New SOK Server Rack 48 volt 100AH

[Telephonepole]

New SOK Server Rack 48 Volt 100AH. I hope Will can test this one before the price goes up.

SK48V100N | 48V100Ah Server Rack LiFePO4 Battery | SOK Battery

SOK 48V100Ah Server Rack Battery 1. Compact 3U Size – The smallest 3U size server rack mounted battery on the market.2. Bluetooth OTA Upgrade – Supports over-the-air firmware updates via Bluetooth3. Bluetooth Inverter Protocol Selection – Users can switch inverter protocols via Bluetooth 4...

www.us.sokbattery.com

 

[SunDave]

Nice price. I shouldn't look at any of this stuff. Just gets me thinking about building another system.

 

[Eber]

It has bluetooth? I amnot sure if I want more Rf floating about my home. otherwise, looks like a steal.

 

[Bluedog225]

What the heck? This is a surprise.

@HighTechLab

If you care to comment or have any insight.

Thanks

 

[Brucey]

Bluetooth, comms and heater for $899....could be a new king in town.

 

[Bluedog225]

New SOK Server Rack 48 Volt 100AH. I hope Will can test this one before the price goes up.

SK48V100N | 48V100Ah Server Rack LiFePO4 Battery | SOK Battery

SOK 48V100Ah Server Rack Battery 1. Compact 3U Size – The smallest 3U size server rack mounted battery on the market.2. Bluetooth OTA Upgrade – Supports over-the-air firmware updates via Bluetooth3. Bluetooth Inverter Protocol Selection – Users can switch inverter protocols via Bluetooth 4...

www.us.sokbattery.com

Didn’t he review the “Pro”? It’s a solid build as I recall.

 

[agtcovert]

Heated for $899. Interesting for sure. Decent idea for a 48V mobile build. See a lot of their lower voltage batteries in mobile installs.

 

[ChrisG]

Wonder if they changed the BMS

 

[Bluedog225]

SOK got back with me. I asked about communication with the previous SOK batteries.

They said. “No, this is a totally new battery, not commutation with the old version.”

Too bad.

 

[HighTechLab]

We won’t be carrying it, providing technical support for it, or recommending it. It is not a bolted cell design.

I would consider reading some of the posts in the SOK Facebook group before considering buying a product that is not supported by a distributor.

I was going to make a more extensive post but honestly there is not much more to add. Thanks for tagging me!

 

[Brucey]

We won’t be carrying it, providing technical support for it, or recommending it. It is not a bolted cell design.

I would consider reading some of the posts in the SOK Facebook group before considering buying a product that is not supported by a distributor.

I was going to make a more extensive post but honestly there is not much more to add. Thanks for tagging me!

When you say there's no distributor that means direct sales via SOK? What about the other distributors listed, like inverters r us, were they all getting them thru you?

 

[HighTechLab]

When you say there's no distributor that means direct sales via SOK? What about the other distributors listed, like inverters r us, were they all getting them thru you?

The old model was all through us, so we could make sure issues were promptly resolved, and that the warranty meant something.

Yes, this is now direct, if other distributors want to jump on board and buy direct they are welcome to, but I think they will be hard pressed to find it a wise decision.

 

[SunDave]

Thanks for the info. That makes sense that when they find ways to decrease the price, sometimes that comes at the cost of quality, and/or support. I bet in retail you guys deal with all kinds of difficult situations. Vendors that you resell for, vendors that supply you services, customers, employees.

All, that, and that you have a generally good reputation here says you must be doing something right.

 

[Bill_A (aka Scat)]

We won’t be carrying it, providing technical support for it, or recommending it. It is not a bolted cell design.

I would consider reading some of the posts in the SOK Facebook group before considering buying a product that is not supported by a distributor.

I was going to make a more extensive post but honestly there is not much more to add. Thanks for tagging me!

I could not find any warranty Information on their website.

 

[Bluedog225]

Looking in from the outside.

It looks like the SOK Pro sales were not sufficient to continue that version.

And the ecoworthy type competition is significantly cheaper.

