One thing I've added, to a couple of these that I've built, is a switch with a small LED light, on the side. I find I use it often. I've been thinking about an easy way to put an LED lamp on the end of a telescoping antenna (use antenna for ground) with a POS wire twisted around to plug in the top of the box. So I can have a more distributed light. For playing cards, reading, etc., when the electric goes out. I'm not a HAM, so my use-need is different. But I find them handy for camping, at he picnic table, for light, phone/device charging, etc. - Those Bluetti things are kinda overkill, for what I use it for, anyway. I agree with you, I too find I seldom use the AC inverter. I keep that little Bestech red inverter in the top of the one I use most often. It only gets used when we camp with the Self inflating airbed, which is super handy. And about the only thing that we use thats AC, when camping. Clean build Don. So far, the one's I've built have been with prebuilt Lifepo4 batteries. I need to get over myself and order some cells a BMS, and just do it. It is an area I just don't know which cells and BMS's work well together. Is there a good primer on figuring what cells and BMS's work well together? I may just copy the parts you've used here, until I have a better understanding of how to pick compatible components. Thanks again Don, good to see another one of your projects! I'm busy finishing up my 8.5x20 CTC built. Installing cedar TnG this weekend. Cheers for Michigan!
I like the idea of the light. I use my phone's a lot. There are some good videos on building LiFeP04 batteries, but the BMS has to match the battery capacity and you need to choose based on number of cells (I usually build with 4) and max current you need from the battery. After that, then you need to consider if you want a basic BMS with no interface, or a Smart BMS where you can program and monitor. The BMS that I use (Daly) is a good brand and I like them..the have all the parameters programmable along with thermocouple for temperature monitoring. You can figure it out. Let me know if you have any questions.
Absolutely not. 1500w at 13.3v would draw 112 amps. First issue is that it only has a 30A BMS, second, it does not put out 110VAC, just 13.3v. Lastly, even if it could supply the 112A and the inverter had no losses, it would only run for a little over 3.5 hours before the battery would be flat. If you need a 1500w heater for off grid, I'd recommend a cheap diesel furnace. Very effective and efficient. Using electricity to generate heat is never efficient.
Missed you Don! Good to hear from you. Watching...
Thank you kindly. Good to hear from you. I hope all is well.
One thing I've added, to a couple of these that I've built, is a switch with a small LED light, on the side. I find I use it often.
I've been thinking about an easy way to put an LED lamp on the end of a telescoping antenna (use antenna for ground) with a POS wire twisted around to plug in the top of the box. So I can have a more distributed light. For playing cards, reading, etc., when the electric goes out. I'm not a HAM, so my use-need is different. But I find them handy for camping, at he picnic table, for light, phone/device charging, etc. - Those Bluetti things are kinda overkill, for what I use it for, anyway. I agree with you, I too find I seldom use the AC inverter. I keep that little Bestech red inverter in the top of the one I use most often. It only gets used when we camp with the Self inflating airbed, which is super handy. And about the only thing that we use thats AC, when camping.
Clean build Don. So far, the one's I've built have been with prebuilt Lifepo4 batteries. I need to get over myself and order some cells a BMS, and just do it. It is an area I just don't know which cells and BMS's work well together. Is there a good primer on figuring what cells and BMS's work well together? I may just copy the parts you've used here, until I have a better understanding of how to pick compatible components. Thanks again Don, good to see another one of your projects!
I'm busy finishing up my 8.5x20 CTC built. Installing cedar TnG this weekend.
Cheers for Michigan!
I like the idea of the light. I use my phone's a lot. There are some good videos on building LiFeP04 batteries, but the BMS has to match the battery capacity and you need to choose based on number of cells (I usually build with 4) and max current you need from the battery. After that, then you need to consider if you want a basic BMS with no interface, or a Smart BMS where you can program and monitor. The BMS that I use (Daly) is a good brand and I like them..the have all the parameters programmable along with thermocouple for temperature monitoring.
You can figure it out. Let me know if you have any questions.
@@donsdoityourself2547 thank you sir. I may take you up on that!
I want to know if these things will power a 1500 watt heater on high overnight
Absolutely not. 1500w at 13.3v would draw 112 amps. First issue is that it only has a 30A BMS, second, it does not put out 110VAC, just 13.3v. Lastly, even if it could supply the 112A and the inverter had no losses, it would only run for a little over 3.5 hours before the battery would be flat. If you need a 1500w heater for off grid, I'd recommend a cheap diesel furnace. Very effective and efficient. Using electricity to generate heat is never efficient.