We Built a 32 KWh Off-Grid Solar Battery (and it WORKS)
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2024
- In this video, I'll walk you through how to build your very own DIY Seplos lithium-ion off-grid battery system. Whether you're looking to power your home, RV, or cabin, this project will help you create a reliable and efficient energy storage solution for sustainable living.
We'll cover everything from the components needed, like the Seplos battery management system (BMS), lithium-ion cells, cables, and enclosures, to wiring and assembling your battery safely.
By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a fully functional off-grid lithium-ion battery pack that can store renewable energy from solar panels, wind turbines, or other alternative sources. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced DIY enthusiast, this project is achievable with the right tools and knowledge.
Don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hit the bell icon for more DIY renewable energy projects! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below.
I built 4 of those and saved so much money. great job.
Thank you! Yeah I also saved a bundle of cash. So much so I want to build another 2 of them once I get my inverters upgraded. 👍🏻
it always impresses me how you manage to run 2 houses off of your modest system,kudos to you, hopefully the new batteries will give you a sensible safe buffer :) :)
Thank you Kevin! I hope this upgrade will make a huge difference especially during winter. It should also allow us to relax our energy monitoring duties a whole lot too. 😁👍🏻 Especially when I upgrade the inverters to 12kw and use the existing system exclusively to run the borehole pump, pool and spa.
Greetings from Poland. Great job 😀
Thank you! Greetings from Italy. 😊
Thank you! Enjoyable and informative.
However! Everything I've read says to never put washers between the battery and the connections.
They reduce the surface area (power does not go through the post), and they aren't rated for the amperage and become a source of over-heating and failure.
Thank you! I think. 🤣 now I have to do more research and work around the washers on the batteries. Got conflicting info on the washers and went with the info from Seplos but a few people have made similar comments so now I’m having to rethink this. 👍🏻
Finnally I see more or less budget solution - 32 300ah lifepo4 cells with nkon 2400 euro + BMS 100-150 euro + DYI battary box - really nice solution
@@vpchelko the cases with BMS came in at around $500 each. I am really happy with them so far. 👍🏻
@@FarmsVilla i.e. the price of a metal box is about 300 dollars - perhaps for aesthetics
Also for saving of space. I want to add another 2 in future so giving me a total of 64Kwh. Should take up roughly the same amount of floor space as the existing 25Kwh of lead acid.
@@FarmsVilla yeas, the space... well, for that you need to get rid of lead batteries,
good work
@@chrislewis3247 thanks Chris! Just need to get them connected to the new inverters when I get back home.
Great video and information. Please provide links to the batteries, cases, and inverters. Thanks!
@@markc1662 thanks Mark. I will add the links to the video description in the near future
These are rebadged seplos diy 280 standing cases and bms
Solid stuff..
Using 8 of the rack mount , together with sunsynk/dryer hybrid..
You'll be a happy chappy with these..
Do make sure you top balance the cells before putting it in production, otherwise you'll miss some capacity
@@houseofancients yeah I didn’t want the hassle of importing from China to Italy. Customs clearance a duty. Got them from Poland so no issues. Not worried that they are rebadged. 👍🏻
I hope you post a contract for the battery box soon as I have 32 cells needing boxes. I am in the USA and hard to find that are not over priced thanks great job with the batteries
@@1mrgraphix Thank you! I will be putting out a short video hopefully tonight with contact details for the batteries as well as the inverters. 👍🏻
The biggest issue I see with vertical stacked batteries is that all the weight above pushes down on the lower ones, that weight is certainly pushing limits.
I would stand the pack with loose terminals then tighten afterwards as there will be a fair bit of pressure on the them as the stack settles.
@@bentheguru4986 good point! I will check when back but I did compress the cells when they were lying flat. That is why I opted to use the bus bars that came with the kit as they are able to flex.
"Do i look like a scale?" 😂
I wonder what the idle draw is for the inverters?
There is, was a battery that had screws very close to traces on the two pcbs on top. I donot think your design has that.
I am glad you have your energy sorted out. Now time to get an electric car.
