This video is outdated!!!! DO NOT USE a battery protect in this system. Updated schematics can be found here: 12v: www.mobile-solarpower.com/design-your-own-12v-lifepo4-system.html *Does off-grid solar confuse you?* Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system packages and product recommendations, and so much more! www.mobile-solarpower.com *Join our DIY solar community!* #1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike: www.diysolarforum.com Check out my best-selling, beginner-friendly 12V off-grid solar book (affiliate link): amzn.to/2Aj4dX4 If DIY is not for you, but you love solar and need an offgrid system, check out EnergyPal! They will price out a system and get your house offgrid: energypal.com/diysolar/ *My Solar Equipment Recommendations (Constantly updated! Check here first):* 12V/48V Lithium Batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-batteries.html Solar System Component Directory: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solarcomponents.html Complete 48V System Blueprint: www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v-complete-system-blueprint.html Plug-N-Play Systems: www.mobile-solarpower.com/full-size-systems.html Complete 48V System Kits: www.mobile-solarpower.com/complete-48v-solar-kits.html DIY Friendly Air Conditioner/ Heat Pumps: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-friendly-air-conditioners.html *My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar Products:* *Signature Solar* Offgrid One-Stop-Shop. Best Value 48V LiFePO4, Victron and Offgrid Specific Heat Pumps: www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek *Current Connected* SOK, Victron, Mr.Cool Heatpumps and High Quality Components: currentconnected.com/?ref=wp *Ecoflow Delta* My favorite plug-n-play solar generator: us.ecoflow.com/?aff=7 *AmpereTime* Cheapest 12V batteries around: amperetime.com/products/ampere-time-12v-100ah-lithium-lifepo4-battery?ref=h-cvbzfahsek *Renogy* A classic 12V solar store that has been around for ages! renogy.sjv.io/n1VjXx *Rich Solar* Renogy's biggest competitor! Similar products, but at a better price: richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek *Battery Hookup* Cheap cell deals bit.ly/2mIxSqt 5% off code: diysolar *Contact Information:* I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com Join the forum at diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar *FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers:* Every video includes some form of paid promotion or sponsorship. Some links on this youtube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :) DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
brassmonkey001 I guess it’s because the battery protect Will used doesn’t have a delay. With low voltage disconnect devices, you want to use one which has a delay which means this allows the voltage to drop temporarily below your minimum voltage setting e.g. half a second or 5 seconds, whatever. Some DC loads will have an initial big current draw (start up current if you like) which drops the voltage of the battery. Once they are working normally the current draw is much smaller. I’m only guessing this is the reason but I always buy low voltage disconnect devices with a delay on the relay kicking in.
@@stevekent3991 actually not. It's because victron made an update saying not to use with inverters. Check out my community section and forum for more info on the update. Delay not necessary in this application
I'm looking to put together a system like this and noticed that your updated schematics still use a common-port BMS, despite the drawback you mentioned at the end of the video. Is there a reason why you didn't change the design to use separate ports? For the BMS you recommend, both common and separate port versions are readily available at about the same price at Aliexpress, so the separate port version seems to make more sense with a solar charger. Another thing -- With your design, the output load current is no longer regulated by the BMS, which means that the discharge rate of the batteries could exceed a safe rate of discharge for battery longevity, depending on the loads (size of inverter + other loads like the 12V dc-dc buck converter), and the batteries chosen. In your schematic, I note that you have added separate fuses for both the solar charger and the inverter, yet these are not specced or described at all in the text. Is the purpose of these to limit load/charge current, or just provide added protection? If the inverter is properly sized, they might not be needed for this purpose. Also, could breakers be used instead? I'd be interested in any comments you have about this aspect of the design.
@@andreafalconiero9089 I guess the idea is know what the load is and add a fuse inline so you can't draw too much. It seems like the whole purpose there is to be able to draw a massive current, larger than the BMS would be able to handle. Although I'm not sure how many will need to pull those kind of currents regularly on a small system. One thing this system doesn't deal with is if a cell is going over voltage. BMS can't stop the CC from charging because the CC is directly connected to the battery. To fix this problem, I think you'd need to add another relay in parallel with the load relay that disconnects the solar panels. But then if you hit under voltage in the BMS, you disconnect the load and the panels so no charging........ but battery is protected.. Dilemma. I suppose it's better to get back and find no charge than finding a broken battery (cell). Is there a better way to do it Will?
I have 25 years in the 12 volt industry and have been doing projects like you my whole life and in my opinion you do an excellent job explaining everything in an easy to understand way. Thank you for also introducing me to products I didn't know about. Keep up the great work!
I am an electrician for thirty years in a steel mill, I do have DC experience on overhead cranes. You are not hard to follow I have doing this a long time learning terms is the hardest thing. I'm going to keep watching to get familiar with components and terms. Thank you for doing this, I think it's great.
I always love after I'm completely amazed at the complexity of what you do, you end it with "See, that was easy!" You have a gift, and I'm happy you share it with the world. Keep doing what you do!
For newbies there is always going to be something they don’t understand and there is only so much you can say trying to keep the instructions and explanations concise. What could be helpful to newbies is to draw boxes with descriptions on your plywood to help them visually digest the big picture of what you are doing and building as they continue watching the video e.g. For the voltage step down converter, draw a box or an outline of some shape or form around the step down converter and write a description of the device in the box, something like: Converts 24v input to 12v output to use for 12v load For the Victron Battery Protect, draw a box around it and write: Low voltage disconnect to protect battery from over discharge (disconnect load at 24v - option 8) For the Victron mppt charge controller, draw a box around it and write: Regulates solar input voltage to safely charge the battery. You get the idea. I know you don’t have much space to work with but some people learn better with visual clues. If you are used to playing around with DC circuits and solar in particular, we all know what a voltage step down converter, a relay and a Victron mppt charge controller looks like but a newbie might be listening and watching but then forgets what the blue device is for or what the other blue device is for or what the grey device is for etc.
stotas2 Thanks for your curriosity; For many years Trojan T105's (series parallel) about 475ah. Now(5 yrs) 4 agm's total 700 ah. looking for best way to get to 1/2 that in lifepo4. perhaps 3 or 4 Battleborn tho on ss it may take a while. ✌
stotas2 Nice idea, wondered when carbon nano would integrate. Haven't found at least a 12 volt 100 ah battery yet, have you? Will be the recipient of a 25 kw solar system soon will need batteries to match. ✌
So yesterday I took delivery on my BMS and started to think about how to hook it up, possibly using my Victron Battery Protect. So today I find your video telling me how to hook it up. How perfect is that. Thank you so much Will, you are the best.
