Here I am at 62, got into this last year but cancer hit me, I'm in remission now and I finally finished my 12v system with a 1500 watt inverter and 600 watts of solar panels. I live in Florida so my goal is to make a system that can power my energy efficient Freezer and refrigerator, both combined pulls about 1.6 amps per hour. I think I'm in a good spot learning this with the 12v system. your video is magnificent. I paid good attention on the how you did the upgrades. It may be something for me to ponder next. Good day Sir, Aloha.
Sweet systems. It looks like you know what you're doing for sure. Five years ago, we retired, sold everything, bought an older motorhome. We live in it Full Time as we travel the country. We discovered we love boondocking, living off grid, and quickly learned the advantages of solar. We built our solar/battery system in 2 phases, a 12v system for our basic 12v DC needs and a 48v system for our 110v A/C needs. We started by building a 620-watt liftable solar array on the side of our motorhome. We lift it to the optimal angle to boost its output 20-30% vs flat mounted panels, especially in the winter. It makes a nice bedroom window awning too, practically lifting itself with a couple gas struts, and it's easy to clean, standing safely on the ground. We finished the 12v part of our build a year ago, with the addition of a LiFePo-4 battery that we built with 8, 280ah prismatic cells. We use a Heltec 330amp BMS with a 5a active balancer to keep the cells synched up. It cost us less than $1,500 to build this 560ah 12v, 7.1 kwh battery, including the high amp BMS. We chose these cells rather than a pre-built battery because they fit perfectly under the steps of our MH where our old pair of GC-2 golf cart batteries used to reside. We insulated the battery compartment, cut a 1" hole in our step risers and installed a tiny computer CPU fan to keep this space at close to room temperature, so we don't have to worry about the BMS shutting down charging if they get too cold - or their life reduced from getting too hot. We use an 80A Progressive Dynamics LFP converter/charger, a 1,000w Renogy inverter, an Epever 50a MPPT charge controller and a Lnex battery monitor. By mounting the solar array on the side of our coach, we left the roof free to rack 8, 550w solar panels (4,400 watts) down the length of our 35ft Class A, 15" off our roof, above our AC, vents, etc. This huge array covers our entire roof, similar to Evons array, providing some nice shade with plenty of cooling air underneath, increasing solar output and reducing the heat load on the air conditioners too. We mounted our Sungold Power all-in-one 48V, 5,000W Inverter/100A charge controller/battery charger, breakers and Lnex battery monitor on the wall in our bedroom. Our 48v battery that resides under our bed uses 16, 320ah prismatic cells. We use a 200amp Heltec BMS to keep it safe and happy. Together with our 560ah 12v bank, we have a total of 23.5 kwh of batteries onboard - kept charged by over 5,000 watts of solar. We removed the 13.5k btu rooftop Dometic AC we had in the bedroom and replaced it with an EG4 28.5 seer-2, 12k btu mini-split heat pump on the upper rear of our motorhome. It's super quiet and cools as well as our 14.5k btu soft start equipped Furrion we have up front. This second phase provides 24/7 off-grid air conditioning and heat from the heat pump. We have a total of 6,000 watts of 120v inverted ac power on hand giving us off-grid electrical independence for a total budget of around $11,500, (including the high-efficiency heat pump.) This allows us to keep our aging 5,500w generator in reserve, for back-up use only.
I don't have an off-grid system, but have build a back-up power system for power outages, I have found 24v to a nice medium between 12v and 48v for this application. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the content and excellent and thought provoking topic. In 2015 when I got the solar bug I was using 12v deep cycle batteries, then moved to 6v golf cart batteries from Costco. Now its 2023, and I converted the large 6vx8 golf cart system into a 24v outdoor in an insulated box and still going strong. I recently picked up 4 200ah AGM to do an inside large 12v system but with the flexibility of going to 24v at half the ampacity or even 48v at 1/4 of the ampacity. However, in 2023 I think I would go straight to a 24 or 48v system due to all of the all-in-one systems since they offer a decent and simple solution for the $$. But I cannot argue with having multiple systems until the inverters die. Solar and renewable is like a moving train and it depends on how fast that train is moving and how much $ and time you have available. But one thing I would and should have done is to THINK before buying cheap crap.
