Most reacted posts

Well it turns out this is a 16s2 pack. It is a server rack design. He ordered one and will be putting it through its paces before ordering more.

Unless one were to set up a second unit in another setting to satisfy curiosity. Keeping the Victron of course.

Top balance, build the pack, test it is a common sequence

Sadly two of my favorite suppliers only use FedEx. Just placed needed orders. No more end of season rush. Hoping the weather cooperates.

Well said.

There are dc vent fans that may be helpful

Agreed. Good wire+right sized lugs+proper crimping = priceless

Ok. I figured this was a lead problem. Then I rotated the cell to position 6 and resumed the test. Turns out it is the cell. What I can not figure out is that once I start the test it drops down to 2.5 per the bms and shuts down the bms. If I then isolate the cell it reads 3.19 volts

My portable system will utilize a Multiplus II and Victron shunt, both which can be moved to my main system if needed.

This might explain why my first unit didn’t display Rx data and wouldn’t work

That is possible. Probably one of the reasons surveys end up raising even more questions

For my CATL cells I hand tightened the nuts on the rods holding them together and this has worked very nicely. The current case I received for my EVE cells has screws that can be tightened down. The current gentle hand tightening has worked well for my existing cells. Will likely use the same...

Here you go:

Also mention that you heard about her through this forum. I have made multiple purchases from her and have found the products and packaging excellent.

Left the credit card in the wallet. However at $400 before tax it affords a lot of space for a project. Yours was a good idea

There wasn’t much room at the top. Would likely had to place Bms outside

Well said. Having said that there are still a number of considerations to ensure a proper build. A ton has been written so far on this. Proper fusing, correct wire sizes, insulating cells from each other, good connections, provisions for a proper shut off, utilizing a high quality BMS come...

Sent a Pm

Those are very nice! How thick are they?

I was curious. I know Midnight makes the surge protection for indoors and outdoors. If using indoors, does it have to be at the main panel or can it be used at the solar input before the charge controller?

So far most of the units I have looked at are higher voltages. Intrigued with idea of a floor mount system. Any suggestions?

External shut off is a consideration here. Key thing does your inverter allow for this? First thing responders do is pull the meter. A master shut off should be able to turn off the inverter so there is no ac running through wires regardless of UL rating.

Ordered this. Will perform some tests to see how it performs. Price was very reasonable: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085M6S7NL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

OK. Order placed for the 4 pack of the 12-24 lights. I see this as a Win-Win. Will try in my basement first. Can also see where they could serve as utility lights in other settings as well.

There has been plenty written about high vs low frequency inverters. The Victron is a low frequency inverter which traditionally handles higher initial surges.

I understand what you are saying. If so that would be unfortunate. However when I checked voltage at the terminals under load it still read much higher than the bms. For example 3.19 at the leads, 2.77 at the bms.

I think there is agreement here. If one is planning on charging an electric car then the 48v system makes more sense. In 10 years who knows??? In the meantime, for many of us will do fine with 24v. If motors are involved, a quality low frequency inverter provides the horsepower needed for...

The original base was cool looking. Would be something if it was possible to stack these together. Would require a different approach than commonly discussed however.

Market trends are rarely immediate. Amy provides excellent customer service. If she has a product and I request it she takes steps to meet that need. At no point have I felt she was favoring one component over another. On the other hand, if people move on to another product due to market...

Ok. The portable carry bags are very nice. Saw this on sale at Harbor freight and got it.

I noted that the Quattro is now available in the 24v model. Perhaps this is old news? I see the price differences. What else sets this unit apart from the Multiplus? It looks like it also has a higher output.

Overkill is a very good BMS. If your batteries are well matched and batched then they could potentially do the job. I have two packs on them. The challenge is when the cells get larger, a passive balancer might have more difficulty keeping up with possible cells that charge at different rates...

I plan on using grid power for charging at night when solar is not available. If the multiplus allows one to control the time of day to use the grid for charging then this would not be needed.

OK. Have a situation where I would like a switch that stays closed or on when there is power and opens when the power goes out. This for the first phase of a two phase process I am considering. Basically once the power goes out I would like a low voltage switch to be opened or essentially turned...

Two years in and still learning a ton.

For a few dollars more you can buy a brand new unit from Current Connected which effectively has a 10 year warranty. Ok more than a few dollars but you would be getting both support and warranty.