Thanks for your enthusiasm, never loose it! I had the same feeling when I built my portable 550W 18650 pack last year - ‘wow - I did it, this is amazing’. Planning for a new lifepo4 pack, for winter use, -40 outdoor temp. Your input here is invaluable. Thanks a thousand times.
Davidian, Did you ever get info on how well these fair in low temps? I want to use these in a mountain cabin that will be totally shut down in the winter. I know the batteries cant be charged at low temps, but how cold can they be stored?
The BatteryProtect is a MOSFET and cannot block current in both directions. According to the Victron BatteryProtect documentation you should not use the BatteryProtect to switch a load that may run current in reverse, or for capacitive loads such as inverters.
Love the enthusiasm and energy you bring to your videos. Still got a few years of life left in my old lead acid solar system (off grid 13 years in Spain) but thanks to well explained video feel fairly confident I could convert system at some point in the future. Many thanks (ex telecoms tech. retired).
Hello, I am French and congratulate you for all of your popularization videos on this topic which are really very well done and which explains all the monitoring parameters to take into account and their roles (better than all professionals in the sector). As far as safety is concerned, I would like to advise you to insert circuit cuts in your assemblies in order to be able to isolate the generators in case of necessity or simply maintenance for example (battery, solar panel and load) and finally, when handling with a current of this order of magnitude, do not forget to wear insulating gloves because the direct current is even more dangerous than the alternating current for the heart! Good luck and congratulations.
Well, I'm so new, my green is even greener!!! You seem like a very intelligent young man! And also seem to know exactly what you're talking about!! Kudos to you!! If I were to build one myself... I'd definitely start from square one with your videos and on up to this one. (56 year old mom and grandma.. lol) My goal is to have at least a used RV and full time in it. Travel as much as I can while I'm able to. So solar power is definitely part of the equation!! Thanks for popping up in my suggested videos!!! 😁😁😁😁 Keep up the great content!!
Hello Will, many thanks to your video. The explanations were spotless, loud n clear and had Professorial gravity. The amazing fact is that, you did not even refer to scripts and the lecture was flawless with no haas, errs and ahem like what we generally are accustomed to; from XYZ! Bravo, my friend. One other thing that I was hunting for was; a solar powered LiFePo4 BMS. Trust me, No ONE , spoke about it during my entire search for the eluding item, The BMS for PV cell Charger. Now, I’d gather all the pertinent info of all the parts and description, compile it and start a new venture. That said, I thank you, once again for all the efforts you put in to make this video a great success. Sincerely, SK
I've seen a couple of your videos before but really gets me is your enthusiasm over all of this. You can tell it's something you love , passionate about. So thank you for the education. I've got to build me a solar power system for my motorhome and I had thought about buying BATTLEBORN BATTERIES. Then a close friend told me about SOK batteries. So I want to learn more about then and found you. And found I may go with the DIY BATTERIES. It's the cost that keeps me from having this system . But the DIY may fit my budget, thanks to you.
I can’t tell you how valuable your content is! Incredible wealth of knowledge! I’ve been searching for a good in depth way to understand solar setups and for so long. All of your tips on lithium batteries, BMS, and how to set everything up is worth it’s weight in gold. Thank you so much for the information and keep up the great videos!
Will explains everything really well. Of course it's not always "super simple", as evidenced by the changing guidance on his website and all the comments in this video. Apparently technology is still maturing in this area, there's new BMS devices that change the way things should be done, in less than two years since this video was posted. I'm willing to learn, perhaps Will could replace this video with the new 'mo better "super simple" method.
I've been trying to learn solar power and actually bought a short course at Udemy. Today your video on sizing just played on UA-cam and I got hooked. Thanks for the great tutorials. And yes I finished this video and will watch it again.
Nice job,Will! To be honest, I did get a bit lost a couple times. It is a lot to absorb. But the system you built in this video seems to be very close to what I will need for a sailboat system that I envision. So I need to watch the video a few more times. And finish reading your book!
"If you can crimp wires you can put this together!" "Now just short out these terminals for a big ole gnarly spark ... " Very informative, though - thanks for this!
The only thing I see missing is my ability to buy all that stuff! Thanks a million for your videos, I like how you get excited yourself when doing them. Kutos to you and your research and your brain, Cheers
Will, how in the world did you learn all this stuff? I mean you’re so smart. You could probably teach yourself to fly a plane. You’re videos are mind bogging. You’re amazing.
Hey Will! My only critique would be: It's a little hard to follow when you re-wire things. Encoding this information at such a fast pace is challenging enough-- but it gets really hard when attempting to undo that encoding on the fly. That being said, that was an AMAZING overview of the full system, and I love your transparency in making new discoveries! A fantastic video either way.
I was about to vilify the battery-protect portion, but then I saw your update in your pinned comment. I hope that anyone wanting to build this sees that amendment.