As mentioned by others, the wire size can be reduced when running higher voltage. Also 12V system, when they run high loads will demand a very high number of Amps. I.e. a 2000W load (hairdryer, heat gun, some cookware etc.) will pull like 170 Amps at 12V. (Roughly 3-4 times more than used for welding - that is a LOT of current!) -All electricity requires respect, both high Voltage and high Amps - but running 170 Amps through various connectors, switches, fuses, wires etc. - if one of these is not just perfectly sized and just perfectly connected, then 170 Amps at 12V makes me much more alert/concerned, than same 2000W load given by 42.5 Amps on a 48V system. -I like anything below 80-100A. For that reason - and in my case restricted by partial shading of panels(so series connections of panels is a no-go), resulting in max. 40 Volts into my charge controller - all of that does I found 24V to be optimal in my usecase. (I may not have to write this, but in case beginners speculate: Watts/Volts = Amps. Plus calculate the inverter and various voltage drops, will pull an additional 10% - all due to efficiency loss)
Cool video that shows the typical evolution of how folks dip their toe into solar using 12v, which is safe and easy to wrap your head around, but then gradually migrate to 48v, due to efficiency and scalability. The way you did it is fun and interesting, but if someone wanted a sizable solar array and a "buy once, cry once" system, 48 volt is clearly the way to go, these days. The availability of server-rack batteries and excellent inverter/chargers at 48v basically make it a no-brainer to go with that, if you're wanting to be off-grid, or grid-tied but generating most of your own power. The place where 12v and 24v make the most sense is for smaller-scale setups or if you're in an RV or camper, with 12v or 24v appliances.
For running a full size home we use 48vdc, The New LiFePO4 24kWh bank we have just put in have really changed the way we use solar. The New 8kw inverter is being wired in on Monday.
I started planning out for a 12V system since I don't need a huge one, but final plans are for a 24V with half the Ah (so same storage capacity) but it can be upgraded, the benefit is that I can do double the solar panels on the same chargecontroller vs. the original 12V system and the only change was to change the battery + add a 24->12V DC-DC converter, so slightly more expensive but not too bad, don't have massive 12V needs (in general don't have huge power needs) I can later on change the 325W inverter to a larger one 2000+W and quadruple the battery bank... but it will be in a caravan at first, with 4x 100W panels and a 24V 50Ah battery. doing a 2S+2P panel setup (2 banks of 2 panels in series) easy to pull out and setup when at the destination and will provice plenty power for the small 12V drawer fridge and recharging phone/laptop + a few lights... all I need while travelling.
Thanks for sharing! I'm starting a new out building right after the new year and solar will be as cost effective up front for setup expense as it will be to run house power to the building. Long term payback is immediate. Win win as I see it. Think I've arrived at 48v, maybe 24? Usual needs are very low but I'll have a couple of hefty motors that will need a fair amount of juice for short periods. Glad to have some time to figure it all out as far as components, so many options. Not new to power or controls but am new to solar configurations. Nice to have folks like yourself sharing your experience to weed through all the tall grass.....
I have used all three now, and I use the 12 volts to control all my outside lighting that works great for turning on and off from dusk to dawn. I found if I use it for my computer, as it charged and started go from the draw to charge the 12 volt LiFePo4 batteries would reset my computer. Similar to your freezer going into defrost. I have now setup a 48 volt LiFePo4 system and my computer has no issues. And as you stated I have the 12 volt system as a fall back.
Started off with a 24 volt system in our cabin. Runs furnace, tv and lights. 400 AH of lithium batteries. Later added a fridge and 600 AH of 12 volt gel batteries. 1000 watts for the 24 volt system and 500 on the 12 system. Barn/shop has quite a large power demand so pretty much had to go with 48 volt system running a 15kva Quattro inverter. 15875 watts of solar on the roof, 18 degree pitch so winter production is not that good. Can't run out of power in the winter as the water pipes would freeze. So far it seems to work OK. Do have an emergency generator in case of snow on the panels but propane is expensive. No grid power, too expensive to get it there. Excess power in the summer so we leave the mini splits on all the time
I go 12v for anything up to 1500 watt, maybe up to 2000 if not continuously loaded at that rate. This is wired with 2 AWG (minimum, short lengths) or 1/0 (most of the time) or 2/0 for somewhat longer lengths of wire. The same size wire at 24v works well up to 3000 watt, maybe 4000. The same size wire at 48v works well to 6000 watt, maybe 8000. My 48v system can surge (30 minutes) at 11KW and that is wired with 4/0 AWG. It can run my 2HP submersible well pump. One advantage to multiple systems is being able to size the inverter to the load. I have a 300 watt inverter that can run the heat tape on some external pipes to keep the water flowing well below freezing. It has only 5-10 watt of losses. My 1500 watt inverter can run any of the normal household loads, but even with no load it takes 25 watt or more just for itself. My 48v inverter idles about 75 watts.
