diy solar

diy solar

Crate Build: 1200 wh, 24 Volt, 300 Watt Inverter.

chrisski

Solar Boondocker
Joined
Aug 14, 2020
Messages
5,087
I have finished my crate build: Originally a Crate Build: 600 wh, 24 Volt, 300 Watt Inverter, and put a second battery pack to make 1200 wh Goal was to continuously supply 250 watts of power which could get recharged simultaneously by 600 watts of panels. I will call that a success with a test where I ran it for six hours at 220 watts.

Picture of the old 600 wh battery pack
1632100345559.png
The upgraded Battery pack now 1200 WH
1651448955532.png


Parts Include A Victron Phoenix 24/375 Converter, A Victron 75/15 SCC, A small Daly BMS 30 amp discharge and 15 amp Charge, Aili Shunt, 8 S 25 ah 24 volt battery pack with TopBand Cells, a 45 amp ANL fuse, and some other things.

Bulk Voltage is 27.5
Float Voltage is 26.7
24 Hour no load voltage the Batteries settle to is 26.7 volts.

In full transparency, I'm going to post my parts list, and links. Please note with this list, there are some tooling up costs included, but there is about a like amount of cost I was able to save by using on part items.
Total
$743.79​
Two Batteries 24 Volt 280 ah Lithium Battery 280 ah cells
DatePriceItemDescriptionNotes
7/28/2021​
$141.81​
25 AH Cells25 ah Lithium Phosphate Prismatic cells Topbandhttps://batteryhookup.com/products/new-3-2v-25ah-lifepo4-topband-navitas-prismatic
8/8/2021​
$21.27​
30/15 Amp BMSDaly 30 amp Discharge 15 amp Charge BMShttps://www.ebay.com/itm/333645598647?var=542740720261
8/18/2021​
$22.99​
110 Copper Busbar110 Copper Busbar 1/8" X 3/4" X 2 Feethttps://www.ebay.com/itm/303841271273
8/18/2021​
$7.92​
-1/4 Threaded Rod
-1/4" Pex A Pipe
-M6 Nuts
-1/4 Threaded Rod 2 X 20"
-1/4" Pex A Pipe White 5'
-M6 X 1.0 Nuts 5 total

8/18/2021​
$5.79​
M6 Nuts-M6 X 1.0 Nuts 30 totalhttps://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...Steel-Metric-Hex-Nut-2-Pieces-00188/202249552
8/18/2021​
$6.38​
Ring Terminal10 AWG 1/4" Ring terminal Packhttps://www.amazon.com/Elec-Connector-Waterproof-Automotive-Electrical/dp/B075MB7FW8/
8/21/2021​
$9.75​
Zinc PlateZinc for electroplating terminalshttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08XP6J9LQ
8/22/2021​
$1.79​
Alligator Clip, Threaded RodHome Depot
8/23/2021​
$20.74​
30% Vinegar30% Vinegar for Zinc Plating BusbarsHome Depot
8/26/2021​
$131.88​
375 VA InverterVictron 24/375 Phoenix Inverter 300 watts continuoushttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MR1B3B2/
8/27/2029​
$3.56​
M6 NutsM6 Nuts for batteries. Two packs of 10. Total of 20.Lowes
8/27/2021​
$4.42​
Mason JarSealable Mason Jar for tinning nickel
8/27/2021​
$10.84​
Nickel StripNickel for tinninghttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KP3M4LP/
9/3/2021​
$77.23​
Bus Bar / Monitor100 amp 4 Stud Blue Sea Busbar #10;
Ali Battery Monitor
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OTJ8A0/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CTKYFTG/
9/1/2021​
$8.84​
Hardware For Crate2 each 8' 2"X1" boards
#8 1 1/2" Wood Screw 25 Pack
#8 3/4" Wood Screw 35 Pack
Home Depot
9/2/2021​
$8.96​
Hardware for Crate9' Board 1X2; 2 X Carrying Handles
2 X 1/2" Wood Screws 30 Packs
4 #6 2 1/2" Screws
Home Depot
9/3/2021​
$10.84​
Spare Fuse40 amp ANL Spare Fusehttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYQVTY3/
9/3/2021​
$62.79​
Lugs, Splices, Connector50 Amp Quick Disconect for Battery; Mixture of 4-8 AWG Lugs; Variety of Butt Splices
9/4/2021​
$1.05​
BMS HolderPopsicle Sticks to make BMS Holder out ofWalmart
9/4/2021​
$9.66​
8 AWG Wire8 AWG Wire for Battery and Inverter. 5' Each red and black.Orielly
9/5/2021​
$23.72​
Open End CrimpersCrimpers for open end Rings for small wires 26 AWG. (Can't Verify these work; Didn't use this)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08J3SDJTX
9/6/2021​
$6.38​
14 AWG to #10 Ring TerminalsRing Terminals for accessories for busbar.Auto Zone
9/7/2021​
$44.77​
8 AWG Rire
14 AWG Wire
8 AWG Wire
-5 Foot Red
-5 Foot Black
14 AWG Wire
-50 Foot Red
-50 Foot Black
All THHN Wire
Home Depot
9/8/2021​
$13.08​
Hardware1/4" to 16/14 Gauge Rings; ScrewsHome Depot
9/9/2021​
$10.80​
Anderson Power Pole Cover2 Position, Quantity of 20https://czh-labs.com/products/rubbe...s-pp15-30-45-anderson-powerpole-connector-379
9/9/2021​
$18.43​
Anderson Power Pole20 pair 45 amp for up to 12 gauge wirehttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y9DMGG6/
9/10/2021​
$24.48​
Combiner BoxHome Depot 4 X 4 X 2 Junction Box; 2 Sets of 4 position grounding barsHome Depot
9/14/2021​
$16.28​
On Off SwitchNon-UL Rated 250 amp on-off battery switchhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RRTDSFB/
9/16/2021​
$8.67​
3/8" Terminal BootsRed Color. Protect on/off Switchhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CCG4X9T
9/18/2021​
$8.67​
5/16" Terminal BootsBlack Color. Protect Shunt Terminals.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CCJS4Z6/
And One Final pic of it in use:
1632101081989.png

