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diy solar

Old RV - New PV's With Strut-Channel Mounting

I remember reading that having those batteries on their side can be problematic. (I don’t remember which side is ok). That is something to read the spec sheet very carefully.
Yeah, lots of mixed comments on that. BigBattery sells thousands of these cell-type packs and no issue with side mount. Yes, Will had one that leaked.

I do have room to mount vertically, it's just a much tighter fit. I'll have to consider my options.

EDIT: I've asked Amy for a definitive answer on mounting orientation of EVE cells from the factory. Let's see what THEY say.
 
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Nice install. FYI for all considering strut for installation, it also comes in a non conductive anti corrosive material. Either rigid pvc, poly glass, vinyl glass, poly, and nylon. Here's a link (not affiliated ) to info. I'm a retired pipefitter. I used it in a highly corrosive chemical applications. Light weight yet very strong.
Non metal strut.
 
PVC sounds perfect...but where do I buy it?
I just got another 100W panel to setup for chassis battery maintenance. And a renogy voyage controller - my first renogy appliance.
Got a victron 12/12-18 charger too. I decided I should have at least something while driving.

Found fiberglass unitstrut from unistrut buffalo supports for $56 plus $304 to ship LTL freight.
I can go over to home depot two miles away and get galvanized superstrut for about $20.
 
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I got one of these too...will mount the shunt to connect the ground cable for the new lifepo pack.
I don't know what it lacks compared to a victron, but you could buy ten of these for one victron unit.

 
PVC sounds perfect...but where do I buy it?
I just got another 100W panel to setup for chassis battery maintenance. And a renogy voyage controller - my first renogy appliance.
Got a victron 12/12-18 charger too. I decided I should have at least something while driving.

Found fiberglass unitstrut from unistrut buffalo supports for $56 plus $304 to ship LTL freight.
I can go over to home depot two miles away and get galvanized superstrut for about $20.
Click on link in my reply or Google non conductive strut channel.
 
Click on link in my reply or Google non conductive strut channel.

Clicked the link - found abs?PVC unistrut, slotted or not. Non would be perfect. There's even a wide mount track with a 'concrete lip'. Interesting stuff.
You have to call for a quote. Can you buy one strut from them?

What's the main advantage? It wouldn't be weight for me, we're already hauling 20K pounds, so a couple more means nothing.
Some paint on the electro-plated ones keeps them from rusting. ABS would be just as easy to glue down with VHB.

Aluminum strut is another good (expensive) option. I think you can get it from Grainger. Or McMasterCarr.
 
That is kind of you...but I'm much better, in fact very good, with mechanical stuff. That erector set when I was about eight started a lifetime of mechanical aptitude. I would skip out of eighth grade classes and go to the library and read about how to fix cars. I even worked at a car dealership for a number of years as my first real job. I've built two boats, several cars, a slew of vintage motorcycle restorations, learned to paint when I was 18, built two houses, seriously into RC aircraft, even took up flying for awhile and was going to build an airplane. The electronics are all still just like smoke and mirrors to me. Even so, I'm an IT tech by trade for the past twenty years. I run the network and ecommerce for a distribution company. But then...I have consultants. :geek:

I did drop out of two classes at the community college...Electrical and electronics - as soon as all the math started I glossed over. :ROFLMAO:

I used to enjoy working on mechanical stuff, now it just seems like work, so I make craft beer and ride electric mountain bikes. I had to give up a fifty year pursuit of offroad racing and adventure touring motorcycles for old age.

Reading about all the problems people have with trying to make their DIY batteries work is exasperating at a minimum. I don't know if I could handle all the futzing around with them. Top charging and bottom charging, puffing and sensors for every silly thing. I think I would rather just buy one that had a warranty, and setup my rig to keep it charged.

I'm two years away from retirement, and then we'll really be able to do some RV traveling. We had a blast when the kids were younger - put forty thousand miles on the ol' motorhome with them - this is the third one. Now the kids are all grown and gone, they all moved back to Seattle. All I hear is "So when are you guys moving back up here?" :unsure: Well, maybe eastern washington where it doesn't rain so much.

I guess I've got one more house to build... ?
Just read the above post and see many similarities in my experience.
 
Just read the above post and see many similarities in my experience.

Funny, I wrote that two months ago, and here I am with a DIY lifepo battery up and running in the motorhome. Scads of power, it just goes and goes and goes.

Three months ago I had never even heard of lifepo batteries, and I couldn't figure out what the 'life' and 'po' was about, maybe something about lifestyle??? :LOL:

There are a number of super knowledgeable experienced and helpful forum members here that will jump in and guide us along the way. This project is something I would never have even considered without this place. An invaluable service to the community - better than any social media outlet, any blog, vid, or company website. This place is dabomb.
 
I have since re-wired my balance leads, tapped the bus bars instead of putting them on the cell terminals, and changed out the main +/- leads with tin-plated lugs. Added aluminum washers to the posts first to increase contact area. And added blue led lights for the compartment.
The blue glow of POWER. :p





 
If that pack goes up in flames it WILL be the seat warmer. LOL

What concerns me are the metal cross-braces under the seat springs - but they are not directly above the battery, and the seat springs can't reach the battery before hitting the main supports. Still, I don't think I would let a 300-pounder sit there. LOL

Thanks for all your help. The entire system is working just fantastic!