Will, I love your channel but I Amat a very basic level of solar power and I never worked on a system before. I really want to learn because I watch you enthusiasm teaching so many great ideas and concepts to your viewers. Sometimes you lose me by not breaking down the theory of step downs from 24v to 12v and the need for a battery monitor. Maybe I am just slower learner of these topics but when you talk so fast it is so hard to follow. I just wanted to post this feedback. I love everything you do and your brilliance in solar and electricity. Please keep teaching to us beginners. Ty vm.
I became lost a few times because of the 1st problem and then adding more stuff to correct the problem then adding more stuff to run 12 volt appliances. lol I'm really glad you post a schematic of this on your website. Awesome Video :) I just hope one day I can understand all this like you do :) PS: I love your enthusiasm.
Can you make a troubleshooting video explaining how you figured out each of the things that went wrong in the video and how you came up with the solutions for them? Thanks for the great video!
Made it to the end, i love how you are always trying new things as you are making the video, sometime you surprise yourself. Keep sharing the knowledge. larry
Thanks for all your hard work. As for following it, yes, to a point. I would have to follow one of your systems to a T and only adjust battery capacity or charge rate within the range of the hardware. I would be the limiting factor not your instruction.I would still be confident with the outcome though
I would recommend rechecking the torque setting on each battery terminal at least every 60 days. They can loosen over time due to the battery going through charge and discharge cycles. This can happen with any rechargeable battery. Who hasn't installed a car battery and a year later the terminals were abled to wiggled. A loose connection will become a heat source under load and can damage the terminals.
Amazing 😉. I learn something new every time I watch your videos. I’m new to this subject and you have opened my eyes to possibilities. I’m already have a system per your recommendations and it works great!! I like this system best so I may have to upgrade 👍😎 thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Ok, I must have missed something ... you have a 24 volt battery pack going to a 12 volt inverter. So does that inverter have a voltage regulator to accept anything from say 10 volts to 30 volts of input.
This is a really, really great video! I enjoyed every second of it and really got some new ideas - like building a 24 V system to drive the inverter, and then have a 12 V converter to drive everything else. Too bad it is outdated. I really like your positive energy!
Great Video Will....I really love watching these things...it's makes me feel like I know something about electricity and batteries and solar. However I only have the very basics...W=V*A. I understand what each component in the system does and could assemble it all with your step by step instructions BUT...I would never be able to trouble shoot the system if it stopped working and I would not know when to "short" between 2 terminals to charge a capacitor in BMS or Controller or Converter or Battery Protect Device etc... I also don't know the order of connecting or disconnecting wires from the different components; positive first or negative first. And I don't think this systems and these components are very forgiving if guessing which wires to put where and when. It would feel really great to understand everything but I don't think there is any short cut to learn it. For those reasons, I'll probably have to pay the cost of ignorance and buy the Battleborns with internal BMS to eliminate that setup along with the battery protect. I'll have to use 12 volt (and bigger wires) to eliminate the converter. I wish I could absorb it all, it would really feel empowering. It's like a rubic's cube to me. I understand the 6 different colors and that I want each surface to be one solid color and if you gave me each step for twisting and spinning the cube I could slowly follow it but I could never repeat it without the slow and tedious instructions...I could never understand how to get their on my own. You are doing a good job explaining and I'm catching a lot of it but I don't have enough of the basics to tie everything together.
Very Cool!! And I would agree, he does explain things well. I like watching his stuff at 2x speed to get the overview and then when I'm ready to try it out I can go back and watch the area I need step by step.
If you are a complete beginner, this video is not for you! Please watch my beginner playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PL7bvIB2TPsCjTUIr9WISFg8JcAPrJfzxz.html Or read my book. It covers the fundamentals. If you are a beginner in electronics and have done basic arduino, automotive electrical, small solar systems or 18650 lithium battery builds, then this video is for you! Correction to this video. Do not charge up to only 13.3 volts. The charge curve for lifepo4 is kind of strange, and resting voltage is not the same as charge voltage. You need to charge up to 14.0 volts for 12v systems, and 28.0v for 24v systems, if you want to charge up to only 90%. If you want the full capacity of your batteries, charge up to the preset value that is available for lifepo4 in the victron menu.
The battery protect didn't need the converter and relay between the BMS P- (C- depending on BMS) and the remote ports. The Smart Battery Protect manual figure 2 shows the battery negative can be connected to remote port L; figure 3 shows H remote port could be connected directly to the BMS load positive (provided the BMS has a P+). On a BMS without a P+ such as the one featured in the video, the easiest way to wire is to connect BMS P- to the remote port L.
The problem with these system's is their intolerance to that capacitor fill when first hooking up. THe option for power disconnect during storage is not streamlined. Once installed in an RV and integrated you are easily punished for forgetting one thing. The whole process is not robust. Charge controllers need a way to handle the surge and survive a battery disconnect situation without manual intervention. The technology is still in its infancy here.
BattleBorn is a good battery BUT you are paying 2X just for the name ...they are just another Chinese made battery inside with an American Casing ... I just purchased my 8th set of (4) 3.2V 200ah LiFePO4 batteries - DELIVERED from Alibaba and paid $609 delivered... heck you can't even get a 80aH 12V in the states for that
@@ghostwriter6699 how did you get them shipped? As most freight companies wont touch LiFePO4 batteries. I'm worried about spending that much n them not turning up.
You really did an amazing setup. Covered pretty much everything anyone may need safety and feature wise on a small system setup like this one. Nice touch with the DC to DC converter for the 12v relay. Could you calculate overall efficiency for the entire system? Thanks, well done.
Even though this video is 2019, I really want to use this to experiment with far smaller LifFePO4 cells. I originally wanted the 18650 cells but want LifFePO4 chemistry. So many of my home's systems use 18650 physical size batteries and so if I can go Solar-Charged, and replace them all with LifFePO4... omg I would be so happy and more confident! I sincerely hope you would consider re-doing this video with that Beginner view in mind, using small LifFePO4 cells like that 18650-form-factor size. I watch this video over, and over, and over again.
