Help with figuring out how to add more power to my Bluetti AC200P.

[recrisp]

I ran across this channel and watched this guy that made a way to add more battery power to his Bluetti. I wouldn't mind adding more, I already have the AC200P Bluetti and soon I would like to do something along the lines of adding extra time to this thing.
This is for black-out type situations, not boon-docking.
In my mind, one that doesn't really understand all that has been thrown at me since I got my Bluetti thinks that an extra battery AND a way to hook it all up and be safe, that sounds good to me.

The guy in the below video may or may not be making a safe way to go about it all, but it is very interesting idea. (I am not that familiar with him, so he may be a genius)
So, cheap, I must say, it must be. Well, as cheap as I can do this, if it's even possible.
I know that I could have bought the BIGGER Bluetti's and had the battery pack that you can add, but I didn't have that kind of money when I bought...

Has anyone done something like this? Please keep in mind that I know just enough to be dangerous, so... (I didn't see anything like this in my searches)

Thank you!

 

[chrisski]

Honestly, if you’re going through this much trouble to get extra charging power, you’re at a point where you should be making your own solar generator to your own specs. A solar generator has a few components:

1) Solar panels
2) cabling
3) Busbars
4) Fuses
5) AC to DC charger (optional)
6) Lithium Battery Pack (separate discussion as to why no Lead Acid)
7) Inverter

As to why don’t like the Bluetti with a home made battery pack

1) Bluetti specs there AC200 at a relatively low solar input, 900 watts max I think. That battery is dumping around 450 charging watts, and depending on the size would easily overload. How big is that I don’t know, but a 500wh tiny little battery pack reached 50% of the load.

2) just like alternator charging, a lithium to lithium battery connector should be limited by Something like a DC to DC converter to prevent dropping thousands of watts at once.

3). Solar Charge controllers on all tech data I’ve read say hook nothing but panels and overcurrent connection devices, not other things. What happens, I don’t know but someone posted an MPPT algorithm under certain circunstances could overload and harm a controller.

I think that if you’ve outgrown the Bluetii, which is easy to do especialy with a high wattage load on for hours on end like an air conditioner, its time to build your own portable generator, but at a weight of 200 LBS for 13.6 kwh of battery, that portable generator is a fixed build.

 

[recrisp]

Honestly, if you’re going through this much trouble to get extra charging power, you’re at a point where you should be making your own solar generator to your own specs. A solar generator has a few components:

1) Solar panels
2) cabling
3) Busbars
4) Fuses
5) AC to DC charger (optional)
6) Lithium Battery Pack (separate discussion as to why no Lead Acid)
7) Inverter

As to why don’t like the Bluetti with a home made battery pack

1) Bluetti specs there AC200 at a relatively low solar input, 900 watts max I think. That battery is dumping around 450 charging watts, and depending on the size would easily overload. How big is that I don’t know, but a 500wh tiny little battery pack reached 50% of the load.

2) just like alternator charging, a lithium to lithium battery connector should be limited by Something like a DC to DC converter to prevent dropping thousands of watts at once.

3). Solar Charge controllers on all tech data I’ve read say hook nothing but panels and overcurrent connection devices, not other things. What happens, I don’t know but someone posted an MPPT algorithm under certain circunstances could overload and harm a controller.

I think that if you’ve outgrown the Bluetii, which is easy to do especialy with a high wattage load on for hours on end like an air conditioner, its time to build your own portable generator, but at a weight of 200 LBS for 13.6 kwh of battery, that portable generator is a fixed build.

Thank you for your very quick reply and help, Chrisski.
Well, I should have told you that the reason that I went the Bluetti way is that I am not like you, or most of the others here, I am not technical at all. Yes, I know that I should have gone the way that you described, but I am just not made that way, a lot that you said made my eyes roll up in my head. Really. (There's a reason I am like I am)
That is why I was wanting an easy fix, something that is simple for me to get and do.

I hope that I haven't outgrown my NEW Bluetti!

Thank you for ALL of your help!

 

[chrisski]

Looks like the tech specs say 700 watts of charging, which would be 3 sun hours to charge a battery to full, or in the short winter days, may not reach that in a day, and in the long summer days, would be charged by 10 am.

Ultimately, with these purchases, it comes down to what you want to do to mod it. Just do a good watt hour estimate to make sure you're getting the power you need. The 500 wh battery in the video does not give a whole lot extra power, maybe 25% more power.

