I Can't Afford So-Called "Tier 1" Equipment. What's Good at Tier 2?

[OffGridForGood]

Benefit of the food trucks is it typically isn’t an issue to run a few panels on the top either to keep it topped off

And a side benefit, the PV panels will reduce solar heat gain from the roof!
maybe it will dovetail into the whole, branding of local food, low impact on the environment - solar panels on the roof, even if they didn't do much might fit well with the whole image. better than loud gasoline generator running for the 'ambiance' effect.

Edit: Hey why not make a Solar array that folds out to create a canopy over the side area where the customers stand and place orders, nice cooling effect under the shade of the PV panels. Some big solar PV manufacturer should market these just for the advertising value they would get from the captive audience. lol.

 

[Crowz]

And then post the results so we can Copy IT!
What is the DC voltage of the Club?

48 volts

It has 4 deka intimidator 12 volt agm batteries in series.

This diagram I have for it shows the port is outside of the mowers electronics stuff so I should be safe if the wires and fuse is large enough.

 

[Crowz]

The main reason I'm so fired up about wanting to connect it has to do with my plans on putting lifepo4 batteries in it when the dekas age out. That just screams house power addon.

 

[OffGridForGood]

The main reason I'm so fired up about wanting to connect it has to do with my plans on putting lifepo4 batteries in it when the dekas age out. That just screams house power addon.

48v Anderson connections...
It sounds like a great "fit" - during summer season charge off the solar, and winter season bring those batteries online to increase ESS capacity during the time of year where I need it the most, and as you say, swap out the original batteries with DIY LiFePO4 in the future.
Keep us posted Crowz!

 

[Crowz]

48v Anderson connections...
It sounds like a great "fit" - during summer season charge off the solar, and winter season bring those batteries online to increase ESS capacity during the time of year where I need it the most, and as you say, swap out the original batteries with DIY LiFePO4 in the future.
Keep us posted Crowz!

I went ahead and ordered the sbs50 anderson plugs for it just now. Shows 19th thru 22nd for estimated delivery.

I already have 25 feet of 2 gauge welding cable. Now I just need to find out the fuse size and gauge of wire on the backside of the mowers charge port.

 

[timselectric]

We almost swapped my brothers to LFP, two weeks ago. But stupid Ryobi gave him full replacement under warranty. lol

 

[Crowz]

We almost swapped my brothers to LFP, two weeks ago. But stupid Ryobi gave him full replacement under warranty. lol

That's one reason I have been leery of tinkering with mine is the warranty. But it has to be about of warranty by now and I want to use those WATTTS.

 

[Hedges]

We almost swapped my brothers to LFP, two weeks ago. But stupid Ryobi gave him full replacement under warranty. lol

Repurpose to an application that works well for AGM and won't over-discharge. Why kill it in a couple season?
If nothing else, install a "gas gauge" or LVD and have him stop discharge and get it recharged at optimal point.


I think 12V AGM is good to back up networking gear.
Also good for surge loads feeding an inverter, if lithium can go to a charge controller and keep it topped off.

 

[OffGridForGood]

That's one reason I have been leery of tinkering with mine is the warranty. But it has to be about of warranty by now and I want to use those WATTTS.

And (more importantly) we want to see if it all works, with your equipment before we risk ours!

 

[BuffaloTrace]

I've noticed most of this discussion has been with AIO units, but I know there are many other options available that come in at comparable prices, power, parasitic draw, and modular as well. I see the benefits of aio units for portability but what about compareable tier 2 modular setups. I plan on doing one.

 

[Crowz]

And (more importantly) we what to see if it all works, with your equipment before we risk ours!

Well I found some not so good news.

Repair manual I have for it says :

The 150 amp main fuse is next to the 20 amp charger fuse.

It never tells you the size of the charger fuse anywhere else but I got it there.

Sooo its designed for 20 amps. Not so good. But since I ordered a 4 pack of the anderson plugs I don't see why I can't make my own charger port for the solar stuff on it

Also if it turns out the wires from the existing port go to a spot that handles that 150 amp stuff like the diagram shows I can just upgrade the mowers wires to a larger gauge and larger fuse.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Well I found some not so good news.

Repair manual I have for it says :

The 150 amp main fuse is next to the 20 amp charger fuse.

It never tells you the size of the charger fuse anywhere else but I got it there.

Sooo its designed for 20 amps. Not so good. But since I ordered a 4 pack of the anderson plugs I don't see why I can't make my own charger port for the solar stuff on it

Also if it turns out the wires from the existing port go to a spot that handles that 150 amp stuff like the diagram shows I can just upgrade the mowers wires to a larger gauge and larger fuse.

and post pictures and step by step directions,

 

[OffGridForGood]

I've noticed most of this discussion has been with AIO units, but I know there are many other options available that come in at comparable prices, power, parasitic draw, and modular as well. I see the benefits of aio units for portability but what about compareable tier 2 modular setups. I plan on doing one.

