Easy Small cabin Question: inverter

[OffGridForGood]

Aaahhhh, that makes sense. If you're considering an AIO you might want to consider the EG3500 as it'll give you a bit more power than your Honda and it seems to handle startup surges better than the 3048.

Do the EG parallel together like the MPP units? ie for future expansion?

 

[Rednecktek]

Do the EG parallel together like the MPP units? ie for future expansion?

I believe so, but don't quote me on that. @RichardFromEG4 would be the one in the know for sure.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

would be easy enough to add a step down DC-DC buck transformer to give me 12VDC for some small lights and avoid inverting to AC for such small loads.

I would make two systems. I don’t have two full systems but I run that way for a couple reasons.
First, 200W of panels and a basic walmartha marine battery 12V will make lights, phone charging, and even limited coffeemaker use possible with a $200 Giandel. $500 total. Daylight hours and another $180 in solar (for 400W total) and usually you’d probably have enough to easily charge your power tool batteries.
Basics all supported with or without the big battery and generator could make water.

Then you can focus the traveling lithiumberrys on your 48V to 120V system.

My 12V system side runs regardless of the 120V side. If that redundancy and silence is appealing to you I’d consider it.
With some water storage and a demand 12V pump running moment by moment water the well pump only has to run occasionally.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

I believe so, but don't quote me on that. @RichardFromEG4 would be the one in the know for sure.

Yes they do. For the 6500 up to 6 units can be paralleled in single, split, or 3phase configurations.

 

[Rednecktek]

Yes they do. For the 6500 up to 6 units can be paralleled in single, split, or 3phase configurations.

What about tge 3500's?

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

What about tge 3500's?

Yep, up to 12 units.

 

[Rednecktek]

Thank you!

 

[OffGridForGood]

Basics all supported with or without the big battery and generator could make water.

Then you can focus the traveling lithiumberrys on your 48V to 120V system.

My 12V system side runs regardless of the 120V side. If that redundancy and silence is appealing to you I’d consider it.
With some water storage and a demand 12V pump running moment by moment water the well pump only has to run occasionally.

Very interesting idea, i already have an RV style 12V 'transfer pump'/truck battery, that I used in the past to move water from a barrel I would fill (winter use) so the generator only ran a few minutes to get the well pump to fill the barrel. The transfer pump was basically to get water to the sink for coffee and filliing a pot. I am thinking I can easily put up some 12V lights and keep things simple. For running the well and some small tools for working on the place, I am thinking about a fridge cart style set up like Lithium Solar did here: solar PV is optional, and the cart set up would be useful for portable power around my homestead as well. I could build it using two 24V packs, and still be able to connect these in series for 48 volt as well, use a 3024 inverter that would fit on a cart easily. Still playing with options.
I like the 12V idea, a small step down buck transformer on the 24V could supply it too instead of a truck battery, lots of options.
Who was that earlier said none of the answers will be easy or simple?

 

[MichaelK]

Micheal K is recommending against the AIMS, even the pricier one, as he suggests the <10% THD is still too high. Okay, but what mfr has a better THD, and does it actally just push the price point to where I get a third MPP 6048 (I have two MPP 6048's in my permanent set up).

Actually, I think just about every other manufacturer I've looked at makes inverter with lower THD then Aims. I think there are two very important data points that indicate the overall quality of a unit. The first is background consumption. The second is THD. The lower the numbers, the higher the quality.

 

[OffGridForGood]

I watched this Vid a long time ago, forgot that he tested this set up with a shop vac and chop saw. my small jet pump will be a similar start up or less to his.

Not sure about using the hand truck, I am thinking maybe a steel garden cart instead, a bit lower centre of gravity, and could be pulled behind the lawn tractor, so I can use it around the homestead when I am far from the house and shop plugs.
Options for 24 volt - MPP2424, I could make two 24V batteries, and then moving them is easier one at a time, can be 24v parallel or 48v in series.
or build it with a 48 volt MPP3048 - this would let me use any of the 48 volt rack batteries I alreay have in my home set up.

 

[niktak11]

Sounds like a good use case for a victron inverter

 

[OffGridForGood]

Sounds like a good use case for a victron inverter

The Phoenix 1200 /48 is on sale right now too!

 

[OffGridForGood]

Did some thinking and research.
Looked at other applications that could use a portable set up: ie more than one application for the small system.
For my situation: the cabin a few times per year, my green house in spring and fall, tasks around the homestead remote from our shop/house and our travel trailer during summer.
Looking at the typical loads and power for each, the MPP2724 with a DIY 280Ahr 8S battery pack set up modular with anderson plugs would allow me to move this to each area as needed during the year. For the travel trailer I can mount PV on the roof and extend the power available for camping trips, while other applications like an overnight trip to the cabin I only need the inverter and the battery. For tasks around the homestead mounting to a cart with decent wheels would make this set up portable enough to get power where I need it for repairs and projects that currently I drag the Honda generator out to do. I am considering building two 8S batteries, that can be connected in series to be used 48 volt in my main shop system when not needed for the portable set up.