This video does a great job of presenting my thoughts. I am not endorsing any products here but it discusses the concepts I envisioned. Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions, it is very much appreciated! If there are other thoughts, as always I welcome them. The video is a little lower and...

Given the reaction what type of metal would be best for bolt connectors on the bus bar?

My indoor packs have done well. But then they are humidity and temperature controlled. Since this may be indoors or outdoors, I do have some No-Ox-ID I might consider. In reading up on these mediums however less is more if it is used.

OK. I know you can buy the nail in holders for romex. Available in any big box store. I have also seen the loops that you can screw in. These are in a number of builds. Was just wondering if there was anything out there where I could install the hangers and then come behind, put the wire in...

Type “diy vs” in the search box and you can see some of the discussions.

It is tempting to build a pack and let the bms do the work. A number have succeeded in doing this. My experience has been different. It is common to get cells that initially perform a little differently despite similar voltage levels which can be misleading. A top balance is about as...

Not to endorse, I make nothing off this but picked up this handy tool today for under $32 for shrink wrap. Seems to work out just fine

I was reading through the comments on the Off Grid Garage. Not something I would normally do. At one point Andy pointed out that after the latest video on the JK he was disappointed that he had not yet heard from JK. Not sure if that has changed for him personally but it makes one think...

187.39 pounds plus a case is still a fairly decent lift... That is a nice case! Do you have a link? Wonder if one can get one of those for 8s as well.

FilterGuy posts an interesting idea with bus bars. Wonder what the current flow differentials might be with and without the heat shrink?

Curious. Could one run this in flexible outdoor rated conduit to the ground rods?

Please keep in mind that while this might have seen like a good idea, not sure if it is possible or feasible in todays market. It was a thought.

The other side

Here is an article which discusses this technology. In this case they discuss a roof mount. https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/guide-to-fiber-optic-solar-lighting

Watching some recent threads about vendor service quality has been very encouraging. There have been surveys which strive to capture satisfaction. Two key vendors are actively discussing recent hires and web site updates with hopes of benefiting members of this forum. A number of these...

What inverter are you using?

Turns out there is a slight slope down to location I will be running the IMC to. Considering placing some small gravel under the line, covering with stone and then landscaping fabric before back filling. I would then continue the mini french drain away from the destination since it slopes...

I am planning on having a panel shut off switch outside. Got the Midnite unit. The Multiplus allows for a control panel to be connected to it via Module H on the schematic. According to the Victron forum this can also be configured as a shut off switch. I have yet to run my Emt and want to...

Looks like a totally different user interface from what I saw. Plus it wasn't working properly or not at all.

It might be ok. The solid ground wire on my Lowes 6 awg is thinner. The wire on my extension cord is stranded, unless the ground terminal is set up for a thinner wire. Either way hope it works

.

Makes sense

Recently someone I know had a business fire. The first thing the fire department did was pull the meter feed from the building. I know that panels need a shut down. However, most battery fed systems could have an inverter still feeding lines in the house because the batteries are still active...

Lots of benefits to pergola. Easier access, no leak risk on roof, etc. Plus roof panels require access space for fire suppression if needed. Agree with thoughts about direction of tilt and trees so will want to check that as well.

So a lot of satisfied buyers from 18650batterystore and sunfunkits. Prices very close. What have been your experiences?

Looking at options can make the head spin, even within a particular product line. I was dead set on going with 24v. In looking at my resources, I am still considering this for a small application in the household (smaller inverter keeping a freezer operational). There have been compelling...

October 8th. Tick tock, clock is running out. Not holding my breath on this. An update would be nice, however considering the direction they were considering raises a few questions in the mind...

Just make sure to check the contact surface of the bus bar with the battery. It may be necessary to trim away a small amount of the orange insulation on the battery contact side.

Please forgive my lack of understanding. Would this include Victron?

I utilize the Victron Multiplus 24v. I have a lot to learn regarding the interface options and will likely start out with the active BMS features.

I found a 24 volt bulb that I can use for my 8s portable system. Add a couple of wires with clips and a bulb holder and it lets me precharge my Multiplus. The bulb is only on for a moment or two so it doesn't take long. I used this for my portable system in the past since there is only one...

All good suggestions. Like topping off the battery. Another consideration would be to test the battery after it is fully charged and then periodically after hooking it back up again. Agm batteries tend to dislike being run dry from what I have heard. If you find it is still running dry then...

