Best 280-304 to buy right now?

[acolunga07]

How did you get cells without paying tax if you picked them up locally? I have been to there warehouse, its a combined business between Ezeal, Lithicore, and Docan. They have a lot of cells in there warhouse on Baker Road, Houston TX. Unless there is an exemption Harris County has had 8.25% sales tax for years.

My guess is the sales tax is just baked into the price (their accounting department will have to account for it somehow).

You said you’ve been several times? You wouldn’t happen to be in the area would you? I’m in the NASA/Clear Lake area but work in a Stafford.

 

[MrM1]

I'm guessing if you go the Docan route, make sure you reach out via email and not Alibaba or Whats App. Seems there might be a fake or 2 Amy and Jenny Wu.

 

[Quattrohead]

The Chinese are faking each other as well as battery cells?

 

[MrM1]

The Chinese are faking each other as well as battery cells?

It could happen.

I mean do any of us believe that the names are really Amy or Jenny or Bill or Steve?

 

[Alkaline]

Yes sound like traditional Chinese names

 

[thisguyhere]

Just got a quote, 16 x 280ah shipped for $2486 (155 per cell) from Luyuan, compared to $2531 (158 per cell). Not really worth waiting 2 months for a $3 difference, right?

1pcs Eve 280ah Lifepo4 (lfp) 3.2v Cells Battery ( Lf280k With 8000cycles,Fully Matched)--genuine Grade A New Terminals - Buy Eve lifepo4 luyuan Product on Alibaba.com

1pcs Eve 280ah Lifepo4 (lfp) 3.2v Cells Battery ( Lf280k With 8000cycles,Fully Matched)--genuine Grade A New Terminals - Buy Eve lifepo4 luyuan Product on Alibaba.com

szluyuan.en.alibaba.com

EVE LF280K V3 Grade A Cells - 3.2V LiFePO4 280Ah Battery

Brand new Grade A EVE LF280K LiFePO4 cells with 280Ah capacity. 10+ years design life, 6,000 cycles. Get unmatched power and performance for your energy storage needs.

www.18650batterystore.com

 

[MrM1]

Just got a quote, 16 x 280ah shipped for $2486 (155 per cell) from Luyuan, compared to $2531 (158 per cell). Not really worth waiting 2 months for a $3 difference, right?

Nope. Note for me. Plus the hi seas might not be nice to them. At least ordering local you can assume they already weeded out the ones that beat to crap on the journey over, and all you have to worry about is local FedEx.

BTW, I got EVE 304s from Docan for $159 Huston

 

[Alkaline]

159 for grade B cells... Jesus...

 

[LydMekk]

All prices has gone up, esp. in the last year or so.

 

[Alkaline]

Just got a quote, 16 x 280ah shipped for $2486 (155 per cell) from Luyuan, compared to $2531 (158 per cell). Not really worth waiting 2 months for a $3 difference, right?

1pcs Eve 280ah Lifepo4 (lfp) 3.2v Cells Battery ( Lf280k With 8000cycles,Fully Matched)--genuine Grade A New Terminals - Buy Eve lifepo4 luyuan Product on Alibaba.com

1pcs Eve 280ah Lifepo4 (lfp) 3.2v Cells Battery ( Lf280k With 8000cycles,Fully Matched)--genuine Grade A New Terminals - Buy Eve lifepo4 luyuan Product on Alibaba.com

szluyuan.en.alibaba.com

EVE LF280K V3 Grade A Cells - 3.2V LiFePO4 280Ah Battery

Brand new Grade A EVE LF280K LiFePO4 cells with 280Ah capacity. 10+ years design life, 6,000 cycles. Get unmatched power and performance for your energy storage needs.

www.18650batterystore.com

How are you getting your prices? My quote is over $178 / Cell after alibaba fees + tax from Luyuan, 18650 is $176 / cell shipped from 18650. Its cheaper (no transaction fee or sales tax).

Basically its $28.00/cell for shipping/fees/taxes on Ali...

