Who is still building DIY batteries

[houseofancients]

That’s my point. Just replace DIY with purchased/warrantied over time if issues.

I’m not going to replace my existing DIY, just add rack batteries or other assembled product to the system going forward.

Or..
As most you know , I use seplos diy kits and raw cells.
Best friends has been tagging along with my battery builds, and know where to order the cells and enclosures, and how to build them, and now uses them himself too
While I don't think my wife will ever build, my best friend does and will help should I ever become unable or unavailable to do so

 

[OffGridForGood]

Went the route of purchasing two factory built racks to get started in solar in 2021.
Since then I learned about DIY packs:
how to build them
how to source cells
options for BMS's
cell balancing
DC fuses
DC breakers

I have built four packs now, and all run perfectly, with very low cell voltage delta.
Three more packs planed, one every six months.
Cost per kWh is lower for DIY by a good margin.
Level of control and configuation is higher for DIY
Confidence to open up a pack and re-arrange cells if this ever became necessary is assured.

Future proofing:
We have all seen the change from 12v to 24v to 48v over the years in solar, higher voltages mean lower amperage for a given power output. Just look at EV's to see the trend to 800vDC.
The cells are expected to last 4000-6000 cycles, 10-16 years +plus. Who can say what the standards will be for ESS in sixteen years' time?
If the trend to higher voltages continues in solar inverters, we could see 96v (or higher) voltages become common in the furture - if so I am fully confident to re-arrange cells, add a new BMS and re-use all my DIY cells in whatever new voltage become the standard in the future.
I am equally confident to re-use the LiFePO4 cells in other applications if better battery technology comes to market during the life of these cells. A DIY pack of bolted cells is an easy modular unit to work with, compared with factory welded cells.

 

[Steve_S]

<<< Grins >>>
Some of us built our own Battery Cases/Boxes, some just have the cells bound together & sitting on "shelves", others use manufactured metal cases like "Seplos" offers or any number of others. The First TWO Options can really toss people for a loop, just the visual makes'em cringe, but for some, they think it's "cool".

Many now do offer assorted manufactured cases. Rack Mountables to Stackables to Roller Cabinet style. Some vendors are simply put, Ludicrous for their case kits, while others are not.

I built Plywood Boxes with Perspex clear tops, they look cool and are very neat BUT offputting to some (electrical inspector) who accepted it grudgingly... But thinking forward, I am redoing them all & adding another pack into my Bank and using these cases. (with a slight customization for my specs), shown below is similar to what I am bringing in.
These are nowhere near the cost of "seplos" retail cost. Sorry, I am getting these from the Manufacturer, not an open vendor. BUT with careful searching they can be found.

Any inspector, prospective buyer, or interested visitor/guest will see the stack of these and not think overly much about issues, complications etc.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Very nice - price point?

 

[houseofancients]

<<< Grins >>>
Some of us built our own Battery Cases/Boxes, some just have the cells bound together & sitting on "shelves", others use manufactured metal cases like "Seplos" offers or any number of others. The First TWO Options can really toss people for a loop, just the visual makes'em cringe, but for some, they think it's "cool".

Many now do offer assorted manufactured cases. Rack Mountables to Stackables to Roller Cabinet style. Some vendors are simply put, Ludicrous for their case kits, while others are not.

I built Plywood Boxes with Perspex clear tops, they look cool and are very neat BUT offputting to some (electrical inspector) who accepted it grudgingly... But thinking forward, I am redoing them all & adding another pack into my Bank and using these cases. (with a slight customization for my specs), shown below is similar to what I am bringing in.
View attachment 175060These are nowhere near the cost of "seplos" retail cost. Sorry, I am getting these from the Manufacturer, not an open vendor. BUT with careful searching they can be found.

Any inspector, prospective buyer, or interested visitor/guest will see the stack of these and not think overly much about issues, complications etc.

Not sure what you are paying for these, but a seplos case, inc BMS, busbars, fuse and everything one needs come down to about 420-435, that is inc shipping to my door

Most important here, the carry the required ce mark and certifications to pass insurance/electrical inspections.

 

[Steve_S]

Very nice - price point?

I am getting my gear wholesale now from manufacturers. Partly because Maggie & I decided to go ahead with the Battery Company here in Ontario. I'm now hunting commercial space and more... I can aim you at a Vendor who sells complete kits with all wires etc, choose & add your own BMS & Cells as you wish. Much cheaper than some others out there too. Do NOT be put off by shipping costs etc, a proper quote is required for "real" numbers. https://szluyuan.en.alibaba.com/productgrouplist-916886693/Battery_box_case.html

Sorry, I am NOT using a Retail Vendor for my stuff anymore. My unit cost & S&H is different.
I don't use Seplos BMS etc... So I cannot speak to that.
I will be using the newest versions of JKBMS (I am the JK guy right) so.

I posted Luyuan's offerings and they are quite good & complete with very respectable retail price.

 

[JJJJ]

I have one of those battery cases on order from the supplier Steve mentioned. Can’t wait to get my hands on it. Very nicely crafted!

 

[OffGridForGood]

I have been switching my earlier DIY packs to JK BMS (every since DIY pack #3, when I first tried out the JK) - yeah it just "works" and has been trouble free in operation.