Dude you were an absolute rockstar for posting this video, and the menu like it. I can't wait to set up my first system. One thing that would be really helpful is if you could do a setup like this but use a kit like you would get from harbor freight or standard parts that a layman might buy off the shelf, just to demonstrate how those would integrate. Something to consider. Huge thanks
What is it about charge controller designs that makes having a battery connected: protect it from the solar panels power? For example if the battery is fully charged, and the charge controller has stopped passing the panel's energy on to the battery, is the controller using the battery's charge to trip a relay isolating it from the panel? Does this mean that if the battery dies you get a cascade failure of the controller? Fire hazard?
That seems like quite a large converter powering such a small load. ... oh. I see that its outdated. You now have a BMS with a charge controller that cuts off the load without the additional components. Great job. Well done!
unfortunately all the BMS with separate ports I was able to find has a max charging current of 8A (not applicable for me) ... so the potential problem with the BMS disconnecting the battery from the solar controller and damaging the controller is still there. Any ideas pls ??? thanks
Hey Will, made it to the end. I’m sitting outside a library near my cottage. I have installed your 2000w 24v system at my cottage. Thus far issues have been minimal. The biggest challenge was figuring out wiring to my appliances and crimping 0-4 gauge wire. I bought a new pair of lock cutters as a way to cut these large wires. I have 4 x 295w mono panels waiting for a weekend with friends help, to mount onto my roof. Then Next is a southern field linked array. Question I bought electrical conduit to protect the mc4 wiring, but would like a detailed video on how to wire the panels efficiently over 50-100 feet.
- [ ] Great video. I noticed that those pure sinewave inverters have an on off switch cable that you can use to turn off the inverter. Since you are not using the victron battery protect features and only using it as a heavy duty relay couldn't you just connect a 24 volt relay to the inverters remote on off switch and eliminate the victron battery protect?
Oh that would be perfect!! And yes a lot of them do, but none of mine do. Great idea!! Very smart. Will have to wire up a schematic for that. Would work nicely!
I was looking at those giandel inverters on your website and saw the on off switches and thought they would work with a relay. Before watching your videos I could not have thought of this.....
Watched this on 15 April 2021!!! Awesome info & examples, William!! Thanks for your expertise & willingness to impart your knowledge. I have your Mobile Solar Power book for reference ;but really enjoy watching your videos!!!
Excellent video Will. You are a very good instructor. Even if I wasn't excited about technical subjects you always bring a level of excitement that everyone has to enjoy! Keep if up the great work you do please.
This video is outdated!!!! DO NOT USE a battery protect in this system. Updated schematics can be found here:
12v: www.mobile-solarpower.com/design-your-own-12v-lifepo4-system.html
*Does off-grid solar confuse you?*
Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system packages and product recommendations, and so much more! www.mobile-solarpower.com
*Join our DIY solar community!*
#1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike:
www.diysolarforum.com
Check out my best-selling, beginner-friendly 12V off-grid solar book (affiliate link):
amzn.to/2Aj4dX4
If DIY is not for you, but you love solar and need an offgrid system, check out EnergyPal! They will price out a system and get your house offgrid: energypal.com/diysolar/
*My Solar Equipment Recommendations (Constantly updated! Check here first):*
12V/48V Lithium Batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-batteries.html
Solar System Component Directory: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solarcomponents.html
Complete 48V System Blueprint: www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v-complete-system-blueprint.html
Plug-N-Play Systems: www.mobile-solarpower.com/full-size-systems.html
Complete 48V System Kits: www.mobile-solarpower.com/complete-48v-solar-kits.html
DIY Friendly Air Conditioner/ Heat Pumps: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-friendly-air-conditioners.html
*My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar Products:*
*Signature Solar*
Offgrid One-Stop-Shop. Best Value 48V LiFePO4, Victron and Offgrid Specific Heat Pumps:
www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
*Current Connected*
SOK, Victron, Mr.Cool Heatpumps and High Quality Components:
currentconnected.com/?ref=wp
*Ecoflow Delta*
My favorite plug-n-play solar generator:
us.ecoflow.com/?aff=7
*AmpereTime*
Cheapest 12V batteries around:
amperetime.com/products/ampere-time-12v-100ah-lithium-lifepo4-battery?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
*Renogy*
A classic 12V solar store that has been around for ages!
renogy.sjv.io/n1VjXx
*Rich Solar*
Renogy's biggest competitor! Similar products, but at a better price:
richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
*Battery Hookup*
Cheap cell deals
bit.ly/2mIxSqt
5% off code: diysolar
*Contact Information:*
I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com
Join the forum at diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar
*FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers:*
Every video includes some form of paid promotion or sponsorship. Some links on this youtube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :)
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program,
An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
Hi Will, can you explain why you now say to not use a Battery Protect?
brassmonkey001 I guess it’s because the battery protect Will used doesn’t have a delay. With low voltage disconnect devices, you want to use one which has a delay which means this allows the voltage to drop temporarily below your minimum voltage setting e.g. half a second or 5 seconds, whatever.
Some DC loads will have an initial big current draw (start up current if you like) which drops the voltage of the battery. Once they are working normally the current draw is much smaller.
I’m only guessing this is the reason but I always buy low voltage disconnect devices with a delay on the relay kicking in.
@@stevekent3991 actually not. It's because victron made an update saying not to use with inverters. Check out my community section and forum for more info on the update. Delay not necessary in this application
I'm looking to put together a system like this and noticed that your updated schematics still use a common-port BMS, despite the drawback you mentioned at the end of the video. Is there a reason why you didn't change the design to use separate ports? For the BMS you recommend, both common and separate port versions are readily available at about the same price at Aliexpress, so the separate port version seems to make more sense with a solar charger.