 

[OffGridForGood]

I recieved the MPP 2724 from Taiwan earlier this week, and two roll-up flexible solar panels from Battery Hookup, and been playing with these using a small 24 v (18650 DIY battery 8S-5P) just for testing the operation. {Note: I have ordered 8 Cells 280Ahr and a JK 100A BMS to build a larger capacity battery but cells are not in yet}. I have some hand held tools I use at the cabin (to do general work on the place) these include a 3/8" corded drill and a 6Amp corded jigsaw for cutting pine T&G interior pieces. {I don't use battery tools at the cabin, no easy way to charge them, and they would be left unattended all winter, not good).

So the first test: hooked up the small 24Vdc battery and fired up the MPP 2724 - all good. Plugged the PV in (the 2724 has MC-4 connections right on the unit) and it started charging the battery.
I clamped a DC Volt meter to the battery leads (the MPP came with a nice set of leads that plug right into the unit and end in ring terminals ready for the battery) I wanted to be able to see what the battery voltage draw down was with the tools running. Unloaded the voltage was 27.6VDC
Plugged in the drill and ran a few holes with a large spade bit through some scrap 2x6 on the bench - all good. Voltage on the meter dipped to 27.2VDC and the MPP display showed "20%" on the output on start up for about a second, then dropped down to 10% running the drill steady.
Plugged in the jigsaw and cut some of the 2x6 and leaned into it to push the amperage cutting through knots. The volt meter dropped to 26.8 VDC and the MPP display on starting the saw hit 50% for a second then dropped to 25% cutting steady.
Having the plugs right on the MPP is a super bonus, as it literally took five minutes to connect a battery and PV to the built in MC-4 connectors and was up & running. Well, next step is to test it at the cabin to see if my well pump is 'a go' or will it be a 'no-go' on the small inverter!
I will let everyone know!
Robert.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

they would be left unattended all winter, not good

so what happens to the corded tools?

no easy way to charge them

i charge my 20V batteries on solar all the time (???)
I currently use a Giandel 300W psw with alligator clips in the jeep for the battery chargers when not at home, and have run the soldering iron and laptop charger with it.
Soon to be installed I have a fuse/relay box for the jeep with SAE sockets. It will have a 1200W inverter for the same battery charging plus it will run stuff including a 120V chainsaw (if it proves too small in use I have a 2000W I can swap in).
The 1200W psw will start and run the 1.5gal air compressor, too, as well as my smaller shop vac. Never tried the big one but I think it would.

The thing about cordless tools is there’s an actual circular saw, sawzall, impact driver, etc. I couldn’t imagine cutting trim work with a jigsaw (although I do have a cordless jigsaw for when it’s required).

If you can run 120V tools you can charge batteries

 

[OffGridForGood]

When I bought new jigsaw, drill, angle grinder I took the older ones to the cabin and they stay there all year round. Up until now the only power out there was from a honda 3000 I dragged up there with me on trips a few times a year. So there was only power while I was there, and only heat while I am there in winter. So I never bothered with cordless for the cabin. Just the way it worked out. I have a full set of cordless tools in my main workshop but I don't typically take them to the cabin.
At the cabin I use the jigsaw or a handsaw to cut pieces if I don't use an axe- going for a rustic look !

 

[OffGridForGood]

Oh yeah, forgot to add, I took the cover off the MPP2724 (yeah I know, not supposed to remove the tamper sticker -oh well ) the unit has a large iron core transformer - that surprised me actually at the price point. Hope this will mean it can handle the well pump!

 

[12VoltInstalls]

use the jigsaw or a handsaw to cut pieces if I don't use an axe- going for a rustic look

YIKES!!! ?

As an accomplished carpenter and woodworker my idea of rustic and yours is a bit different. Precision cuts, uniformity, close fitment are the limits of my tolerance.

But do as you prefer

 

[OffGridForGood]

LOL - yeah I hear ya!
What you don't realize is back in my woodworking shop I work to 1,000th's of an inch with modern equipment & CNC machinery! LOL (I feel like a clasical concert musian that plays jazz on the side for fun).
part of the gem of the cabin is to free myself from that machined/total control approach and work by eye & hand, leave as much natural edge as I can, and relax with the flow. Ironically.
As you say, do what makes ya happy!

 

[OffgridMatty]

I'm not sure if this would fit your needs, but I'm running a growatt 24v 3000w hybrid inverter with two 24v eg4 lifepo4 batteries. I am able to run my jet pump without any issues. Also runs my entire cabin with basic lights, outlets, a lcd tv and dvd player. It has also run my wife's 1500w hair dryer for those occasions she really needs her hair to look good in the woods!