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diy solar

Looking to Upgrade my Goal Zero Yeti 400

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I'm looking to upgrade my Yeti 400. It only has 60w of solar panels hooked up to it. Its now at least 6 years old and doesn't work great. Usually it's close to dead and it isn't being used much.

I always wanted to have a system that works for my engel refrigerator while camping, charging kids phones and tablets, maybe a TV, and maybe the smallest heater (240w-500w) possible for a few hours in the night. I realize the heater is a huge draw.

Right now I'm eying a Renogy 100w panel, maybe an extra foldable 100w panel to use when we need more juice when camping, and maybe something like a Bluetti AC100? Small is important as our van is a Westfalia and there isn't much room for the kiddos.

The Engel uses between 10w and 39w. As a baseline, I'd like to comfortably keep that running for at least 2 days if there is no sun. Anything else is a bonus.

I have a honda eu2200, but I'd rather not lug that around as a backup.

So does selling the Yeti 400 (lead acid) make sense? Or should I keep it, add batteries and just upgrade the solar panels? I'm reading about a DIY LifeP04 battery setup, but I'm worried that's too many moving parts for kids to be breaking while we're driving around..
 
I'm new to the yeti, and reader up on it.

It's a massive +/- 400ah lead acid battery with 1000 watt inverter.

You probably can "easy" open it to replace the battery.

That can be LiFePO4.
S4 setup will do fine
You probably can place 8 * 280ah, total 560Ah@12v in the casing.

Here is already 10% improvement, as LiFePO4 is more efficient in recharge.

Besides this..
60 watt solar is "a joke" In modern times.

4 to 5 hours real charging, that's 250-300 watt.
Inverter standby 15-30 watt, 24 hours...
Not enough to feed own standby usage.

I don't know your budget.
Names for solar panels don't say much, don't waist your money on "brand", there aren't much bad cells out there.

Bluetti AC100 is about the same as the Yeti, all in one.
LiFePO4 probably.

You will pay again for inverter and display, but get it the easy way.

Upgrade the Yeti will give about 7 X the available power of the bluetti.
For the price of one bluetti ($900)

Resell the yeti?
You probably get the dead lead-acid price for the lead.
As after 6 years... It's old.(the lead acid battery, and it does not matter how much it's been active)

The yeti fully charged gave about 2500-3000 watt hour
Bleutti gives 1000 watt hour.
Rebuild yeti with LiFePO4. About 7000 watt hour.

Still, if you are serious about recharge on the trip...
Think in steps of 300, 600 and 900 watt for panels.
Otherwise just take enough with you to last the whole trip.

7000 watt is a week full time the refrigerator at 40 watt.
And have power leftover for Mobile stuff, charging.

Roughly double the power you got when the Yeti was new and fully charged.
 
I'm new to the yeti, and reader up on it.

It's a massive +/- 400ah lead acid battery with 1000 watt inverter.

You probably can "easy" open it to replace the battery.

That can be LiFePO4.
S4 setup will do fine
You probably can place 8 * 280ah, total 560Ah@12v in the casing.

Here is already 10% improvement, as LiFePO4 is more efficient in recharge.

Besides this..
60 watt solar is "a joke" In modern times.

4 to 5 hours real charging, that's 250-300 watt.
Inverter standby 15-30 watt, 24 hours...
Not enough to feed own standby usage.

I don't know your budget.
Names for solar panels don't say much, don't waist your money on "brand", there aren't much bad cells out there.

Bluetti AC100 is about the same as the Yeti, all in one.
LiFePO4 probably.

You will pay again for inverter and display, but get it the easy way.

Upgrade the Yeti will give about 7 X the available power of the bluetti.
For the price of one bluetti ($900)

Resell the yeti?
You probably get the dead lead-acid price for the lead.
As after 6 years... It's old.(the lead acid battery, and it does not matter how much it's been active)

The yeti fully charged gave about 2500-3000 watt hour
Bleutti gives 1000 watt hour.
Rebuild yeti with LiFePO4. About 7000 watt hour.

Still, if you are serious about recharge on the trip...
Think in steps of 300, 600 and 900 watt for panels.
Otherwise just take enough with you to last the whole trip.

7000 watt is a week full time the refrigerator at 40 watt.
And have power leftover for Mobile stuff, charging.

Roughly double the power you got when the Yeti was new and fully charged.
Thanks for all the feedback. Unfortunately, the Yeti 400 is just a 33ah battery. Not the bigger brother you may be confusing it with. Probably upgradable, but not much.

I wound up selling it for $400, and got the Bluetti AC100. Not sure if I'll keep it or return it and go for a custom setup.

I also now have more solar power. A 100w, and 200w panels which will be fixed to the top of my van, along with a portable 100w foldable type panel for when the sun is setting. Hopefully that will keep me covered.

I would like to go big, but size is an issue in my small Westfalia, and we only do light camping. I'm hoping to do 1000wh to 2000wh max. If not the Bluetti, then some custom LiFePO4 batteries if I can find the right dimensions to fit under my seat. Also, I'm not sure if the Bluetti will fit under the seat either. Crossing my fingers!

Thanks again.
 
Battery is a strange thing.
There are batteries that operate over 65 years. Proven time.
So yes, started 1955 in use.
Absolute safe batteries.one could take a bath or drink some battery liquid without severe effects.

Unless you upgrade your seat to a throne... It won't fit :)

LiFePO4 is now the "best" overall winner for size, safety and durability.