Good show the lower volts are more safe and im old school ttoo using 12 volts when i was a kid radios trolling moters etc. So starting off with 12 volts i understand that but quickly i realized how easy a 24v is with more efficiency so i went their and yeah the 48 v would be the way to go but im happy with my 24 v for now . Its realy good to have all thoes systems good redundancies
Since you have MPPT solar controllers, you can connect your panels in series for higher voltage so less loss in power on your long cable run from panels to controller. The controller will automatically adjust the higher voltage from the panels down to 12v. Just make sure your panel voltage does not exceed the maximum voltage of the controller. I also run two separate systems in case one goes down so at least i will still have lights no matter what. Love your DIY setup! Greetings from sunny Jamaica.
nice systems. when off grid I found it best to have more then 1 system. I keep my 12V for small loads like 12V LED lighting and 12V RV stuff. large 24V is for appliances like the washer or toaster micro wave. I have a standalone 12/24V system just for spare battery charging. also use it to charge power station. years back I bult a 36V system for off grid cabin. used 6V golf cart battery's .I have a friend that bult 2 - 12V systems independent. then put a jumper from one pos to neg on outher. giving 24V and 12V . just 48V and up you have a shock hazard. 😃
Loving the multi system approach for sure. The versatility I have now gives me options under almost any circumstance, and that makes everything pretty easy now. More panels yet to add where I can to be even better and faster on those dark day's that inevitably will return. Still trying to figure out best use of those anderson connectors you mentioned before. For as much as I shuffle batteries around a quick plugin and unplugging would be sweet. Just not sure where to tie them in? Aloha buddy!🤙
@@ProjectsinParadise808 The Anderson connectors I use are the SB series. and the ones I use are color coded and only mate with same color. grey 12V ,yellow 24V ,red 48V . SB 50 is rated 50 amps max. SB 175 is rated 175 amps . SB 350 is rated 350 amps. OEM Anderson is UL and rated up to 600 volts DC. each SB connector has 2 pins + and - . Buy as a set and choose wire AWG. For the SB 50 there is a crimp tool . I solder mine. this is easy . each wire place a piece of heat shrink on it. push it dawn a ways . strip down wire. put solder flux on wire and in contact hole. put contact in small vice hollow part pointing up. heat with small torch . when hot flow solder into hole after that when still hot place wire in contact . still heat and apply solder to side of wire at end of contact. them remove heat . hold still allow to cool on its own . when finished slide heat shrink up to contact and heat . when done insert into housing. they are marked + and - . follow that and always mater the same. no crossed polarly . I think there is videos on how to install Anderson connectors on UA-cam. The ones you want are the SB type. The power pole are for low current and used on many solar power stations . They have a set just for them comes with crimp tool . Anderson connectors are a industry standard and been used many years world wide. I learned many years before the internet. thank you for showing us how easy it is to build a system . 😀😀
Good day, I enjoy your teachings. I have a little problem as a beginner. I connected a 24v hybrid inverter ( An inverter with an inbuilt charge controller) but the solar panels is not charging the batteries (2nos of 12v batteries 240Ah connected in series ) SOLAR PANELS Rated power==327w Voltage (wmp)==54.7v Current (imp) =5.98A VOC ==64.9v Short circuit current==6.46A Max series fuse==15A INVERTER MODE Rated power=3000VA/2400w DC input=24vdc AC input=230vac 50/70hz 10.4A SOLAR CHARGER MODE Rated power=3000w Norminal operating power (VOC)=240vdc Max.solar voltage VOC =450vdc MPPT Voltage range=90 -430vdc Max.solar charging current= 60A
Party at ur house!!! Solar fun land!! I love them all. Depends on off grid scenario. Some smaller systems 12v only possible and more flexible. Larger ones allow more options.
