diy solar

diy solar

RV - 600 Watt solar with 2 DIY 280ah LiFeP04 batteries

Here are a couple close up pictures of my batteries. I used the top of a storage container to keep the BMS off of the top of cells. I need to do a little cleanup of my cable ties. :)

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Lots of energy storage there! I take it that you don’t plan on bringing a generator with you? I have ordered the 280 cells (4) and a 200 amp daly bms for my 2506. Space is a super premium or I would have ordered 8, maybe I should have anyways. Can’t have enough, eh? :)
How did you route the solar feed into the trailer? It looks like it goes into the awning hardware? How about the other side? Has that inverter been stout enough to start the air conditioner? ( not that you would use it for that..) Looking at the WildKat documentation, it appears to run an equalization cycle http://www.bestconverter.com/assets/images/Progressive_Dynamics/4600/4655TVmanual.pdf . Is this fine on the cells? It truly stops at 14.4, and floats 13.6?
 
Thanks for your detailed reply.

I started out wanting to build one 100ah 'Battleborn' style battery...but, I could not find a BMS with low temp protection that supported 200+ amps. So, at some point I decided I could get my 200+ amps by using two 120amp BMS's with 2 batteries in parallel. As I started to look at the cells to build those 2 batteries, I came to the conclusion that the 280ah batteries were the best deal around, and it would not hurt to have more battery than I needed.

The feed from my solar panels runs down inside of the awning arm...I was surprised how much room there was in there. I run the wires on the roof from one side to the other and use Eternabond tape to hold it in place.

I have not tried to run the AC on the inverter...I still don't have enough battery to run it for long if it worked.

My understanding with the Wildkat converter is when you have it in Lithium mode is just does a straight 14.4...without an equalization cycle.

I am discovering with my 600 watts of solar I do not need to use the converter much...so I usually leave it bypassed.

I hope this helps...let me know if you have any other questions.
 
Nice job, you are going to love it. We currently have 500watts solar and 4 6v golf cart batteries. We did a 3 week trip to Utah and never got the power cord out the whole trip. I'm hoping to build 2 280ah batteries pretty soon and prepare for a larger inverter.
 
Thanks for your detailed reply.

I started out wanting to build one 100ah 'Battleborn' style battery...but, I could not find a BMS with low temp protection that supported 200+ amps. So, at some point I decided I could get my 200+ amps by using two 120amp BMS's with 2 batteries in parallel. As I started to look at the cells to build those 2 batteries, I came to the conclusion that the 280ah batteries were the best deal around, and it would not hurt to have more battery than I needed.

The feed from my solar panels runs down inside of the awning arm...I was surprised how much room there was in there. I run the wires on the roof from one side to the other and use Eternabond tape to hold it in place.

I have not tried to run the AC on the inverter...I still don't have enough battery to run it for long if it worked.

My understanding with the Wildkat converter is when you have it in Lithium mode is just does a straight 14.4...without an equalization cycle.

I am discovering with my 600 watts of solar I do not need to use the converter much...so I usually leave it bypassed.

I hope this helps...let me know if you have any other questions.
So is it floating at 14.4? It looked like 13.x, but once in a while pops up to 14.4.

I didn’t see where you can put in lithium mode in the manual, is it a jumper or something? Thanks.
 
Great set up.
How are you liking the Smart BMS with Bluetooth?
My question is how the App works with two batteries and BMS units? Can you view SOC and Cell data all at the same time or do you have to swap back and forth between battery 1 and 2
 
Great set up.
How are you liking the Smart BMS with Bluetooth?
My question is how the App works with two batteries and BMS units? Can you view SOC and Cell data all at the same time or do you have to swap back and forth between battery 1 and 2
I like the Smart BMS a lot...has worked better then expected.

Each BMS shows up separately in the app...you then pick which one you want to see.

I can see SOC and cell data in one view for one battery at a time.
 
Details on my RV solar configuration

26’ Travel trailer (Rockwood Mini Lite 2509s)

Six 100 Watt roof mounted Polycrystalline Solar panels. (HQST)
Panels are wired in parallel pairs (2P3S)

View attachment 12073

Victron SmartSolar 150/35 charger with BlueTooth battery sensor

2000 watt pure sine wave inverter (Renogy)

View attachment 12075

Inverter is ‘hard wired’ to an Automatic Transfer Switch (Go Power)

Used switches or breakers to isolate the various components.

