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That's pretty much my approach. Just enough for the essentials (recharge batteries for power tools, the radio, flashlights, have power to pump water through filters, run some fans, etc). Double wrap everything and put some insulation (plastic) between the layers. Since more than one "event"...

The Staber washer is a vertical axis machine (like a front loader) that loads through the top (open a hatch into the stainless steel drum). Variable-speed brushless motor. They've been a favorite of the off-grid crowd for a LONG time. From the SolarHome.Org site: Inverter size suggested...

Two observations: 1. "Likely" doesn't mean "inevitably." There are >plenty< of very plausible scenarios where EMP damage is the only/most significant damage experienced in a confrontation. Strategy and war are very complex things. 2. For the vast majority of households that depend on...

Yes, I'm with you on that. There are plenty of folks selling expensive, simple-looking ferrites, chokes, etc. I have serious doubts that I can trust them. I might learn more and decide a small investment in something would be worth it, but I sure wouldn't spend a lot or make it central to...

Can the BMS fail in such a way that the cells themselves are then damaged?

Yep. For folks who have a big PV installation, most would probably balk at the price of buying redundant >everything< for such an unlikely event. But, the daily-use cables, panel racks, etc will be re-usable, and if a household can get by with a much smaller "essential loads" system the cost...

Scott, My situation is a lot like yours. I'm in Ohio, I'm on a bored well, I want a minimalist backup solar system for essential loads, I want to be able to power them for weeks/months, my budget is limited. Some details here in a thread a I started about a year ago...

Those .might< work, and they would be cheaper than a purpose-built MRBF fuse holder. Points I'd want to consider: 1) Technical: Would they adequately do the same thing? It would be useful to make sure that the contact area with the fuse is sufficient, if their contact metal is compatible with...

Yes, getting a multitude of formats/types is a problem, especially if it is for a remote/emergency installation where it might be hard to get replacement bits and flexibility is important. The Megafuses (of brands I know and trust--Littlefuse, Buss, etc) sell for about $10-$15 each in small...

I >think< the fuse holders for these MRBF fuses are common to all brands, but I am not sure. The dual fuse holder just has an extended tab from the battery that allows two fuses to be put flat on it (rather than just one). Rach fuse can protect a separate circuit, and they aren't stacked or in...

I don't think it would be a good idea to put any mechanical stress on the megafuse itself (heavy terminal wires twisting, etc). If using a megafuse, I think the approach I described in post 8 would work better: Buy a fuse holder and attach it to the battery terminal with a small connector bus...

You wouldn't need to use that expensive ($60+) surface mount fuse block, you can also get one of the ones that mounts directly (and compactly) diretly to the battery post. I like this style that allows 2 of the marine fuses, each protecting different circuti. I'll use one for my "big"...

It sounds like a workaround would be a simple timer and relay that disconnects the PV every 15 minutes or so. It wouldn't fix the slow update time when clouds pass, but at least the thing wouldn't lose hours/a whole day of production while it remains in a coma. A Victron isn't in my budget...

There may be something to that, and I'm not sure why the "recompute frequency" can't be higher and tracking computation can't be faster (we're not talking about computing with moving cogs or analogue vacuum tube electronics here). But, to me, the bigger issue is where an MPPT controller...

Just based on pictures/externals: Buttons: PowMR "0 Layer" Grey and orange: 4 buttons EPEVER 4210AN Tracer: 2 buttons EPEVER TRacer 4210N "EXTRA": 2 buttons Display: Similar across all three models (icons, layout), but not identical (PowMR "MPPT" text, "work mode" display...

FWIW, the manual for the OTHER 60A PowMR charge controller, which they call the "0 Layer Series" (grey and orange plastic front, heat sink on the back) says (pg 2 "battery safety" bullet 8) that "equalization is carried out only for non-sealed /vented /flooded wet cell lead acid batteries."...

I'm sure 12voltinstalls will chime in shortly, but I think he got a different controller, the 60A PowMR with a raw aluminum case and a fan (see this post). BUT--do you happen to have that 60A PowMR controller in your post (with the grey/orange plastic front, heat sink on the back?). I'd be...

