Solar house generator I started DIY back in 2000 - My path from Trace to Xantrex (on FLA battery) to XW Pro inverters on Tesla Model S batteries

[dougbert]

wow this is my 1001st post after 4.5 years.
others post far more than I in less time

 

[Hedges]

Or far, far more.

(I need to spend more time building out my new place. Paperwork keeps holding me back.)

 

[dougbert]

ordered a Tesla Model S module today, #14 for 70kwh of storage, $514 dollars
growing the pack over time as the money becomes available
goal is 100kwh

 

[dougbert]

tesla battery module #14 arrived today (one on the right), put it in series with #13 and they are now charging to 48 vdc with a 60v lab power supply once that is done will add to the busbars when the pack is also at 48v (system off of course)

cost $514, better than the $1300 I paid for 1st one

70 kwh now

last pair installed Sept 2022

interesting note: #14 is not used, rather it is factory overstock

title

TESLA MODEL S X BATTERY 5.2KWH 24V 250AH SOLAR CELL MODULE PACK LITHIUM EV RV​

Never installed Factory Overstock

description

"New other (see details): A new, unused item with absolutely no signs of wear. The item may be missing the original packaging, or in the original packaging but not sealed. The item may be a factory second, or a new, unused item with defects. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections."

so maybe. we shall see
It is a later version. Has newer balance ribbon and not individual wires of the older version, so at least 2018 vintage

 

[dougbert]

Today I finished a refactoring task on the Subpanel GRID, and swapping out PVC conduit to EMT

Here is the inside of the Subpanel GRID. 2 AWG wire from up stream panel, and 1 AWG for downstream circuits (had extra 1 AWG so I used it)

replaced 100 amp QO panel that had 6 spaces for a 8 space QO 100 amp panel
this will allow for a total of 4 240v breakers, instead of 3. Thus giving 2 L14-30r's availability

common NEUTRAL without a NEUTRAL loop
one run of NEUTRAL to XW Pro
one run of NEUTRAL to Transfer Switch's NEUTRAL bar.

Transfer switch feeds just one NEUTRAL to critical loads panel and NEUTRAL is not 'switched'.
That is the reason for a COMMON NEUTRAL without loops

same for ground, no loops



I also am upgrading from ONE GRID fed L14-30r receptacle to TWO L14-30r receptacles, since I have 2 Chargeverters.
I have 2, primarily for backup protection (one is none....) and for faster grid charging when needed
The XW Pro controlled automatic recharge due to LOW BATTERY only controls ONE L14-30r receptacle

and in the middle are the 2 100 amp breakers for the transfer switch and input to the XW Pro inverter



here are the 2 boxes for the 2 grid L14-30r's
the 30amp GFCI breaker and 3/4" MC flex conduit are in flight due to arrive Thursday or Friday

Notice LOCK on transfer switch. Need it, since there is no safety panel behind the front cover

To the lower right are the 2 SSR relays controlled by the XW Pro AUX contactor, for LOW BATTERY events



the grid dual L14-30r's are similar to the Generator dual L14-30r's setup



and final overall pictures

 

[dougbert]

As mentioned in prior posts, I am doing a new design for my system to upgrade from 125 amp service to 200 amp service

I currently have a 125 amp service that I installed back in 1998. Through that service I run a 100 amp circuit to my whole house solar generator. I have added a 60 amp run for a EV charging port on the grid only panel. Even though my loads have been optimized with efficient operation, I can see future issues. So I have modified my one-line schematic of my current system (which is posted in the 1st post of this thread if you wish to compare with the new design) for a future 200 amp service install.

Should be a simple process all outside for step 1. I do not need to immediately move the 100 amp solar run, just swap the outside service panel

as also mentioned prior, the biggest issue is the $2500 power company impact fee for the upgrade, plus the permit fee.
Our hobbies do cost, do they not?








.

 

[dougbert]

Flex MC conduit arrived today with end adapters, installed the GRID L14-30r receptacles and their wires up to panel..............



got LOWER receptacle wired up

BUT, no 30 amp GFCI breaker..........arriving on monday

so wires for UPPER receptacle are just hanging out awaiting



FINALLY got battery modules #13 and #14 charged to 48 volts, then waited this evening for battery voltage level to drop down 48 volts and installed the 7th row of modules, 70 kwh of battery, 1640 amp-hours

installed and got the safety plexi-glasss shield installed again

 

[dougbert]

on a roll these past few days on finishing tasks:

re-installed the generator inter-lock and the inlet L14-30p plug into my CLP. This is my 2nd attempt


it has now become my LAST backup in case of total system failure

if I lose the GRID, my battery or my inverter, I can power the house directly from generator as if I had no solar at all

