Hello, first post. I built a small system for my off grid cabin including an inverter, charge controller, 2 100aH 12V Lead Acid batteries and 2 solar panels. Cost me well under $1000 This was fine for the last 2 years charging some tools, running a pump and some lights but I want more power for a refrigerator, satellite internet, etc. The cabin is unheated most of the time and here in MN it can get , -40 F/C. I keep them charged with the solar array when I am not there and it seems to work fine and keep them charged even in the cold temps. They are sheltered inside, in the shed portion of my structure. Obviously they work better when the weather is warm.
I looked into getting power put in from my local utility and it was $7000 to start. I figure I can build a pretty beefy system for that amount of money.
My Idea is to use something like the EG4 3kW Off-Grid Inverter,2 x 48V 100AH LiFePro batteries and a bank of 10 x 300-400W solar array. $6,751.56 plus incidentals. Seems dead simple to install, which I like. Should be more than enough power for my purposes, given that I am rarely there for more than a weekend, a week at most, and have only a couple continuous power needs.
BUT... I'm interested in practical aspects of using LiFePro in a 3.5 season cabin where I am there only on some weekends and it can get very cold and I'm going to heat up the cabin with my woodstove but want to be able to turn on the lights to do so.
What I don't know is: Will keeping the charged LiFePro batteries in cold temps damage them or reduce their life if they are not actively being used? I am assuming that they should ideally be in a conditioned space to function at optimum. Right now I have my system in the shed portion which is unheated. Should I install them in the heated space or will it not matter much as long as they are sheltered. It's a tiny cabin so space is limited. Would I have to shut them down for the winter if I am gone for a long time? I saw that the all in one systems will monitor temp and regulate charging and use if the temp is low. If it really is miserably cold am I going to have to go in there with a flashlight, and get the place warmed up and then turn the lights on? Which I am fine with. But I just don't want to kill my system because Minnesota.
Jared.
I looked into getting power put in from my local utility and it was $7000 to start. I figure I can build a pretty beefy system for that amount of money.
My Idea is to use something like the EG4 3kW Off-Grid Inverter,2 x 48V 100AH LiFePro batteries and a bank of 10 x 300-400W solar array. $6,751.56 plus incidentals. Seems dead simple to install, which I like. Should be more than enough power for my purposes, given that I am rarely there for more than a weekend, a week at most, and have only a couple continuous power needs.
BUT... I'm interested in practical aspects of using LiFePro in a 3.5 season cabin where I am there only on some weekends and it can get very cold and I'm going to heat up the cabin with my woodstove but want to be able to turn on the lights to do so.
What I don't know is: Will keeping the charged LiFePro batteries in cold temps damage them or reduce their life if they are not actively being used? I am assuming that they should ideally be in a conditioned space to function at optimum. Right now I have my system in the shed portion which is unheated. Should I install them in the heated space or will it not matter much as long as they are sheltered. It's a tiny cabin so space is limited. Would I have to shut them down for the winter if I am gone for a long time? I saw that the all in one systems will monitor temp and regulate charging and use if the temp is low. If it really is miserably cold am I going to have to go in there with a flashlight, and get the place warmed up and then turn the lights on? Which I am fine with. But I just don't want to kill my system because Minnesota.
Jared.
Last edited:
