Our NEW GO-TO LiFePO4 vendor...09.20.21

[Hedges]

Net metering can be your storage when grid is up, but you mentioned quickly using up 42kWh of battery storage.
Can you use thermal storage? I assume the goal is multiple days of heating, from previously harvested solar power.

 

[Ampster]

Net metering can be your storage when grid is up, but you mentioned quickly using up 42kWh of battery storage.
Can you use thermal storage? I assume the goal is multiple days of heating, from previously harvested solar power.

Yesm Net metering is my seasonal storage. I run a deficit in the sense that I charge the batteries from the grid during some days in winter. I rarely use more than half my pack overnight because I want to have more reserve because of likelihood of power outages. I also have two EVs which add to the loads.
The last thermal storage system I did was in 2005 and as prices came down for PV solar I concluded it was not worth the complexity to put together another thermal solar system. Although I did start using heat pump water heaters to store excess solar as hot water in two prior homes. My next project is to replace my gas water heater with a HPWH.

 

[Rrrracer]

Apologies for the necro post, but the last time I was here this thread had three pages and it is now at 47; searching for the info seemed a daunting task at best.

What's the general consensus these days on Doncan/Jenny Wu? I see their profile is no longer available here.

I ask because I received an email from her indicating they had a supply of Ganfeng 280aH batteries available in China, and I am looking to add to our bank.

TIA.

 

[KauaiMolokai]

I recommend Amy Wan - Shenzhen Luyuan Tech. May not be the cheapest but is the best. Honest and dependable.

 

[iamrich]

Apologies for the necro post, but the last time I was here this thread had three pages and it is now at 47; searching for the info seemed a daunting task at best.

What's the general consensus these days on Doncan/Jenny Wu? I see their profile is no longer available here.

I ask because I received an email from her indicating they had a supply of Ganfeng 280aH batteries available in China, and I am looking to add to our bank.

TIA.

I saw the same email, but I think the price does not include shipping. Comes out to $85 per KWh which is nice, but if shipping is $500 or something crazy, it becomes a lot less attractive pretty quickly.

The used to ship out of Houston at the state price (no shipping), but not sure they still do. I got a set of 8 that are working great but that was two years ago.

 

[Horsefly]

After a couple of orders of cells from China on Alibaba, I've decided I'm never going to order from China stock again. The logistics company in the middle has no stake in the game, give the seller no updates, and can completely ruin the transaction. I've bought from Any Wan and she was just as frustrated as I was with the trans-pacific shipping.

If a company has a US warehouse, at least the risk in getting to this continent is bore by that company, and they are in a position to hold the logistics company accountable. I was happy with my order from Docan in Houston, although I know several people have pointed out their failings. If / when I order more cells, I'm thinking 18650batterystore.com may be where I look.

I did get Jenny Wu's email about the Ganfeng cells, and exchanged emails with her. It sounds like they had a bad year in 2022, and I'm not sure of the status of their Houston warehouse.

 

[Brett V]

I ordered 32 more of the EVE 230's from Docan's Houston stock. The 16 I got from them last year were good. I think the problems people have had with Docan have been on the 280's and above. The 230's are less popular and it seems less likely to be pushed out quickly to meet demand.

 

[Horsefly]

I ordered 32 more of the EVE 230's from Docan's Houston stock. The 16 I got from them last year were good. I think the problems people have had with Docan have been on the 280's and above. The 230's are less popular and it seems less likely to be pushed out quickly to meet demand.

Good point. Mine were the EVE 160's from Docan in Houston, and they were perfect.

 

[houseofancients]

After a couple of orders of cells from China on Alibaba, I've decided I'm never going to order from China stock again. The logistics company in the middle has no stake in the game, give the seller no updates, and can completely ruin the transaction. I've bought from Any Wan and she was just as frustrated as I was with the trans-pacific shipping.

If a company has a US warehouse, at least the risk in getting to this continent is bore by that company, and they are in a position to hold the logistics company accountable. I was happy with my order from Docan in Houston, although I know several people have pointed out their failings. If / when I order more cells, I'm thinking 18650batterystore.com may be where I look.

I did get Jenny Wu's email about the Ganfeng cells, and exchanged emails with her. It sounds like they had a bad year in 2022, and I'm not sure of the status of their Houston warehouse.

maybe that was the reason they started relasering b cells

 

[42OhmsPA]

I ordered 32 more of the EVE 230's from Docan's Houston stock. The 16 I got from them last year were good. I think the problems people have had with Docan have been on the 280's and above. The 230's are less popular and it seems less likely to be pushed out quickly to meet demand.

Did you order the welded studs or threaded terminals?
I saw a recent post about the welded studs having poor weld quality. I've had 0 issues with my 32 threaded terminals. I'm going to order 32 more but want the price to drop...

 

[Alkaline]

After a couple of orders of cells from China on Alibaba, I've decided I'm never going to order from China stock again. The logistics company in the middle has no stake in the game, give the seller no updates, and can completely ruin the transaction. I've bought from Any Wan and she was just as frustrated as I was with the trans-pacific shipping.

If a company has a US warehouse, at least the risk in getting to this continent is bore by that company, and they are in a position to hold the logistics company accountable. I was happy with my order from Docan in Houston, although I know several people have pointed out their failings. If / when I order more cells, I'm thinking 18650batterystore.com may be where I look.

I did get Jenny Wu's email about the Ganfeng cells, and exchanged emails with her. It sounds like they had a bad year in 2022, and I'm not sure of the status of their Houston warehouse.

What happened? Give details, also how did you pay?

Yes this is one of those issues people just pretend to ignore shipping form overseas is a PIA, held up in customs, delays, I have heard some times these Chinese freight forwarders hold up the freight and demand more money from the shipper in China or they will confiscate goods. If you involve the police then basically the goods just disappear.

Credit card payment is all I can say, if it all goes to hell you can just charge back, never ever pay with bank account to overseas vendor regardless of how nice they appear.

 

[littleharbor2]

I also ordered 230 ah cells from Jenny/Houston and am quite pleased with everything about them. I have recently ordered cells for friends from 18650 battery and am also very happy with the fast shipping, packing and ease of ordering.

 

[Brett V]

Did you order the welded studs or threaded terminals?
I saw a recent post about the welded studs having poor weld quality. I've had 0 issues with my 32 threaded terminals. I'm going to order 32 more but want the price to drop...

According to the pictures on their website, they're the welded studs. We'll see what I get and I'll post some pictures here if anything looks funky.

 

[MrM1]

Amy Zhang Docan. Several orders never problem

 

[Hedges]

Credit card payment is all I can say, if it all goes to hell you can just charge back, never ever pay with bank account to overseas vendor regardless of how nice they appear.

Alibaba and the 40 thieves, certainly.

I have ordered from Germany and paid by bank wire. Just a few $hundred, and I was ordering from a factory/OEM (MSTE Solar) because I couldn't find the product at resellers. So I played by their terms. Things went fine.

It may be a sure way to get FINCEN to open a file on you (they have one one me), but if you don't live in a glass house that's OK.

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

? Finance center? Just curious

 

[curiouscarbon]

? Finance center? Just curious

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[justgary]

I just got an email from Amy Zheng at Docan that says they will have a quantity of prebuilt 16S 280Ah batteries arriving in Houston in a few weeks. They will also have 20 DIY 16S boxes with "newer" 200A BMS arriving as well.

I wonder if they decided to get into the prebuilt battery game to help move the 280k cells that everyone is grousing about... it would make sense.

 

[Sam Cho TX]

I have 78 cells form Sun Fun Kits and I am super impressed with the packing, labels, and customer support. I bought 4 280K cells over a year ago and 8 304 cells in February along with 66 304 cells in May.

I picked the 304 cells up and the cost was $186.00/cell for grade A with test reports. Also got 2 of the LV6548 from them. These will go in my Cabin in Arkansas in a nice custom enclosure, I plan on having some type of A/C setup to keep the temperature cool along with some heating for the winter.

I now need to figure out which solar panels to get.

 

[Alkaline]

Not bad, if they can get the price down to closer to $175/cell delivered for the 304 cells they could be a contender, you could have 18650batterystore for 280K for about $165 ish delivered and 304 from SFK for $175 ish delivered. Though Luyuan is currently hovering around $160 ish delivered for the 304 if you buy over 16 cells.