To drop the cost of manufacture down to ecoworthy type levels, I suspect they had to do away with some of the higher quality components and processes that were specified for the SOK Pro. Leading to currentconnected.com and SOK to part ways.

Just a guess.

 

[SunofNY]

Looking in from the outside.

It looks like the SOK Pro sales were not sufficient to continue that version.

And the ecoworthy type competition is significantly cheaper.

To drop the cost of manufacture down to ecoworthy type levels, I suspect they had to do away with some of the higher quality components and processes that were specified for the SOK Pro. Leading to currentconnected.com and SOK to part ways.

Just a guess.

So you are saying that the SOK Pro is discontinued??

 

[Bluedog225]

So you are saying that the SOK Pro is discontinued??

Yes

 

[Q-Dog]

I guess this is what happens when folks buy strictly based on price.

 

[SunofNY]

I guess this is what happens when folks buy strictly based on price.

Meaning SOK Pro is too expensive?
Maybe for some people, but SOK Pro are priced very well vs competitors when you consider their great performance.
And some of those competitors are more expensive, no better and yet successful. I think SOK's weakest suit is their marketing.

 

[50ShadesOfDirt]

One of my main reasons for buying SOK way back when was that I could open one up (repairability), and pretty much swap out any component (cell, bms). That seems to be going away ...

A quick check of SOK's latest warranty, returns/refund, and other policies show that they are getting more difficult to work with (all costs are on you, the buyer), so, not much reason left to buy one ...

We're back to building our own "server rack unit", as everything is impossible to repair or return, warranties and such preclude doing business with them, and more ...

DIY is looking really good: 280ah or higher EVE cells are available in the USA (houston area?), Overkill BMS, empty server rack shell, and bits & bobs. No need to send it off for repair, just replace some parts inside.

All these "sales processes" (crummy support, warranties, returns, etc.) are killing my desire to buy, so might as well build those things out that I can, and avoid the madness. SOK is shooting themselves in the (sales) foot ...

 

[LithiumSolar]

Meaning SOK PRO is too expensive?

A large percentage of people buying batteries are buying the cheapest batteries they can find. I suspect it makes it very difficult for a product to complete that has a higher cost due to 1) better components 2) better design 3) better support, and/or 4) better warranty. Those are all factors that should come in to play, but are often disregarded. I'm guilty of that myself, which is why I've redesigned my setup so many times... lol.

 

[Q-Dog]

Meaning SOK Pro is too expensive?
Maybe for some people, but SOK Pro are priced very well vs competitors when you consider their great performance.
And some of those competitors are more expensive, no better and yet successful. I think SOK's weakest suit is their marketing.

You get what you pay for. And most people buy the cheapest they can find.

 

[SunofNY]

You get what you pay for. And most people buy the cheapest they can find.

I dont understand how "you get what you pay for" applies to a good cost/quality battery being discontinued. I must be missing something.

 

[50ShadesOfDirt]

For the vendors, it's a race to the bottom. To get there, they have to throw out everything that makes us want to buy from them, and the battery worth buying in the first place.

For users (that don't do the research), it's like going to Las Vegas and playing slots ... you've bought a battery as cheaply as you can on your pull at the handle. Will it come up all "Gold Piles", or will any of the 5 (T&C's, warranty, returns, shipping fees, internal build quality) come up "turd piles"?

 

[SunDave]

I fall on the side of being cautious. I went with six Pytes 48100r's. This was before the V5 came out, but I'm happy with the ones I have so far. The UL9540A testing is a 41 page document, available to the end user, that shows the fire testing, with pictures, charts and all that. It's not certifications or paperwork that makes them safe directly, but it can be a tell-tale sign when you can't find information about a battery vs. when you can.

The testing on the 48100r was forced thermal runaway on one battery within a stack of 8. The battery let out smoke, and quit working, but all of the other batteries still worked after the test, and there was no flame, or travel to other batteries within the stack.

The testing group listed the minimum room size recommended considering the off-gassing during the thermal runaway, among other things. It's not a fiction novel level of read for fun, but it is good to know if you have the batteries.