 

[recrisp]

Looks like the tech specs say 700 watts of charging, which would be 3 sun hours to charge a battery to full, or in the short winter days, may not reach that in a day, and in the long summer days, would be charged by 10 am.

Ultimately, with these purchases, it comes down to what you want to do to mod it. Just do a good watt hour estimate to make sure you're getting the power you need. The 500 wh battery in the video does not give a whole lot extra power, maybe 25% more power.

I have the BLUETTI DC Charging Enhancer D050S 500W that I was hoping to help it charge faster. I have 1,000 watts of solar panels, so on a good day I was hoping to get about 750 watts, or slightly more.
In my mind if I charged it quicker it would be replaced quicker with the ability to go as high up as 1200 WATTS with the enhancer.
The plans I kind of have it to get one more 200 WATT panel, as you can see I am confused.

I wasn't planning on getting the battery in that video, (He's been out for awhile anyway) it was only to show what I was referring to, those are scooter batteries that he buys and resells. Even the wiring looked scary to me, but maybe it was fine, I don't know.
I wanted to get the ACP200 MAX but the screen problem was not fixed, (according to Will) and from what I read here, so I settled for this.
If I could just add some kind of battery to it, ($500ish) it seems to me, and I could sure be wrong, that it'd be possible to use a good battery and get power from that. I don't know enough to know what to ask, and I have been reading a lot, but it doesn't sink in.

I looked into a Kill A Watt to do just what you said, and a bunch of clones, every one of those scared me, most caught fire, and even the KILL A WATT wasn't trustworthy.

You just can't count on products anymore. I am sure that people get good ones, but seeing ALL of the burnt ones makes me really apprehensive.

Anyway, thank you, I really do appreciate your time on this.

 

[sunshine]

If I could just add some kind of battery to it, ($500ish) it seems to me, and I could sure be wrong, that it'd be possible to use a good battery and get power from that

A 100ah LiFePO4 12v Battery $250 + 1500w pure sine inverter $250 = $500

Charge the Bluetti with your existing charger though the inverter and the new battery through solar panels.

Bluetti for convenience and you have a stand alone solar system that is relatively modular for future expansion.

 

[recrisp]

A 100ah LiFePO4 12v Battery $250 + 1500w pure sine inverter $250 = $500

Charge the Bluetti with your existing charger though the inverter and the new battery through solar panels.

Bluetti for convenience and you have a stand alone solar system that is relatively modular for future expansion.

That sounds more like what I was thinking about, but I can't really envision that.
Are there any out there that you can think of that I could read about, or see?

One of the things is, you mention "charge the Bluetti" and while I will always keep it charged, (probably) I will want to use it with solar, for black out emergencies. Having to charge it with a wall socket kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it, or am I missing the point?

Other than that, I think you hit on what I want.
What I had in my head when I asked is, I need something (battery) that I can hook up to my Bluetti and charge it, AND the battery with my solar panels. Now whether or not that is possible, I don't know.

Is that possible?

Thank you for your reply!

 

[sunshine]

Having to charge it with a wall socket kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it, or am I missing the point?

pv-CC-Battery-Inverter-Charger- Bluetti

Really sidelines the Bluetti but Im being more diplomatic than https://diysolarforum.com/members/chrisski.12966/

The sources for the battery and inverter would be better provided by contacts in your region. I see Home Depot mentioned a lot. In Australia Kogan would be the starting point.

A inverter purchased locally will also be more likely to meet the electrical standards (code). Most likely will be a HF Inverter...cheap and light...so compare prices. There is little difference between standby and conversion efficiency so a larger one above what your expected loads may be would be better.

 

[recrisp]

pv-CC-Battery-Inverter-Charger- Bluetti

Really sidelines the Bluetti but Im being more diplomatic than https://diysolarforum.com/members/chrisski.12966/

The sources for the battery and inverter would be better provided by contacts in your region. I see Home Depot mentioned a lot. In Australia Kogan would be the starting point.

A inverter purchased locally will also be more likely to meet the electrical standards (code). Most likely will be a HF Inverter...cheap and light...so compare prices. There is little difference between standby and conversion efficiency so a larger one above what your expected loads may be would be better.