Yes sir it's truly party time here! Got company from the mainland, getting plenty running around the island, and plenty lanai time too! They are amazed at what solcan do! Good points you mentioned for sure...mahalo!🤙
I didn't have the money to build a 48 volt system to start with, so I compromised with a 24 volt system. If someone has the money, I would recommend to start with a 48 volt system... given you can run 1/4 size wire as compared to a 12V system. Copper is VERY expensive, and the larger the wire, and the more amps you have to push, and everything just has to be larger, which is more difficult to work with in general. In terms of complexity, they are basically all the same.
If you don't need to draw more than 2500W and plan to have some DC loads, you may be better off with 24V 100A and 4 AWG cabling. There are much more inverters, relays, buck and boost converters available below 28V than above. You can use a lot of accessories made for trucks and reduce the risk of sustained arcs. If you need higher DC voltage, cheap boost converters are also available. For higher power of course, 48V makes sense as the additional cost for 60V capable fuses, regulators etc becomes small compared to the cost of the batteries. Plus you get more power out of the same charger if your string voltage is high enough (I would recommend at least 100V).
For off-grid 48v is the only way to go. For RV's, vanlife etc it is usually best to use 24V. 24V works with many appliances designed for cars and boats. ATC, Mega, Maxi etc fuse blocka also all work on 24V systems where 48V systems will not work on ATC and most ANL ans Maxi fuses. You can get Victron 12 to 24v dc to dc chargers and Victron makes their Multiplus systems in 24V. With 24V you can get inverters larger than 3000W while using wiring than is half the ampacity needed vs 12V. You will still need a 24v to 12v step down transformer for some standard DC systems in cars/vanlife/RVs etc.
I have just ordered a Victron 1200w 24v inverter... I had one 3000w generic brand pure sine inverter die on me after 6 months and got a new one that was half dead on arrival, it can only do 250w max. I will from now on run 2 inverters to have one in backup. My entire system is based on redundancy except for my inverter, and it is my inverter that keeps failing. In is in my van and it is not fun geting your entire trip cut of because no electric power (and here it cost 50€£$ a night to park on a place with electricity available).
I am in a HOA Condo. What I need it a system that charges the battery from 9PM to next day 4PM and auto switches at 4PM from mains feed to my fridge from inverter then back to mains at 9PM. Two would save me al lot because I am on a 2 tier rate usage. $0.27 1st and $0.37 2nd. HOA says no solar yet but is something in the works. I have 48VDC 20AM LiFePO batteries for my two E-Trikes that I can make use of. Kind of a store and forward. Also good when we lose power.
I was wondering if you had any type of a schematic of each of your systems? As a novice, I'd definitely like to look at how you hooked up each of your components, especially your home 12-volt system. Thank you.
Question: i want to set up a mobile 24V system using two 12V 100ah lifepo4 batteries and a 24V 3500W inverter. How do you go about deciding what is the minimum amount of solar panels to use? I already have 2 100W panels. Thank you for your videos they are excellent.
The answer to that depends on your load usage. That's a big inverter. What are you running? A chest freezer.... 90 watts, a 10,000 BTU window AC unit of 1100 watts? Here's the good news. Put as many solar panels as you can on the top of the vehicle, buy a decent sized MPPT charge controller and set it up for lifep04 batteries. I also highly recommend a battery state of charge meter that shows all info at a glance. Pay attention to the input limits of the charge controller and wire your panels in series and parallel such that you don't exceed the MPPT input rating. I think mine was 100 volts and my panels have 22.1 volts open circuit. So all 4 are in series for 88.4 maximum volts, well under the charge controller's 100 volt maximum input voltage allowed. 2x100ah batteries in series can take some serious charging amp input, so a 40 amp MPPT is cheap enough and small enough to charge even on cloudy days. The nice thing about MPPT charge controllers is that they take the battery to 100% then shut off. You can actually set them for less % if you wanted, say shut off at 90%. Either way, you can pretty much ignore the system once its set up. My mobile system sits energized for a week or 2 with no loads rain or shine, then gets beat on with a microwave oven, toaster, coffee maker, 120 volt LED lights, box fan, sometimes a small 200 watt heater. Its 300 amp hours of lifep04 battery, 40 amp MPPT controller, 2000 watt inverter. I hope this helps!
