Hand Truck Solar Power System (Intermediate-Level, Bare-Bones Build)

[Will Prowse]

Yesterday morning I slapped some cells together on a hand truck, hooked up an SBMS and LV2424, and had a pretty cool little system for the price! $1906 total. Beats every solar generator out there considering its price, and does nearly everything.

Parts list and pictures available at mobile-solarpower.com: https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/hand-cart-solar-power-system.html

 

[Will Prowse]

I am starting to like the SBMS. Rock solid little unit! Takes some time to program, but works great!

 

[Brewman]

Great job,. Someone give Will a tape sponsorship.

 

[Prefersdirt]

Will, thank you! I have been wanting to do something like this. Portable, able to charge via multiple options. Seriously, THANK YOU!!!! This spells out what I need to plan for.

 

[jafo]

I am starting to like the SBMS. Rock solid little unit! Takes some time to program, but works great!

I'm serious, I swear Will is the total eMacGyver of the solar world. Nice job and I really like the mobility of the Costco hand truck.

 

[Brewman]

Little red wagon version coming soon I hope.

 

[Fred S]

Very nice, and useful! Thank you! For the benefit of those not familiar with the components, on your build page it would be useful to put, in the title or under the pics, that it's rated at 2400 watts and has a pure sine wave output. Also could say, e.g., that it can run anything that plugs into a regular 120v home outlet. Cool project.

 

[jafo]

Great job,. Someone give Will a tape sponsorship.

Brought to you by the makers of tape and zip ties.

 

[GMB]

Love the ElectroDacus....one of you smart people need to figure out a way to use this with a Giandel inverter.

 

[Ryanmorgan]

Question about the battery configuration. I thought a 24 V 2400 WH, or correct me if I’m wrong by saying...a 200 AH, would require 16 of the fortune packs, but you used 8. Can you explain?

 

[bhavin66]

Sbms looks too complicated and pricey. My experience with jkbms although only a month has been very positive and I have been able to setup my lv5048 and jkbms monitoring with raspberry pi.

 

[Jeffjeeptj]

Little red wagon version?

 

[Gazoo]

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Yesterday morning I slapped some cells together on a hand truck, hooked up an SBMS and LV2424, and had a pretty cool little system for the price! $1906 total. Beats every solar generator out there considering its price, and does nearly everything.

Parts list and pictures available at mobile-solarpower.com: https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/hand-cart-solar-power-system.html

I had thought about something like that but got the idea from a YouTube video. I was going to get the PIP-1012LV model. I just noticed MPP Solar has a new model out.

MPP Solar Inc » PIP-LV-MR Solar AVR Series

www.mppsolar.com

I really like these units but am concerned about grounding when used as a portable unit. Same concern with the inverter/charger inverters.

 

[Forbisher]

Question about the battery configuration. I thought a 24 V 2400 WH, or correct me if I’m wrong by saying...a 200 AH, would require 16 of the fortune packs, but you used 8. Can you explain?

8 100Ah cells x 3.2 volts = 24 volts at 100Ah = 2400 Watt hours.

 

[Heymikey2b]

8 100Ah cells x 3.2 volts = 24 volts at 100Ah = 2400 Watt hours.

To double the capacity to 200Ah would you need to use another SBMS?

 

[Will Prowse]

To double the capacity to 200Ah would you need to use another SBMS?

No, just put the cells in parallel groups of two, then series connect the groups. This way you can use the SBMS on any size battery without issue.

 

[Heymikey2b]

No, just put the cells in parallel groups of two, then series connect the groups. This way you can use the SBMS on any size battery without issue.

Would this be the correct configuration and the correct wiring for the BMS? Credit to FilterGuy from another thread for the illustration.

 

[JAS]

Any thoughts on how to make this more "portable". Can't imagine trying to load that into my truck with other luggage and not have it get damaged... Thinking along the lines of putting the battery in a toolbox and possibly putting the MPP on top. (However, MPP says it should be mounted vertically?). Note: I'm thinking the 12v version which is a bit smaller

 

[Prefersdirt]

I am needing to move forward on my system and really like this (minus the weight) I have some more questions:

First, what is the 300A shunt for?

Second, What is the difference in the MPP 2.4kW controllers? Only $50-60 difference.

this one Will linked to but comes from Hong Kong.

this one is shipped from within the USA and has USA support. Somewhere on this or Will's site I found the link to this one.

Third, does Will have the SBMS in there as he used cells put together for a battery? He does not have them in the beginner video with the Battle Born batteries – is the BMS built into the Battle Born?

Know this is a ton of questions. If it needs a separate thread, please let me know.

Thank you

 

[Metalophile]

Any thoughts on how to make this more "portable". Can't imagine trying to load that into my truck with other luggage and not have it get damaged... Thinking along the lines of putting the battery in a toolbox and possibly putting the MPP on top. (However, MPP says it should be mounted vertically?). Note: I'm thinking the 12v version which is a bit smaller

I'm building my 8s 200AH LiFePO4 battery inside a cheap 48 qt cooler. Batteries by themselves weigh almost 70 lbs, but with the handles on either side I can move it by myself, or two people can move it together. I have another cooler with wheels and a handle which would have been more portable, but it was a bit more expensive, and I didn't want to be drilling it with holes. I don't know whether I will attach my inverter and charge controllers to the outside of the cooler or screw on a piece of plywood on the back to hold everything. The cooler has a low center of gravity unlike a hand truck system. And unless I decide to mount the inverter on top of the lid, the cooler can double as a seat. I don't plan on taking this system on the road, but in an emergency I could carry it in the back of my minivan with room to spare.