Survival_Research
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2022
- Messages
- 5
Hi
I would like to build a portable solar power generation system that can accommodate up to 8000 watts of solar panels feeding a hybrid all in one controller/charger/inverter that can provide 6000 watts of power and contain all the breakers and wiring and even outlets in one case requiring only cables from the solar panels, batteries and house panel (for charging and transfer switch functionality) but to have no other external devices needed nor having to have this system mounted onto a wall.
New York is becoming too sketchy and dangerous and I wish to have a system that is rugged, portable and has quick disconnects and can be quickly broken down and set up somewhere else (preferably not in New York), and can be used with a small array if space is limited or large emergency solar panel arrays whether it be in a campground, a parking lot or an empty field. And also have this entire system so it can be quickly thrown in an RV or brought to a different state or country if the need should arise.
I already have acquired a pallet of twenty six 320 watt mono panels for this project.
The Bluetti and Eco Flow designs have superlative design form factor for my particular needs and if I had the spare money to gang stacks of them I would simply purchase those. At the moment, however, I will have to customize some less expensive components to hopefully create a system that can accommodate the flexible design requirements and variable solar panel array sizes that I wish to achieve. Basically I would like to construct a flexible, portable, easy to setup and break down and move, system.
The EG4 6500 looks like a good candidate for such a design but its large metal case and the requirements for the many external elements such as battery breakers and panel breakers/disconnects which typically require mounting on a wall is not optimum for the design I wish to build.
I would like to put all of the components of the EG4 6500 into a “Pelican Elite” case along with the other components that are usually mounted on the cement board in a home. The Pelican case is very tough, made with extremely tough impact resistant polypropylene, with one large retractable handle and smaller handles all around the sides and wheels.
I briefly spoke with the technical support person at Signature Solar about the idea and they seemed pretty interested in such a build and expressed interest in seeing the final product if I go through with it. I am well aware that any warrantee will most likely be voided so I am prepared to sacrifice the warrantee in order to fulfill my design requirement and keep my fingers crossed that the units have a long service lifespan and that my modifications will not contribute to shortening that life cycle.
I am uncertain as to how easy it will be to remove the components of the EG4 (as I have not yet received the unit) and how easy it will be to alter the placement of the various components when remounted into their new home inside the Pelican case with the suitable topology that would facilitate the required airflow, intake and outflow to keep the unit cool.
I do have a long history of retrofitting high end marine electrical panels and components and always improve their design and functionality so I am no stranger to cutting, removing, remounting and retrofitting, etc. And I have a substantial amount of whatever tools will be required to do this job. And if the case needs to have sheet aluminum lining part or all of the internal surfaces of the pelican case for heat or safety purposes I can do that as well as I already have an ample amount of sheet aluminum for just such occasions.
One problem is that the interior dimensions of the Pelican case is less wide but fatter that the Eg4 6500. So some replacement of the internal components will have to occur for this to work. Like I said I can mount the 1/8th inch aluminum plate seating inside the back of the case to facilitate the various standoffs required to remount the components into their new slightly altered positions keeping in mind air flow requirements and retrofitting an air dam or three if needed. It doesn’t seem like brain surgery to me but I may be overlooking something and so am very grateful for anyone with either a success story of doing something similar or a disaster story on why this would be a really disastrous thing to do.
The case interior dimensions are 19 inches tall x 11 inches wide x 8 inches front to back.
So the case while being less wide is much thicker.
I like panel mounted 4/0 Cam-Lock fittings for the external battery connections and similar but much smaller gauge Cam-Lock connectors for the inputs from the Solar arrays but these may be too heavy duty for this system and I may be able to utilize lower profile and less substantial connectors for this system. (I have a lot of the Cam Lock connectors and associated 2/0 to 4/0 cabling which be not of any use for the solar panels but will be useful for battery connections)
I would like to have all of the breakers and/or disconnect switches required for both the battery and the panels to be mounted inside the same Pelican Elite case with the Eg4 6500 guts so that in the end all I will see is a case with nice neat panel mounted quick connect fittings for the Battery, Panels and the connection to the 120 volt home service (for the transfer switch and charging functionality) And a row of eight 20amp Edison 120volt panel mounted sockets all on the one Pelican case..
(I am not sure if the EG4 has a built in Transfer Switch or will I have to use an external transfer switch for connection to the 120volt home service)
I have seen some builds where the various components are placed into milk crates or strapped to dollies or other containers but I would like to explore the possibilities of a more compact and portable design such as what I have described.
I like the Pelican because it has the abrasion and impact resistance of double walled polypropylene can withstand 1500 lbs of compression load. It is airtight and waterproof (although after retrofitting air vents that will no longer be true), it has rounded corners of the Bluetti design which is optimum for portable systems and it can take a beating and if designed with rain resistance in mind (louvered side air vents) it can likely sustain a light rain event in emergency situations if need be - not that I would feel comfortable with such a system in the rain but any design that furthers functionality in emergency situations is possible to give whatever added protection for emergency situations. The case opens quickly with two latches to allow access to connections or servicing so It seems to me to be ideal.
If there is anyone who has some ideas or cautionary design issues that may assist in this design I would be very appreciative hearing such ideas for this design.