A pic of the on off switch I also have a single USB Charge Socket pair USB-C and USB QC3.0, NS added add two more dual port USB QC 3.0, and a pic of the cut off switch:

1632101189399.png1651449458900.png
 

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Last edited:
Very cool setup, and thanks for the links. What's the intended purpose of this once you've got all the bugs figured out?
 
What happens when you pump 600 watts worth of panels through a 360 watt SCC?
Nothing except run to max power to replace what’s used by the load. I did have a problem with no load, but last use no trouble with BMS.

I have a 15 amp SCC that I set to 14 amps and that worked to keep the BMS from tripping. If I set the SCC to 15 amps, the panels sometimes push 15.1 amps and this trips the BMS.

What's the intended purpose of this once you've got all the bugs figured out?
300 watts of power power pushed as long as the sun is up. The crock pot is 220 watts. I will have 6 charging ports for USB and each could push 24 watts, but usually closer to 8 watts.
 
The Original Combiner Box when 2P, now replaced:
1651450084328.png

And the updated Combiner Box for 3P that I hook up to 900 watts of panels up; 3 to the East, 3 to the South, and 3 to the West to get sun all day when in use:
1651450505402.png
I've used this for seven months and have made 52 kw. Not bad for slow cooking food once or twice a week.
 
About a year into this, and have generated 79 kwh. At A real cost to me of $.17 per kWh, that comes to $13.43. That is cooking a crockpot of beans or roast in the crockpot two to three times a month.

Let’s just say this is a hobby and not a cost saver.
C36A4193-9CFE-47C2-89A8-3DACD9F2E6D8.jpeg
Depending on what’s cooked, usually takes around 2 kWh, but some take less and some take more. The shorter bar from a couple days ago is completing a charge the following day when cooking went on past the useful sun. The 1.1 kWh was a type of bean that cooks quicker. Todays little bar is because just starting. Since the crate is shut off between cooking, the several days between cooks is not shown. There could be a week or two weeks between cooks.
 
Two years into Using the portable generator to cook two to three times a month and used 67 kWh of energy for a total of 146 kWh. At $.20 per kWh, I saved $13.40 in electricity this year. Unfortunately, the crockpot died this year, and I replaced it at a cost of $20.
1695480583332.png
 
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