Replaced the standard RV Converter with one that supports Lithium (Wildkat)

Built two 280ah batteries using EVE cells. (Moved the batteries from the tongue of the trailer to the pass through storage to shift some weight off the tongue)

Using two of the 120ah SmartBMS's wired in parallel

View attachment 12074

Used 8 gauge wire for solar panels

Used 1/0 wire for all battery, charger, and inverter wiring (Even replaced the wires running from the RV power converter)

Was a lot of work…but, very pleased with the results so far.

Great job! May I ask what straps you used to hold the four cells together?
 
I am learning and also looking at 600watts for panels. I see you have a 35a cc. How do you manage that?
I was looking at the Renogy 600 watt kit and it came with a 40a cc that was only good for 520w.

I know the panels won't see a true 100w output, but wondering on yours.....thanks. looks like a clean install for sure.

Jim
 
My system will be on a Rockwood 2506, but with a 4 cell 280ah battery. As much solar as I can comfortably fit. Likely 4 200 watt panels and a victron controller of some sort.
 
I am learning and also looking at 600watts for panels. I see you have a 35a cc. How do you manage that?
I was looking at the Renogy 600 watt kit and it came with a 40a cc that was only good for 520w.

I know the panels won't see a true 100w output, but wondering on yours.....thanks. looks like a clean install for sure.

Jim
Jim,
I purposely 'over paneled' my system. I frequently camp in shady areas, and wanted my best chance of getting as much power as I could out of the panels.

With the Victron controller I use, it is ok to have more incoming PV power then it can handle...it just does not use it. So I top out at 35 amps even if my panels are actually producing more then that.
 
Jim,
I purposely 'over paneled' my system. I frequently camp in shady areas, and wanted my best chance of getting as much power as I could out of the panels.

With the Victron controller I use, it is ok to have more incoming PV power then it can handle...it just does not use it. So I top out at 35 amps even if my panels are actually producing more then that.
Thanks. Been seeing "over paneling " lately....appreciate the reply.
 
Thanks. Been seeing "over paneling " lately....appreciate the reply.

A note of caution, how much you can overpanel/oversize your PV array, depends on your specific controller. The most important considerations are keeping your array Voc below and Isc below the controllers max input voltage and current. With Victron those are the only limits that matter, with some other controllers like Epever, and Renogy, you have to pay attention to total power (Watts) as well.

Victron has a good explanation of how it works with their controllers here
 
Will that inverter run the microwave in all modes? Also, do you use the eco mode (or sleep mode) and run the outside refrigerator with it? So that you can keep it in sleep mode, but it "wakes up" when the outdoor kitchen refrigerator kicks on? If so, how many amps does that outdoor fridge eat up when it is running?
I am basically going to copy the snot out of your system for my 2506. Does the 600 watt pane l setup keep up with that outdoor fridge running? ( I know, lot of variables there, but in general?)
 
Nice setup. Only concern when using parallel BMSs is, if there is large load and the other decides to cut off power fraction earlier, other might burn. They would need to be designed so they can be used in parallel. Other as a master unit, other as a slave.
 
Will that inverter run the microwave in all modes? Also, do you use the eco mode (or sleep mode) and run the outside refrigerator with it? So that you can keep it in sleep mode, but it "wakes up" when the outdoor kitchen refrigerator kicks on? If so, how many amps does that outdoor fridge eat up when it is running?
I am basically going to copy the snot out of your system for my 2506. Does the 600 watt pane l setup keep up with that outdoor fridge running? ( I know, lot of variables there, but in general?)
Lots of questions. :)

Microwave will run in all modes...it is our biggest power consumer, but does not get used a lot.

The Inverter I am using does not have a 'sleep/eco' mode but, it does ramp up it's power use as demand requires it to. It is silent when load is low...like the outdoor fridge.

I don't have the power consumption numbers on the outside fridge, but it is small enough that I have no issues running it with the batteries and solar. Microwave, coffee pot, and hair dryer are the only devices I worry about...and/or use as required. :)

I went a little overboard on the solar and the batteries to give me breathing room for a couple of rainy days in a row while boondocking.

I hope this helps...please let me know if you have any questions.
 
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