There are cells that are more compact, but last less long, and your seat might get hot.
(Lithium polymer, the "known" Battery in laptop and e-bike are less safe, not the dense ones I talk about)

Also speed or charge and discharge..

Many difference variabele.

For your seat..
Depending on its high, standard LiFePO4 cells might not fit.
There are cylinder cells with decent capacity that can be used in any orientation.

Congratulations on the upgrade on solar!!
That's already a huge plus.

How long are you planning to do camping, and can the power storage be charged during driving??

All things to consider.
One 280Ah cell is about 750 watt hour. 4 cells will give about 3200* usable watts.
(* Fully charged, with 10-15% inverter loss)

Panels give, depending on the location on our globe (and weather) between 0 and 6 hours worth of their rated capacity.
Sunny day Thailand close to 6
Sunny day Netherlands close to 4.

You should do the math, how long is your trip, how much power you use, and how much do you recharge during driving and solar?
(I would calculate 3 X rated power on a sunny day, as mounting on a car, less optimal position.)
3 X 300 watt, 900watt Hour.
Perhaps more if you use the flexible panel as much as possible.
Setting sun is "useless", 10, perhaps 25 watt for 1 hour from that setting sun with flexible panel.

Placing it optimal for sun position and angle, you might get 450-500 watt hour that day extra.

1250 watt hour.
14 hours no solar power
75* watt power consumption continue (*inverter losses)
Anything more will eat deeper in the battery capacity.


If you plan to use 50 watt continuous, and the sun is making your holiday happy, you should be able to hold out 2.5 week on 4*280ah LiFePO4.
And a SMALL power reading inverter.
My 3200 watts use own power +80 watt, always.
That's normal 2-5%
A 1000 watt can use 50watt just standby.
An light bulb of 10 watt will give 60 watt usage.
150 watt inverter seems like enough for what you are planning to use.

More possible power = higher constant own consumption.

How long are your trips with the kids?
 
Battery is a strange thing.
There are batteries that operate over 65 years. Proven time.
So yes, started 1955 in use.
Absolute safe batteries.one could take a bath or drink some battery liquid without severe effects.

Unless you upgrade your seat to a throne... It won't fit :)

LiFePO4 is now the "best" overall winner for size, safety and durability.

There are cells that are more compact, but last less long, and your seat might get hot.
(Lithium polymer, the "known" Battery in laptop and e-bike are less safe, not the dense ones I talk about)

Also speed or charge and discharge..

Many difference variabele.

For your seat..
Depending on its high, standard LiFePO4 cells might not fit.
There are cylinder cells with decent capacity that can be used in any orientation.

Congratulations on the upgrade on solar!!
That's already a huge plus.

How long are you planning to do camping, and can the power storage be charged during driving??

All things to consider.
One 280Ah cell is about 750 watt hour. 4 cells will give about 3200* usable watts.
(* Fully charged, with 10-15% inverter loss)

Panels give, depending on the location on our globe (and weather) between 0 and 6 hours worth of their rated capacity.
Sunny day Thailand close to 6
Sunny day Netherlands close to 4.

You should do the math, how long is your trip, how much power you use, and how much do you recharge during driving and solar?
(I would calculate 3 X rated power on a sunny day, as mounting on a car, less optimal position.)
3 X 300 watt, 900watt Hour.
Perhaps more if you use the flexible panel as much as possible.
Setting sun is "useless", 10, perhaps 25 watt for 1 hour from that setting sun with flexible panel.

Placing it optimal for sun position and angle, you might get 450-500 watt hour that day extra.

1250 watt hour.
14 hours no solar power
75* watt power consumption continue (*inverter losses)
Anything more will eat deeper in the battery capacity.


If you plan to use 50 watt continuous, and the sun is making your holiday happy, you should be able to hold out 2.5 week on 4*280ah LiFePO4.
And a SMALL power reading inverter.
My 3200 watts use own power +80 watt, always.
That's normal 2-5%
A 1000 watt can use 50watt just standby.
An light bulb of 10 watt will give 60 watt usage.
150 watt inverter seems like enough for what you are planning to use.

More possible power = higher constant own consumption.

How long are your trips with the kids?

This is great info!

So the longest trips we’ve done are about 5 days or so. Usually we’re more of a weekend warrior type of family so 2-3 days.

150w should be fine. The only thing I’d like to possibly to power that would be higher wattage is a very small heater. I have a tiny 500w heater that may be nice on a cold night in our van. We’ve been fine without so far, but I’d like the option to turn it on for an hour or two. If my van won’t fit that big of a battery to sustain a heater, then I’ll stick with a smaller battery and do fine without heat.
 
Your main difference is DC or AC.

Going to AC is conversion loss +/- 15%.
You burn 100 watt on the battery to use 85 watt.
Besides this, the own consumption of the inverter.

Good news..
You do not need AC!
Many camping refrigerator are DC, 12v.
Many USB chargers have 12v to usb.
That list goes on and on and on.
Include a car heater DC.

Do you really need AC?
And if you do, does it need to power a motor?
(Refrigerator, microwave, air-conditioning) or computer, lights and other stuff.
The first list require an more expensive type, pure sine wave.
The others can do modified sine wave, about 1/3 of the price of pure sine wave.
Listening to what you do out there...
Modified sine wave will suit your needs just fine.
If needed at all.
Most can be just DC.
 
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