Solar powered mini split vs just using inverter and batteries with old mini split.

Cardude said:

He will be off grid when parked at job sites, so the hybrid mini split doesn’t really make sense for him.

I’m thinking he can run it on one $1350 Eg4 48v 5kw rack battery for 4-5 hours each night, and if not maybe add another rack battery.

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call me crazy, I just don't like the thought of all that wiring rattling around on the road. I'm sure it done tho.

Dam! You made me buy it ! Lol

I love this thing. Just finally used the AC part today. Have been using the heat.
Just so dam cool to get from the sun

I figured I’ll use 3 - 305watt panels for the mini split and 2 for the pecton. Plug the ac part to the Pecron and be set. No need to draw from my other conventional battery setup.

After this impulse buy…. I started wondering if this Pecron would really handle a 20amp mini split…
but luckily it looks like this $900 E2000LFP can not only handle it in combination with the Solar, but
according to this post I found on Amazon can supposedly run it on its own for 3.5 hours

Altide8 said:

I'm in a pretty similar situation. I live in Alabama. My power bill jumps by nearly triple in the summer (I have natural gas heat) Bill was nearly $400 this month. Most of the living space in my home is on the main level, just an open room in the basement. A system such as this EG4 mini split seems to make sense. Especially when considering the regulations on solar in Alabama. If I am grid tied, then I owe Alabama power over $5 per Kw of solar that I have on my property. This seems like a pretty good way to offset my bill without being taxed.

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I hear ya. I hope to be Flat lining from now on

Sundog33 said:

I have just been looking at the

pecron Portable Power Station E2000LFP,1920Wh LiFePO4 Battery Backup Expandable to 8064Wh 6X2000W AC Outlets 1200W Max Solar Input Backup Power for Outdoors Camping Fishing Emergency​

They have it on sale right now for $900 bucks. Only 160AH compared to the EG4 Rack. But already includes the 2000w pure wave inverter and Charge controller. And if you add on the

EB3000 3072Wh Expansion Battery​

you could get 416AH out of it.

Just a though. I like this! I may pick up one myself for this price.

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I purchased the Pecron E2000LFP directly from their website during the sale, using an additional 5% discount coupon ALLCPMOR to get $854. And so far, I'm extremely satisfied with its performance. Before the purchase, I compared numerous brands, and although this brand isn't well-known, I crunched the numbers, and it offered the best value for my money. Within my limited budget, it was the most fitting choice. I must honestly say it pleasantly surprised me, I'm really fond of it! I've noticed their EB3000 is currently on sale at an attractive price. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until mid-next month to have enough funds to purchase the EB3000. Wish there were more users to talk to

RobertoJJJ said:

I purchased the Pecron E2000LFP directly from their website during the sale, using an additional 5% discount coupon ALLCPMOR to get $854. And so far, I'm extremely satisfied with its performance. Before the purchase, I compared numerous brands, and although this brand isn't well-known, I crunched the numbers, and it offered the best value for my money. Within my limited budget, it was the most fitting choice. I must honestly say it pleasantly surprised me, I'm really fond of it! I've noticed their EB3000 is currently on sale at an attractive price. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until mid-next month to have enough funds to purchase the EB3000. Wish there were more users to talk to

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I was expecting my Amazon delivery today, but it’s running late
I almost bought from their site also, but then I realized my Amazon card gives me 5% back also. So just a wash.
I don’t know how the Amazon price isn’t allot more. I’m an Amazon Seller and my Seller fees are 13%

Tangent, sorry anyway,
ya. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. Solar stuff is like Potato chips. You just can’t eat one.
I too was eyeing that expansion battery. I saw a YouTube video where the guy connected a cheap $500
Power Queen 200Ah battery with a makeshift cable and seemed to work. Half the price but will it charge evenly, who knows.

Glad to hear it’s a good unit for you. Hope to get it soon.

Sundog33 said:

I was expecting my Amazon delivery today, but it’s running late
I almost bought from their site also, but then I realized my Amazon card gives me 5% back also. So just a wash.
I don’t know how the Amazon price isn’t allot more. I’m an Amazon Seller and my Seller fees are 13%

Tangent, sorry anyway,
ya. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. Solar stuff is like Potato chips. You just can’t eat one.
I too was eyeing that expansion battery. I saw a YouTube video where the guy connected a cheap $500
Power Queen 200Ah battery with a makeshift cable and seemed to work. Half the price but will it charge evenly, who knows.

Glad to hear it’s a good unit for you. Hope to get it soon.

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That's great. I hope you'll be happy with your machine, too.

Reconsidering my options... The first really cold day.

Woke up this morning and it was 30 degrees out. Popped on the Mini-Split a little after 9 and was drawing 856watts from the Grid.
The morning sun and trees were delivering zero PV input. This is the most power I've seen it pull so far. I imagine the Colder or Hotter it is the more power its going to need.

Now I was thinking if I had that dam Pecron Amazon promised to be delivered on Monday I'd be in good shape. But ended up watching the PV power slowly creep up until Grid power was zero and using full Sun power.

Then it occurred to me the reason I'm a big fan of Solar Panel driven Hybrid Mini-Splits... Because I don't want to be plugged into an inverter system counting watts and monitoring a battery bank. Worrying about a week of cloudy weather and deciding when to use it, is not for me. This EG4 Mini-split was never meant to replace my HVAC, just to augment it and cut down on my energy usage. All said and done, I am happy with the Mini-Split the way it's hooked up and will make the most of it when I can get the free solar.

As far as the Pecron that just finally arrived from Fedex as I was writing this, I don't regret the purchase. $850 bucks was just a deal I couldn't refuse for a 2000w/1920wh portable generator and will no doubt find a use for it for other power needs. But I don't think I'll use it with the Mini unless there is an emergency situation.

