• Have you tried out dark mode?! Scroll to the bottom of any page to find a sun or moon icon to turn dark mode on or off!

diy solar

diy solar

Cheap amazon breakers everyone thought were a fire hazard?

I had a few of these in the early years and they appeared to work for a while. One in particular caused me huge grief after toggling it ~8 times (on/off) and it started to let thru a partial voltage which played havoc with the load on that circuit. Not saying they're all bad - but this erratic behavior 'event' after 'just a few' toggles propelled me to move on to Midnite breakers which have worked flawlessly.
 

Here’s the failed (over torque) disconnect discussion
That's not the one I was thinking of - it specifically mentioned that Blue Sea was made by Buss/Bussman and tested to 70V (Maybe 72v? can't remember)
 
I had a few of these in the early years and they appeared to work for a while. One in particular caused me huge grief after toggling it ~8 times (on/off) and it started to let thru a partial voltage which played havoc with the load on that circuit. Not saying they're all bad - but this erratic behavior 'event' after 'just a few' toggles propelled me to move on to Midnite breakers which have worked flawlessly.
which brand was this?
 
These appear to be auto/marine, and 12v ... probably OK for that environment (where price is traded for risk), but not built to the same specs as, say BlueSea Systems' equipment. I would use these in a metal john-boat, but I would use BlueSea in a yacht (value of what we're protecting). Would have to read specs and such (easily available on BlueSea's site), and it is next to impossible to find these docs on Amazon purchases (you'd have to identify the manufacturer, hunt down their website, and find the right docs).

I'd tend to trust solar gear manufacturers (Midnite, Magnum, etc.) for having done the homework to ensure their breakers and such "work well in the solar gear" environment, and that they've tested enough to put their name on it and sell it in their own gear. I can't extend that trust to no-name amazon sellers, especially when we step outside their target use, and theres no docs to base the risk on.

OP is running 48v thru them (12v batts in 48v arrangement), so now these are no longer used in auto/marine environment, but in Solar gear environment. Now, the value of what we're protecting isn't just the solar gear, but also the surrounding structure(s), and again, I'd move away from the low-end altogether, probably past BlueSeas' gear in most cases, directly to high-end Solar Gear manufacturers. One fire, and the chances are good that the whole house or nearby structures would be in danger of going up. In my case, the entire landscape would start to go up (wildfire) ...

Note that I "cheated", and put all my solar gear in a utility shed separate and away from the house ... there's a bit more chance that if the shed goes up, I can save the house. Everything is surrounded by gravel, walk/road breaks, and thus I can hopefully save the landscape (note that we are on the hook if the fire escapes our property, and lights off surrounding property).

Lots to think about ...
 
which brand was this?
Found my order (Nov 2019) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CXYGBGH?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2
1740684449287.png
It was between a 24v (7s7p) battery and the iCharger - and after the 8'ish toggles it no longer allowed proper voltage/current to the iCharger - and I thought I had a bad iCharger at first. After this I threw this model and the other (flat/square) ones out.
1740684066164.png
Replaced it with the midnite you see in the pic and the Midnite is solid to this day....
 
Last edited:
I find this hilarious - https://www.amazon.com/Bolipoeq-Tro...-Waterproof/dp/B0DHCCGL7B/137-0203483-0168826
Here's the 30a version
View attachment 281784
and here's the 300a version
View attachment 281785

same $18.04, same size, and just a change from "30a" to "300a" stamped on the plastic case. It's like 10,000mah 18650 cells. Crazy stuff listed for sale - buyer beware for sure.
Well the Midnites I use are the same price for 5A - 100A.
 
Did you ever measure one?
@Will Prowse did you ever measure the internal resistance on these?
I just remember that I did not replace the cheap circuit breakers in my first inverter build. So I think I can answer this now.

These are in use since 2018:
150A CB - Inverter DC Disconnect
100A CB - SCC to Battery disconnect
60A CB - PV to SCC disconnect.
During operation:
150A - Voltage drop=.035V @17.06A. Calculated resistance = .035 / 17.06 = .00205 ohm
100A - Voltage drop = .057V @ 23.8A Calculated resistance = .057 / 23.8 = .00239 ohm
60A - Voltage drop = .125V @ 20.48ACalculated resistance = .125 / 20.48 = .0061 ohm

They are much higher than the disconnect switch that I am now using on my second build (.000328 ohm).

INV Breaker-V.jpgINV Breaker-I.jpgBAT Breaker_V.jpgBAT_Breaker_I.jpgPV Breaker_V.jpgPV Breaker_I.jpg
 
I just remember that I did not replace the cheap circuit breakers in my first inverter build. So I think I can answer this now.

These are in use since 2018:
150A CB - Inverter DC Disconnect
100A CB - SCC to Battery disconnect
60A CB - PV to SCC disconnect.
During operation:
150A - Voltage drop=.035V @17.06A. Calculated resistance = .035 / 17.06 = .00205 ohm
100A - Voltage drop = .057V @ 23.8A Calculated resistance = .057 / 23.8 = .00239 ohm
60A - Voltage drop = .125V @ 20.48ACalculated resistance = .125 / 20.48 = .0061 ohm

They are much higher than the disconnect switch that I am now using on my second build (.000328 ohm).

View attachment 282015View attachment 282016View attachment 282017View attachment 282018View attachment 282019View attachment 282020
And how many times have you operated the breakers?
 
Cascade failure.

So an interesting thing happened. I was charging my car, then my wife put on the dryer, and started to cook with the stove. Power shot to 10.5kw. That caused one of the 150a breakers to trip. Which caused the two other 150a breakers to trip.

The 300a that I placed in a 150a slot when I replaced, did not trip. However, it looks like bms did shut down since it's a 100a bms.

The odd part was what happened next.

The lights went out. All inverters started beeping with error 52, bus voltage to low. Which I don't really understand bus voltage is 200-250v.

It wouldn't reset until i killed grid power, killed pv, and killed battery, Then turned on battery, pv, and grid.
 
I'm sticking with the midnite breakers.

1. They work. I had the amazon ones crapping smoke out of the box they were mounted in. The midnite ones don't even get hot.

2. Lugs > screws for attaching wires. Don't bother arguing this. Its a FACT.

3. Just freaking look at the thing. It reeks of badarsedom..... Its making that standard household breaker quiver just being beside it.

250amp breakersm.jpg


4. You know its ready for heavy duty when you need this for a box large enough to mount it in :

insideboxsm.jpg
 
Last edited:
I'm not saying these are good, or that i recommend them. I'm just sharing my personal experience for anyone considering them.

These are also not meant to be breakers in my system, they're meant to be switches. I have t-class fuses on the positive side, I wanted a way to disconnect the negative side for when I hook the batteries up or need to disconnect them for any reason.
 
I'm not saying these are good, or that i recommend them. I'm just sharing my personal experience for anyone considering them.

These are also not meant to be breakers in my system, they're meant to be switches. I have t-class fuses on the positive side, I wanted a way to disconnect the negative side for when I hook the batteries up or need to disconnect them for any reason.
Just be careful using them to switch off solar panels during the day. They vent smoke awful easy with solar power going thru them.
 
Just be careful using them to switch off solar panels during the day. They vent smoke awful easy with solar power going thru them.
My solar panels have polarized positive and negative breaker/switches, completely different system.
 
I'm putting 48v through them all day every day for the past several months. Assuming the material is sound, the construction and method, I'm keeping them for now.

I have a handful which seem moderately reliable, I've had one open and then sustain damage internally so it couldn't be closed again.
 

diy solar

diy solar
Back
Top