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Anyone with experience ordering from Big Battery to Canada?

Merlmabase

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Jan 6, 2020
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Hi folks. I haven't paid much attention to the offerings from Big Battery in the past, until Will profiled their new LFP and NMC 24V packs. Looks awfully tempting.

I'm up in Montreal, Canada. Their website states that international customers have to arrange pick-up, shipping and brokerage themselves. I just gave them a call, asking if Canadian customers typically went with a specific shipper. Best answer I could get was "google it". The customer service rep seemed less than well-informed.

I'm starting to poke around and make calls, but I'd love to hear if anyone has first-hand experience purchasing from them and getting their order shipped to Canada (or any international destination). In another universe I'd have it sent to the forwarding depot just across the border and pick it up myself, but here we are.

Thanks in advance!
 
I made an attempt to get batteries from them several months ago (pre-Covid) and they told me they would ship to a UPS Store in New York and I would ave to cross over and get them.... I looked into many options and no one will transport Lithium* batteries over the border from the States. Ultimately I gave up and HAPPY I DID given all the halllabalooey that went on.

I ended up buying 280AH Cells from XUBA (yes that is my Big Thread) the gave me 2X 24V/280AH )6720kwh @ 24V) packs fo my bank.
FYI Xuba & Luyauan Tech are sister companies, Amy Wan is our Rockstar Rep that we deal with from here.
Have a peek at their main listings (note these are bundles so pay attention to description):
 
I made an attempt to get batteries from them several months ago (pre-Covid) and they told me they would ship to a UPS Store in New York and I would ave to cross over and get them.... I looked into many options and no one will transport Lithium* batteries over the border from the States. Ultimately I gave up and HAPPY I DID given all the halllabalooey that went on.

I ended up buying 280AH Cells from XUBA (yes that is my Big Thread) the gave me 2X 24V/280AH )6720kwh @ 24V) packs fo my bank.
FYI Xuba & Luyauan Tech are sister companies, Amy Wan is our Rockstar Rep that we deal with from here.
Have a peek at their main listings (note these are bundles so pay attention to description):

Thanks Steve, good to know. I inquired over at electriccarpartscompany.com a few months back about getting some of those Fortune cells sent here. They told me UPS was the only carrier that would touch lithium batteries of that size.

Also glad to hear that Amy and co are still in good standing with the forums, maybe I should go back and see what they're offering these days. Although last I checked, it was almost as cheap per wH to get the Fortune cells shipped from the states vs XUBA/Luyauan. Maybe my math was off. Is that BMS that bigbattery packages with the 24V modules available separately?
 
Actually, there is a September Sale on now and prices went down a bit more again... and Shipping also improved but I think Amy also found another broker to deal with as well... I'm not far from Petawawa and delivery up here was fine, we've had a few members in Montreal get cels from Amy as well without any issues.

When I wanted to switch off FLA, I looked at using GM Volt Batteries, then the Valence ones popped up, then the BYD Packs in the states. In the end I'm glad none of that happened because, to be honest, bang per buck and knowing the cells are Grade-A new, you know what you have. I bought a Prebuilt The ShunBin mess for 3K USD and got phookers with used cells and blah (see link in my signature). Then I hesitantly bought cells from Xuba after another member here did and well the rest is history....

One thing though... everyone is very uptight over having exactly "280AH" or more from a 280AH cell knock off 10% for longevity you get 252AH or KISS and say 250.
For 8 Pcs 3.2V 280Ah delivered for $891 USD to the States (the cost is nearly same for us here) and that is DPP duty/taxes paid. That's $111.37 USD per cell delivered. ($145.43 CAD)

(3,360Wh @ 12V / 3,976Wh @ 14.2V {3.55V per cell} )
(6,720Wh @ 24V / 7,952Wh @ 28.4V)

8 pcs 120AH is $568.02 USD DPP
(1,440wh @ 12V / 1,704Wh @ 14.2V {3.55V per cell})
(2,880Wh @ 24V / 3,408Wh @ 28.4V)

Each pack will need a Fuse and a BMS 4S for 12V, 8S for 24V, 16S for 48V and a box/casing or framing, depending on your application & use.

