BlackWaterPark
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2021
- Messages
- 57
Been 100% off the grid for 9 years now, and used FLA (Trojan RE line) batteries which were good to me... First set of GCs lasted 7 years and could have gone more, but wanted to upgrade to a bigger bank, so replaced with L16s which I have now recently replaced after 2 years. Again, the batteries were fine but I wanted a much bigger system this time with a nominal voltage increase).
I ended up going with a pair of Kilovault HABs 7.5kw 48v lifepo4 units, which operate in parallel. After getting to know them a bit, and properly syncing them together and calibrating, they are performing extremely well. I chose these particular batteries over the diy route because I simply don't have the time to truly and properly delve into the data required to make something to my own satisfaction at this time. I build enough other stuff as it is. Plus, of something goes wrong, I want the warranty from a company that will honor it within the terms they set, and kilovault is essentially a part of AltE...and they are about 3 hours away, and have always given me excellent customer service. As such, they will directly swap out a problematic unit right there, should I encounter issues. Aside from the fact that these suckers are 230lb wall mounted units, which I would have to dismount, load into my truck, and drive down there to swap out, it's hard to beat that. Fortunately, I have lots of mechanical/hydraulic means to move heavy shit around here.
I went with a Genetry Solar GS6 split phase inverter, more than doubling my previous unit. The GS6 is very underrated at 6kw, being easily capable of 8kw for very extended periods. The sheer amount of options and features accessible on this inverter are unlike any other inverter I've ever used or interfaced with... Hell, I can even change the parameters of the very powerful, high quality fans by adjusting their individual throttles, thermostat setpoints, etc. It does sound like a 747 firing up on the tarmac however... But there's something almost pleasing to me about this. I'd imagine others might find it less so. They custom make their transformers right in (Michigan, I think...one of those states in that area anyway), and then transformer itself is unusually quiet and with an amazing no load draw of 24 watts... That's awesome for a 6+kw inverter. The AC pass through works well, and if this inverter had a weak point, I'd have to say it's in the charging mode, which simply routes current in reverse through the transformer. Via 240v 30a generator input, I've measured a fairly consistent 64% charge efficiency. This isn't great obviously, but the waveform also is not power factor corrected at this time. Sid, the engineer behind the unit, is currently working of the software update (which can be done over the air) to get pfc implemented, which will purportedly increase that efficiency number up to ~85% (we are hoping)...which would be perfectly acceptable. The inversion efficiency itself sits around 85%... Right in line with most other higher quality LF inverters. I could go on at length about this unit, but for the time being, suffice to say I'm extremely impressed and pleased with it, especially at the price of $1200.
The batteries are quite nice. They have a nice little data lcd and a vertical soc bar making it easy to tell at a glance roughly what you've got left in the tank. They communicate with each other for load sharing and charging pretty effectively. They have been in deployment for about a week now. The customer tech support is very responsive.. Trust me, I'm that guy that will put tech support through it's paces (others have used the phrase "hell and back") before I even purchase their product, as I like to know whom I'm hoping in bed with beforehand, and at $5k a battery, I was going to make damn sure they were going to be a good partner. So far, no regrets. They have excellent WiFi capabilities, can be used in local and/or global (cloud), and give some basic useful info on my phone from anywhere. The chassis build quality, onboard breakers, terminals, included cables and weather tight cable guides (all ip6 rated) are truly professional, and very impressive. They have a cycle counter which uses an algorithm to count up partial charge/discharges to create "full" charges of 80% dod as one complete cycle. They base their warranty upon this counter and, along with the charge/discharge data collecting which monitors the amount of current typical to either case, will yield you either a 7.5 year/4000 cycle or 10 year/6000 cycle warranty. I'm firmly in the latter. It's been 7 days, and my batteries are showing 2 cycles and 3 cycles (should be 3 and 3 by the end of today). Now, I obviously couldn't tell you that these batteries will last 40+years at that rate, but I can tell you without any reservation that kilovault *built* these batteries as if they will. The bms is in a separate isolated compartment beneath the cells, with the mod and canbus sockets, lead terminals, and what I think is the wifi board.
Each battery connects to a victron 600a 70v rated 4 post busbar via 10' 1/0 fine stand cables I made myself, which go to a Midnite mini DC breaker box (175a main breaker), and a Midnite classic 150 charge controller... The only piece of gear to make the parlay into the new system actually... It's been performing flawlessly for 9 years now, so why replace it, right?
The new genset (already have 4 others) purchased specifically to charge the bank very occasionally is a Cummings Onan 9500df, which I intended to run strictly on propane (which is why I bought it, as all my others are strictly gas), for ease of maintenance add reliability. It's proven to be anything but however. This things a real piece of shit right out of the box, refuses to run on propane, will not remote start, takes an embarrassing amount of pulls to manual start, and the only function that reliably works is the remote "off", ironically enough. Maybe I got a lemon, but I'd advise to avoid like the plague. A $1200 genset shouldn't have this many issues right out of the gate.
All of this resides in a closet under my first floor staircase, literally a 6'x3' space.
8 Piemar 310w monos round out the system, on a pt adjustable ground mount I fabricated, going into a Midnite pv combiner box with 55' of 6awg running to the CC. Come spring, I'll add a like amount of pv on a second and slightly more westward facing mount... As soon as the ground thaws anyway. And I'm hoping the Midnite Hawks Bay or even the Barcelona CCs will be available by then, if not, I'll get a second classic 150, even though the existing classic could handle both, it's never good to max a CC out.
