Recent content by Grumpy 49

Will Prowse and others have numerous videos on diy LiFePo4 battery builds. Will's videos are geared towards beginners, and he is very good at details. Biggest issue is finding good LiFePo4 cells and mating them with the proper sized BMS. I think constructing a container to hold the LiFePo4...

33 watts at 46 Volts??? Didn't see any panels at this low a wattage putting out 46 Volts. I must assume that these panels are 330 watts each instead. Almost any MPPT controller, with a wattage rating of ~25% greater than the output of your panels, would work. I had planned to do a...

Harbor Freight is OK for a number of items, but with vendors like HOME DEPOT, LOWE's. & Northern Tool selling newer and better quality Solar Panel Kits, I would believe it that you are finding that somebody have "gifted" you with additional HF panels. Only question is - do you have enough...

Claim is that old solar panels never totally "die". May lose some of their output, but still puts out some juice. Think that a set-up like those used to charge game feeders, is a great use of "old" panels. Mounting on a swing set, with some type of tilt adjustment, sounds like a great...

Does anyone know if military surplus cases are still available? Saw some 20mm metal ammo cans, (about 17 x 14 x 9), but understand that there are now also plastic versions on the open market.

Please post pictures when you are done. Interested in seeing how your finished battery box looks. Think that many folks would also like to see the finished battery box, with details.

Thanks to the virus, local recycling center is shut down. Got me thinking about what to do with empty gallon milk jugs. As these are made from High Density Polyethylene, (HDPE), remembered that during WWII that HDPE was a "classified material" because of it's use for electrical (RADAR...

I also like the golf cart set-up. Plexiglas cover over the terminals is a nice touch. Only comment is to add a 1x2 strip to the plywood on either side so as to have a place to mount the plexiglas. Drill the pilot holes in the 1x2's and the plexiglas together to insure that the screws will...

A "Battery Box" should be easy, if you need one other than your typical #24 or #27 box they sell at Walmart. 1.) EASY - 1x2 boards and 1/2" Plywood. Use Wood Glue and Screws to build your basic box, allowing extra space to add some cut up floor mats (Harbor Freight, LOWE's, etc.) to absorb...

Like your set-up. Had hoped to get some help building a small electric powered pontoon set-up, with no luck. Hope somebody helps you.

Saw that HOME DEPOT has a NATURE POWER 180 watt panel with a 12 amp PWM Controller on sale for a lot less money. Anybody have feedback on the #50180 panel???

I had worked with several foundries before I retired, and they use a special sand for castings. Best way for a "home caster" is to get a large block of candle wax, and carve out a pattern. Be sure to add a "pour sprue" and an "overflow vent" to your pattern. People have used sand from a...

Won't it be easier/smarter to purchase a single higher wattage 48V panel??? Appears that a single Canadian Solar or Mission Solar 300 +/- watt 48V panel would be smaller and lighter than 3 - 4 100 watt panels.

Sounds like a great rig. Are you plan to use solar power for recharging the battery?? Assume that your charging station would be a "fixed" set-up, instead of panels mounted on your boat. Would like details about your layout.

Did you remember to hook up your battery to the controller before hooking the controller to your panel? "Live" panel hooked up to the controller without the battery already attached can damage your controller. At the amps you are reading, voltage would be only about 22V. That is one of my...