Another thing -- With your design, the output load current is no longer regulated by the BMS, which means that the discharge rate of the batteries could exceed a safe rate of discharge for battery longevity, depending on the loads (size of inverter + other loads like the 12V dc-dc buck converter), and the batteries chosen. In your schematic, I note that you have added separate fuses for both the solar charger and the inverter, yet these are not specced or described at all in the text. Is the purpose of these to limit load/charge current, or just provide added protection? If the inverter is properly sized, they might not be needed for this purpose. Also, could breakers be used instead? I'd be interested in any comments you have about this aspect of the design.
@@andreafalconiero9089 I guess the idea is know what the load is and add a fuse inline so you can't draw too much. It seems like the whole purpose there is to be able to draw a massive current, larger than the BMS would be able to handle. Although I'm not sure how many will need to pull those kind of currents regularly on a small system.
One thing this system doesn't deal with is if a cell is going over voltage. BMS can't stop the CC from charging because the CC is directly connected to the battery. To fix this problem, I think you'd need to add another relay in parallel with the load relay that disconnects the solar panels. But then if you hit under voltage in the BMS, you disconnect the load and the panels so no charging........ but battery is protected..
Dilemma.
I suppose it's better to get back and find no charge than finding a broken battery (cell). Is there a better way to do it Will?
I have 25 years in the 12 volt industry and have been doing projects like you my whole life and in my opinion you do an excellent job explaining everything in an easy to understand way. Thank you for also introducing me to products I didn't know about. Keep up the great work!
Thank you!!!
I am an electrician for thirty years in a steel mill, I do have DC experience on overhead cranes.
You are not hard to follow I have doing this a long time learning terms is the hardest thing.
I'm going to keep watching to get familiar with components and terms. Thank you for doing this, I think it's great.
I always love after I'm completely amazed at the complexity of what you do, you end it with "See, that was easy!" You have a gift, and I'm happy you share it with the world. Keep doing what you do!
"It's very simple guys" Love your optimism
For newbies there is always going to be something they don’t understand and there is only so much you can say trying to keep the instructions and explanations concise.
What could be helpful to newbies is to draw boxes with descriptions on your plywood to help them visually digest the big picture of what you are doing and building as they continue watching the video e.g.
For the voltage step down converter, draw a box or an outline of some shape or form around the step down converter and write a description of the device in the box, something like:
Converts 24v input to 12v output to use for 12v load
For the Victron Battery Protect, draw a box around it and write:
Low voltage disconnect to protect battery from over discharge (disconnect load at 24v - option 8)
For the Victron mppt charge controller, draw a box around it and write:
Regulates solar input voltage to safely charge the battery.
You get the idea. I know you don’t have much space to work with but some people learn better with visual clues.
If you are used to playing around with DC circuits and solar in particular, we all know what a voltage step down converter, a relay and a Victron mppt charge controller looks like but a newbie might be listening and watching but then forgets what the blue device is for or what the other blue device is for or what the grey device is for etc.
Thanks Will! I am a 78 YO solar student who thoroughly enjoys your tutorials!
I learn more with Will than I ever did in high school. I love the way he explains everything. Thank you Will awesome videos.
You crack me up, I’m old enough to be your grandfather and I can only get 75% of what you’re talking about but I love you’re enthusiasm
Thanks that one was fun. once (retired) an industrial mechanic - engineer followed most all of it! Been off grid since 85.
John Sparkman can I please as someone who has been off grid for some time what batteries do you use. Thank you
stotas2 Thanks for your curriosity; For many years Trojan T105's (series parallel) about 475ah. Now(5 yrs) 4 agm's total 700 ah. looking for best way to get to 1/2 that in lifepo4. perhaps 3 or 4 Battleborn tho on ss it may take a while. ✌
John Sparkman yes lithium are good but still pricey I am looking into pure lead carbon.
stotas2 Nice idea, wondered when carbon nano would integrate. Haven't found at least a 12 volt 100 ah battery yet, have you? Will be the recipient of a 25 kw solar system soon will need batteries to match. ✌
perhaps a new Sadoway cell for that.
So yesterday I took delivery on my BMS and started to think about how to hook it up, possibly using my Victron Battery Protect. So today I find your video telling me how to hook it up. How perfect is that. Thank you so much Will, you are the best.
Will, I love the way you edit out pauses. All business and I appreciate that.
Can't find someone who can explain this better. This guy is smart and the best teacher. Thank you for your always brilliant videos.
Building it in front of us makes us feel that we can do it.
Great videos, Thanks!
You just earn an honorary PHD in explain step by step with very clear detail. You are a genius.
Thanks for your enthusiasm, never loose it! I had the same feeling when I built my portable 550W 18650 pack last year - ‘wow - I did it, this is amazing’.
Planning for a new lifepo4 pack, for winter use, -40 outdoor temp. Your input here is invaluable.
Thanks a thousand times.
Davidian, Did you ever get info on how well these fair in low temps? I want to use these in a mountain cabin that will be totally shut down in the winter. I know the batteries cant be charged at low temps, but how cold can they be stored?
The BatteryProtect is a MOSFET and cannot block current in both directions. According to the Victron BatteryProtect documentation you should not use the BatteryProtect to switch a load that may run current in reverse, or for capacitive loads such as inverters.
Love the enthusiasm and energy you bring to your videos. Still got a few years of life left in my old lead acid solar system (off grid 13 years in Spain) but thanks to well explained video feel fairly confident I could convert system at some point in the future. Many thanks (ex telecoms tech. retired).
Hello, I am French and congratulate you for all of your popularization videos on this topic which are really very well done and which explains all the monitoring parameters to take into account and their roles (better than all professionals in the sector). As far as safety is concerned, I would like to advise you to insert circuit cuts in your assemblies in order to be able to isolate the generators in case of necessity or simply maintenance for example (battery, solar panel and load) and finally, when handling with a current of this order of magnitude, do not forget to wear insulating gloves because the direct current is even more dangerous than the alternating current for the heart! Good luck and congratulations.