I'd be happy to field questions on any of the gear if someone was vetting them as possible system options, and update if anything goes awry or proves to be exceptionally good. Before anyone says it, I'll be cleaning up the wire layout this week, lol. Not going to stay like that.
I ended up going with a pair of Kilovault HABs 7.5kw 48v lifepo4 units, which operate in parallel. After getting to know them a bit, and properly syncing them together and calibrating, they are performing extremely well. I chose these particular batteries over the diy route because I simply don't have the time to truly and properly delve into the data required to make something to my own satisfaction at this time. I build enough other stuff as it is. Plus, of something goes wrong, I want the warranty from a company that will honor it within the terms they set, and kilovault is essentially a part of AltE...and they are about 3 hours away, and have always given me excellent customer service. As such, they will directly swap out a problematic unit right there, should I encounter issues. Aside from the fact that these suckers are 230lb wall mounted units, which I would have to dismount, load into my truck, and drive down there to swap out, it's hard to beat that. Fortunately, I have lots of mechanical/hydraulic means to move heavy shit around here.
I went with a Genetry Solar GS6 split phase inverter, more than doubling my previous unit. The GS6 is very underrated at 6kw, being easily capable of 8kw for very extended periods. The sheer amount of options and features accessible on this inverter are unlike any other inverter I've ever used or interfaced with... Hell, I can even change the parameters of the very powerful, high quality fans by adjusting their individual throttles, thermostat setpoints, etc. It does sound like a 747 firing up on the tarmac however... But there's something almost pleasing to me about this. I'd imagine others might find it less so. They custom make their transformers right in (Michigan, I think...one of those states in that area anyway), and then transformer itself is unusually quiet and with an amazing no load draw of 24 watts... That's awesome for a 6+kw inverter. The AC pass through works well, and if this inverter had a weak point, I'd have to say it's in the charging mode, which simply routes current in reverse through the transformer. Via 240v 30a generator input, I've measured a fairly consistent 64% charge efficiency. This isn't great obviously, but the waveform also is not power factor corrected at this time. Sid, the engineer behind the unit, is currently working of the software update (which can be done over the air) to get pfc implemented, which will purportedly increase that efficiency number up to ~85% (we are hoping)...which would be perfectly acceptable. The inversion efficiency itself sits around 85%... Right in line with most other higher quality LF inverters. I could go on at length about this unit, but for the time being, suffice to say I'm extremely impressed and pleased with it, especially at the price of $1200.
The batteries are quite nice. They have a nice little data lcd and a vertical soc bar making it easy to tell at a glance roughly what you've got left in the tank. They communicate with each other for load sharing and charging pretty effectively. They have been in deployment for about a week now. The customer tech support is very responsive.. Trust me, I'm that guy that will put tech support through it's paces (others have used the phrase "hell and back") before I even purchase their product, as I like to know whom I'm hoping in bed with beforehand, and at $5k a battery, I was going to make damn sure they were going to be a good partner. So far, no regrets. They have excellent WiFi capabilities, can be used in local and/or global (cloud), and give some basic useful info on my phone from anywhere. The chassis build quality, onboard breakers, terminals, included cables and weather tight cable guides (all ip6 rated) are truly professional, and very impressive. They have a cycle counter which uses an algorithm to count up partial charge/discharges to create "full" charges of 80% dod as one complete cycle. They base their warranty upon this counter and, along with the charge/discharge data collecting which monitors the amount of current typical to either case, will yield you either a 7.5 year/4000 cycle or 10 year/6000 cycle warranty. I'm firmly in the latter. It's been 7 days, and my batteries are showing 2 cycles and 3 cycles (should be 3 and 3 by the end of today). Now, I obviously couldn't tell you that these batteries will last 40+years at that rate, but I can tell you without any reservation that kilovault *built* these batteries as if they will. The bms is in a separate isolated compartment beneath the cells, with the mod and canbus sockets, lead terminals, and what I think is the wifi board.
Each battery connects to a victron 600a 70v rated 4 post busbar via 10' 1/0 fine stand cables I made myself, which go to a Midnite mini DC breaker box (175a main breaker), and a Midnite classic 150 charge controller... The only piece of gear to make the parlay into the new system actually... It's been performing flawlessly for 9 years now, so why replace it, right?
The new genset (already have 4 others) purchased specifically to charge the bank very occasionally is a Cummings Onan 9500df, which I intended to run strictly on propane (which is why I bought it, as all my others are strictly gas), for ease of maintenance add reliability. It's proven to be anything but however. This things a real piece of shit right out of the box, refuses to run on propane, will not remote start, takes an embarrassing amount of pulls to manual start, and the only function that reliably works is the remote "off", ironically enough. Maybe I got a lemon, but I'd advise to avoid like the plague. A $1200 genset shouldn't have this many issues right out of the gate.
All of this resides in a closet under my first floor staircase, literally a 6'x3' space.
8 Piemar 310w monos round out the system, on a pt adjustable ground mount I fabricated, going into a Midnite pv combiner box with 55' of 6awg running to the CC. Come spring, I'll add a like amount of pv on a second and slightly more westward facing mount... As soon as the ground thaws anyway. And I'm hoping the Midnite Hawks Bay or even the Barcelona CCs will be available by then, if not, I'll get a second classic 150, even though the existing classic could handle both, it's never good to max a CC out.
I'd be happy to field questions on any of the gear if someone was vetting them as possible system options, and update if anything goes awry or proves to be exceptionally good. Before anyone says it, I'll be cleaning up the wire layout this week, lol. Not going to stay like that.
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