Below is some photos of the two components that people may not be familiar with but are mentioned in this post (the Pelican Case and the Cam Locks)
Thanks in Advance
I would like to build a portable solar power generation system that can accommodate up to 8000 watts of solar panels feeding a hybrid all in one controller/charger/inverter that can provide 6000 watts of power and contain all the breakers and wiring and even outlets in one case requiring only cables from the solar panels, batteries and house panel (for charging and transfer switch functionality) but to have no other external devices needed nor having to have this system mounted onto a wall.
New York is becoming too sketchy and dangerous and I wish to have a system that is rugged, portable and has quick disconnects and can be quickly broken down and set up somewhere else (preferably not in New York), and can be used with a small array if space is limited or large emergency solar panel arrays whether it be in a campground, a parking lot or an empty field. And also have this entire system so it can be quickly thrown in an RV or brought to a different state or country if the need should arise.
I already have acquired a pallet of twenty six 320 watt mono panels for this project.
The Bluetti and Eco Flow designs have superlative design form factor for my particular needs and if I had the spare money to gang stacks of them I would simply purchase those. At the moment, however, I will have to customize some less expensive components to hopefully create a system that can accommodate the flexible design requirements and variable solar panel array sizes that I wish to achieve. Basically I would like to construct a flexible, portable, easy to setup and break down and move, system.
The EG4 6500 looks like a good candidate for such a design but its large metal case and the requirements for the many external elements such as battery breakers and panel breakers/disconnects which typically require mounting on a wall is not optimum for the design I wish to build.
I would like to put all of the components of the EG4 6500 into a “Pelican Elite” case along with the other components that are usually mounted on the cement board in a home. The Pelican case is very tough, made with extremely tough impact resistant polypropylene, with one large retractable handle and smaller handles all around the sides and wheels.
I briefly spoke with the technical support person at Signature Solar about the idea and they seemed pretty interested in such a build and expressed interest in seeing the final product if I go through with it. I am well aware that any warrantee will most likely be voided so I am prepared to sacrifice the warrantee in order to fulfill my design requirement and keep my fingers crossed that the units have a long service lifespan and that my modifications will not contribute to shortening that life cycle.
I am uncertain as to how easy it will be to remove the components of the EG4 (as I have not yet received the unit) and how easy it will be to alter the placement of the various components when remounted into their new home inside the Pelican case with the suitable topology that would facilitate the required airflow, intake and outflow to keep the unit cool.
I do have a long history of retrofitting high end marine electrical panels and components and always improve their design and functionality so I am no stranger to cutting, removing, remounting and retrofitting, etc. And I have a substantial amount of whatever tools will be required to do this job. And if the case needs to have sheet aluminum lining part or all of the internal surfaces of the pelican case for heat or safety purposes I can do that as well as I already have an ample amount of sheet aluminum for just such occasions.
One problem is that the interior dimensions of the Pelican case is less wide but fatter that the Eg4 6500. So some replacement of the internal components will have to occur for this to work. Like I said I can mount the 1/8th inch aluminum plate seating inside the back of the case to facilitate the various standoffs required to remount the components into their new slightly altered positions keeping in mind air flow requirements and retrofitting an air dam or three if needed. It doesn’t seem like brain surgery to me but I may be overlooking something and so am very grateful for anyone with either a success story of doing something similar or a disaster story on why this would be a really disastrous thing to do.
The case interior dimensions are 19 inches tall x 11 inches wide x 8 inches front to back.
So the case while being less wide is much thicker.
I like panel mounted 4/0 Cam-Lock fittings for the external battery connections and similar but much smaller gauge Cam-Lock connectors for the inputs from the Solar arrays but these may be too heavy duty for this system and I may be able to utilize lower profile and less substantial connectors for this system. (I have a lot of the Cam Lock connectors and associated 2/0 to 4/0 cabling which be not of any use for the solar panels but will be useful for battery connections)
I would like to have all of the breakers and/or disconnect switches required for both the battery and the panels to be mounted inside the same Pelican Elite case with the Eg4 6500 guts so that in the end all I will see is a case with nice neat panel mounted quick connect fittings for the Battery, Panels and the connection to the 120 volt home service (for the transfer switch and charging functionality) And a row of eight 20amp Edison 120volt panel mounted sockets all on the one Pelican case..
(I am not sure if the EG4 has a built in Transfer Switch or will I have to use an external transfer switch for connection to the 120volt home service)
I have seen some builds where the various components are placed into milk crates or strapped to dollies or other containers but I would like to explore the possibilities of a more compact and portable design such as what I have described.
I like the Pelican because it has the abrasion and impact resistance of double walled polypropylene can withstand 1500 lbs of compression load. It is airtight and waterproof (although after retrofitting air vents that will no longer be true), it has rounded corners of the Bluetti design which is optimum for portable systems and it can take a beating and if designed with rain resistance in mind (louvered side air vents) it can likely sustain a light rain event in emergency situations if need be - not that I would feel comfortable with such a system in the rain but any design that furthers functionality in emergency situations is possible to give whatever added protection for emergency situations. The case opens quickly with two latches to allow access to connections or servicing so It seems to me to be ideal.
If there is anyone who has some ideas or cautionary design issues that may assist in this design I would be very appreciative hearing such ideas for this design.
Below is some photos of the two components that people may not be familiar with but are mentioned in this post (the Pelican Case and the Cam Locks)
Thanks in Advance
