Why buy a 100ah server rack when you can DIY a 280 or 320 for $200 more?

[homeshow]

Signature solar is offering a EG4 48V 100ah server rack battery for $1200.
You can build a 48v from 3.2v 280 or 320ah cells with BMS. It's maybe $200 more. Plus with the almost complete shutdown of E-vehicles production. Battery and other parts could see further price drips. Or there are E-vehicle cells for cheap.
Here is the EG4 @Signature.

EG4-LifePower4 V2 Lithium Battery | 48V 100AH | Server Rack Battery | UL1973, UL9540A | 10-Year Warranty

The EG4 LifePower4 V2 Lithium Battery 48V 100AH provides reliable energy storage for server racks, ensuring uninterrupted power supply with its efficient and high-capacity lithium technology.

signaturesolar.com

 

[42OhmsPA]

Thanks for the reminder I need to order more cells...

 

[timselectric]

The answer is simple.
Laziness lol

 

[Danke]

Signature solar is offering a EG4 48V 100ah server rack battery for $1200.
You can build a 48v from 3.2v 280 or 320ah cells with BMS. It's maybe $200 more. Plus with the almost complete shutdown of E-vehicles production. Battery and other parts could see further price drips. Or there are E-vehicle cells for cheap.
Here is the EG4 @Signature.

EG4-LifePower4 V2 Lithium Battery | 48V 100AH | Server Rack Battery | UL1973, UL9540A | 10-Year Warranty

The EG4 LifePower4 V2 Lithium Battery 48V 100AH provides reliable energy storage for server racks, ensuring uninterrupted power supply with its efficient and high-capacity lithium technology.

signaturesolar.com

Or a 280Ah rack battery for $250 less.

 

[homeshow]

The answer is simple.
Laziness lol

Right but 280 is almost the 100x3! Just seems nuts to me.

 

[timselectric]

Right but 280 is almost the 100x3! Just seems nuts to me.

Agreed
This is why I build my own.

 

[EnergizerNate]

Signature solar is offering a EG4 48V 100ah server rack battery for $1200.
You can build a 48v from 3.2v 280 or 320ah cells with BMS. It's maybe $200 more. Plus with the almost complete shutdown of E-vehicles production. Battery and other parts could see further price drips. Or there are E-vehicle cells for cheap.
Here is the EG4 @Signature.

EG4-LifePower4 V2 Lithium Battery | 48V 100AH | Server Rack Battery | UL1973, UL9540A | 10-Year Warranty

The EG4 LifePower4 V2 Lithium Battery 48V 100AH provides reliable energy storage for server racks, ensuring uninterrupted power supply with its efficient and high-capacity lithium technology.

signaturesolar.com

Well that is annoying. I have V1 on the truck coming Thursday with only a 5 year warranty and I bought the comm hub.

 

[Bananaman321]

If you can utilize the government 30% tax credit I think the quality of the build is hard to beat with the welded busbar construction the Nader disconnect breaker also nice to have the closed loop RSD communication disconnect system that turns the Breakers off in the event of an emergency and I think the EG4 Power wall batteries are the better deal more slightly money per kilowatt but you get added fire suppression for code compliance plus 600A bus bars and built in heaters for a cold temperatures and better warranty.

 

[homeshow]

If you can utilize the government 30% tax credit I think the quality of the build is hard to beat with the welded busbar construction the Nader disconnect breaker also nice to have the closed loop RSD communication disconnect system that turns the Breakers off in the event of an emergency and I think the EG4 Power wall batteries are the better deal more slightly money per kilowatt but you get added fire suppression for code compliance plus 600A bus bars and built in heaters for a cold temperatures and better warranty.

I'm not familiar with the government 30% tax credit if you have any links that would be great.

 

[Crowz]

I just keep buying the 51.2v 100ah chins with bluetooth at $790 or less when they go on sale from time to time with free shipping. Working out nicely so far.

 

[Danke]

I'm not familiar with the government 30% tax credit if you have any links that would be great.

Residential Clean Energy Credit | Internal Revenue Service

If you invest in renewable energy for your home such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, fuel cells or battery storage, you may qualify for a tax credit.

www.irs.gov

 

[Rednecktek]

Many people just don't want to hassle with figuring out how to wire a BMS, investing in the tools, top balancing, etc. They want something that just plugs in and works. Plus, you get a lot of features in the pre-built that some people want like communications and a fancy screen and such.

Myself, I have no desire for anything fancy or high tech, I just want a main breaker, a positive bolt, and a negative bolt. When I build mine out I'll add in the features that I want like an internal Class-T fuse, cooling fans, heater, and a shunt. I figure even if I pay for USA stock from Docan, I can build a 304Ah for less than $2k with only the things I want in them. But then again, I enjoy building batteries, so I'm weird.

And it gives me an excuse to break out the welder again.

 

[Wessss77]

Keep in mind that prism prices have dropped significantly in the last year or two. I paid $800 just 18 months ago for my 100ah batteries but they're pouch cells and take up much less space as well as having higher density and lower IR... But now I'd love to include one 280 to 340 per week just because building prism batteries is fun and not a waste of money... It will carry me through the one month when I may touch the grid this winter the build is addictive behavior... Hi I'm Wessss77 and I'm an addict

 

[Brucey]

Keep in mind that prism prices have dropped significantly in the last year or two. I paid $800 just 18 months ago for my 100ah batteries but they're pouch cells and take up much less space as well as having higher density and lower IR... But now I'd love to include one 280 to 340 per week just because building prism batteries is fun and not a waste of money... It will carry me through the one month when I may touch the grid this winter the build is addictive behavior... Hi I'm Wessss77 and I'm an addict

Build a 14 to 16kWh battery per week? Nice

 

[Brucey]

I just keep buying the 51.2v 100ah chins with bluetooth at $790 or less when they go on sale from time to time with free shipping. Working out nicely so far.

