diy solar

diy solar

New to solar lead battery question

Depends on what you plan to do with it. You will get about 750wh of usable power from it. I wouldn't use it for anything mission critical, but for a small solar setup powering something non critical it will work fine IMO.
 
Is POTEK a good brand converter? I want to pair that battery with a 2000 watt POTEK inverter to power a microwave and boil water.
 
MagnaSolar said:
I want to pair that battery with a 2000 watt POTEK inverter to power a microwave and boil water.
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R.I.P. walmart battery.

If you must run a 2000w inverter for household loads IMO it would be cheaper/easier for beginners to just buy a generator than to build a functional solar infrastructure to support it. Or pocket the $900 difference and cook / boil water on a propane stove.
 
If it's an experience/learning thing then go for it! Most of us here learned by doing, and it's lots of fun.

In the interest of possibly saving time/money/effort, here are some common mistakes beginners make with solar:
  • underestimating how much power it actually takes to run residential appliance loads (a kill-a-watt can remedy this -- remember to add inverter inefficiencies)
  • underestimating how big a battery bank it takes to run the the load
  • overestimating how much power they will harvest with solar panels in actual use
  • failing to charge batteries to battery manufacturer spec (especially lead-chemistry batteries, which get murdered by chronic undercharging)
Have fun, and let us know how the projects go.
 
Any suggestions on what ah battery I would need for running a microwave and tea kettle? Im looking at lithium batteries. im looking at a roypow 12v 16ah Lithium deep cycle battery.

Thx
 
fratermus said:
IMO it would be cheaper/easier for beginners to just buy a generator
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Two of the same batteries, except for being thirteen years old, size 29 and $90, power my thirty year old small microwave just fine. The high cranking amps work fine for two to ten minutes spurts. MAXX
 
Looks like you have a ton of panel on them now (720w?). Can you share your charging regime that has helped them last 13 years? I am a big fan of using whatever works.
 
fratermus said:
Looks like you have a ton of panel on them now (720w?). Can you share your charging regime that has helped them last 13 years? I am a big fan of using whatever works.
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Batteries were used to start heavy equipment diesel engines for ten years. Using them now because I already own them. Will they last? Don't know. I plan to go lifepo4 eventually. Worried about Wisconsin winters. 32°F around here is warm. Meanwhile the MAXX batteries are so cheap it's OK if they just sit around doing nothing.
Installed 720w of panels for the long haul. Present batteries weren't a factor. Seems in every video panels are too small. thrown away and replaced. 720w keeps the lead batteries happy too.
 
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MagnaSolar said:

Can this battery be used in a solar system or do batteries have to be designated for solar use?

Thx
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yes that works i am currently using 24 pcs of the 29DC mAXX and they are doing good no complaints...bet someone will say why not go Lithium blahblahblahblah hey what ever works bro..
 
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MagnaSolar said:
Any suggestions on what ah battery I would need for running a microwave and tea kettle?
Click to expand...
With only this and not real info about these appliances, i will assume your microwave is 1500W and tea kettle 1000W for running numbers.

Using microwave for 30 minutes a day and kettle for 15 minutes a day:
1500W / .85 inverter loss = 1765W
1765W x .5 hours = 882Wh

Kettle
(1000W / .85) x .25 h = 294Wh

With 12.8V battery:
(882Wh + 294Wh) / 12.8V = 92Ah

MagnaSolar said:
im looking at a roypow 12v 16ah Lithium deep cycle battery.
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This 16Ah battery would likely not even start the microwave without the inverter crapping out. its roughly 1/10 as big as needed for my example (guess) of usage.
 
MagnaSolar said:
What if I ran the inverter off my truck battery to power the kettle?
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Had a 1200w modi. SW inverter under the seat in an old Nissan for many years. The battery with engine running powered my coffee pot. Not to mention 400w microwave (kill-a-watt says 800w)(ovens plate says 1100W) , chain saw etc. As long as it's intermittent. 000 wire.
 
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Rather than a single 12 volt "Deep cycle/starting/marine" battery, why not 2, 6Volt golf cart batteries that are specifically designed for high current applications?
$89 each at Sams Club. (I've just retired my 8 Duracell golf cart batteries after 5 years of use and they are still going strong, but now, getting a bit past it.)
www.samsclub.com

Duracell Golf Car Battery, Group Size GC2 - Sam's Club

Buy Duracell Golf Car Battery, Group Size GC2 : Golf Cart Batteries at SamsClub.com
www.samsclub.com www.samsclub.com
 
MagnaSolar said:

Can this battery be used in a solar system or do batteries have to be designated for solar use?

Thx
Click to expand...
My opinion is ignore the 'heat water on propane' folks here. I recently bought 4 of these and omg they r heavy... be prepared.

Ive found myself in a horrible, beyond horrible, situation trying to keep my head above water but mostly my cat, whom recently lost a leg, cool. Im trying to say 'Forget the folks that say just buy better'. Batteries r pricey and NONE last forever.

I need quick po folk solar to get out of a crunch. These r 109ah so I went for it. Waiting on my inverter now. Hoping to run a 5000btu a/c in camper for kitty.

Good luck!
 
anadiner said:
My opinion is ignore the 'heat water on propane' folks here. I recently bought 4 of these and omg they r heavy... be prepared.

Ive found myself in a horrible, beyond horrible, situation trying to keep my head above water but mostly my cat, whom recently lost a leg, cool. Im trying to say 'Forget the folks that say just buy better'. Batteries r pricey and NONE last forever.

I need quick po folk solar to get out of a crunch. These r 109ah so I went for it. Waiting on my inverter now. Hoping to run a 5000btu a/c in camper for kitty.

Good luck!
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Oh forgot to mention: make sure to use at most gauge 2 battery cables. I use gauge 1. 90% of time when hear complaints not correct amps (ah), its hello ur wire wont pull but that high.

Check out online gauge charts.
 
MagnaSolar said:
Maybe ill buy a coleman camp stove til I get this figured out.
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Fyi, i have 1 and lesson 1: dont cook inside unless u like it 200 degrees, cooking something that has 0 smoke and plan on finding grease spots everywhere.
 
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