Server Rack Battery Prices predictions...

[mvonw]

I just came into a small windfall of cash, and rather than spend it on hookers and booze, I think I may expand my battery bank.

I have a pretty small bank (30kwh) currently and want to significantly expand it because I have huge solar array and I am basically crazy.
With the recent posts on LiFePO4 cell pricing going downward, when would we might likely see server rack pricing drop, since the cells are the major cost component?

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Less quickly: vendors will try to keep the prices higher as this improves their margins. They also have to recover any sunk costs (inventory, R&D).

 

[rodrick]

I just came into a small windfall of cash, and rather than spend it on hookers and booze, I think I may expand my battery bank.

I have a pretty small bank (30kwh) currently and want to significantly expand it because I have huge solar array and I am basically crazy.
With the recent posts on LiFePO4 cell pricing going downward, when would we might likely see server rack pricing drop, since the cells are the major cost component?

I think you will see a price drop on cells first and a increase in diy batteries and when the server rack manufacturer sees a big drop in sales they will be forced to lower prices but it may be a while

 

[mvonw]

Less quickly: vendors will try to keep the prices higher as this improves their margins. They also have to recover any sunk costs (inventory, R&D).

Yes, this is definitely true, but as soon as one "disrupter" offers a product at a much lower cost, usually the other vendors will have to follow suit.

 

[Q-Dog]

Patience grasshopper. Know what you want and be ready when the deals drop.

 

[wdwtx2.0]

I have a pretty small bank (30kwh) currently and want to significantly expand it because I have huge solar array and I am basically crazy.

Nothing wrong with crazy.
As long as you don't go nuts with it.

 

[Ampster]

They also have to recover any sunk costs (inventory, R&D).

Yes, and in some cases ongoing costs of UL certifications.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Yes, and in some cases ongoing costs of UL certifications.

Right, keep forgetting that nonsense over there

 

[G00SE]

Panel prices crashed to close out 2023.
Here’s to cell prices crashing 2024!!!
Inverters keep getting better and cheaper, the batteries are the last domino!!!!

 

[Zwy]

Panel prices crashed to close out 2023.
Here’s to cell prices crashing 2024!!!
Inverters keep getting better and cheaper, the batteries are the last domino!!!!

I priced 96 cells from trusted source.

I'm quite happy to buy now. The Red Sea thing could cause shipping to move up more quickly than it has,

 

[Hedges]

Right, keep forgetting that nonsense over there

I don't think underwriters have a sense of humor. They are actuaries.

(Their hands tend to get tied, preventing them from "redlining" or otherwise pricing according to actual risk, if some people don't like the outcome. But they do get to charge extra here for "male" and "unmarried", at least for auto insurance.)

UL (safety organization) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Can't really complain about insurance pricing and building codes based on hard data, yet people do and legislators meddle.

 

[G00SE]

I priced 96 cells from trusted source.

I'm quite happy to buy now. The Red Sea thing could cause shipping to move up more quickly than it has,

Gobel emailed and asked why I didn’t press buy. I explained the shipping costs as well as missing coupon the next morning. Hopefully they follow up with something enticing.
Are your 96 cell quotes via Ali type vendors? I’ve not purchased that way and get nervous/confused but so many have success.

 

[Zwy]

Gobel emailed and asked why I didn’t press buy. I explained the shipping costs as well as missing coupon the next morning. Hopefully they follow up with something enticing.
Are your 96 cell quotes via Ali type vendors? I’ve not purchased that way and get nervous/confused but so many have success.

Amy at Luyan.

I told her the best cells I have came from her and also the worst but the worst still work ok, a few runners in that bunch of 8. These were eight B grade I bought to finish out a battery, they will be installed in the golf cart.

The 304's I run from 18500 make me think they salt a cell less than par in each shipment. From reading what others wrote, it sure seems that way. It tested fine on capacity, but the internal resistance must be higher as it is always the lowest cell out of 64 cells in the whole bank. Those were grade B and sold as such, the remaining 15 hold balance well to each other. I guess it is one way of getting rid of outlying cells, just throw 1 in every 16.

 

[42OhmsPA]

I tend to get a lot of sales emails since I've been making inquiries...
I'd say server rack prices are following the trend.

 

[G00SE]

Power queen/jakiper/gokwh are down to 885 with free shipping. Very tempting

 

[Hedges]

I tend to get a lot of sales emails since I've been making inquiries...
I'd say server rack prices are following the trend.

Wonder what the cost is delivered to US by the container.
Look at the markup to retail we see.

 

[JJJJ]

I am very happy with my cells from Amy. Ordered some CATLs to bolster some of my previous packs from another source that showed imbalances with higher volume usage. Have a YR3035+ resistance tester on order as well to help match the cells.

 

[TomC4306]

Power queen/jakiper/gokwh are down to 885 with free shipping. Very tempting

Went to their site. Didn't see that.
$2391 for a Jakiper 51.2 / 100ah rack mount.
Build your own.
Grade B 304's, 200 JK, enclosure, misc. <$2k.
~ 15 kwh

 

[G00SE]

Went to their site. Didn't see that.
$2391 for a Jakiper 51.2 / 100ah rack mount.
Build your own.
Grade B 304's, 200 JK, enclosure, misc. <$2k.
~ 15 kwh

GoKWh 51.2V 100Ah 5.1kWh LiFePO4 LV Rack-mounted Home Battery Storage - Battery Finds

GoKWh 51.2V 100Ah LiFePO4 rack-mounted battery storage built with genuine LiFePO4 prismatic cells improved thermal stability. Equipped with communication interface and LCD screen, the module status can be monitored at any time. Perfectly matched with mainstream inverter brands, the rack mode is...

batteryfinds.com

Definitely not on the jakiper site. Not likely the same exact battery. But this one has been also listed as the power Queen battery. Orient power has also listed the power queen and jakiper batteries synonymously. I might be grasping at straws. But same architecture and great price. They appear user serviceable which is huge imo

 

[Aridom82]

The price of lithium carbonate has been falling down. There is a major crisis in China. Look at the Hang Seng index, is at levels not seen since a long time ago. At the same time freight shipping costs have increased a lot since the middle east crisis started last year, so we have a very unstable situation. The central bank of China has lowered rates in a very aggresive way, so companies (and prices) will hold for the moment and start to increase in a few months.
Server rack batteries companies that work in Europe and the USA could offer a lower price in the present situation but they probably wont. Here is another example that reflects that cost inflation and monetary inflation are two different things.
If you buy directly from China you probably can get a very good deal right now, specially in raw lifepo4 cells, but dont count on server rack batteries resellers in Eu or Usa to lower their prices.