Well, I'm so new, my green is even greener!!!
You seem like a very intelligent young man! And also seem to know exactly what you're talking about!!
Kudos to you!!
If I were to build one myself... I'd definitely start from square one with your videos and on up to this one.
(56 year old mom and grandma.. lol)
My goal is to have at least a used RV and full time in it. Travel as much as I can while I'm able to.
So solar power is definitely part of the equation!!
Thanks for popping up in my suggested videos!!! 😁😁😁😁
Keep up the great content!!
I'm 72 years young and never crimped a wire. Do you think I can learn? I love your videos. You are an inspiration
I love how excited you get... This really will make more powerful systems flexible and somewhat affordable.
The relay idea to bypass the bms was awesome, you are truly genius
I'm a little too beginner to truly understand everything but it certainly looks really cool. You're a hell of an electrician my dude
I think he’s going where most electricians have not gone.
Hello Will, many thanks to your video. The explanations were spotless, loud n clear and had Professorial gravity. The amazing fact is that, you did not even refer to scripts and the lecture was flawless with no haas, errs and ahem like what we generally are accustomed to; from XYZ! Bravo, my friend.
One other thing that I was hunting for was; a solar powered LiFePo4 BMS. Trust me, No ONE , spoke about it during my entire search for the eluding item, The BMS for PV cell Charger.
Now, I’d gather all the pertinent info of all the parts and description, compile it and start a new venture.
That said, I thank you, once again for all the efforts you put in to make this video a great success.
Sincerely,
SK
William, you are the most adorable teacher.
Thanks for your videos....
I've seen a couple of your videos before but really gets me is your enthusiasm over all of this. You can tell it's something you love , passionate about. So thank you for the education. I've got to build me a solar power system for my motorhome and I had thought about buying BATTLEBORN BATTERIES. Then a close friend told me about SOK batteries. So I want to learn more about then and found you. And found I may go with the DIY BATTERIES. It's the cost that keeps me from having this system . But the DIY may fit my budget, thanks to you.
I'm watching your videos over and over - just ordered my first setup. Thanks a lot!
I can’t tell you how valuable your content is! Incredible wealth of knowledge! I’ve been searching for a good in depth way to understand solar setups and for so long. All of your tips on lithium batteries, BMS, and how to set everything up is worth it’s weight in gold. Thank you so much for the information and keep up the great videos!
This is one perfect example of a solar generator system. I love this setup esp. the use of a relay. Brillant!
Thank you for making these videos. Not many people will spend the time explaining and showing how to build these solar systems
Will explains everything really well. Of course it's not always "super simple", as evidenced by the changing guidance on his website and all the comments in this video. Apparently technology is still maturing in this area, there's new BMS devices that change the way things should be done, in less than two years since this video was posted. I'm willing to learn, perhaps Will could replace this video with the new 'mo better "super simple" method.
I've been trying to learn solar power and actually bought a short course at Udemy. Today your video on sizing just played on UA-cam and I got hooked. Thanks for the great tutorials. And yes I finished this video and will watch it again.
Nice job,Will! To be honest, I did get a bit lost a couple times. It is a lot to absorb. But the system you built in this video seems to be very close to what I will need for a sailboat system that I envision. So I need to watch the video a few more times. And finish reading your book!
I love how he actually enjoys what he is doing. Makes me want to go wire stuff up.
Love your enthusiasm and getting all giddy when you're setting this up!
I work in the aerospace industry my head just exploded watching this great information just a lot to absorb
It's awesome watching your excitement and passion for building these systems. Keep up the great work, we love it!
You explaining precisely "ONE from Thousands"God Bless you!!!!
You are amazing at what you do man, keep it up learning a lot, the basics can never be too much.
You made this video five years ago lol and I'm only watching it now I got so much to learn from you respect mate Dan from Cornwall uk
Great job Will. You explained everything very well.
“.... guys this is soooo simple!...”. 🙄. You are simply amazing Will! Thanks! 🙏
"If you can crimp wires you can put this together!"
"Now just short out these terminals for a big ole gnarly spark ... "
Very informative, though - thanks for this!
You will never go without power young man !! You are a great inspiration !! To me and I'm sure to your generation !! Great job solar man !!
The only thing I see missing is my ability to buy all that stuff! Thanks a million for your videos, I like how you get excited yourself when doing them. Kutos to you and your research and your brain, Cheers
This is where I'm at... good to watch this video again. Wish I would have gone with a larger inverter, but that's learning on the job
Thanks Will! I learn a lot with every video you upload!
Will, how in the world did you learn all this stuff? I mean you’re so smart. You could probably teach yourself to fly a plane. You’re videos are mind bogging. You’re amazing.
Your content is always so well thought out, Will! You've got another winner here. Thank you so much!
Fotocamera
You gave me a great introduction into converting my home to an off grid with solar power. However, you over loaded my capacitors with your brilliance.
I like the “oh my god it actually works” thanks Will Great demo !
Hey Will! My only critique would be: It's a little hard to follow when you re-wire things. Encoding this information at such a fast pace is challenging enough-- but it gets really hard when attempting to undo that encoding on the fly. That being said, that was an AMAZING overview of the full system, and I love your transparency in making new discoveries! A fantastic video either way.
Thank you for the straight forward explanations of the Solar charging system.
I was about to vilify the battery-protect portion, but then I saw your update in your pinned comment. I hope that anyone wanting to build this sees that amendment.
Will: "It's so EASY!"
Narrator: It was not easy.
Holy moly. How did this get so complicated? Is it because he's using LiFePO4 batteries?
