diy solar

diy solar

48V Server rack battery price comparison.

michael d said:
exactly,,, if shipping is not included... then you do not have anywhere near what the real cost per Wh or KWh is. so then just comparing apples to pineapples!
I tried to order a shipping container full of solar panels... the price is great until you add the shipping price into the equation...
ask lots of questions, do the research....

hopefully, you find a good-hearted person to send you the correct answers.?
Click to expand...

Where did you try to order a shipping container full of panels from? Where we are located it is cheaper than shipping one or two pallets freight over on the barge than to ship a container from China or Japan.

Thanks.
 
UrbanCowboy said:
Where did you try to order a shipping container full of panels from? Where we are located it is cheaper than shipping one or two pallets freight over on the barge than to ship a container from China or Japan.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
the price for a shipping container direct from China to the USA more than doubled the price of the solar panels. so it seemed to not make a huge difference vs just buying a couple of pallets at a time; the same panels were already in the USA.

it has been last summer when I was researching that purchase. they advertise a low price but when you get the actual quote with shipping the price is a lot higher. A bulk order does not always equate into economic savings. ?

the seller offered to ship them from their USA Stockpile for essentially the same price so no advantage to order in bulk.
I was seeking an order of approximately 660 new 72 cell monocrystalline solar panels at that time....? to purposely fill a shipping container, with the idea it would be more economical but it did not turn out that way.

the takeaway is to get all the facts on a purchase, including shipping and their fees disclosed. now they (Alibaba) are trying to collect sales tax unless you provide them tax-exempt papers... not sure I would care to provide that to them....

have you received notice from Alibaba trying to get this new form of information??? looks like Alibaba is trying to get a method to collect more tax....would it then be submitted to the USA and the rightful recipients???

The last large order was raw LiFePO4 cells which arrived in December 2022.
better stop on that for now...
just do your research....?
 
michael d said:
the price for a shipping container direct from China to the USA more than doubled the price of the solar panels. so it seemed to not make a huge difference vs just buying a couple of pallets at a time; the same panels were already in the USA.

it has been last summer when I was researching that purchase. they advertise a low price but when you get the actual quote with shipping the price is a lot higher. A bulk order does not always equate into economic savings. ?

the seller offered to ship them from their USA Stockpile for essentially the same price so no advantage to order in bulk.
I was seeking an order of approximately 660 new 72 cell monocrystalline solar panels at that time....? to purposely fill a shipping container, with the idea it would be more economical but it did not turn out that way.

the takeaway is to get all the facts on a purchase, including shipping and their fees disclosed. now they (Alibaba) are trying to collect sales tax unless you provide them tax-exempt papers... not sure I would care to provide that to them....

have you received notice from Alibaba trying to get this new form of information??? looks like Alibaba is trying to get a method to collect more tax....would it then be submitted to the USA and the rightful recipients???

The last large order was raw LiFePO4 cells which arrived in December 2022.
better stop on that for now...
just do your research....?
Click to expand...

If they have a location, even just a stock pile storage, in the United States it isn't Alibaba cracking down it is the United States. The US is doing this through the credit card processing companies coming down saying they will stop processing credit cards etc.

I haven't purchased through Alibaba, but have friends that have and they have tried to get me to, I may on something like this.

Why not provide the tax-exempt paperwork if you have it? There is nothing they can do with it. With my companies that are in the United States(I am a US Citizen but full time live outside of the US right now and run the companies remotely) if you don't submit that we charge tax and pay it. There is a way around the tax issue and that is ship them to a state like Montana that does not have sales tax and then forward them to yourself. I have customers that I know are doing that, but can't prove it so I can't do anything about it.

I am going to send you a PM about the quote you received.
 
Kornbread said:
Fixing to pull the trigger. What is the care and feeding of one of these server rack batteries if they might be sitting unused for a couple weeks while the system is being completed?
Click to expand...



If the charge on the LiFePO4 battery is not real low, sitting unused for a few weeks, even months is not a problem. These batteries generally lose 3% per month. We recommend charging them occasionally if they sit unused for three months or more.

The real issue is how long have they been sitting idle before you received them.
It makes sense to check the charge, then charge them if you will not be using them for months.

Respectfully,

Dan Keaton
 
Dan Keaton said:
If the charge on the LiFePO4 battery is not real low, sitting unused for a few weeks, even months is not a problem. These batteries generally lose 3% per month. We recommend charging them occasionally if they sit unused for three months or more.

The real issue is how long have they been sitting idle before you received them.
It makes sense to check the charge, then charge them if you will not be using them for months.

