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Newbie Van Build Questions

crustacean

New Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2021
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I am a solar-newbie building a camper van from an empty Sprinter 170. I am putting 300W solar on the roof and will initially add 200Ah of LiPh battery storage. Not planning on using any high power electric appliances. I'm basically following Will's 400W w/alternator blueprint. While I don't plan to be in cold weather much it could definitely happen so low temp protection is probably important and always cost is important. I am inclined to buy 1 or 2 cheap chinese batteries (GlobalPower on ebay are $300 each for 100Ah) and would like some advice.

If I am using cheap chinese batteries is it better to have 2 cheap 100Ah batteries so that if 1 dies I still have some power available or would it be better to spend $1000 on a single 200Ah SOK? A single 200Ah battery would be smaller and easier to wire up so that has some appeal. SOK is a more reliable brand but obviously cost is a little higher. I don't know enough to build my own or to change a BMS so let's exclude that. Does somebody have another suggestion?
 
I am a solar-newbie building a camper van from an empty Sprinter 170. I am putting 300W solar on the roof and will initially add 200Ah of LiPh battery storage. Not planning on using any high power electric appliances. I'm basically following Will's 400W w/alternator blueprint. While I don't plan to be in cold weather much it could definitely happen so low temp protection is probably important and always cost is important. I am inclined to buy 1 or 2 cheap chinese batteries (GlobalPower on ebay are $300 each for 100Ah) and would like some advice.

If I am using cheap chinese batteries is it better to have 2 cheap 100Ah batteries so that if 1 dies I still have some power available or would it be better to spend $1000 on a single 200Ah SOK? A single 200Ah battery would be smaller and easier to wire up so that has some appeal. SOK is a more reliable brand but obviously cost is a little higher. I don't know enough to build my own or to change a BMS so let's exclude that. Does somebody have another suggestion?

If you were talking about ordering two 100Ah SOK vs. a single 200Ah, then I could see the point. I wouldn't regard "cheap" batteries as reliable even if there's added redundancy.

SOK's issues appear to be more with product availability and DOA issues (bad BMS, etc.) rather than longer term reliability. A nice thing about the SOK is it's user-serviceable.
 
I am putting 300W solar on the roof and will initially add 200Ah of LiPh battery storage. Not planning on using any high power electric appliances. I'm basically following Will's 400W w/alternator blueprint
With that scenario (moderate loads, 300w solar, alternator charging) have you considered a single 100Ah LFP of SOK (or other nice battery)? This would also mean you could use the less expensive DCDC30 (30A) version instead of the 50A DC-DC.

I replaced my campervan's 220Ah FLA bank with a single 100Ah LFP and have been very happy with it. But my loads generally run "off the panels" during the day and I consume 30-40Ah overnight. If you have bigger loads or greater reserve needs a single batt might not work for you. Still, if you have roofspace it might be cheaper to add more panel instead of a second battery.
 
If you were talking about ordering two 100Ah SOK vs. a single 200Ah, then I could see the point. I wouldn't regard "cheap" batteries as reliable even if there's added redundancy.

SOK's issues appear to be more with product availability and DOA issues (bad BMS, etc.) rather than longer term reliability. A nice thing about the SOK is it's user-serviceable.
Thanks. That's probably wise. SOK seems like a good vendor and I will probably go that route.
With that scenario (moderate loads, 300w solar, alternator charging) have you considered a single 100Ah LFP of SOK (or other nice battery)? This would also mean you could use the less expensive DCDC30 (30A) version instead of the 50A DC-DC.

I replaced my campervan's 220Ah FLA bank with a single 100Ah LFP and have been very happy with it. But my loads generally run "off the panels" during the day and I consume 30-40Ah overnight. If you have bigger loads or greater reserve needs a single batt might not work for you. Still, if you have roofspace it might be cheaper to add more panel instead of a second battery.
I really hadn't considered a single 100Ah battery based on the assumption that I would need more. I appreciate the insight. Maybe I need to sharpen my pencil and really try to define what amount of power I need. Also, thanks for the link to your build list. That's unexpectedly helpful too!
 
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