For some reason Morgan Freeman said "it was not easy" in my head :p
Will, I love your channel but I Amat a very basic level of solar power and I never worked on a system before. I really want to learn because I watch you enthusiasm teaching so many great ideas and concepts to your viewers. Sometimes you lose me by not breaking down the theory of step downs from 24v to 12v and the need for a battery monitor. Maybe I am just slower learner of these topics but when you talk so fast it is so hard to follow. I just wanted to post this feedback. I love everything you do and your brilliance in solar and electricity. Please keep teaching to us beginners. Ty vm.
I think I fried some circuits in my brain trying to understand everything.
zpoedog The same over here :) Allthough he keeps on telling it’s like super easy :) Love the guy, great tutorial :)
I've been reading the "fried brain" comments and now I don't feel so idiotic. He's such a smart guy n makes it look so easy... Still 🤯
@@MyUltimateStuff I've been watching this video for a week and I'm only now understanding it.
me too 🤯 hes so smart and quick ... my head is fizzing 🤩
same here, If I manage this I think I can try brain surgery next
He appears to know more about this than the people that created each one of these systems. Pure genius!
Fantastic video, clear and very informative. You are an inspiration my man, keep it up. You have me hooked!
I became lost a few times because of the 1st problem and then adding more stuff to correct the problem then adding more stuff to run 12 volt appliances. lol I'm really glad you post a schematic of this on your website. Awesome Video :) I just hope one day I can understand all this like you do :) PS: I love your enthusiasm.
Can you make a troubleshooting video explaining how you figured out each of the things that went wrong in the video and how you came up with the solutions for them? Thanks for the great video!
Can you be more specific? He more or less did show the troubleshooting.
Will, you are the best. Your enthusiasm is contagious and I have learned a LOT from you and your videos. Thank you!
Made it to the end, i love how you are always trying new things as you are making the video, sometime you surprise yourself. Keep sharing the knowledge. larry
You really inspire confidence! Thank you!
This is probably the most important video I've ever seen.
Thanks for all your hard work. As for following it, yes, to a point. I would have to follow one of your systems to a T and only adjust battery capacity or charge rate within the range of the hardware. I would be the limiting factor not your instruction.I would still be confident with the outcome though
I would recommend rechecking the torque setting on each battery terminal at least every 60 days. They can loosen over time due to the battery going through charge and discharge cycles. This can happen with any rechargeable battery. Who hasn't installed a car battery and a year later the terminals were abled to wiggled. A loose connection will become a heat source under load and can damage the terminals.
Also if different metals are used. Expansion and contraction
Amazing 😉. I learn something new every time I watch your videos. I’m new to this subject and you have opened my eyes to possibilities. I’m already have a system per your recommendations and it works great!! I like this system best so I may have to upgrade 👍😎 thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Will, you're an amazing young man. Stand strong.
Ther perfectly describes what I would like to put together. Very happy with the information. Thank you.
That was fun as all get out! My eyes were glued to every single minute of this video! You’re a great teacher!
That was great one piece at a time!!!!
I loved it I could understand and comprehend all of it and I’m just getting started in this!!!!
Thank you
Dan
Super Simple Schematic Solar Stoke!
You made learning a complex system very straight forward and enjoyable!
Thank you for creating this…
Great video, love your enthousiasm! Greatings from Belgium.
Son you are a genius. I'm going to build one like you did with my grandsons. I only need a 12 volt system.
Great info Will. First solar component build you've done I was able to follow and actually begin to understand.
You’re extremely intelligent and amazing young man... Congratulations.
Ok, I must have missed something ... you have a 24 volt battery pack going to a 12 volt inverter. So does that inverter have a voltage regulator to accept anything from say 10 volts to 30 volts of input.
This is a really, really great video! I enjoyed every second of it and really got some new ideas - like building a 24 V system to drive the inverter, and then have a 12 V converter to drive everything else. Too bad it is outdated. I really like your positive energy!
Great Video Will....I really love watching these things...it's makes me feel like I know something about electricity and batteries and solar. However I only have the very basics...W=V*A. I understand what each component in the system does and could assemble it all with your step by step instructions BUT...I would never be able to trouble shoot the system if it stopped working and I would not know when to "short" between 2 terminals to charge a capacitor in BMS or Controller or Converter or Battery Protect Device etc... I also don't know the order of connecting or disconnecting wires from the different components; positive first or negative first. And I don't think this systems and these components are very forgiving if guessing which wires to put where and when. It would feel really great to understand everything but I don't think there is any short cut to learn it. For those reasons, I'll probably have to pay the cost of ignorance and buy the Battleborns with internal BMS to eliminate that setup along with the battery protect. I'll have to use 12 volt (and bigger wires) to eliminate the converter. I wish I could absorb it all, it would really feel empowering. It's like a rubic's cube to me. I understand the 6 different colors and that I want each surface to be one solid color and if you gave me each step for twisting and spinning the cube I could slowly follow it but I could never repeat it without the slow and tedious instructions...I could never understand how to get their on my own. You are doing a good job explaining and I'm catching a lot of it but I don't have enough of the basics to tie everything together.
Very Cool!! And I would agree, he does explain things well. I like watching his stuff at 2x speed to get the overview and then when I'm ready to try it out I can go back and watch the area I need step by step.
If you are a complete beginner, this video is not for you! Please watch my beginner playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PL7bvIB2TPsCjTUIr9WISFg8JcAPrJfzxz.html
Or read my book. It covers the fundamentals.
If you are a beginner in electronics and have done basic arduino, automotive electrical, small solar systems or 18650 lithium battery builds, then this video is for you!
Correction to this video. Do not charge up to only 13.3 volts. The charge curve for lifepo4 is kind of strange, and resting voltage is not the same as charge voltage. You need to charge up to 14.0 volts for 12v systems, and 28.0v for 24v systems, if you want to charge up to only 90%. If you want the full capacity of your batteries, charge up to the preset value that is available for lifepo4 in the victron menu.
The battery protect didn't need the converter and relay between the BMS P- (C- depending on BMS) and the remote ports.
