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My other unit is a Multiplus 24v, 3k, 3000. It is a nice unit. The advantage to the earlier units is that they are shorter, albeit a little deeper or thicker than my second unit which is the Multiplus II. This could be an advantage in smaller spaces if the 12v is similar.

I mentioned in another thread that I am planning on getting the Midnight Classic charge controller at this time. I appreciate the ground and arc fault features. Wish more vendors would get on board (e.g. Vict...)

IF it worked... hmmm... @Nami will you be offering a deep discount for existing customers? Paying full price to replace a faulty unit would not be received well. Just curious. Not sure I would spend the extra money at this point. I have 4 units. Did find it interesting that he is being told...

My personal experience with AGM, which is admittedly limited is that AGM batteries don’t do well with being idle. At least in my experience. How often is the cabin used? If the batteries are new then getting more new batteries makes little sense. If you decide to DIY a 12v system with lithium...

I know this is an old thread. However I just obtained the Jokari. First I set the depth of the blade to the thickness of the insulation. Basically I measured the length of the cut. Then I applied painters tape around the wire where the cut was wanted. The Jokari can wander creating a spiral...

Yep. Been studying it for hours. Looks like advertisement contradicts their web page.

I am strongly considering getting a Champion inverter version

First step would likely be to augment with a single unit. What unit have you liked? Perhaps this could be in communication so I don’t sidetrack this thread.

If one is doing a fresh build, e.g. new cells and or cases then this is a great opportunity to utilize the latest technology. On the other hand, this can also be a great opportunity for change if one is taking apart a previous build, checking and organizing cells and placing in a new battery case.

Outlet box installed on first unit.

Capacity testing was very popular a few years ago when buyers would attempt to authenticate the cells they purchased. I personally found top balancing invaluable in my case. One of my battery sets came from a EV breakdown and individual and then top balancing woke up the electrolyte in the...

Ok. This is shiny because I just spray painted it with a plastic bond flat black. The inside behind the tape will be still be white. My wiring from the panel will run through this to a Midnite Dc 15 amp breaker

Yours was one of the systems I was thinking about when when I mentioned the builds I admired. Very nice work by the way. I like the concept of redundancy. In my case the 12v batteries will be taken from my original build and moved to less critical usage since they are not as robust as the...

OK. So I could not get this unit to work, although it has worked for others: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081MB6PN2?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Just installed this and it is working very nicely: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B416CPK?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Installed an exhaust fan in one of my attic spaces. It is 12v. It comes in handy when the house air needs circulation and it is cooler outside. Admittedly it is not as powerful as the old whole house fans but it serves the purpose.

My upright freezer sips the power once things are frozen. One could store ice in one and then place the ice packs in a cooler.

When I was doing cell testing it was interesting to note that the "bulk" of the amperage seems to reside between 3.3 and 3.4 volts. Yes, voltage tends to be linear but testing suggested that amperage was not. Charging between 3.3 and 3.4 took a lot of power. However once I hit 3.4 it was a...

I have lost track of the number of times I have rearranged things. Agree with build in place. Did that with my 24v batteries and definitely would do if I switched to 16s

So to follow up. Prepared a spot on the garage wall. Had a piece of pegboard type material against the garage wall. Placed clean cardboard again the wall and floor. Had two additional helpers. One steadied the panels on the pallet while restraints were removed. Two of us carried the...

Excellent advice. My mechanic friend made the same suggestion as well. Thank you

And then a generous second coat of stain. Rain is in the forecast and wanted to get these protected.

I know. I would love it if @upnorthandpersonal could get his hands on one of these. The analysis would be fascinating to read.

Sometimes burrs on a bus bar can impact connections. Like the photo suggestion. Worth a look

Makes perfect sense. A good reason to utilize something like this:

I think I have a better understanding. I was suggesting lowering the charge rate from the inverter. My Multiplus only sees the battery, not the individual cells. My BMS sees the cells and you provided the screen shot for that. Given that the problem is not visible from the solar end might be a...

I found a company out of Niagra Falls that manufactures a paint that has been shown to dramatically reduce the ignition potential. Not cheap

Neighbor loaned me an impact wrench. A real labor saver.

Starting to wire things together. Very appreciative to @HighTechLab for their video on wiring the Multiplus II. Moving 6 awg wire is a challenge at best. The technique described made the task so much easier. Thank you again!

Nice photos. However appears to be more questions than answers at this time. Looks like it is not even compatible with the existing display screen if I heard right. Other versions were. Given JK's lack of response, not opening up my wallet anytime soon. Sounds like they might have their sights...

Eve calls for 6. I will probably go shy of that as a precaution. It is pretty easy to run a precharge jumper as needed.

Yesterday we had a real life grid down situation for a several mile area. The reason? Squirrel damage. My BIL looked it up. Apparently it can be common. We have plenty of these in our area. They would have easy access to the solar shed roof install I am considering. Any suggestions on ways of...