I will check what the stated idle draw is in the specs and let you know. Real test will be when I upgrade the inverters and connect the batteries in the next few weeks. A small electric car to run into town and to the airport will be a great addition. We hardly go anywhere apart from that so a long range not really important. Hopefully this winter we won’t need to use the generator as much. 😁
@@FarmsVilla I saw where the new 120v or split phase(2 120v) ( I do not recall which) with an idle consumption over 100 ( maybe 110) watts where the older versions was around 70 watts. I hope yours is lower.
Also do your new batteries have a pre charge resistor? Where you do not have a high in rush of current. It is my understanding that it can damage the inverter. Some use a large resistor, 48v bulb (with a bulb you know when the capacitors are charged), lead pencil. I have seen one bms will not turn until you have charged the capacitors.
I hope things have gone well.
I think you missed the heat transfer gummy blue pad that goes between the BMS Aluminum heat sink and the case..
Your suppose to remove the BMS then place the blue gummy pad on the aluminum radiator then reinstall.. this helps the BMS disperse heat from the electronics.
Also I think you are suppose to put a long yellow insulating sheet lengthwise in between the two 8 cell rows to separate the cells.. The blue casing on the cells can easily wear off and the shielding is actually a cell conductor that can be dangerous..
@@mindbender50 thanks for your comment. I did place the epoxy separator between the 2 banks of cells. I will check for the blue pad between the BMS heatsink and case when I am home again before I connect the batteries to the inverters. These are Seplos kits rebranded and did come more assembled than the seplos kits so hopefully the heat transfer pad is already installed. 👍🏻
@@FarmsVilla I have the same setup exactly... mine did not have the blue pad in place(and the BMS was already installed) hopefully its not a problem for you to get the pad in if its missing.. Also I had to use a active balancer to get the cells top balance afterwards otherwise a single runaway cell was shutting down the whole battery prematurely..
One battery can charge faster and hit the 3.55v bms high voltage cutoff but the others lagged behind(were still at 3.3v) so I was not getting full capacity till I did this..
I used a neey active balancer and set it to balance when over 3.45volts and had a Wanptek High Power Laboratory stabilized power supply charger.
I set the charger at 56v 20 amp current and let it run till the bms tripped..
Then I let the bms reset and set the charger to 56.8volts(3.55 per cell) and current limited to 70ma's it trickle charged for a day and the neey balancer brought them into top balance at 56.8..(no bms trips occurred since the trickle charge was so low the individual cells had no chance to run away before the balancer corrected). Then all cells were at the same point on the charge curve and all synced .... Also you need to set up the BMS parameters to your liking in the software with a pc..
Hope this helps..(sorry for long winded reply I went through all this heartache to get mine going)
No need to apologise! Your info is very helpful so thank you. I will certainly look into everything you have shared and make sure I get the cells perfectly balanced before getting them all hooked up. I will need to do some research into the neey balancer as I assumed the BMS would take care of this. Guess I also need to get hold of a decent power supply charger as well. 👍🏻
I expect to see in video DYI box for 32 cells... these box not cheap
Which Polish company did you use to order? I'm looking to do the same and I don't wanna risk China :(
When you stand these vertically, the cells will lie on their sides, that is what most annoying, there are serve rack mounts that stack up horizontally and cells stays upright as those were shipped from the supplier.
@@pr5991 I’m not too worried that they are lying on their side to be honest. Don’t think it will cause any issues. Hopefully I am not proven wrong in time to come. 😊
is that a screwfix socket set i spy in the red blow moulded case ?? :) :)
Nope Snap-On 😊
Hi i like the video you made but i miss the info
where did you buy what
i'dd like to see the links
thanks in advance
Thank you! I will be adding the links in the description shortly. 👍🏻
Info on where you got them from ?
I will be doing a short video in the next few days with details on how and where I sourced the kit. Along with contact details of who I dealt with. 👍🏻
You sound South African...?
Guilty as charged! 😊
ffs wear some gloves man
@@bloodynorahvan2203 why? It’s only 50 odd volts. 😊
52v is safe