It is a journey. Learning as much as you can and wondering if you will ever arrive.
Would not be in this position if it weren’t for the unselfish and ever helpful members who frequent this site.
While members have transitioned through the years there are still some who continue to help...
Last weekend I was lugging around a solar panel, trying to see what locations would provide good solar input. After lifting it for the xxx th time, I decided to make a cart, or dolly to move it around. It is not finished but I thought I would share progress as I go.
The panel is slightly...
Perhaps it is best to step back and consider things.
Will is simply telling us the view of the market from the sales that he is seeing. Nothing more, nothing less.
His videos were what inspired many of us to pursue the DIY approach. They are all still there for anyone to see.
The fact that...
Ok. There are plenty of discussions on UL ratings and cost comparisons of DIY vs prebuilt batteries.
What I want to know is who is still doing DIY and the reasons you chose this approach.
I will go first. At first it was the only thing going. Later it was for the challenge and satisfaction...
If your panels are off line for maintenance you can be sure every day they are down it will be clear with sunny skies. Or at least it will feel that way.
Wasn't sure where to place this. We all have a strong interest in solar and countless threads are written on the topic.
I was curious what other interests and projects others have worked on that they found interesting. Recently I found myself learning the details of a modern hot water heater...
Thank you @Steve_S. Your efforts to help have been greatly appreciated both for this project and the countless ways you have helped others over the years!
Ok. I appreciate that we have a wide range of experiences on this forum. Some are looking at it for the first time, others are planning their system and some are seasoned veterans.
Also, there are many different systems out there. The purpose of this thread is NOT to promote any vendor or...
This will be a work in process as I figure out the ins and outs of this methodology. Apologies if images are not visible to some, I am still learning.
This is phase I of a two phase project. The first part of the project included building what amounts to a UPS.
At the top of the photo you...
There was an apprentice mechanic who had the opportunity to work with a senior car mechanic for a few days.
At the end of the time period the mechanic expressed his respect for the abilities of the senior mechanic. He asked the senior mechanic what allowed him to have such success.
The senior...
Can one "Really" have enough battery power? I am finalizing my build on my third DIY pack and found myself looking at current pricing on EVE cells.
As I said in another thread, this can be addictive...
Will did a number of videos on milk crate power systems. They were fun to watch and very informative. These were small systems but did a nice job of introducing the topic and allowed one to get on board and were fairly inexpensive.
I had the experience of releasing the magic smoke on a BMS...
Regardless of the chemistry used it is a good reminder to review the basics. Good for us all:
1. Ensure proper connections, recheck as needed.
2. Include adequate fuses and breakers
3. Make sure wire size and capacities are above the required or expected loads
4. Consider a technical review by...
If buying from China with boat ship, and the item is a great price, doesn't hurt to add a spare to the shipment. That spare BMS or other component might prove invaluable in the future and save both time and money in the long run.
I purchased a batch of Solar Panels from SS a while back. The delivery went flawlessly. So far they perform better than expected.
I for one am one of the satisfied buyers.
Will allows buyers the freedom to choose their own vendor. I respect that. One can also utilize one of his links if they...
Should have seen my face when I fired up my inverter for the first time. I’m sure everyone has felt that way during their own build. That is why we are on this journey.
Reason I appreciate this forum. So much to learn. So much support.
A lot of time has passed since I first started this journey. I am reminded of a quote from Thomas Edison. "Genius is 1 percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration".
Here are some lessons learned from this project:
1. Use this forum for information. From a distance everything seems easy...
OK. Perhaps I am the only one. I have more than one project going on right now. Between a bathroom remodel and a portable build I have tools distributed in creative places to help me get things done. As a result the neat and orderly has well, sort of lost its place.
Currently looking for a wire...
There is an old saying. "A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush". The ones currently owned are performing their duty as expected. I have older computer equipment that is now outdated. However it served me well during the years of usage.
A couple of years ago I was intrigued with the prebuilt boxes that were out there. Packaging was nice, easy to use, etc, etc.
