Show us your Rack!

[curiouscarbon]

darkwing duck references on solar forum? hell yeah

 

[medic149]

I overbuilt this guy using dead tree carcus. Since it's in a room that isn't heated I insulated it and have a heating mat under both the batteries. I'll be adding to it as time goes on. Working well so far!

What heating mats did you use?

 

[Danke]

Not hooked up yet, obviously.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

Not hooked up yet, obviously.

View attachment 106779

COOL!

 

[wattmatters]

Is anyone planning on integrating bus bars in their rack design?

 

[houseofancients]

I’d like to hear more from someone who bought a used server rack (say a Dell rack) and put at least 3 EG4 batteries in… how did you modify to support the weight? How did you add appropriate bus bar? How did you do your cabling?

I am considering a used server rack and would like to know if anyone else has done it. Pictures always helpful too.

it would do fine..
if it can be loaded with SAN shelves, it will certainly hold 3 EG4'S

 

[Danke]

Is anyone planning on integrating bus bars in their rack design?

So far I have a couple of these, gonna get 4 stud ones to connect to two inverters.

 

[wattmatters]

So far I have a couple of these, gonna get 4 stud ones to connect to two inverters.

Be interested to see the cable management approach you end up with.

 

[Danke]

Be interested to see the cable management approach you end up with.

I bought a trough. But I have read not to mix DC and AC wires in them. So I guess I need to come up with a way to separate them?

 

[sparque]

What heating mats did you use?

This:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081ZPC2M7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Only had a few weeks to test them out earlier in the year but they seemed to do the trick. Perfect size too.

 

[Danke]

Be interested to see the cable management approach you end up with.

I have read some of the posts here about battery cable gauges. The battery cables that came with batteries seem too small, like 6 or maybe 4 gauge.

I am making three banks of five 48V 100Ah batteries. Parallel connections between batteries in a bank of one foot in length, 2/0 cable. And banks to bus bar also 2/0 eight feet of equal lengths.


Then from bus bar to bus bar below two 15k Sol-Arks, 4/0 or two 2/0?

The place I bought batteries from said I only need to fuse from the bus bar positives going from batteries to bus bar under the Sol-Arks. However, discussions here sounds like people are doing each individual batteries with a fuse.

So what do you guys think?

Wire gauges recommendations?

Fuse placement:

1. From bus bar to bus bar?
2. Each bank (3) to bus bar?
3. Each individual battery?

Thanks.

 

[OzSolar]

I am making three banks of five 48V 100Ah batteries. Parallel connections between batteries in a bank of one foot in length, 2/0 cable. And banks to bus bar also 2/0 eight feet of equal lengths.

Here's a thread recent thread about bus bars and fusing that may offer you some useful nuggets.

Heavy duty busbar advice (+600A)

So, I'm building fairly big, 43kW panels, 3x12kW Deye SG04LP3 inverters and 3x48v@280Ah Mason DIY kits For charging and discharging the batteries I am aiming for less than 0.5c on regular use, but I could have situations where a higher load is required and thus I need to run a little less than...

diysolarforum.com

 

[tomy2]

I overbuilt this guy using dead tree carcus. Since it's in a room that isn't heated I insulated it and have a heating mat under both the batteries. I'll be adding to it as time goes on. Working well so far!

The main reson that racks are so expensive, is that they are made of metal which does NOT burn.

 

[OzSolar]

Then from bus bar to bus bar below two 15k Sol-Arks, 4/0 or two 2/0?

I would try think about at least two different situations for sizing the wiring and laying out the bus bar arrangements and choosing the appropriate parts. Normal vs. bypassing a battery that's acting up until you can remedy the issue.

If everything is working normally you've got two 15k inverters sharing the output of three 500 Ah (5x100Ah) batteries, right?

In very round numbers here's some food for thought. Maybe you've already done all this math, if so, this is just an exercise I'm playing around with out of my own curiosity.

Normal:
30,000 watts / 51V = ~600 amps that the entire battery bank needs to supply. Can the bus bar you've chosen handle 600 amps?
600 amps / 3 battery banks = ~200 amps that each bank needs to supply

Something has gone wrong with one of your three batteries.
600 amps / 2 battery banks = ~300 amps that each bank needs to supply.

I better just leave it there as hopefully the smart people will be along soon to offer more detailed advice and I've got to get to work.

Cheers!

 

[Danke]

I have not purchased most of the bus bars yet. But the two I have so far to connect the battery banks are:

Blue Sea PowerBar 600 Ampere Cable Connector 8 x 3/8 16 Stud Terminal

 

[Danke]

Something has gone wrong with one of your three batteries.
600 amps / 2 battery banks = ~300 amps that each bank needs to supply.

I believe the BMS limits the batteries to 50A discharge. So 250A per bank.

Of course, my load with never be as high as what the Sol-Arks can produce, unless I do something crazy like get EVs!

 

[OzSolar]

I believe the BMS limits the batteries to 50A discharge. So 250A per bank.

Of course, my load with never be as high as what the Sol-Arks can produce, unless I do something crazy like get EVs!

Of course it would likely be a rare occurrence but it's good practice to size and fuse your wire like you are.

Something else to think about. Can the terminals on that last battery in the string of 5 handle 250 amps?

Side note: Two Sol-Ark 15's is quite the system. What are the biggest loads you're trying to run?

 

[sparque]

The main reson that racks are so expensive, is that they are made of metal which does NOT burn.

I didn't build this because server racks are expensive?? I'm aware wood burns. Everyone in the DIY space is aware of the risks involved. I don't get what the point of your comment is.

 

[w1z1kd]

Hey everyone. n00b here but have learned a lot from everyone here and from watching Will's YouTube videos. I want to go the route of using the DeWalt Industrial Shelf for a battery rack, but have a few questions:

1. Anyone tried installing a bus bar on this shelf/rack?
2. If so, were there issues with inspections or anything else?

Thanks again everyone for all the knowledge sharing!

 

[Danke]

I would try think about at least two different situations for sizing the wiring and laying out the bus bar arrangements and choosing the appropriate parts. Normal vs. bypassing a battery that's acting up until you can remedy the issue.

If everything is working normally you've got two 15k inverters sharing the output of three 500 Ah (5x100Ah) batteries, right?

In very round numbers here's some food for thought. Maybe you've already done all this math, if so, this is just an exercise I'm playing around with out of my own curiosity.

Normal:
30,000 watts / 51V = ~600 amps that the entire battery bank needs to supply. Can the bus bar you've chosen handle 600 amps?
600 amps / 3 battery banks = ~200 amps that each bank needs to supply

Something has gone wrong with one of your three batteries.
600 amps / 2 battery banks = ~300 amps that each bank needs to supply.

I better just leave it there as hopefully the smart people will be along soon to offer more detailed advice and I've got to get to work.

Cheers!

Sol-Ark 15K is up to 12,000W from batteries. And charge up to 275A.

So 24,000W / 51V = 471A
417A / 3 = 157A
417A / 2 = 235A

Does that look right?