So when I purchased these CATL cells one of the "hot topics" was the use of an aluminum "crush" washer to expand the terminal contact size at the welded stud. There was concern about possible pitting or corrosion. I chose to use the washer approach. I did NOT put anything on the washers but was...

There is no doubt having everything in a box already built has appeal. I wrestled with this decision when I first got into this. At the time not much was known about this product and the geek in me really enjoyed Will’s videos on building battery packs. If I were to start over perhaps I would...

Installed the new adapter. It is finally working! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B416CPK?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Just a reminder. If using an outlet to change this make sure to adjust the setting on the inverter charger ac input accordingly. While my circuit is a dedicated 15 amp I turned it down to 10 amp to protect the outlet.

Lag screw holding wheel is substantial. Head of screw took a 24 impact socket.

Forget about payback and return on investment. The reason just posted is priceless and worth every penny.

Perhaps. The simplest thing to do would be to add a second unit housing the Whizbang Jr. The Victron is between a common bus bar and the batteries. I could add the second one right off the panel input line. Originally I was wondering if I could take apart the Victron unit and add the...

I just got one. Will putting in 8s Eve 304s

Not sure, probably. My original Multiplus also has screw down terminals which in my opinion was a superior design

The take home message for me is to double check your system connections. A dc arc fault near a combustible material is not a good idea. Also another example of benefits of properly sized fuses and breakers.

Ok. Cloudy skies. First portable panel just went live. Second one soon.

Reminds me of the phrase for a Coral snake. Red Touchs Yellow - Kills a Fellow

Indeed. Working with available space. Added to the "fun" factor. The scuffing happened on the pipe junctions. As my skill developed became less of an issue. However that 90 at the end was the biggest challenge. Anticipated voltage will be under 50. Using the Midnite Classic 150 which has fault...

Just got an update from Amy Wan @ Luyuan Technologies through Alibaba. The order is being shipped. The entire process have been easy and low key. I have asked a number of questions over the past few months and she has been quick to reply. I was able to come and go as needed in the conversation...

OK. I am not an artist, not even close. And I do not have a good drafting program on hand. However, I am organizing my thoughts for a Victron 24v system with a smart shunt, connecting bus bars and Cerbo. This does not have the nice Victron Power in or Distribution center in the design. However...

OK. Checked, double checked and triple checked connections. Gotta love a multimeter. Two panels just went live today. Here is Midnite Classic 150 readout after turning on first panel. Hazy skies today, not too bad:

Not installing them in the rebuild would actually make things easier this being the case.

Lol. And now that I have four… Happy with the single track plus BMS readings now.

A while back we volunteered for a service project. Prior to doing so we had to sign a waiver which covered all kinds of crazy conditions. No where on the form did it provide any warning about getting your hands dirty.

Why I love DIY. Go big, go small, your choice. Can change in the middle of the road if you want.

Gotta love a multimeter

Working on the fine tuning for battery positioning and placement of the BMS in the case. Each BMS has its own subtle install placement tricks. The JK active BMS is no exception.

Then there was the one car I owned that pulled to the right every time I passed a gas station.

Good point. Wasn’t trying to upset anyone. Just wondering if simplifying the available options might be helpful. Is it possible that some units might be able to handle more than one protocol? I don’t know the answer to this.

Mine were all 3.32 when I got them. Voltage on these is very flat and misleading. There are those who hook them up to an active balancer and let go to work. Others still top balance to get them on equal footing before proceeding

Something like that might work well with these. I have some installed and they have fairly good output: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M8NJ5DL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Running Nami's last response through a translator: "The Coulomb counting method calculates the remaining capacity by accumulating the charge that passes in or out of the battery. The accuracy of this method depends primarily on the precise measurement of the battery current and the accurate...

Thank you. That is an excellent resource.

Hadn't thought about it that way. Makes sense from a safety standpoint. Always wondered about that with 300 plus amp batteries.

Have a batch on the way. Looking forward to playing, ahem assembling them into the box I ordered.

Just got mine recently. Very nice. She is now drilling holes in the raceway for placement and the large cross bus bar looks tinned.

I had raised the idea of heat shrink for bus bars on another thread but it was not well received. The concern was that the current carrying capacity might be reduced due to stored heat and reduced cooling. Wish I could find out the heat generated on bus bars for different sizes and amps . I...

So I was planning my day tomorrow. You know full time job during the week, projects on the weekend. My daughter asked if I would like to do something tomorrow. I went outside and worked on the project as I thought about the day. Came to the decision that if need be I will simplify this build to...

So in essence the plug creates more problems than it is worth. Having said that would it be necessary to ground the case since this has a grid input always connected? On the other hand would an additional external ground be a hazard (eg 6 awg tie in to solar panel ground?)

So I take it this is not a cash and carry item?

