Advise for a newbie: Which Inverter should I choose? (Please Help)

[JoshKennedy]

I plan on using it for:

• (2) 24V 100Ah Lithium Grade A Cells LiFeP04 Batteries
• (8) 100W Monocrystalline Solar Panels
• Cables included and cables connectors
• (I already have a MPPT Charge Controller: 60A MPPT charge controller, Negative Grounding Design but I haven't installed anything yet & I'm not sure if I should use it or try to get a different controller? For now I’ll assume I would use this one.

So what am I missing? The inverter perhaps if anyone could suggest a good inverter (or inverter with Controllers integrated) compatible with these devices? it doesn't have to be connected to the grid or to my house, I just need to plug a few cables/extensions. I would be very grateful for your comments!

P.S. I moved from NYC to Hawaii, now in Puerto Rico for job purposes, the system is to be installed here in PR so it's not cold. So I assume it doesn't require a "heating" system. I am a "Noob" but interested in a small DIY just to light up a few home stuff if anyone also knows what (home appliances) can I power with this & let me know as well, I'd appreciate it too. Regards

 

[Rocketman]

A LOT depends on what you will be running. How many amps are all things you will be running. This is called an energy audit. The better info done in the design- the better it works for you (not too big or too small or too expensive Or doesn’t have needed features).

We need more info…

 

[JoshKennedy]

A LOT depends on what you will be running. How many amps are all things you will be running. This is called an energy audit. The better info done in the design- the better it works for you (not too big or too small or too expensive Or doesn’t have needed features).

We need more info…

Hey thanks for ur response, for now it will just be running only a night outdoor light and a small fridge, it’s more like for emergency backup in case there is perhaps a city power outage and small daily stuff need to be charged (ex. Tablet, cellphone, portable fan, etc) so if it’s just a small inverter I plan on getting two extensions cords for what I just mentioned (outdoor night light which isn’t too far from the system) & the small stuff. I won’t be over-using (overloading) it, so we may just wait for one thing to get charged to put the next one. I’m aware these lithium batteries have a ton of capacity that’s why I was inquiring about what else can we actually connect to them besides what I just mentioned, thanks in advance

 

[Rocketman]

Get a pure sign wave inverter. If you go to Amazon you will find several. Look up 24v inverter _____ watts. (For whatever size you want to get - 1000w 1500w 2000w 2500w 3000w - don’t go above that). If all you will ever have is small stuff 1000w or 1500w will be plenty).


You will also want a battery monitor- that way you will know how full or empty your batteries are. I like and recommend Victron products- but they are on the expensive side there are cheaper stuff out there. Look at a Victron Smartshunt or BMV712 for the battery monitor.

Before buying anything else - plan your entire system. That way you don’t forget about things like proper wire size, fuses, etc. and you know how much your system will cost.

It’s much better to make a good plan - let others point out any issues, suggest changes, than buy something that turns out will NOT work with what you need to do or will not work with other things you have already purchased.

Good Luck

 

[Yurtdweller]

Get a pure sign wave inverter. If you go to Amazon you will find several. Look up 24v inverter _____ watts. (For whatever size you want to get - 1000w 1500w 2000w 2500w 3000w - don’t go above that). If all you will ever have is small stuff 1000w or 1500w will be plenty).


You will also want a battery monitor- that way you will know how full or empty your batteries are. I like and recommend Victron products- but they are on the expensive side there are cheaper stuff out there. Look at a Victron Smartshunt or BMV712 for the battery monitor.

Before buying anything else - plan your entire system. That way you don’t forget about things like proper wire size, fuses, etc. and you know how much your system will cost.

It’s much better to make a good plan - let others point out any issues, suggest changes, than buy something that turns out will NOT work with what you need to do or will not work with other things you have already purchased.

Good Luck

100% what they said. I love my old, simple Victron bmv-700 battery monitor. Yes, a bit pricey, but mine ran for over five years without a single glitch. I only stopped using it because my LiFePo4s have bt monitoring, as does my Victron charge controller. As stated, get a pure sine inverter. It's just better for everything, especially electronics, but will cost a bit more. Buy as many watts as you think you'll need/want. Later, you can either scale up, or simply add another inverter. I run two seperate inverters, because I have a single tool that tends to trip any inverter I use, and I've not been able to prevent said issue. As far as brands, I like my Renogy 2kw inverter(12v) and have been running it full time for years. I also like my Aims inverter, 650 watt, 12v. Never failed me. Check out Diy solar with Will Prowse on youtube. He does inverter reviews, and has his favorites. If you see Will using an inverter in any of his vids, it's probably a solid brand I can't recall any of the other brands I've used over the years. Don't forget to calculate for surges, like when your fridge starts up. It will draw higher wattage when starting, as opposed to running. Besides looking at output wattage, also look at "idle draw" (how much power it uses while sitting unused). If your batteries have bt monitoring, then you probably don't really need a battery monitor, but it won't hurt. I recently quit using my bmv-700 due to both my batteries and my charge controller having Bluetooth. The BMV didn't tell me anything that I can't get from Bluetooth. I also have an app that can combine all four of my battery's BMS together into a coherent total. It is called Liontron.