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Need a 10U or 12U rack for Signature Solar batteries

sidpost

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Looking to use Signature Solar EG4 battery packs. For floor space reasons, we need a single "foot print" rack that will take 10 to 12 batteries. Does anyone make a rack that supports the weight and current of a battery system like this? Essentially a double 6U Signature Solar rack.

Thanks!
Sid
 
Looking to use Signature Solar EG4 battery packs. For floor space reasons, we need a single "foot print" rack that will take 10 to 12 batteries. Does anyone make a rack that supports the weight and current of a battery system like this? Essentially a double 6U Signature Solar rack.

Thanks!
Sid
You'd essentially want whats called a "48U" rack. or a "full" rack. I generally like the Dell, and APC Netshelter racks more than most of the others.. but for batteries, they are all probably pretty decent.

There are a ton of options, and depending on where you live, you can often find them on craigslist/ebay/FB marketplace etc from anywhere from Free, to a few hundred dollars. Add some copper busbars, isolators, shelves, and go!

Over the course of my career, I've given more than a few dozen of these racks away for various reasons.
 
I did something like this with a rack I got for free. Put some thick boi bus bars along the sides, drilled and tapped, put on isolated standoffs, and covered for protection.

I had to fabricate some mounts out of angle steel to hold the weight of the battery.

battery rack.jpg
 
Put some thick boi bus bars along the sides, drilled and tapped, put on isolated standoffs, and covered for protection.

I'd consider cutting those busbars in half. Separating the top 6 batteries from the bottom 6. Run each group of batteries to the inverters with a disconnect switch. This would allow you to isolate a group of 6 batteries for maintenance, while keeping the rest of the system online. All in the same amount of space. When combined, it'd all act as a single large stack. Lots of flexible.
 
I'd consider cutting those busbars in half. Separating the top 6 batteries from the bottom 6. Run each group of batteries to the inverters with a disconnect switch. This would allow you to isolate a group of 6 batteries for maintenance, while keeping the rest of the system online. All in the same amount of space. When combined, it'd all act as a single large stack. Lots of flexible.
Sure, good ideas depending on the end use. Just need to make sure there's adequate lock outs if you're doing maintenance on a partially energized system. For me I'm grid tied with a bypass so I can bypass my 18kpv for maintenance and would rather have a completely de-energized system while getting my hands in there.
 
For me I'm grid tied with a bypass so I can bypass my 18kpv for maintenance and would rather have a completely de-energized system while getting my hands in there.
Valid, but the maintenance I was thinking of was more inline with things like topbalancing the stack occasionally, and such.. things that require the system to actually be energized BUT you can't have any power in/out to do it. but a bypass makes a lot of sense too. Then you can just top balance the whole stack at once.
 
That's a great deal compared to buying a 48U enclosure and all the supporting hardware, even used.
Aside from this small little note in red: "**Only available when purchased with Ruixu Batteries**"
 
Aside from this small little note in red: "**Only available when purchased with Ruixu Batteries**"

Never take no for an answer. I'd simply just try to purchase without batteries and see what happens or get in contact with ruixu. To be fair I didn't see the note in red either.
 
A little OT, but is anyone cautious about having that kind of density concentrated in a single footprint? Or is the LiFePo chemistry so stable that it's not a concern? I can imagine pushing a flaming half rack out of the garage, but not a full rack.

Don't want to be dramatic, trying to learn how stable these batteries are.

I've been noodling rack mount batteries in the garage but it's Colorado so I have to be careful about temps. Have been considering the EG4 PowerPro, it is attached to the wall (no rolling that one out), but it is heated and contains fire suppression.
 
Looking to use Signature Solar EG4 battery packs. For floor space reasons, we need a single "foot print" rack that will take 10 to 12 batteries. Does anyone make a rack that supports the weight and current of a battery system like this? Essentially a double 6U Signature Solar rack.

Thanks!
Sid
My answer.
 

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1U = 1-3/4" Plenty of 84" 48U racks out there that will hold a dozen 4U cabinets. Batteries are not any heavier than an old IBM SAN. Bus is going to be fun. If you don't go for a full RUIXU setup, you could just daisy chain a bunch of 4/0 in groups of 4 or 6 or something back to a fuse block. Ridiculously heavy if you need to move it though.
 
1U = 1-3/4" Plenty of 84" 48U racks out there that will hold a dozen 4U cabinets. Batteries are not any heavier than an old IBM SAN. Bus is going to be fun. If you don't go for a full RUIXU setup, you could just daisy chain a bunch of 4/0 in groups of 4 or 6 or something back to a fuse block. Ridiculously heavy if you need to move it though.

Actually nearly all racks have a max weight limit on them. Best to check when buying that they will take the weight
 
Most are made for a much higher load than 1500 lbs of batteries.

Rack Solutions data sheet
I realize most 'quality' racks will hold way more than 1500lbs. I looked and server rack batteries go between 90 and 120lbs each. So just call it 1200ish pounds.

The cheap no-name generic racks are the ones I was speaking about when I said they come with a weight limit. The quality ones will all easily hold the weight. But the quality ones will cost a good bit more than the ones off amazon, especially the ones you have to assemble. Doesn't mean they won't hold the weight, but means the capacity limit should be checked. And if you figure in a 20% safety limit a rack rated at 1500lbs is only gonna carry 1200lbs which is pretty much what filling it with batteries will do.

Anyways, YMMV,I have said what I have to say on the subject
 
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