On the other hand, the knowledge and experience I have gotten with the DIY path has been invaluable. If I have a bad cell for some reason I can trade it out. My first...
Have breaker box wired in. Still need to connect outlet strips. Still trying to attach the AC input. It is 12 awg, tried doubling it but it won’t hold in the tension inputs. That was one of the advantages of the Multiplus, it had screws to hold things together.
Still need to run the wire from...
It is said that a picture says a thousand words. Very grateful to @Steve_S for his helpful photos. Here is another photo of the inside panel. If it helps one person then it was worthwhile.
There have been multiple times where I have enthusiastically presented something. Sometimes I get a thumbs up. Other times I decided to swallow my pride because the critique while difficult to swallow was spot on.
There is nothing wrong with trying new things. That is why we are here.
We are...
I want to mirror that. Many of us have been watching this forum for a long time now. We only put down our money after trust was developed. If someone requested a refund, they quickly reported that it was received. Others receiving the products they requested were quick to comment on their...
Not really low power but picked up an induction hot plate. Cooks much faster than the electric stove. While max power is 1800 watts, there are other lower settings as well.
Wealth is a tricky thing. The more I have, the more there is to maintain.
However there are advantages to having extras in case of failure, etc..
There are several forms of wealth I consider invaluable. The first is health. A second is knowledge.
Scale is an important consideration.
I started small. After considerable study I ordered my batteries. Slow boat was the only option at the time so it gave me more time to study.
I read and reviewed other builds on this forum. There is a lot to look at and learn from.
My system is only a 3k...
This is one of my fixtures. It contains two 8s batteries which are separated from each other. There is a section of hardiboard between the two batteries. Each cell is insulated from each other. The positive end connects to a custom made pure copper bus bar that then connects the the main...
Please ignore the messy work space. I decided to place high strength aluminum tubes between mine. Basically overkill but they do allow great air flow. These are on rollers and can be rolled out of the project area fairly easily.
One of my favorite experiences was a canoe and portage trip with my oldest son with Scouting. We went with a small group to the Adirondacks of New York. It was one of the most challenging but rewarding 50 mile trips I have ever taken. Took all our gear in our canoes and backpacks. Filtered our...
So here is the build with the dolly in tilt mode. Will require some tweaks to the wood frame to get everything just right but in this position it is about as heavy as pushing a shopping cart:
Have seen reports where a Bms on a prebuilt needed replacement. This can also happen with DIY. Benefits of having DIY skills however is that one knows how to troubleshoot and repair either.
When I DIY I know exactly how mine is built and how to fix it if needed. Did I also mention that it was...
I just performed a full battery tear down of my 24v build. These were supposed Grade A CATL cells that have been running on an Overkill BMS. I suspect these were more likely B or less cells. Having said that the Overkill could just not keep the cells working properly together where my third pack...
Reason I chose the multi position dolly. A milk crate system would be much lighter.
This build met several objectives. A redundant Multiplus for my existing system. A plug compatible battery pack for my existing system. The ability to tie into my portable solar panel, BMS consistent with...
Ok. The verdict is in. It Will run this air conditioner without any difficulty. However these things EAT electricity for breakfast. I estimated 3.5 to maybe 4 hours based on battery usage.
If you go to a well known on line store you can see star ratings for products. Even the best products will usually have some 1 and 2 star ratings.
Every new company goes through growing pains. In other threads SS has stated that it continues to strive towards better support.
One of the...
We has a delivery by UPS earlier this year. When the delivery person arrived, my wife had just fallen and injured herself. The UPS person helped assist by calling EMS and helping her get something my wife needed as well as delivering the packages. All in all it probably set her back about 15...
Very happy at 24v. Meets the needs and allows flexibility if fewer panels are used. It is also easier to move the DIY battery cases LOL.
If one were starting from scratch I could see how 48v could be appealing. Each level 12/24/48 has its own unique challenges.
I'm glad you are happy. For all of us that is the main objective.