I also got a Ecoflow Delta Mini to supplant everything, and a 12V Bouge RV refer/freezer cooler unit. No more ice for the beer cooler. :love:

Let's plan a trip to Panamint Valley!
 
Don't want to hijack your thread, but I was going to use the unistrut also for my installation, but instead used 6" mini rails from signature solar. Lot cheaper, lighter, and mated with the brackets made for a lightweight inexpensive install.
View attachment 72378View attachment 72377

I am thinking of using your mounting method.
Did you use VHB tape to mount the mini rails to your roof, or did you have to drill into the roof? What type of roof do you have? Did you have to drill into any supporting beam underneath the roof?
How did your install hold up to strong winds and driving down the highway?
Many thanks for your reply.
 
I am thinking of using your mounting method.
Did you use VHB tape to mount the mini rails to your roof, or did you have to drill into the roof? What type of roof do you have? Did you have to drill into any supporting beam underneath the roof?
How did your install hold up to strong winds and driving down the highway?
Many thanks for your reply.

Your installation questions were answered in the first post.
They're not 'mini rails', they are steel unistrut rails, but HD brand they call 'superstrut'. Their brand is zinc plated, as are most unistrut. This is a product used extensively for mostly commercial plumbing and electrical work. After cutting everything to size I primed and painted them with automotive acrylic enamel. If you don't paint them they will rust.

If you're concerned about weight - these rails are about 20 pounds per 10' length, there are aluminum versions available thru Zoro or Grainger for about two to three times the price. My coach is already about 18K lbs, so a little weight up there didn't mean much. If you're pulling a lightweight trailer or a mini-motorhome or something where you're already at gross limit, aluminum struts would surely be a good option. And they don't rust.

My roof is fiberglass (filon) over luan, foam core. So really nothing there to screw into. Each rail has three #12 sheet metal screws that did bite pretty well, primarily to ensure a solid adhesion of the adhesive tape. VHB is used for glazing in high-rise buildings - stuff sticks like nobody's business.

They've been on there a year, no issues. Pulling them off would pull off the roof before the tape let go.

Don't try this if you have a rubber (epdm) roof.

EDIT: now I see you quoted another post. My reply may or may not be applicable. (y)
 
Your installation questions were answered in the first post.
They're not 'mini rails', they are steel unistrut rails, but HD brand they call 'superstrut'. Their brand is zinc plated, as are most unistrut. This is a product used extensively for mostly commercial plumbing and electrical work. After cutting everything to size I primed and painted them with automotive acrylic enamel. If you don't paint them they will rust.

If you're concerned about weight - these rails are about 20 pounds per 10' length, there are aluminum versions available thru Zoro or Grainger for about two to three times the price. My coach is already about 18K lbs, so a little weight up there didn't mean much. If you're pulling a lightweight trailer or a mini-motorhome or something where you're already at gross limit, aluminum struts would surely be a good option. And they don't rust.

My roof is fiberglass (filon) over luan, foam core. So really nothing there to screw into. Each rail has three #12 sheet metal screws that did bite pretty well, primarily to ensure a solid adhesion of the adhesive tape. VHB is used for glazing in high-rise buildings - stuff sticks like nobody's business.

They've been on there a year, no issues. Pulling them off would pull off the roof before the tape let go.

Don't try this if you have a rubber (epdm) roof.

Thanks for your reply. Very helpful, and immediate feedback just minutes after my post. Great!

I have a 2018 Dynamax Isata 5 Super C, and the roof is also a one piece fiberglass (but textured, notTapesmooth) over thin 1/4" x 48" x 96" plywood, and then styrofoam

I could not find 1.5" width VGB tape (back order for months), so I got .75" 5952 tape and to put 2x width wise to make up the superstrut 1.6" width.

Will also put about 3 screws into each supertrut, hopefully into the EGS backer on the roof.

Many thanks for your input
 
Thanks for your reply. Very helpful, and immediate feedback just minutes after my post. Great!

I have a 2018 Dynamax Isata 5 Super C, and the roof is also a one piece fiberglass (but textured, notTapesmooth) over thin 1/4" x 48" x 96" plywood, and then styrofoam

I could not find 1.5" width VGB tape (back order for months), so I got .75" 5952 tape and to put 2x width wise to make up the superstrut 1.6" width.

Will also put about 3 screws into each supertrut, hopefully into the EGS backer on the roof.

Many thanks for your input

VHB is definitely not recommended on a pebbled surface. I would be looking to sand down the pebbles where the tape goes. This has been covered elsewhere as well.

There's also about 25 different versions of VHB tape...and some are twice as strong as others. I chose the more common one as being 'good enough'. It's what most everybody else had used.

I kind of looked at the Oregon installer as a pioneer - I forget their name, but they've been doing RV installs for years with just tape. They use the clear stuff. Lots of naysayers for VHB. I dunno, the demonstrations I've seen for it were good enough for me. Two rail cars joined with a spot of VHB tape???

As I mentioned, I stuck one channel down and then thought to move it over about a quarter inch, and there was no way it was coming off there - stuck for mere seconds! I decided to just leave it.
And then I sealed all the frames with urethane caulk to keep moisture and dirt out of the joint. Hell, the urethane alone was probly good enough.
The only way they're coming off my roof is if the whole roof comes off.
 
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