Very nice, thanks. A fan is a wonderful thing to have in the heat or for all kinds of reasons. Another option would be the use of a fan like this Ryobi fan designed to run their line of 18V Lithum batteries (or, it can plug into 115VAC). I own one and it is quiet (esp at the lowest...

Ah, thanks. My batteries are two 12V/110 AH flooded lead acid batteries in parallel. I'd >guess< these have more internal resistance than many of the lithium chemistries. OTOH, I have no BMS as another "safety" in case of a dead short. The MRBF's appear to have an interrupt rating of...

Maybe I could go with something like this: LittleFuse 02981028HXFC, ? Its just like many other Mega Fuse holders, but the cover allows cables/etc to come from any direction. And, they sell a little copper bus bar that works with it. I could bolt down the bus bar to the battery terminal and...

That wasn't what I (think) I saw, but it does look like it would do the trick. Paying $16+ per fuse isn't great but I sure hope I would need very many. ? Sorry, I don't understand the terminology. They are available up to 300A, apparently.

I thought I'd seen a Mega fuse holder that bolts directly to a battery terminal, but now I can't seem to find such a thing. The idea would be to bolt one end down using the the 5/8th inch battery terminal bolt, have the 300A fuse in there, connect the other end to my 2/0 cable to my inverter...

The project I'm working on has two 110AH 12V FLA batteries in parallel. This is a strictly a "drag it out of the closet in an emergency" system, and I'm planning on four 100W panels (20V VMP , 5A IMP each). Since efficiency isn't super important in this role, but flexibility, cost, and...

Best of luck, I'm sure this will be good for them, for you, and for "the community." And, thanks for putting it right out there. Mark

There really isn't. If the battery is a true deep cycle battery, then dividing the RC by 2 would give something close to the (20 hour rate) amp hour capacity (so, they'd be 80 AH batteries). BUT, batteries that don't have true deep cycle features (esp--thicker plates) might also have a 160 RC...

This is a basic question, but I couldn't find an answer after searching a bit: When I"ve got my inverter connected to the 12V batteries, will it "high voltage disconnect" if I'm also charging with a PWM controller being fed by 20V panels? And, when charging with a PWM controller, can I use...

After reading a bit about the surprisingly big impact of "hard" shadows on panel outputs, and knowing that nearly >everything< has already been tried by >somebody<, I'd be interested in learning about any testing on placing membranes above panels to spread out the light so that any distinct...

Things like this make me wonder--why? Why have a boost window limited to 180 minutes? I'm assuming there's some way to trick the controller to begin the boost phase again, but ideally it wouldn't be necessary. If I have a rough idea how low my batteries are and what my PV productivity is...

It seems that many folks here are having trouble with an EPEVER charge controller. These problems can include the SCC "getting stuck" after cloud/shade passage and staying at low voltage or wattage without trying to recompute a better maximum power point when the sun returns. Other users have...

Thanks for the additional details. It just seems strange--they sell a lot of these, they get good reviews, yet there are also plenty of reports like this, too. I'd understand anomalies due to "edge" cases (parallel SCCs, very high system or PV voltages, etc), but the problems apparently aren't...

As an ugly work-around (for those of us who don't want to monitor the system frequently), would it work to just have the PV's disconnect every hour or so for 30 seconds, then go back online? All on a timer? Disconnecting the PV apparently always works in causing the Epevers to exit their...

Hmmm. In my project (solar panels, SCC, cables, etc all boxed up for deployment if needed, FLA batteries kept healthy on grid power), the equalization "glitch" of the 4210AN wouldn't be much of a headache. I'll be equalizing the batteries using grid power and a smart charger, if I ever need to...

Well, don't do anything different because of me, but I'll be interested in what you find and which way you go. I was >hoping< that because my planned system was smaller and more primitive than your present equipment that I might not have the same issues you're having (4 x 100W panels, I have...

Did you decide on a way ahead (choose a different charge controller)? I have 4x100W panels I'll use for emergency backup of critical loads in my house. 12V system voltage (two 12V FLA in parallel). I was leaning toward the Epever 4215 (would probably wire panels 2P2S), but your troubles are...

One thing about the NOCO 5 (or any other low amperage charger): If you discharge your approx 100AH battery even 50%, it will take over 10 hours to get it full again. If you were cycling this battery a lot, that's not very good for it (sulfation while it is at a low charge state waiting to be...