Hope it helps and doesn't muddle eh pondering process too much.

And NOW to Chuck the Monkey into the Middle: https://kilowattpack.ca/
/ME = BAD ! hahaha
 
One thing though... everyone is very uptight over having exactly "280AH" or more from a 280AH cell knock off 10% for longevity you get 252AH or KISS and say 250.
For 8 Pcs 3.2V 280Ah delivered for $891 USD to the States (the cost is nearly same for us here) and that is DPP duty/taxes paid. That's $111.37 USD per cell delivered. ($145.43 CAD)

Why do people get uptight? I'm planning on de-rating them in my (24V) configuration to 10%-90% or somesuch, as I understand a lot of people do. But that's up to the end-user. Do the new cells not test to spec?

But you're right, either prices changed or my math was bad. That's a screamin deal. The only thing I wonder is about physical durability - Will seems to think those Fortune cells would hold up better in a mobile system (as I assume most EV-derived batteries would), but I'm not sure what physical characteristic of the cells would ensure that. I figured it comes down to a solid casing, terminals torqued to spec, etc.

In any case, thanks for the input, very much appreciated. Do have a 24V 8s BMS that you like? I'm planning to hook it up to a Sigineer 24v 3kw inverter/charger, so I can charge from A/C and use it as a small in-home backup and weekend car camping at first. Then if my camper project eventually comes together, wire in panels and a charge controller.
 
Well cell durability is one place where knickers get into knots. A properly built Battery Pack that is properly encased is durable and will take a heap of stuff. In an EV life can be hard but for energy storage it's nothing to be concerned about really. I am presently "tinkering" and also considering an Active Balancing System for my packs but I certainly will not go for 100%, seems the "comfort zone" is about 5% from Bottom & 5% from the top MAX and I'm great with that.

On the BMS thing.
One might say I AM the Chargery BMS guy, I suppose cause I rewrote-edited the manuals and use Chargery BMS'. There are many GOOD BMS' out there and some serious crap too, luckily we have enough people here who have outted the crap. Luyuan & XUBA sell the Chargery's but they haven't got the DCC (Solid State Contactors) listed yet. Craig (moderator here) also carries the Chargery Line of BMS' and he was also instrumental in the testing of SSR's (Solid State Relays) along with myself that led to Chargery designing & developing the DCC's. [Imagine that, a company that Listens & Hears what the users say they need] See Craig's thread here: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/chargery-bms-in-stock-in-the-usa.5235/
 
Hi, were an authorized dealer for BigBattery in Canada. We can help you guys fulfill some orders need to pass through the Canadian Borders.
 
Hi folks. I haven't paid much attention to the offerings from Big Battery in the past, until Will profiled their new LFP and NMC 24V packs. Looks awfully tempting.

I'm up in Montreal, Canada. Their website states that international customers have to arrange pick-up, shipping and brokerage themselves. I just gave them a call, asking if Canadian customers typically went with a specific shipper. Best answer I could get was "google it". The customer service rep seemed less than well-informed.

I'm starting to poke around and make calls, but I'd love to hear if anyone has first-hand experience purchasing from them and getting their order shipped to Canada (or any international destination). In another universe I'd have it sent to the forwarding depot just across the border and pick it up myself, but here we are.

Thanks in advance!
Hi, were an authorized dealer for BigBattery in Canada. We can help you guys fulfill some orders need to pass through the Canadian Borders.
 
I'm in the same boat and wondering whether now that the border is open can I just have a BigBattery shipped to my US border Kinek mailbox and drive down and pick it up? Or are there some regulations that need to be followed? I found the following


Seems to be mostly relevant to shipping by air/ship however?
 
8.5%+ 13% (PST & GST) so yeah not cheap. Unless you have proof of 90% US made from your the vendors Chamber of Commerce, the nafta tax exemption will not fly.

Regardless PST & GST will apply even if you manage to avoid the 8.5% duty.
 
PST & GST (or HST) apply on goods purchased in Canada as well so I don't really see the difference. I hadn't considered the 8.5% duty that's something to be aware of.
 
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