Get something with comms for $885:

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

 

[Crowz]

Get something with comms for $885:

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

I might buy one of those for the new system in the other house. I don't run comms. Can't see much of a purpose in it. The battery's bms protects itself and I don't have all of the drama the comms folks do when a battery gets ticked off

 

[teal95]

Time vs $. Each of us has to draw the line somewhere. If you haven't built a battery before there is a time investment researching before you can even start ordering parts. And invariably there are issues doing the first build.

 

[oregonsun]

Or a 280Ah rack battery for $250 less.

What is that 280ah rackmount battery and where can you buy it? (without fear of being scammed)

 

[Bluedog225]

I just keep buying the 51.2v 100ah chins with bluetooth at $790 or less when they go on sale from time to time with free shipping. Working out nicely so far.

Where and when? Thanks

 

[Bananaman321]

Where and when? Thanks

So check these out they're 24V and you'd have to run a balancer but they're 280 Ah x 2 for less than $1000

ECO-WORTHY 7168Wh 24V 280Ah 300Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery (2 Pack 12v 280AH) RV | eBay

Our 280Ah LiFePO4 battery weight is 61.7 lbs, only 1/3 of Lead-Acid battery. More convenient carrying, any mount directions, no leakage risk, safer usage. 12V 280Ah LiFePO4 battery with higher energy density, they are manufactured by Grade A LiFePO4 cells, more stable performance and greater power.

www.ebay.com

 

[WorldwideDave]

So check these out they're 24V and you'd have to run a balancer but they're 280 Ah x 2 for less than $1000

ECO-WORTHY 7168Wh 24V 280Ah 300Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery (2 Pack 12v 280AH) RV | eBay

Our 280Ah LiFePO4 battery weight is 61.7 lbs, only 1/3 of Lead-Acid battery. More convenient carrying, any mount directions, no leakage risk, safer usage. 12V 280Ah LiFePO4 battery with higher energy density, they are manufactured by Grade A LiFePO4 cells, more stable performance and greater power.

www.ebay.com

Just casually throwing out 'bouncer' in a thread pretty much sells the all-in-one for most people. Please explain what that is. Also remember many don't know what a BMS is, but they do find out once they drain their battery for the first time, and then find out their LiFePO4 has a BMS inside of it.

 

[WorldwideDave]

I just keep buying the 51.2v 100ah chins with bluetooth at $790 or less when they go on sale from time to time with free shipping. Working out nicely so far.

one of the few on here who has chins. I do as well (12V, no bluetooth). With your chins are you just adding more and more in parallel? Thanks

 

[Bananaman321]

Just casually throwing out 'bouncer' in a thread pretty much sells the all-in-one for most people. Please explain what that is. Also remember many don't know what a BMS is, but they do find out once they drain their battery for the first time, and then find out their LiFePO4 has a BMS inside of it.

Nobody said anything about bouncer that was about half baked

 

[WorldwideDave]

Signature solar is offering a EG4 48V 100ah server rack battery for $1200.
You can build a 48v from 3.2v 280 or 320ah cells with BMS. It's maybe $200 more. Plus with the almost complete shutdown of E-vehicles production. Battery and other parts could see further price drips. Or there are E-vehicle cells for cheap.
Here is the EG4 @Signature.

EG4-LifePower4 V2 Lithium Battery | 48V 100AH | Server Rack Battery | UL1973, UL9540A | 10-Year Warranty

The EG4 LifePower4 V2 Lithium Battery 48V 100AH provides reliable energy storage for server racks, ensuring uninterrupted power supply with its efficient and high-capacity lithium technology.

signaturesolar.com

I think the fact that no one has said here is how you build a DIY battery. You will need these 3-4 tools. Here's links to those tools. You will need a place to store them. here is a link to an enclosure. You will need to buy these cells. here's the link to buy these in USA. You need to buy a BMS. Specifically buy this model J/K at this link (or more links, as they seem to be forever out of stock). Buy these bars to go between the batteries. Here is link to these bars. Here is a map of how to lay them out inside the box above. Here is the charger to buy to balance the cells. here is how to use that balancer. Here is the time it should take to balance each cell. In 10 days once everything is balanced, now assemble. Now wire the bms like this (which wire goes where). here's the conductors you should purchase. here's the crimper. here's the lugs. Oh and here's a bus bar I recommend to connect this battery to. Oh and here's the breaker you should use before connecting to your bus bar. And a kill switch you recommend. And oh wait - a meter for this new battery you made. And before you do all of this, this is the space you will need in your garage, living room, kitchen counter, shop to assemble/charge, and the size you will need once it is all together. The rest is up to you.

That is why I believe DIY is less popular/common. Plus warrantee. Plus what to do if individual cell is bad or won't balance or whatever. I think buying something with a switch, warrantee, and a store to back you up is worth something to most people. Which is why you don't see too many individuals making their own automobiles vs. buying one, for example. I think the cost per kWh also goes down the bigger the battery you buy. Isn't a powerwall (Tesla) 7.2 kWh or something for $8,000 USD? I may be wrong.

I want to do a battery DIY, absolutely. But the time it takes and frustration of learning new things at an older age is prohibitive for some.

 

[Crowz]

Where and when? Thanks

Amazon. Prices range from 750 to 850 randomly.