Inlet plug now right above the generator receptacles. Get my short 30 amp patch extension cord and plug it in and flip the interlock and I am good

 

[dougbert]

corrected an NEC error

after upgrading from 1-1/4 PVC conduit to 2" EMT conduit, the new conduit has more capacity

therefore on my 8 space grid panel feeding to the Transfer switch AND to the inverter, I have removed the conduit to the inverter and moved those conductors that were there, to the new 2" lower left conduit of the transfer switch. That was where the 240 legs previously came into the transfer switch. Now 5 conductors (2 to inverter and 2 from inverter, 1 neutral) and a ground all go through that lower left conduit. This then meets the NEC requirement where all conductors must pass in the same conduit

here is the 8 space panel with the old feeder to the inverter leaving the lower right side of the panel

OLD/BEFORE

and here is the new current configuration of the same panel - both GFCI 30 amp breakers also installed

AFTER/NEW wiring



notice the new short 2" emt conductor, so that I can pass 2 more #2 conductors to the inverter through the transfer switch



pic of both the grid panel and the TS opened up. Nice having the conduit that was in the space on the right, GONE

2 GRID hots pass through the TS on their way to the inverter AC1 IN. Then the inverter's AC OUT (L1 and L2) return the same way and land on the lower LINE IN taps in the TS. You can see this in the bottom of the TS on the left. In addition, 1 Neutral conductor goes to the inverter as a common neutral for IN and OUT power.

Finally the 2 hots from the center taps of the TS exit the right side along with 1 neutral and goes to the CLP, no neutral loops

5 conductors in the same 2" conduit and raceway

On the right, 2 circuits in the flex MC for the 2 GRID L14-30r receptacles ready to install



and over all pic, including both of the chargeverters installed.. My son got his V2





If I were to do this all over again, I would go with a 200 amp panel above

I do have plans to upgrade my existing 125 amp meter/service to 200 amp, with a 125 amp breaker feeding my existing GRID ONLY panel and separate 100 amp breaker feeding the above 100 amp setup

 

[dougbert]

I recently installed my 14th Tesla Battery Module, well I re-found a web page describing a LARGE whole house solar system that has 36 Tesla Battery Modules

Tesla Hacker reveals impressive 'off-grid' home powered by Model S batteries

Jason Hughes, white hat hacker who’s perhaps best known as the man who leaked Tesla’s plans for a P100D a half year ahead of the company’s actual announcement, has revealed photos of his impressive Tesla battery powered compound in North Carolina. The 4,500 square-foot home utilizes 102...

www.teslarati.com

and his build thread https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/thr...th-a-model-s-battery-pack-at-the-heart.34531/

as a software engineer, he wrote his OWN BMS controller for the stack

I AM impressed

here is it's mounting rack - I like it, might copy it for my goal of 20 modules

 

[dougbert]

back in feb 2020 I implemented my "Full Battery Diversion" load subsystem

at that time, my system was a 48 volt battery and 48 volt solar arrays, with a 5000 watt Xantrex SW+5048 120v only LF inverter.

I installed 2000 watt 120v coils. I used those from that point onward, even after I installed a 240v XW Pro inverter in november 2022 - until this past month. I attacked this pending TODO task

I have now upgraded my coils to 3000 watt 240v and re-wired for 240v operation. I am now heating my water with excess PV solar power in the 2 50 gallon pre-heaters. These feed the tankless gas water heater. The water gets hot enough that the gas tankless does not even fire up the burner, but just passes the hot water on through

another upgrade task completed. After this has been done, I have bumped my maximum kwh production from 35 kwh to 45 kwh, on a good sunny day - but not yet entirely cloud free. I hope to have some fully cloudless days ahead and maybe hit a 50kwh day

charging the morning battery to full and running loads in the house consumes about 25kwh a day

 

[dougbert]

Fixed/upgraded my $50 Winco 8000w 2 cylinder 16hp brushless generator made in 1997

link to 1st post about generator

link to how capacitors are used instead of an AVR


Replaced the 40uFD caps (3) with 3 50uFD caps to boost the voltage

old results with the 40uFD were

No load 120v
3000 watt load 112v
4000 watt load 109v
5000 watt load 107v

new 50uFD caps installed

No load 127v 62hz
3000 watt load 116v 60hz
4000 watt load 115v 59hz
5000 watt load 114v 59hz

great improvement.

the generator feeds Chargeverters so even with the older lower voltages things would be fine, but I wanted the generator to produce near 120v per leg

all on propane


Winco 2cyl 16hp 8000watt dual tri generator - yeah, someone sold it for $50 because its power head would not generate power. I believe someone misdiagnosed it as a "bad" power head without a deep dive investigation, with a huge cost to replace it. So the owner basically dumped it on the classified and I got lucky.