I planned on heating with propane when I installed my system. The 240V mini split running to replace some of that propane is the bonus if batteries are fully or close to fully charged.

I did recently test to see how long we could go with using the heat pump with very cloudy weather; weather that would require using a PV supplied mini split to run on grid power. We made it 5 days with 54Kwh of battery and temps in the 20's with windy conditions.

Zwy said:

I planned on heating with propane when I installed my system. The 240V mini split running to replace some of that propane is the bonus if batteries are fully or close to fully charged.

I did recently test to see how long we could go with using the heat pump with very cloudy weather; weather that would require using a PV supplied mini split to run on grid power. We made it 5 days with 54Kwh of battery and temps in the 20's with windy conditions.

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Sounds like you got a killer system.
I only have 3 - 305w test panels set up in the yard. I’ll put 4 on the roof when my metal shop buddy delivers my bracket design. Maybe 5 for that cloudy day.

I have a gas fireplace that I use for 75% of my heating. My gas bill is not that bad compared to my ac bill. That’s what I really bought it for.

Sundog33 said:

was drawing 856watts from the Grid

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Put the Limiter on that sucker when you get all the panels for sure

Ya. Summer will be the real test for this thing. But I’m digging the Heat. Let’s see if I can knock it down even more on gas.

Zwy said:

I planned on heating with propane when I installed my system. The 240V mini split running to replace some of that propane is the bonus if batteries are fully or close to fully charged.

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Flashback to 1990 when I first moved to my acreage. First abode prior to house built in 1994 was a 1974 14x65 mobile home. Propane went from 0.58 a gallon to 1.20, and I was spending $400/mo (Really. In 1990!!) to heat it. In the master North facing bedroom, you could feel the wind blowing

I built a metal yard shed and put a wood stove/furnace with blowers inside it with insulated ducts going to mobile home. Worked pretty well really and i know ive seen they sell a similar commercial product. Those were the days....NOT!

Plum Crazy Rob said:

Flashback to 1990 when I first moved to my acreage. First abode prior to house built in 1994 was a 1974 14x65 mobile home. Propane went from 0.58 a gallon to 1.20, and I was spending $400/mo (Really. In 1990!!) to heat it. In the master North facing bedroom, you could feel the wind blowing

I built a metal yard shed and put a wood stove/furnace with blowers inside it with insulated ducts going to mobile home. Worked pretty well really and i know ive seen they sell a similar commercial product. Those were the days....NOT!

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Dam that was big doe back then!
I graduated in “77”. I remember my Mother bitching about the price of my 1/2 ounce Gold Graduation ring for $60 bucks.

Now it’s worth $800. Lol

Plum Crazy Rob said:

Flashback to 1990 when I first moved to my acreage. First abode prior to house built in 1994 was a 1974 14x65 mobile home. Propane went from 0.58 a gallon to 1.20, and I was spending $400/mo (Really. In 1990!!) to heat it. In the master North facing bedroom, you could feel the wind blowing

I built a metal yard shed and put a wood stove/furnace with blowers inside it with insulated ducts going to mobile home. Worked pretty well really and i know ive seen they sell a similar commercial product. Those were the days....NOT!

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Or $600 rather. But ya $400 in the 90s could buy you allot of coke. Lol

Plum Crazy Rob said:

Put the Limiter on that sucker when you get all the panels for sure

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Oh ya. That’s the ticket! I found that limiter button. Sweet!

RobertoJJJ said:

I purchased the Pecron E2000LFP directly from their website during the sale, using an additional 5% discount coupon ALLCPMOR to get $854. And so far, I'm extremely satisfied with its performance. Before the purchase, I compared numerous brands, and although this brand isn't well-known, I crunched the numbers, and it offered the best value for my money. Within my limited budget, it was the most fitting choice. I must honestly say it pleasantly surprised me, I'm really fond of it! I've noticed their EB3000 is currently on sale at an attractive price. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until mid-next month to have enough funds to purchase the EB3000. Wish there were more users to talk to

Click to expand...

Like you, I got the E2000LFP recently. I am extremely pleased with it. However I have one issue. Does the fan go off too often when charging using solar, especially the left one. The fan tend to go off when it is charging above 200w. The right one seems to charge it quietly.

Solar Hobby said:

Like you, I got the E2000LFP recently. I am extremely pleased with it. However I have one issue. Does the fan go off too often when charging using solar, especially the left one. The fan tend to go off when it is charging above 200w. The right one seems to charge it quietly.

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Can't say... I havn't got a chance to set it up with Solar being this time of year. But I did get a chance to use it. My Daughters house a town over lost power for 8 hours in the recent monsoon rainstorm that ripped across the country. Daddy to the rescue for fridge and internet power. Was only down to 52% when the lights came on. Not bad!

If you are worried about it overheating get one of these USB Fans on Amazon. Takes little juice. I have one stuck to my Security System box because I didnt trust the tiny fan in it.

AC Infinity MULTIFAN Mini, Compact 40mm x 20mm USB Fan, UL-Certified for VR Gear, Aquarium, Roku, Router, Raspberry Pi, Cosplay, Helmet Cooling Ventilation​

Solar Hobby said:

Like you, I got the E2000LFP recently. I am extremely pleased with it. However I have one issue. Does the fan go off too often when charging using solar, especially the left one. The fan tend to go off when it is charging above 200w. The right one seems to charge it quietly.

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I have observed this and it won't have any effect, I consulted pecron before and they said that the fan is temperature controlled and has little to do with power, sometimes it just happens to get to a critical temperature and the fan kicks in, no problem.