Thank you as well for this thread. When I purchase cells I personally am looking at the stated capacity as the goal. The old tests performed by Will followed a similar approach and if the assembled battery met cell capacity (e.g...
When you buy wire, get the good stuff. When in doubt go with the larger gauge. You will sleep better. Also get extra. You WILL find a use for it. Most importantly use quality fuses and or breakers. They help protect those precious copper strands and other things in the area.
And on the flip side being honest during the sale and steering one away from a component that is not compatible with the build. James, the tech pointed this out during the purchase process. Really appreciated the honesty.
Naturally planning for power needs beforehand is invaluable. Having said that, performing a dry run of your system can be an eye opening experience. It is good to test it against basic items to see how it performs. In my case I ran a test with basic lighting and a freezer and compared usage with...
Nice visuals. Thank you for sharing! I am going to craft a mounting plate for my BMS since it will be on a portable build. I will also be keeping my cells upright.
Thanks for weighing yours. There is a bit of weight to these.
So had an interesting conversion today with someone who had purchased some of the Patriot solar generators (mini battery packs). They were hoping to use them to power important items in the home.
Bottom line, nice idea but don't think they had any idea how much power would be needed to power...
OK. Please feel free to move this thread to the appropriate area. This does not involve solar directly but is a safety consideration for all who use a household clothes dryer.
We are all familiar with the basic safety tips. Make sure to keep the exhaust vent clear of lint and debris. Keep items...
Control. Reason I went the DIY route. As recently stated it gives me designer flexibility. I can mix and match and restructure my cells in multiple configurations. I am in that current situation. I have a misbehaving cell in one of my batteries. If the cells were welded as in most prebuilt. I...
Something that is discussed is aftermarket support. Since receiving my shipment Amy Wan has been extremely helpful and quick to respond to any questions. She has provided additional technical and visual documentation that has proven invaluable on this project!
The wonderful thing about the...
Well I had a chance to borrow my mechanics high end torque wrench. Sadly its lowest setting was above 6 nm. Considering the stories of snapped screws on battery cells I elected to use a torque screwdriver that has been recommended by others. It is not digital but has a fairly easy scale for...
Often a member shares their aspirations to build a system. One piece of excellent advice that often comes up is to perform an energy audit.
Having done this, I was humbled. Something as simple as a standard personal computer consumed more power than I thought it should. I could provide numerous...
Still need to torque the screws down. This battery box has raceways to handle the initial BMS wires. I will likely bundle them together inside the box. Also I did end up trimming the rubber facing on the bottom of each bus bar to ensure a solid connection with each battery cell.
There is something comforting about turning on a switch and having the lights go on even if the power is out.
Perhaps for another it is turning on a TV and DVD player and getting some entertainment.
For another keeping the inside at a comfortable temperature.
Admittedly we have each spent a...
Just installed this handy device. Picked it up for a song from Harbor Freight. When in the down position, I can now steer the cart without picking it up. Admittedly it handles dry and firm ground the best.
I have a print out of my documentation just in case. I am not off grid and have the highest respect for those who have mastered this.
There is a saying in some circles, two is one and one is none.
Personally if my distributor pulled a bait and switch like this, I would be looking for another source.
If the video is not discussing a legitimate product then wonder why it hasn't been removed.
At some time during your project, as you look at your neighbors trees or other property limitations, you may find yourself daydreaming on what you might be able to do if your property had [fill in the blank].
It would be interesting to go through an average home to see how many things never went through formal UL testing.
Many DIY batteries on this forum have been painstakingly built with redundancy and safety features added in. A number are mobile. Would venture to guess that more are stationary...
My latest non solar projects involved basic home maintenance.
The first was a basic sink faucet replacement. I am currently performing an update to the downstairs bathroom. Included wall repair and painting, replacement and updating of sink, vanity, wall plumbing, medicine cabinet and mirror...
Basic skills help us get through life. I heard a startling report recently on the number of people who could/couldn't balance a checkbook.
Schools used to teach life skills. When I was in high school I took wood shop, metal working and the other required courses including a foreign language. I...