - was just in an ID-10-T process back then.
I misunderstood how to assemble it then. RTFM? Don't need no stinking manuals approach


you know where Wisdom comes from?

Experience

you know where Experience comes From?

Poor judgement and bad decisions
 
with Lug on Fuse tab, it works great - was just in an ID-10-T process back then.
I misunderstood how to assemble it then. RTFM? Don't need no stinking manuals approach


you know where Wisdom comes from?

Experience

you know where Experience comes From?

Poor judgement and bad decisions
I’m pretty sure fires and denied insurance claims come into play at least once in that process ?
 
As it is now

I know, not in a holder

View attachment 117945

can also use the T class fuse that Will has recommended.

$95 200 amp https://www.amazon.com/Go-Power-FBL-200-Class-Block/dp/B001539B60?keywords=t+class+fuse&qid=1666120634&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjAzIiwicXNhIjoiMy45MSIsInFzcCI6IjMuMTAifQ==&sr=8-5&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc&linkCode=sl1&tag=vehicledwelling-20&linkId=2879db3c23928c44964a3996c45eb0f6&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Here is the 400 amp one from EVTV $58 + SH


Fuse only.

The holder is $58 more - that is why I didn't replace it. Other sources list it for over $100-$188 just plain special it is


Just need a fuse that will handle 400+ amps
Only some 4 months ago I got a 250 amp DC breaker for only about $100.
 
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