Thank you for your help, I will 'try' and understand what you are talking about, I know that when I look at diagrams of a DIY solar set-up it kind of makes sense, but talking about it without looking at it, doesn't, if that makes sense.
I can't 'see' how it would hook up in my mind, so I will look around and see what I can find.
When I 'see' it, then I will know what to look for.

I buy nearly all of my stuff from Amazon, I rarely go to Home Depot or Lowes, they tend to have brands that I am unfamiliar with, and with Amazon, at least I can read a lot of reviews and get a feeling of what it's actually like.
When I do stuff like this, I have a literal learning disability, it's hard to comprehend this, and things like it.
(Put your hand in front of you at arm's length and try to see an object, you can see part of it on each side, you know it's there, but you just can't really see it, that is me. It's called, ADHD)

Thank you for your time, Sunshine, I really do appreciate it.

 

[Nickatnyt]

I just bought a 12v200ah Power Queen lifepo4, plus their 20a AC charger ($815 total plus tax) as an addition to my AC200p + B230 piggyback battery.

In grid down scenario I plan on charging the battery via the AC charger directly from my Bluetti AC200P while my 1kw of panels generates 700+ watts. Each hour 240 watts will go to the power queen while the other 460+ go into the Bluetti. All this does is make sure that I get as much sun juice as possible, without having to buy more panels and a separate SCC.

 

[Tourguide]

I just bought a 12v200ah Power Queen lifepo4, plus their 20a AC charger ($815 plus tax) as an addition to my AC200p + B230 piggyback battery.

In grid down scenario I plan on charging the battery via the AC charger directly from my Bluetti AC200P while my 1kw of panels generates 700+ watts. Each hour 240 watts will go to the power queen while the other 460+ go into the Bluetti. All this does is make sure that I get as much sun juice as possible, without having to buy more panels and a separate SCC.

Hey Nick,

So you’re charging the Power Queen from your AC200P? I’m assuming you went this way as it’s roughly half the price of a B230?

Kevin

 

[recrisp]

I just bought a 12v200ah Power Queen lifepo4, plus their 20a AC charger ($815 plus tax) as an addition to my AC200p + B230 piggyback battery.

In grid down scenario I plan on charging the battery via the AC charger directly from my Bluetti AC200P while my 1kw of panels generates 700+ watts. Each hour 240 watts will go to the power queen while the other 460+ go into the Bluetti. All this does is make sure that I get as much sun juice as possible, without having to buy more panels and a separate SCC.

You almost have the same set-up that I have, and what I want to do.
I can understand that, kind of, and that sounds doable too.

I really don't want to be a bother, but is there any way that I can see your set-up, or do you have any information or a diagram on the cables that you used for this?
That would just make it more idiot-proof for me, that's all.

The reason I ask is that I am sure that you have a cable (or two) that I don't have, especially for hooking it up to a battery.
This also just be doing the same thing as me using my Enhancer, (I don't know) when it does finally get here.

I see they have a similar battery on Rich Solar where I bought my panels, I will go and look around and see what they have.
Thank you, Nick, for your time and help!

EDIT*
Ohhh, I did not see that you also had the B230, I only saw the battery.
The B230 is as much as I paid for the AC200P, I was wanting to be in the area of something along the same lines, but in the $500.-ish range.
I do see that that Amazon has the EB70S, that is right at $600., that is what I was hoping for, something that is in that price range.
What I had in my mind was something like this that hooked up exactly like it does in Amazon's picture, a no-brainer for people like me.

EDIT* #2
Now that I look closer, the EB70S is not a battery back-up, it's more like the smaller version of the AC200P, I somehow got confused with the B230. I was really hoping to find a battery back-up 'thing' that would work as I needed, but it appears not.

Still, you are doing what I want to do and I am REALLY interested in your set-up.
Just because the Bluetti back-up you have is out of my range, the smaller one would 'have to be' better than just what the AC200P delivers.

https://www.amazon.com/BLUETTI-Portable-Station-Generator-Off-grid/dp/B095Y6ZTR1/ref=sr_1_20?crid=3DH9JMFER08LU&keywords=B230+piggyback+battery&qid=1654695198&sprefix=b230+piggyback+battery%2Caps%2C126&sr=8-20

 

[Nickatnyt]

Two reasons why I added a regular lifepo4 battery to my bluetti system...lower cost per watt of storage and the fact that the Bluetti already has a built-in solar charge controller. We get great sun hours here for 4 months so I could get near 6kw on a good day from my 5 panels.