Another project gives you an excuse, ahem “reason“ to get that additional tool you always wanted; ahem “needed”.

I think at the end of the day one considers their needs and chooses the technologies which best serve this purpose. I have really enjoyed this project and sharing it with others. If there are any ideas which others find helpful then I am grateful. There are multiple battery and power systems...

I bought a couple of the black 100W. They look nice, and I like the low footprint regarding visibility. The biggest challenge is efficiency so far. Perhaps my battery has too large a charge. However, I tried tying 2 together. Each is rated at 5+ amps each. I then tried them at different angles...

When I checked with a supplier from China, they noted that there were discussions about tariffs but at that time the details were not known. I suspect that in the future, this will be applied during the checkout process like other sites are doing. It will simply be the way things are done...

Food for thought. I have the older style in my portable built and the 4.3 inch screen. Love the screen. Still deciding on the other.

Years ago there was a marketing campaign that used the phrase “set it and forget it “. Once in place whether on a concrete pad, properly designed wall or other location this unit will deliver a very respectable amount of power in a small space. There will always be other options for...

Thanks for not keeping "us" in the dark...

The external wire attachment terminals on the battery case are substantial and include a protective cover. They also include a breaker, on off switch. I have it loosely in place for now. In addition to side carrying handles there are also two fold in handles on the front.

I have a thought. Provide a switch that lets the user decide the method. One option would use voltage as described by @Steve_S and the other option would be the approach @Nami mentioned.

There are suppliers who pull from pack EV break downs. The individual cells may be fine but are not batched and matched well. In other words they "don't play well with others". Even with proper top balancing the differences will show up, especially with larger cells.

A runner can be a reflection of a number of things. It never hurts to check your bus bar connections, and then the BMS leads to make sure everything is secure. One clue might be if the resistance for one of the cells is higher than the connection may not be as good as it should be. There will be...

Hope you get some much needed sleep. There is a lot written about top balancing, compression and positioning in other threads. Will defer to these discussions.

My mechanic can work on anything but specializes in two manufacturers in particular. One of the reasons I really trust his judgement. One concern when making repairs are the challenges which occur in the supply chain. Sometimes this goes better than others. Sometimes, with an older model car...

I just placed an order for components for the solar end of the project (phase II). I wanted to thank @SpongeboB Sinewave for his assistance. His Tech Todd was invaluable in walking through technical schematics to make sure the solar end of the project was sound. I also wanted to thank Luis at...

Batteries in parallel can be a good mix and provide redundancy if needed.

Fortunately Champion recognizes this need and actually provides documentation. Thank you again!!! https://www.championpowerequipment.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/cpetb2030001-neutral-bonding.pdf

Ok in this position not much to look at. Corner brackets have been attached, mounting bracket for breaker box is on the back and leveling legs are installed and a second coat of stain. Not much to look at, meeting design specs perfectly due to low visual footprint.

You will be impressed with this group. We have the privilege of reading the contributions from great minds on a large variety of topics. The search feature is an invaluable tool as well.

OK. Not a new idea by any means. And I am sure that ideas will contradict each other at times due to experience and technical background. For example, some will support passive, active, or other method of balancing. Some may want integration with the web, others stand alone. Bluetooth may be...

I found the cases very reasonably priced. With excellent product support as well!

OK. @sunshine_eggo tried to help me see this but I missed it. @upnorthandpersonal explained that all I needed to do was turn charge and discharge on on the BMS settings. A rookie mistake. However I share this in case anyone else has the same issue so they can avoid the same frustrations I...

@AshleyL it sounds like you have a full plate with the new arrival and testing the latest firmware edition. IF you have time in the future however, would be very interesting in a thread regarding experiences with the ghost battery. I think there might be some interest there. Thank you for your...

Yes there was a group buy that went bad. Will not explain any more but a lot of members were on the wrong end in the end. Reason for current policies.

Might I suggest a search on “working range” as there is a great deal written in other threads about this. In my cell testing it was eye opening how few amps are above and below that range.

At the end of the day one needs to make the purchase decision that they think best needs their needs. I am looking at purchasing a second unit for a portable unit that can be moved. There are a lot of options out there. I will likely go with the Multiplus II. It comes with a very low idle...

Found a similar discussion from the past https://diysolarforum.com/threads/price-per-watt-hour-diy-versus-48v-rack-battery.33253/

I have opened up a new thread. Hoping this helps the process. Also the purpose of this is NOT to detract or undermine the JK discussion. If you see things in the other thread that would strengthen this discussion please feel free to share it here as well. I just wanted to create a space for both...

The battery cases are for 302 and 304 amp cells. Currently 8s.

One advantage of 24v. The breaker on my battery box will serve as a shut off. Using a MRBF at the bus bar for each battery. Plus since I am using 4 batteries in parallel the amount of power going through each battery is less.