Interesting idea, what equipment do you suggest?

 

[Crowz]

Repurpose to an application that works well for AGM and won't over-discharge. Why kill it in a couple season?
If nothing else, install a "gas gauge" or LVD and have him stop discharge and get it recharged at optimal point.


I think 12V AGM is good to back up networking gear.
Also good for surge loads feeding an inverter, if lithium can go to a charge controller and keep it topped off.

I'm going to use it to start with to keep the tp6048 "alive" during power blinks and stuff. It isn't very happy when the power blinks with no battery connected.

I don't plan on taxing the agm batteries much. I'll wait till after I upgrade to lifepo4's to do that

 

[timselectric]

Repurpose to an application that works well for AGM and won't over-discharge. Why kill it in a couple season?
If nothing else, install a "gas gauge" or LVD and have him stop discharge and get it recharged at optimal point.


I think 12V AGM is good to back up networking gear.
Also good for surge loads feeding an inverter, if lithium can go to a charge controller and keep it topped off.

He rarely uses 15% of the capacity.
The battery wasn't the issue. It was the drive motor controllers.
But on a side note. I have some AGM batteries that need a purpose.

 

[fafrd]

Interesting note about my calculations in that thread about power loss, just reading it again and I can say that from what I have seen using a lower VOC rating string under peak sun compared to a higher voltage string, the loss is correct.

I squared R, baby .

 

[fafrd]

I like the idea of a bigger brother moble unit based on the 6048 for bigger stuff, that the 2724 can't run - like welding LOL

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[BuffaloTrace]

Interesting idea, what equipment do you suggest?

I'll be making a post in the distant future my own inexpensive residential system. And while modular it will be, the simplicity of adding another inverter for communication is the downfall I see. If one had multiple subpanels, it would work by simply adding an inverter only to that panel. The benefits are the modularity and being able to upgrade or add different components out at the areas needed instead of having to buy a whole aio system, with features that may not be needed, used, or maximized.

 

[Hedges]

He rarely uses 15% of the capacity.
The battery wasn't the issue. It was the drive motor controllers.

At 15% DoD, I'd expect thousands of cycles.

What did motor controllers do to kill batteries?

 

[42OhmsPA]

Thanks for pointing that out.

I know I've seen over 3kw on one leg, but I've never really intentionally pushed it. I will next time I'm bored and have an abundance of photons.

Well @fafrd it overloads with 115% on L1 and 45% on L2 after about 10 seconds.

I had the dehumidifier running as well as the water distiller on L1 as the main loads. I flipped on the convection oven to cook some lunch, also on L1, and walked over to the tablet to check SA; shortly after it overloaded.

Edit - tp6048

 

[Hedges]

I'm going to use it to start with to keep the tp6048 "alive" during power blinks and stuff. It isn't very happy when the power blinks with no battery connected.

I don't plan on taxing the agm batteries much. I'll wait till after I upgrade to lifepo4's to do that

Would be very good use of AGM.
One guy here was trying to use HV DC of EV to feed PV input of inverter. Couldn't start much of a motor.
With 4x automotive batteries, worked great.

I think the trick is setting a high LVD (with some seconds delay) so inverter doesn't deep cycle them.

 

[timselectric]

At 15% DoD, I'd expect thousands of cycles.

What did motor controllers do to kill batteries?

Batteries were fine. Didn't need to be replaced.
Motor controllers were replaced and all is fine, again.
Now I have inherited the perfectly fine "old" Batteries.

 

[Hedges]

Sounds like at 15% DoD, present system is optimum. No benefit to spending money on lithium, may last 10 years. If charge/float, temperature compensation, and storage temperature are good.

 

[fafrd]

Well @fafrd it overloads with 115% on L1 and 45% on L2 after about 10 seconds.

That could just be peak rather than imbalance. The question is whether it can sustain 115% on L1 if L2 is higher or lower than 45%.

If 115% on L1 overloads after 10 seconds regardless of what is happening on L2, there is no link between the two single-phase HF inverters and you are just measuring the surge capacity of each leg…

I had the dehumidifier running as well as the water distiller on L1 as the main loads. I flipped on the convection oven to cook some lunch, also on L1, and walked over to the tablet to check SA; shortly after it overloaded.

Edit - tp6048

I’m guessing that same load sequence on L1 will cause a similar overload regardless of what load is tuning on L2.

 

[timselectric]

Sounds like at 15% DoD, present system is optimum. No benefit to spending money on lithium, may last 10 years. If charge/float, temperature compensation, and storage temperature are good.

They were unnecessarily replaced for free.
So I ended up with the "old batteries.
Ryobi sent him so many replacement parts, just to find out what was wrong. Before I got involved in the troubleshooting process.
But he ended up with a mostly rebuilt mower. And I ended up with 4 12v batteries and a couple of 48v motors.