I regret that I do not have a diagram, but I have seen many here and elsewhere, which is what I used to figure all this out. I went with a hybrid of Bluetti and regular battery as I believe that 6.4kw total storage is enough for my purposes if we see grid down. I can even run my gas central heat from the Bluetti with a custom cord I made to wire into the heater junction box (after turning off the main house panel). Fwiw, I also have a 4kw generator (with 50 gallons gas) and 90 lbs of propane, so by no means will i rely on solar alone. A 1500watt Voltworks inverter ($235) was bought to either run off my truck, or use to move electrons from the Power Queen battery to whatever appliance needs the power.

I would shy away from the Lithium Ion products that Bluetti has. Stick with lifepo4 for safety's sake.

 

[recrisp]

Two reasons why I added a regular lifepo4 battery to my bluetti system...lower cost per watt of storage and the fact that the Bluetti already has a built-in solar charge controller. We get great sun hours here for 4 months so I could get near 6kw on a good day from my 5 panels.

I regret that I do not have a diagram, but I have seen many here and elsewhere, which is what I used to figure all this out. I went with a hybrid of Bluetti and regular battery as I believe that 6.4kw total storage is enough for my purposes if we see grid down. I can even run my gas central heat from the Bluetti with a custom cord I made to wire into the heater junction box (after turning off the main house panel). Fwiw, I also have a 4kw generator (with 50 gallons gas) and 90 lbs of propane, so by no means will i rely on solar alone. A 1500watt Voltworks inverter ($235) was bought to either run off my truck, or use to move electrons from the Power Queen battery to whatever appliance needs the power.

I would shy away from the Lithium Ion products that Bluetti has. Stick with lifepo4 for safety's sake.

It sounds as though you thought yours out very well, you got it going on.
If I did buy a Lif Po4 battery, it would not be through Bluetti, I wasn't aware they even sold any, by themselves, I mean. I saw they were at Rich Solar, which is where I bought my panels.
(I have not heard anything at all about Bluetti's battery not being good, so that is news to me)

If I can hook up my existing Bluetti to a battery, I'll definitely go that route, but I just can't picture how it hooks up, so there, I am kind of stuck.
I sure don't mind searching for stuff, I just need to know the proper terminology and what things are called, otherwise I'll never find what I need.
Since I am retired and on a very fixed income, doing this the right way is not really possible, well, on a larger scale like I want, anyway.

I know that I can make it on solar alone, maybe not for months upon months, but for a long time. I just need a 'little more' power, I can still probably do what I want, but I'll have to let it do its job for only a little while, then turn it off, then back on, etc.
To me, that is not the way to do it, but if I have to, I will.
I will still be looking for a diagram like you mentioned though, if that way works, like you said, and I don't doubt you, and there is a diagram, I'll find it eventually.

Thank you very much, Nick!

 

[Nickatnyt]

Just to be sure...Bluetti does not sell batteries on their own. Their units are '3 in 1', in order of 1) solar charge controller 2) lithium battery pack 3) dc to ac inverter for 120v (and usb) and dc to dc for vehicle systems.

To charge any outside battery from the Bluetti would require an AC to DC lifepo4 charger like this one that I just bought (but not received yet) https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09MKL2LCX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

To charge the Bluetti from the battery you could use the included cables that come with the Bluetti (which charge really slowly), or use a DC to AC inverter and plug the Bluetti 'brick charger' into it (which has much faster charging rate). The outside battery connects to the inverter with proper cables that most inverters come with already. My voltworks has the cables. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07T2GNHQM?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[recrisp]

Just to be sure...Bluetti does not sell batteries on their own. Their units are '3 in 1', in order of 1) solar charge controller 2) lithium battery pack 3) dc to ac inverter for 120v (and usb) and dc to dc for vehicle systems.

To charge any outside battery from the Bluetti would require an AC to DC lifepo4 charger like this one that I just bought (but not received yet) https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09MKL2LCX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

To charge the Bluetti from the battery you could use the included cables that come with the Bluetti (which charge really slowly), or use a DC to AC inverter and plug the Bluetti 'brick charger' into it (which has much faster charging rate). The outside battery connects to the inverter with proper cables that most inverters come with already. My voltworks has the cables. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07T2GNHQM?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I didn't know if Bluetti sold batteries or not, I never looked, but I 'thought' that is what you said, but I am usually wrong, I didn't especially want to go with them if they did sell them.