The Smart Battery Protect manual figure 2 shows the battery negative can be connected to remote port L; figure 3 shows H remote port could be connected directly to the BMS load positive (provided the BMS has a P+).
On a BMS without a P+ such as the one featured in the video, the easiest way to wire is to connect BMS P- to the remote port L.
@@positronium3525 ahh crap I missed that. Will update it all. Thank you
@@positronium3525 I can't find the diagram. Can you send a link?
@@positronium3525 found the diagrams and am scared to do negative wire to negative remote wire. Is there any documentation of doing this elsewhere?
I can't get it to work. Tried with both remote inputs on both battery terminals. Also messed with settings. Not working
Loved it. Needed to rewind sometimes. But will definitely watch again when i come to build a Lithium system.
The problem with these system's is their intolerance to that capacitor fill when first hooking up.
THe option for power disconnect during storage is not streamlined.
Once installed in an RV and integrated you are easily punished for forgetting one thing. The whole process is not robust.
Charge controllers need a way to handle the surge and survive a battery disconnect situation without manual intervention.
The technology is still in its infancy here.
Well done Will. I have read your book, great for layman. And,for this old EE. I highly recommend it for anyone attempting solar power.
Will so would you rather build your own LIFEPO4 battery bank? Or buy a battleborn? Or Tesla battery pack?
I love them all. Very different types of batteries.
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse so diplomatic....😂
BattleBorn is a good battery BUT you are paying 2X just for the name ...they are just another Chinese made battery inside with an American Casing ... I just purchased my 8th set of (4) 3.2V 200ah LiFePO4 batteries - DELIVERED from Alibaba and paid $609 delivered... heck you can't even get a 80aH 12V in the states for that
ghostwriter6699 can you please share the website address for your particular battery. Thanks for sharing 😎
@@ghostwriter6699 how did you get them shipped? As most freight companies wont touch LiFePO4 batteries. I'm worried about spending that much n them not turning up.
I am going back to your beginner video and watch it again as I want an 800 watt solar setup on my rig.
You really did an amazing setup.
Covered pretty much everything anyone may need safety and feature wise on a small system setup like this one. Nice touch with the DC to DC converter for the 12v relay.
Could you calculate overall efficiency for the entire system? Thanks, well done.
Even though this video is 2019, I really want to use this to experiment with far smaller LifFePO4 cells. I originally wanted the 18650 cells but want LifFePO4 chemistry. So many of my home's systems use 18650 physical size batteries and so if I can go Solar-Charged, and replace them all with LifFePO4... omg I would be so happy and more confident!
I sincerely hope you would consider re-doing this video with that Beginner view in mind, using small LifFePO4 cells like that 18650-form-factor size.
I watch this video over, and over, and over again.
The kid makes a pretty good video. I love these batteries.
Dude you were an absolute rockstar for posting this video, and the menu like it. I can't wait to set up my first system.
One thing that would be really helpful is if you could do a setup like this but use a kit like you would get from harbor freight or standard parts that a layman might buy off the shelf, just to demonstrate how those would integrate. Something to consider. Huge thanks
What is it about charge controller designs that makes having a battery connected: protect it from the solar panels power? For example if the battery is fully charged, and the charge controller has stopped passing the panel's energy on to the battery, is the controller using the battery's charge to trip a relay isolating it from the panel? Does this mean that if the battery dies you get a cascade failure of the controller? Fire hazard?
That seems like quite a large converter powering such a small load. ... oh. I see that its outdated. You now have a BMS with a charge controller that cuts off the load without the additional components. Great job. Well done!
unfortunately all the BMS with separate ports I was able to find has a max charging current of 8A (not applicable for me) ... so the potential problem with the BMS disconnecting the battery from the solar controller and damaging the controller is still there. Any ideas pls ??? thanks
could you conect the solar controler direct to the bat
Normal open between array and controller?
Hey Will, made it to the end. I’m sitting outside a library near my cottage. I have installed your 2000w 24v system at my cottage. Thus far issues have been minimal. The biggest challenge was figuring out wiring to my appliances and crimping 0-4 gauge wire. I bought a new pair of lock cutters as a way to cut these large wires. I have 4 x 295w mono panels waiting for a weekend with friends help, to mount onto my roof. Then Next is a southern field linked array. Question I bought electrical conduit to protect the mc4 wiring, but would like a detailed video on how to wire the panels efficiently over 50-100 feet.
- [ ] Great video. I noticed that those pure sinewave inverters have an on off switch cable that you can use to turn off the inverter. Since you are not using the victron battery protect features and only using it as a heavy duty relay couldn't you just connect a 24 volt relay to the inverters remote on off switch and eliminate the victron battery protect?
Oh that would be perfect!! And yes a lot of them do, but none of mine do. Great idea!! Very smart. Will have to wire up a schematic for that. Would work nicely!
I was looking at those giandel inverters on your website and saw the on off switches and thought they would work with a relay. Before watching your videos I could not have thought of this.....
@@gjwiehle those will not unless I take them apart. The remote switch that you can add, possibly. Will need to take it apart and try it out
WOW so glad i found this channel... I wish all the Allibaba and easy user manuals where as comprehensive and easy like this.
Watched this on 15 April 2021!!! Awesome info & examples, William!! Thanks for your expertise & willingness to impart your knowledge. I have your Mobile Solar Power book for reference ;but really enjoy watching your videos!!!
I just wanna build a solar set up for my Skoolie that will run my Airconditioner/ heater Mini/split unit!
You would need 10 times the panels and batteries to run an air conditioner.
There's alot of people doing this mate, I'm installing a split system to run off solar... Its expensive but can be done
@@wooferhound7571 ya...im JUST looking for a solar set up to run my iron smelter and a electric dumptruck
Excellent video Will. You are a very good instructor. Even if I wasn't excited about technical subjects you always bring a level of excitement that everyone has to enjoy! Keep if up the great work you do please.