Was thinking of when a ground is run to the main structure ground rods. Not supplemental. I know there are depth considerations for different conduits but was curious.

I am looking at my wire choices. I have some 4 awg welding wire from a previous purchase. Can this be used in metal conduit or is THNN required? Just curious.

This received very high marks earlier. May consider it in the future.

It is quite common to run different capacities. The range you mentioned is quite small. I started with 2 then over time increased. Currently at 5. All in parallel. They are very close to each other in capacity now. Added as budget allowed. It took some time.

My guess is DC. The Victron Multiplus has the option of plugging in a control panel in module "H". I have not been able to find a voltage for this. However when I went to the Victron forum this can be used as an on off switch method without the control panel. I am hoping to use the power outage...

I understand that this is not an all in one. I am planning on purchasing the Victron charge controller. What I was asking is will I be using the charge controller to determine panel selection and amp/voltage constraints?

The first purchase has been the battery cells, case and BMS. I purchased these from Amy Wan at Shenzhen Luyuan Technology Co., Ltd: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/1pcs-EVE-304AH-with-New-Terminals_1600886129115.html

I purchased the Rich Solar panels for a small project in the past. I was a bit disappointed in their output. Perhaps someone else has had a better experience.

This is a terrific idea. Will help communication with JK so they can prioritize needed fixes.

OK. A big shout out to Overkill. They actually called me on a Sunday to try to work this out. That is probably the best tech support I have experienced. Turns out the low cell reading was on me. I found out that cell 1 begins at the negative terminal. I had things backwards. I checked all the...

This sure sounds like a well designed system. May I ask where people are buying these? I know the internet lists a lot of places but good service is worth a couple more $$$ if it makes life simpler.

Went with a Multiplus for my first unit and am currently planning on a Multiplus II for the second build. Great feature set, excellent reputation, sips the power during idle. I build my own batteries. However spend the extra $$$ for EV grade batched and matched cells from EVE. I purchased some...

There is a wide range of experience on this site. Over time as you sift through advice you learn who does installations and/or those who share information about their build in their signature. There are a wide variety of components and voltages available and this comes down to a personal...

Reminds me of the old Television show “To tell the truth “

Reason I asked is because the Multiplus can operate as a UPS, charger or stand alone.

Completely understand. I upgraded to a 4th battery this year. Turns out some of the older CATL cells have seen better days. Will be moving them to another 12v project. Scheduled to get another batch of Amy cells early next week to update the box.

Frustration.... Am trying to attach two lugs at 90 degrees from each other. This is for a battery to a terminal connection. It is a very short section of wire so the lugs nearly touch each other. Each time I do this, one of the lugs shifts just a little taking it out of position. This keeps...

Here is an updated photo. I tapped into tools and supplies I had from the old Pinewood Derby days in scouting. A nail file did remove burrs but left some grooves. I changed over to a beveled grinding stone for the dremmel. I tapped into some 2000 grit sandpaper and it is helping me polish the...

My many thanks to this forum for their help. It has been appreciated. I am planning on an external shut off at the combiner box. I would also like to include a PV shut off inside the building. Included in this wish list would be connecting an internal Midnite surge protection device so a knock...

I have found their packaging to be exceptional.

We have a phrase in the English language. “Smoke and mirrors”. Basically A lot of talk with no substance from JK. October is right around the corner and we have no assurances that a fix is coming.

6/2 should do it since it also includes a ground

https://diysolarforum.com/threads/too-many-projects-now-where-did-i-put-that.82283/

Looking forward to reading this thread. I'm guessing it will draw a lot of attention.

I am currently capacity testing a battery bank. The Overkill BMS software is showing a fair difference from the multimeter readings. Is this typical?

Was recently looking at the new Midnite battery. Room for ideas there. But that is a topic for another thread.

I am in the process of ordering lithium iron phosphate batteries. There is a great deal mentioned on balancing. Would a unit like this be beneficial? I have no association with the product and this may seem like a simplistic question but I am new to this. Thank you in advance...

I have read a lot about wire sizes and charts for capacity specifications. The charts I have seen indicates the wire size needed for the temperature in the room. My question is the anticipated wire temperature during operation. Is there a chart someplace that specifies actual wire temperature...

OK. So in this case "letting the smoke out" is a good thing?