 

[Sam Cho TX]

SunFunKits.com - Certified Automotive & Enterprise Storage (EV & ESS) Grade A Genuine RUIPI REPT Lithium REPT 280 Lithium Iron Phosphate Cell 280AH 4 Pack for USA, Canada & Mexico Sun Fun Kits

SunFunKits.com - Certified Automotive & Enterprise Storage (EV & ESS) Grade A Genuine RUIPI REPT Lithium REPT 280 Lithium Iron Phosphate Cell 280AH 4 Pack for USA, Canada & Mexico Sun Fun Kits

www.sunfunkits.com

$183/cell shipped to Texas with the check payment coupon. Seems to be much stronger cell than 280K and has larger area contact terminals.

 

[Sam Cho TX]

My guess is the sales tax is just baked into the price (their accounting department will have to account for it somehow).

You said you’ve been several times? You wouldn’t happen to be in the area would you? I’m in the NASA/Clear Lake area but work in a Stafford.

Currently in Pensacola, FL its boating season

Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi were my stomping grounds. Before the Taco Truck I used to sell hot tubs all over the South East, 1 day delivery and install good money. All that went to heck in 2008, then I ran a Korean Taco Truck for about 12 years until a semi decided to smash it and permanently screw up my back... at least I had a decent lawyer.

Anyway yes Talk with Tom (white guy, in his late 30's), there is a also a young Asian lady Cleo, but neither work for Docan, I think they just lease warehouse space for them.

I'm not sure how they are getting by not charging sales Tax, Harris county comptroller is not someone you want to mess with, I would keep it quite.

Anyway, all I will say is that Tom wanted me to buy cells from Zeal brand which I had not heard of, but I ended up not buying any cells, they did show me there warehouse, very nice large and clean, I say they have like 200,000 cells in there.

 

[pau1phi11ips]

The only practical reason I can see for a 12 Volt system is a RV application otherwise 48 volt is far superior in every way.

24V is superior in every way in an RV application tbh. The cabling for a 3kW load at 12V is insane.

 

[pau1phi11ips]

Thanks for the practical feedback. I am planning to purchase Multiplus II 12V 3000W, Orion tr smart 12/12 30A, smart shunt 500, lynx distributor and thinking about Cerbo GX & GX touch 50 (either or or a raspberry pi running Venos OS). I will also get the REC ABMS for the battery.

Like you said, maybe it’s better/easier to test it as a pack. Unlike most, I think I would still be happy with 1200Ah or even 1180 (as opposed to the 1216 Ah that it’s suppose to be). I would have spent $3k on a battery pack that could have cost me $10k+ and I get the experience/joy of building my own.

If you've not bought it yet I'd seriously consider going 24V. I've pretty much got all the things you listed. The cabling is so much better.

I have fridge, LED light strips, USB chargers, diesel heater, water pumps, water heater, 4G Wi-Fi router; all running of native 24V

The only thing running off the 24V - 12V converter is the MaxxAir fan.

I left room for another Orion when I designed it by 600W of solar is more than enough so leave the Orion turned off now unless the SOC is less than 50%.

 

[acolunga07]

If you've not bought it yet I'd seriously consider going 24V. I've pretty much got all the things you listed. The cabling is so much better.

I have fridge, LED light strips, USB chargers, diesel heater, water pumps, water heater, 4G Wi-Fi router; all running of native 24V

The only thing running off the 24V - 12V converter is the MaxxAir fan.

I left room for another Orion when I designed it by 600W of solar is more than enough so leave the Orion turned off now unless the SOC is less than 50%.

Already bought it and working on installation. In hindsight, the cost/complexity of putting in a 24/12V converter would have probably been worth it but I’m already far enough along that I’ll just keep going down this path.

 

[Coydon]

If you've not bought it yet I'd seriously consider going 24V. I've pretty much got all the things you listed. The cabling is so much better.

I have fridge, LED light strips, USB chargers, diesel heater, water pumps, water heater, 4G Wi-Fi router; all running of native 24V

The only thing running off the 24V - 12V converter is the MaxxAir fan.

I left room for another Orion when I designed it by 600W of solar is more than enough so leave the Orion turned off now unless the SOC is less than 50%.

What do you have for a 24v fridge?

