Is it Safe to house componants in my attached garage

[iceman]

Hi. I am new to solar. I have been lurking/watching the DIY videos and have decided I would build the 2000W, 24V Off-Grid our host has posted a diagram of -using two SOK 12V 100Ah batteries (assuming they become available soon).

I would mount the panels on my deck and place all the hardware and batteries in my attached garage. However, I do not want to create a fire hazard. Is it dangerous to run this stuff in your garage? The garage will infrequently get below freezing in the winter.

Many thanks....Mike in Ohio

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[svetz]

Hi Iceman! Welcome to the forums!

If the SOK batteries are Lithium Phosphate chemistry, then that chemistry doesn't suffer from thermal run-away and are safer than other chemistries. They also do not off-gas hydrogen as lead acid will. However, getting below freezing is a problem as they can be permanently damaged by charging at low temperatures. See https://diysolarforum.com/ewr-carta/lifepo4/, a BMS with a low-temperature cutoff or buying batteries that heat themselves can alleviate that problem (Battleborn has some self heating ones, I believe Will also gave a thumbs up to another competitor with that feature).

 

[iceman]

Hi Iceman! Welcome to the forums!

If the SOK batteries are Lithium Phosphate chemistry, then that chemistry doesn't suffer from thermal run-away and are safer than other chemistries. They also do not off-gas hydrogen as lead acid will. However, getting below freezing is a problem as they can be permanently damaged by charging at low temperatures. See https://diysolarforum.com/ewr-carta/lifepo4/, a BMS with a low-temperature cutoff or buying batteries that heat themselves can alleviate that problem (Battleborn has some self heating ones, I believe Will also gave a thumbs up to another competitor with that feature).

Thank-you, Svetz.

My garage gets below freezing on just a few days out of the yr.

After reading your response I decided to explore Battle Born's website a bit further to learn about their heated batteries. In the short video on their site, the CEO of BB said their batteries have a 'cold temperature protection' which keeps them from charging in freezing temps, but their heated batteries allow one to charge and operate in these harsh environments. This would seem to indicate I could get by w/ their std battery since it will self-disable when below freezing. Is that your take? I was hoping to avoid spending a small fortune.

Where do most people who live in areas where it gets cold house their solar components?

Thanks again.

Mike in Ohio.

 

[svetz]

... BB said their batteries have a 'cold temperature protection' .... Is that your take?

Will reviewed the BB low-temp cutoff and it worked perfectly as you'd expect from a tier one provider. But you can DIY batteries too, just make sure you get a BMS with a low Temp cutoff. You might check out Will's recent milk-crate builds to see if it's in your ballpark, I'm pretty sure the BMS he recommends in it has a low-temp disconnect.

 

[2009Bounder2020]

i have a morton building that off grid and i just cant justify the lipo4 batterys yet ,,, i run big forklift batterys and they are fine even in sub zero

temps. i run lithium in the rv, where the weight savings and the temp is easy to maintain since my compartments are heated.

if i only had to buy one or 2 that would be simple, but my pole barn has 1800 ah at 48 volts so cost to move over to lithium is substancial.