I really do appreciate your links, and I will hold onto them.
For the last few minutes I have been looking through your past posts to see if you had a conversation with that diagram in it. heheh
I got pretty distracted, there's so many shiny things...

Well, from what you are telling me, and another person kind of did too, that I would be really, in essence, be building ANOTHER set-up without solar panels, because from what I gleaned from what has been said is that I will need a battery, an inverter, and a controller, starting from scratch, almost.
(I know that you weren't telling me to get a controller, but, if I did part of it, I may as well go the full route)
In other words, I am really starting all over again to get where I need to be.
I didn't want to go this route because of the complications, I really needed it as idiot-proof as possible.

Here's what I really needed, and why I posted, I probably got everyone all side-tracked with my wording.

I was hoping that it was possible to hook up my AC200P with another smaller Bluetti machine, then I learned that you couldn't hook up two together, you can only hook two together with an AC200MAX, but with a battery pack, at least from what I have read.
You mentioned batteries, so I thought that I might could add a battery, but if I do that, I am essentially using the above mentioned add-ons.
So, that really puts me back to square one, kind'a.
In other words I am going round and round, it's not you, it's just that I get confused on this stuff pretty easy.
That is why I depend on diagrams, I am more of a visual learner, or, rather, a copier, in this particular case. heheh

So, what I am really getting into my brain is that what I want cannot be done, how I envisioned it anyway.
On my first post on this that I made, there is a video of a guy that hooked up a battery to his Bluetti and it gave him more power, that is what I was after, he didn't have anything else hooked up to it. He doesn't sell his batteries or cables anymore, so, I can't get it there.
This is just way more than I bargained for, I guess.

I am really wasting everybody's time when I don't even know what I need or want.
Thank you for your time and helpful tips, Nick.

 

[sunshine]

I am really wasting everybody's time when I don't even know what I need or want.

It all comes together eventually. Everyone has been in a position where they know what they want yet don't know the exact terms to search.
Keep asking until you get what you need.

 

[recrisp]

It all comes together eventually. Everyone has been in a position where they know what they want yet don't know the exact terms to search.
Keep asking until you get what you need.

I am 'probably' going to finish the install before I worry about what I need to do next, I'm still waiting on the Enhancer anyway.
Really, I was just hoping there were some answers now before the prices go up too much, I saw something I ordered the other day go up $20.00 two days after I bought, I just hope that isn't the new trend, but, I think it might be.

More than likely I will go with the Bluetti B230 extended battery, it's $1,000.-ish over my intended budget, but, if I have to have it, that is what I'll have to pay. (If they still have them when I need it)

Thank you, Sir, I really appreciate it.

 

[Nickatnyt]

More than likely I will go with the Bluetti B230 extended battery, it's $1,000.-ish over my intended budget, but, if I have to have it, that is what I'll have to pay. (If they still have them when I need it)

I have the B230 piggyback battery with my AC200p. I have them stacked on a small 4 wheeled dolly that I can easily move around the house if need be, as they are at least 100 lbs together. My recent Power Queen purchase was mainly as an overflow for max solar harvesting purposes.

 

[recrisp]

I have the B230 piggyback battery with my AC200p. I have them stacked on a small 4 wheeled dolly that I can easily move around the house if need be, as they are at least 100 lbs together. My recent Power Queen purchase was mainly as an overflow for max solar harvesting purposes.

I remember that you had the B230. I knew that I could go that way, but really, I was trying to prevent any more cost such as the B230, that is not what I wanted to do, but I feel it'd be a good buy, well, it could be worth it should any SHTF scenario.
I wouldn't mind having that Power Queen battery either, I have one saved on Amazon in my Wish List.
Still, I am not familiar enough how to even hook that stuff up, maybe I'll understand it at some point.
Of course, I want as much as I can afford, but I just can't really do it like I was working full-time. One of the perks from getting of getting older.
Oh wait, I don't think there are any like I was told when I was younger.

I don't suppose they supply the cable that connects the B230 to the AC200P, do they? As in the B230's box?

Thanks, Nick!