 

[740GLE]

What do you have for a 24v fridge?

A dedicated DC fridge has 2 times the insulation as a regular 120v fridge they are crazy efficient as they are built for off grid use.

Many modern fridges have inverter type compressors that have variable compressor duty cycles, so in fact they are DC fridges at heart.

 

[Coydon]

Many modern fridges have inverter type compressors that have variable compressor duty cycles, so in fact they are DC fridges at heart.

Can they be rewired to run directly from DC?

 

[pau1phi11ips]

What do you have for a 24v fridge?

I've got a Dometic CRX50, it works on 12 or 24V

 

[Alkaline]

Nor Cold compressor rv fridges work well as well with very little power draw.

 

[740GLE]

Can they be rewired to run directly from DC?

Prob not a simple as I’d imagine the power supply has many voltages for control boards and various other components with much higher voltages than a common DC bank.

 

[Tom1962]

I've got a Dometic CRX50, it works on 12 or 24V

I'm in the planning phase of a shuttle bus conversion... Looking at a 14.5kwh bank @ 24v. Eve cells, Victron inverter components, Wakespeed and 600W of solar. As for appliances, I will be using a single induction cooktop, a microwave, Kuuma calorifier and various other 110V household appliances. I don't plan to boondock more than 10 to 14 days at a time... and when I do, I don't plan to use more than 8kwh/day. My question: why not go for a small 110 fridge (7.5 cu ft) instead of a DC fridge? I can run the fridge on just a tad over 1kw per day (per the energy estimates) and have a much larger fridge. Plus I can get a 7.5 cu ft fridge for less than $200. Am I wrong for going w/ 110 AC vs a DC fridge?

 

[pau1phi11ips]

I'm in the planning phase of a shuttle bus conversion... Looking at a 14.5kwh bank @ 24v. Eve cells, Victron inverter components, Wakespeed and 600W of solar. As for appliances, I will be using a single induction cooktop, a microwave, Kuuma calorifier and various other 110V household appliances. I don't plan to boondock more than 10 to 14 days at a time... and when I do, I don't plan to use more than 8kwh/day. My question: why not go for a small 110 fridge (7.5 cu ft) instead of a DC fridge? I can run the fridge on just a tad over 1kw per day (per the energy estimates) and have a much larger fridge. Plus I can get a 7.5 cu ft fridge for less than $200. Am I wrong for going w/ 110 AC vs a DC fridge?

I think the dedicated RV fridges might handle the environment/vibrations in the van better but you'll probably be fine. If you've got the space go for it.

I needed a fairly small one. My van is fairly big but there's 3 of us in there when we travel. I put 5cm of PIR insulation around the fridge and it uses about 600W/day.

I've got 600W solar, 7kWh 24V battery and a 3000W Multiplus II inverter. We cook on a dual induction hob from IKEA. It was pretty cheap if you don't already have one.

 

[Coydon]

I'm in the planning phase of a shuttle bus conversion... Looking at a 14.5kwh bank @ 24v. Eve cells, Victron inverter components, Wakespeed and 600W of solar. As for appliances, I will be using a single induction cooktop, a microwave, Kuuma calorifier and various other 110V household appliances. I don't plan to boondock more than 10 to 14 days at a time... and when I do, I don't plan to use more than 8kwh/day. My question: why not go for a small 110 fridge (7.5 cu ft) instead of a DC fridge? I can run the fridge on just a tad over 1kw per day (per the energy estimates) and have a much larger fridge. Plus I can get a 7.5 cu ft fridge for less than $200. Am I wrong for going w/ 110 AC vs a DC fridge?

Seems like with your other appliances, you could turn on the inverter for specific usage and save power with it off most of the time. With the AC fridge, the inverter will need to be on 24/7.

Is 500Wh on a 14kWh system significant enough?

 

[pau1phi11ips]

Seems like with your other appliances, you could turn on the inverter for specific usage and save power with it off most of the time. With the AC fridge, the inverter will need to be on 24/7.

Is 500Wh on a 14kWh system significant enough?

Good point. I only turn on my inverter for cooking when I'm away.