Looking at the ESS, there is another unspoken advantage to the DIY packs: vertical dimension per kWh of storage.
The DIY packs in my rack are 280Ah and 304Ah cell packs (14.3 and 15.5kWh capacity) and occupy 10 vertical inches of the rack.
Contrast this to the 6.1 vertical inches of the LifePower4 case, containing only 5.1kWh capacity. - Yes my rack is deeper in horizontal dimension, this is less concerning to me than how tall the rack is for its' energy storage capacity.
Six 100Ah racks = 30 kWh stack (36 inches plus the base in height)
Four 304Ah racks = 62kWh stack (40 inches plus the base in height

I have one of those battery cases on order from the supplier Steve mentioned. Can’t wait to get my hands on it. Very nicely crafted!

How much did it cost, shipped to your door?

 

[JJJJ]

How much did it cost, shipped to your door?

Actually have it bundled with 8s of Eve 302s and a BMS so it would be difficult to break that out. However vendor has been extremely helpful and would be able to get that to you.

 

[Steve_S]

Battery Racking TIP (Cost Saving BIG Time)
The racks used are Telecom & Server racks (real world app) they come in many sizes & many options for obvious reasons. Computer Server rooms are constantly being upgraded and refreshed as tech moves ahead. The Network companies installing all of this stuff usually have to dispose of the extracted racks & cabinets. Far too often they goto Scrap ! If you can find where they are scraped you can likely get them for the scrap weight cost alone. Alternatively, reach out to your local network service companies who wire networks and do server installations and see if they have any that can be bought.

I've gotten fully enclosed with glass & vented Server Cabinets for the cost of moving them ! Telecom Racks with shelves & UPS on bottom for <$200. HUNT AROUND ! CraigsList & Kijiji are Great Sources to find such as well.

 

[houseofancients]

Battery Racking TIP (Cost Saving BIG Time)
The racks used are Telecom & Server racks (real world app) they come in many sizes & many options for obvious reasons. Computer Server rooms are constantly being upgraded and refreshed as tech moves ahead. The Network companies installing all of this stuff usually have to dispose of the extracted racks & cabinets. Far too often they goto Scrap ! If you can find where they are scraped you can likely get them for the scrap weight cost alone. Alternatively, reach out to your local network service companies who wire networks and do server installations and see if they have any that can be bought.

I've gotten fully enclosed with glass & vented Server Cabinets for the cost of moving them ! Telecom Racks with shelves & UPS on bottom for <$200. HUNT AROUND ! CraigsList & Kijiji are Great Sources to find such as well.

I get them for free, everytime we decommission a physical datacenter at work..
Very very much aware where the enclosures come from, as wel as the 19" racks.
That is actually how I got to know seplos..
We and a major telecom provider in the country use them for their remote antenna locations

 

[NCislander]

Lol , makes me laugh at how many forum members work with or are affiliated with Telcom/Datacenters. Server racks are everywhere.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Lol , makes me laugh at how many forum members work with or are affiliated with Telcom/Datacenters. Server racks are everywhere.

Can we get some of them to set up a re-selling program?
Steel server racks are expensive for what you get!

 

[NCislander]

Never buy them them new. The market in many places is flooded with them used.

 

[oglark]

I am getting my gear wholesale now from manufacturers. Partly because Maggie & I decided to go ahead with the Battery Company here in Ontario. I'm now hunting commercial space and more... I can aim you at a Vendor who sells complete kits with all wires etc, choose & add your own BMS & Cells as you wish. Much cheaper than some others out there too. Do NOT be put off by shipping costs etc, a proper quote is required for "real" numbers. https://szluyuan.en.alibaba.com/productgrouplist-916886693/Battery_box_case.html

Sorry, I am NOT using a Retail Vendor for my stuff anymore. My unit cost & S&H is different.
I don't use Seplos BMS etc... So I cannot speak to that.
I will be using the newest versions of JKBMS (I am the JK guy right) so.

I posted Luyuan's offerings and they are quite good & complete with very respectable retail price.

What is your store in Ontario. I am looking for cells but for us Canucks its pretty much alibaba

 

[OffGridForGood]

Never buy them them new. The market in many places is flooded with them used.

I know a guy who works with cell towers and other telecomm stuff, I should just ask him! Thanks.

 

[Surferdudemi]

Not sure what you are paying for these, but a seplos case, inc BMS, busbars, fuse and everything one needs come down to about 420-435, that is inc shipping to my door

Most important here, the carry the required ce mark and certifications to pass insurance/electrical inspections.

Where are you getting Seplos complete kit (less cells) for <$450? This is for 16x 280-304AH cells and 150A-200A BMS?

 

[houseofancients]

Where are you getting Seplos complete kit (less cells) for <$450? This is for 16x 280-304AH cells and 150A-200A BMS?

Of course only the diy kit, cell need to be bought seperate, does inc the 200a bms

 

[Steve_S]

What is your store in Ontario. I am looking for cells but for us Canucks its pretty much alibaba

With luck, things could start operations in Q1-2024 depending on the process.

 

[Boron]

I was so torn I decided to buy one server rack as my first 48v battery to play with.

Pretty instantly I found I am completely unsatisfied with not having total control over BMS settings and functionality, and that settled it. I am assembling the parts to set up my own contactor BMS on the 16s pack out of the server rack battery. I will use these cells as the test bed for BMS systems and then move the BMS over to larger cells later.

You sound like a healthy skeptic given all the marketing bull shine out there pushing high value OTT solutions and really confusing the important issues around energy storage. pls keep in touch, wlt share my info/trials