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diy solar

diy solar

My build thread

Lorex
I have two systems at the house. And have installed several systems for customers.
Other security camera NVR options include Ubiquiti Unifi. These are IP cameras powered with POE. Integrates seamlessly into your network and wifi access points. It’s all standard RJ-45 UTP wiring. Have used these for several years.
 
I read great things about them years ago.
Can they be monitored locally with no interwebs?
I want a system that works like SA, ideally with wireless solar cameras.
I've setup a couple Reolink systems for friends but you are stuck using their cloud software for the solar cams.
Ubiquiti Unifi.
I'm guessing these would definitely work like I want?
Years ago I had setup a PI and a cheap ONVIF / RTSP camera, it worked well enough but I ended up repurposing the PI and conduit for solar...
 
I'm guessing these would definitely work like I want?
Years ago I had setup a PI and a cheap ONVIF / RTSP camera, it worked well enough but I ended up repurposing the PI and conduit for solar...

Ubiquiti Unifi is great, but like Victron, once you go down their road, you are sucked in for life.
I’ve got 22 UniFi cameras running PoE. NVR keeps the video storage local on my drives, in my house.
But their cloud authentication crap irritates me.
 
I use Ezviz. They can be used offline but can do online. No monthly fees required to monitor them via internet from anywhere. They have a monthly cloud fee if you want them to store the videos for you.
 
Ubiquiti Unifi is great, but like Victron, once you go down their road, you are sucked in for life.
I’ve got 22 UniFi cameras running PoE. NVR keeps the video storage local on my drives, in my house.
But their cloud authentication crap irritates me.
That’s why I use a throw away email account just for Unifi.
 
geez, we are now, all primitive SUN worshipers! And I love it

at least we are PAST the armpit of winter - days are getting longer now

at 4:33am my battery voltage hit the Chargeverter turn on trigger: 40.1 v
3.5 hours later, voltage at 43v

So just now turned on 130 amps from the 2 Chargeverters with voltage target of 48.5v (90% SOC)
we have 4 or so more days of storms coming in from California, heavy overcast. So thought
to fully charge battery, which will give 4-5 days of operation
cost should be 45 kwh, about $5 of grid to fill batter plus house loads

Btw, Merry Christmas

Automatic Chargeverter kicks on for the first time this winter, followed by manual full charge due to overcast for days to come

Manual charge terminated at 9PM, 62 kwh for battery charging and house loads for today, $6.50 for this event

2024 Christmas day- FIrst grid power required this winter chart.png
 
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Is there any SOC correction happening over the course of that time or is it really tracking for almost two months just based on current monitoring? Mine could not do that it loses track at least about a percent per day luckily always in the safe direction, towards an underestimate of the true SOC. Mine starts correcting upwards when it sees the battery hit 54.8v.
 
Is there any SOC correction happening over the course of that time or is it really tracking for almost two months just based on current monitoring? Mine could not do that it loses track at least about a percent per day luckily always in the safe direction, towards an underestimate of the true SOC. Mine starts correcting upwards when it sees the battery hit 54.8v.
Based on the voltage, the SOC reading is drifting from reality a little. I'm guessing that it's off by about 4% after 2 months (indicating higher than reality). That's from the victron smart shunt. The BMS SOC readings are way off (reporting 40% higher) . I raised the reserve floor around the end of November, twice (noticeable in the chart). Just to keep a little more reserve in case the grid goes down.
 
I see where those get their good reputation now. That's impressive accuracy. Although I wonder if the error bias can be tuned because I do enjoy that my SOC only goes off towards the safe direction of underestimation.
I'm sure it could be adjusted in either direction. By either changing the "charge efficiency factor" , or "Peukert exponent" settings. But I'm fine with it as is. It's been two years since I set it up. If I try changing something now, I'm sure that I would just screw everything up. lol
 
Since I'm running NMC, and I only charge to true full 1-3 times per year (normally 75%), I get some pretty significant drift. 2-4%/month on both the Batrium and the BMV-702.

If the .5A passive balancers activate, they'll throw it off as well 4 total hours of balancing a month is a full 1% error. I normally have them off, but sometimes, I get OCD and force them on to squash my dV to .01.

Luscious!

1735592619683.png

OH NOEZ!

1735592670274.png
 
Looks like I'm going to cut my long term battery balance test short.
With the inbound storm threatening grid outages and the fact that the solar panels are probably going to be covered in ice. I'm probably gonna have to fully charge the battery banks, to be on the safe side. Saturday will be 60 days without reaching a full charge. I guess that will be good enough for the test.

Storm arrives Sunday.
 
Looks like I'm going to cut my long term battery balance test short.
With the inbound storm threatening grid outages and the fact that the solar panels are probably going to be covered in ice. I'm probably gonna have to fully charge the battery banks, to be on the safe side. Saturday will be 60 days without reaching a full charge. I guess that will be good enough for the test.

Storm arrives Sunday.
Charge'Em up while its possible. No sense risking a bad situation. Hence LOTS of Battery strorage.
 
Looks like I'm going to cut my long term battery balance test short.
With the inbound storm threatening grid outages and the fact that the solar panels are probably going to be covered in ice. I'm probably gonna have to fully charge the battery banks, to be on the safe side. Saturday will be 60 days without reaching a full charge. I guess that will be good enough for the test.

Storm arrives Sunday.
I feel for you if you get into the pattern we had all December. One could have 1.2 GWH of battery and you would still run out of power with weather like that. My grid tied neighbor stopped by today and first thing he said, "It's been 3 weeks of no sun just fog."
 

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