48V EV battery chargers

[fafrd]

I just ran into these 48V EV chargers from Thunderstruck: https://www.thunderstruck-ev.com/tsm2500-charger-only.html

I’m looking for ways to store my excess 240VAC-coupled solar power generated during the day into a 48VDC battery for use offsetting consumption overnight.

This 48V charger has a maximum output current of 35A when powered by 240VAC, meaning ~1.75kW of charge power for $555.

Here is a straight-up 48V battery charger with half that power costing half as much: https://powermaxconverters.com/prod...MI--3PhYOB-wIVVhWtBh0EYQAnEAQYBSABEgIIo_D_BwE

So it seems like ~$500 / 1.75kW is about the going rate to charge a 48V battery from AC power.

I’m interested in the ability to adjust charge power to match excess solar power, hence the appeal of the 48V EV charger as the EV EV charging standard allows charge power to be modified above 1.44kW in 144W increments…

On the other hand, 2 Victron Multiplus IIs can do the same thing with no lower limit (charge down close to 0W) and with an upper limit of 35A x 2 = 70A or 3.5kW for ~$3000 for the pair.

3.5kW of charge power is twice what I need so if there was a turnkey EVSE solution to monitor excess solar power and control a 48V EV charger such as that offered by Thunderdtruck for a total cost of under $1500, I’d be sorely tempted.

Appreciate inputs from anyone who has already looked into this area (which is why I started the thread).

I’m going to start looking into whether OpenEVSE could control the Thunderstruck charger in a way that would achieve my goals at a pricepoint within my target budget…

 

[fafrd]

I just ran into these 48V EV chargers from Thunderstruck: https://www.thunderstruck-ev.com/tsm2500-charger-only.html

I’m looking for ways to store my excess 240VAC-coupled solar power generated during the day into a 48VDC battery for use offsetting consumption overnight.

This 48V charger has a maximum output current of 35A when powered by 240VAC, meaning ~1.75kW of charge power for $555.

Here is a straight-up 48V battery charger with half that power costing half as much: https://powermaxconverters.com/prod...MI--3PhYOB-wIVVhWtBh0EYQAnEAQYBSABEgIIo_D_BwE

So it seems like ~$500 / 1.75kW is about the going rate to charge a 48V battery from AC power.

I’m interested in the ability to adjust charge power to match excess solar power, hence the appeal of the 48V EV charger as the EV EV charging standard allows charge power to be modified above 1.44kW in 144W increments…

On the other hand, 2 Victron Multiplus IIs can do the same thing with no lower limit (charge down close to 0W) and with an upper limit of 35A x 2 = 70A or 3.5kW for ~$3000 for the pair.

3.5kW of charge power is twice what I need so if there was a turnkey EVSE solution to monitor excess solar power and control a 48V EV charger such as that offered by Thunderdtruck for a total cost of under $1500, I’d be sorely tempted.

Appreciate inputs from anyone who has already looked into this area (which is why I started the thread).

I’m going to start looking into whether OpenEVSE could control the Thunderstruck charger in a way that would achieve my goals at a pricepoint within my target budget…

Just got off of the phone with Thunderstruck and here is what I learned.

In addition to the charger itself, an EV Charge Controller (EVCC) is needed ($300).

The EVCC communicates with the EVSE.

So using either an open platform such as OpenEVSE ($300 with CT sensors): https://store.openevse.com/collections/all-products/products/advanced-kit

or a closed platform such as the Emporia Smart Home EV Charger ($614 with Energy Monitor): https://shop.emporiaenergy.com/collections/ev-chargers/products/ev-charger-16-sensor-vue-bundle

You need the following components make this solution work:

EVSE <=> EVCC -> charger -> 48VDC bat

OpenEVSE $300
EVCC $300
48V EV charger $550
TOTAL $1150

$1150 to dynamically absorb between 1.44kW and 1.75kW of excess solar power being exported.

The Victron Multiplus II or Schneider Conext XW Pro can do this as well along with power inversion to offset AC loads for $3000-3500, but $2000-2500 is a healthy premium for 2.4KW of 48VDC power generation in today’s market…

So I’m going to keep looking into this.