Respectfully,

Dan Keaton
Click to expand...
Checked voltage with a vm and used the software found on SigSolar's website to connect the laptop with the batteries. Both batteries are at 50%. Software shows the variance between cells was <.03 on both batteries.
 
rhino said:
That's the issue I am seeing is there is a large black hole when it comes to the communication ports on all these server rack batteries that appear to be using same BMS. Whomever makes the BMS seems to be keeping this info hard to get and/or not available. I tried asking person at Trophy battery if it is compatible with Victron CAN bus system and they had no idea. At least one of them server rack brands provides some windows software but no documentation on the protocol. I wish Will would call this out on his video since all of them advertise these ports as a feature but then provide little to no support for how you can actually use it..
Click to expand...
At the time I answered your question, I was unaware of the Victron Cerbo GX system. I could not find a CAN port on the Victron gear you mentioned. I know now that the CAN port is located on the Cerbo GX. Our Trophy Batteries support the Victron CAN Bus Protocol.

I am sorry that I did not have the answer at the time we spoke. We support a wide variety of CAN protocols, and this is documented on our website.

Respectfully,

Dan Keaton
Trophy Battery
 
Kornbread said:
Checked voltage with a vm and used the software found on SigSolar's website to connect the laptop with the batteries. Both batteries are at 50%. Software shows the variance between cells was <.03 on both batteries.
Click to expand...
You are good to go to store them safely for 6 months (may even a lot longer), We recommend charging them to 50% every three to six months.
Our batteries start out at the factory at 50% charge. This is after the individual cells have been tested for weeks, then matched and balance, then the entire battery is fully charged and drained twice, then charged to 50%.

Respectfully,

Dan Keaton
 
UrbanCowboy said:
If they have a location, even just a stock pile storage, in the United States it isn't Alibaba cracking down it is the United States. The US is doing this through the credit card processing companies coming down saying they will stop processing credit cards etc.

I haven't purchased through Alibaba, but have friends that have and they have tried to get me to, I may on something like this.

Why not provide the tax-exempt paperwork if you have it? There is nothing they can do with it. With my companies that are in the United States(I am a US Citizen but full time live outside of the US right now and run the companies remotely) if you don't submit that we charge tax and pay it. There is a way around the tax issue and that is ship them to a state like Montana that does not have sales tax and then forward them to yourself. I have customers that I know are doing that, but can't prove it so I can't do anything about it.

I am going to send you a PM about the quote you received.
Click to expand...
If Alibaba is collecting tax now, I'd bet it is going straight into their pockets...not the tax authority.
 
Danzig said:
If Alibaba is collecting tax now, I'd bet it is going straight into their pockets...not the tax authority.
Click to expand...
my exact thoughts,,, just another rip off via alibaba for tax to increase their revenue....no way for the tax authorities in each individual state to collect it back I doubt...
 
Rossman said:
There are a few options for empty cases, yes.
Click to expand...
start a vote here or in our facebook group, if more than 50 people need them, we can start the project, and you will see them in USA in 2months.
 
UrbanCowboy said:
If they have a location, even just a stock pile storage, in the United States it isn't Alibaba cracking down it is the United States. The US is doing this through the credit card processing companies coming down saying they will stop processing credit cards etc.

I haven't purchased through Alibaba, but have friends that have and they have tried to get me to, I may on something like this.

Why not provide the tax-exempt paperwork if you have it? There is nothing they can do with it. With my companies that are in the United States(I am a US Citizen but full time live outside of the US right now and run the companies remotely) if you don't submit that we charge tax and pay it. There is a way around the tax issue and that is ship them to a state like Montana that does not have sales tax and then forward them to yourself. I have customers that I know are doing that, but can't prove it so I can't do anything about it.

I am going to send you a PM about the quote you received.
Click to expand...
Love that information . Talk about smart importing and saving money. I'm sure big business does this every day
 
RACKING TIP
- Look in Craigslist and similar for used Server _or_ Telecom Racks and Cabinets.
- Check with local Communications & Computer networking installers, they often pull out used gear when installing all new kits, then have to dispose of same on their dime, they are generally happy to sell them and make a little as opposed to a loss.
- There are different kinds of scrap yards of course, but some deal with electronic & computer equipment, I have seen Rack & full Cabinets tossed on the piles , nice scrappers will sell them for "Scrap Material Weight" and a few percent on top.

NB: Cabinets with doors most often have a fan or coolling kit within as well, which may come in handy depending on your climate zone.
 
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