The issue was caused by a simple #16 shorted/broken AC feed-line (excitation) to the 3 capacitors.

Fixed that line and the generator began making great power and works great. My super deal for the year

the most power I have gotten out of it, is 6300 watts without the engine beginning to stall out. again on propane and we are at 5535 ft elevation. So I think that is pretty good output and enough to run the 2 Chargeverters at 3100 watts each when needed

 

[ShirBlackspots]

You have one complicated setup. Why not make it more simple?

 

[dougbert]

You have one complicated setup. Why not make it more simple?

where is the complication? what section are you looking at? Generator?

I have a set of requirements (features desired ) and I built the system to provide those the features I want and the flexibility of controls and configuration, and it was far cheaper at the time. Started 24 years ago and the hardware available back then was not very advanced like today

one thing simple does is remove or prevent features and configuration ability from being present

 

[ShirBlackspots]

where is the complication? what section are you looking at? Generator?

I have a set of requirements (features desired ) and I built the system to provide those the features I want and the flexibility of controls and configuration, and it was far cheaper at the time. Started 24 years ago and the hardware available back then was not very advanced like today

one thing simple does is remove or prevent features and configuration ability from being present

The entire thing looks complicated to me. Although, its probably easier to set up than it looks.

 

[dougbert]

The entire thing looks complicated to me. Although, its probably easier to set up than it looks.

I started very, very simple like I said 24 years ago. 18w solar panel that cost 160 dollars, 110 dollars for a 10 amp 12v charge controller and a old 12v auto battery that fed an automotive 1156 light bulb in the old garage.

Today the system has the following

Features

• 125 amp service main panel (future 200 amp service main panel)
• Solar and battery power plant
• 100 amp Transfer switch to allow source feed between:
  • grid power, for inverter maintenance or other issues
  • solar and battery, normal operating mode
• 100 amp subpanel, which is the critical loads panel
  • which supports the most of the house, basement circuits directly
  • 60 amp subpanel to original circuits of the house, mostly first floor level devices/outlets
  • 50 amp subpanel in outside "man cave/garage", lights, 120v outlets, 6-50 receptacle
  • 40 amp EVSE selection Solar feed via an exterior transfer switch (grid or solar feeds)
  • average daily load for the panel is 1kw to 3kw
• 125 amp grid only panel, with support for
  • 30amp Dryer receptacle (no dryer)
  • 40amp Oven receptacle (not used but available behind the oven)
  • 30amp L14-30r outside receptacle
  • 60amp EVSE port via an exterior transfer switch (grid or solar feeds)
  • 100amp breaker to the Solar Generator subpanel, with in turn (this will move to the future 200 amp main service panel)
    • 100amp to transfer switch
    • 100amp to inverters
    • 2 30amp L14-30r GFCI receptacles for 2 external battery chargers
• 50 amp Generator circuit, support with runs to
  • 2 L14-30r 30amp GFCI receptacles
  • 2 120v 15amp GFCI recepatcles
  • 1 50amp hardware Feed to Inverter AC2
  • Generator interlock for direct generator connection to main Critical Loads Panel
• External battery chargers - Chargeverters
  • 1 Chargeverter used for auto recharge when LOW BATTERY VOLTAGE is reached
  • 1 Chargeverter for extra backup or for dual charging requirements

 

[Nobodybusiness]

That is quite the progression.
Well done!!

 

[dougbert]

got sun and heat here this week

so by noon today, my batteries (70kwh) were full and the water heater diversion load kicked on

by 1PM, I had 100 gallons of hot water (125F) - most of it still hot from yesterday and good insulation on the tanks. I do have a mixer value that mixes that hot water with cold water so "normal" hot water is received by house faucets. With that I could raise the temp to max of 150F - naw

maybe I need a 240v air compression for a cascaded diversion load - that means the air compressor kicks on AFTER the last water heater turns off - kinda cool

what other 240v loads could I add to capture that energy? LOL

wish I had land, a good well and a huge water tank on a 100 ft hill, I could be pumping water up that hill from 1PM till the sun goes down. give me 50psi water pressure with that

 

[dougbert]

I currently have nuclear energy harvester at my house - uses the Sun's nuclear fire

I want one of these