For systems like 120v it's a lot easier to convert energy from 12v battery. But for. 220v over a 1000w inverter will struggle that's why we look for higher voltage input at the DC side. Nevertheless a 12v system is always best fit for the DC offgrid solar or campervan. Cheers
Another Great Video as always. Have you considered Anderson Plugs for the batteries for quick disconnect when changing batteries? I have found them extremely useful and easy. I worried about stripping the battery terminals connecting and reconnecting.
On my smaller systems I wire an SB120 to the 12v blocks. It is rated to disconnect 120 amps but can safely handle at 160amps to 180amps for extended periods if wired with 2 AWG wire (or more amperage for shorter time, based on how hot is okay). They offer (but are hard to find) a terminal that accepts 1/0 AWG for the SB120 that is rated at 240 amps. For example, I built a system onto a rolling service cart. It has 4x 100 amphour batteries wired as two 12volt groups of two. Each group has an SB120. I can plug into them with a parallel adapter to have 400 ah at 12v, or with a series adapter to get 200 ah at 24v, depending on what I need to power. Or I have a pair of 12v 100ah batteries in toolboxes, each with their own SB120. Again can parallel or series or use them independently depending on need. There are bigger SB-series connectors... such as SB175 or SB350 on jumper cables. I don't want to plug them into a LiFePO4 battery! Also smaller. I use a lot of SB50 (good up to 80 amps or so continuous - more than I need thru them).
I bought a dc to dc 20 amp boost buck converter on allie 18 euro .. you can charge whit it whit minimum loss..input 0-60v output 0-60v 1800w it even has a low battery cut off..super handy to pump up your battery whit a battery that is lower our higher than the one you are using..if’s its running low, like in the winter
I have had the buck converter mentioned to me before, and I will look further into it. No experience as of yet with it, but after the way you describe it , it's something I need to get on with. Mahalo for sharing this information with us! Aloha! 🤙
@@ProjectsinParadise808 The Chanel..The off-grid garage… got some nice clear videos about them .. explaining the stuff you can do whit it .. set low voltage cut of .. set output voltage..set amp output… the new one comes whit a fan on the head sink .. a real versatile gadget that you can use on your 12 24 and 48 setup.. a 20 amp universal charger for les then 20 bucks..🫲😑🫱only in China bro
I really like the idea of just putting a system wherever you need it. I've picked up some little, cheap mppt chargers, that I'm going to experiment with small panel systems with waterproof reclaimed 18650 7s battery banks wherever I need them.
I'm trying to put together a solar set up how did you figure out the wire size or awg for you set up and the bus bars are also something I'm trying to wrap my brain around
48volt does have some caveats, if you get an all in one inverter/charge controller/charger, the minimum volts can be as high as 150 volts for solar..meaning you'll need several panels in series..The other thing is that putting 4 batteries in series to create 48 volts, lets the batteries become unbalanced from one another, which causes batteries to stop charging sooner and shut off loads sooner, which reduces capacity, but is some what solvable with a balancer that is made for connecting to (4) 12 volt batteries, or (2) 24 volt batteries, but, already built 48 volt batteries are pricey, if going that route..One BMS per battery bank tends to be more reliable, as far as series connections go, parrallel connections don't seem to suffer from those issues..Several panels in series and a 48 volt battery can be expensive..But far more efficient..Food for thought..It is better to match your batteries voltage to your system, and avoid series connections..
You got redundancy. And that's great. There are considerations for choosing 12V, 24V or 48V systems. The expected simultaneous power consumption plays a major role. up to 2000W/3000W - 12V up to 4000W/6000W - 24V up to 8000W/12,000W - 48V Main reason is cost. Larger power consumption in a 12V would mean larger diameters copper cable. And you can see that cable length of the DC power plays a role to. But as soon as it's inverted to AC power, we can do longer runs with small diameter cables.
I added quick disconnect breakers because I am constantly moving things around for demonstration purposes mostly. Just so I can start turning wrenches faster while building up, or down. 🤙
Hi, yes i have some questions. I am doing a Double Decker Bus Conversion. Single use. What would i need to Run the entire Bus with? I mean basic appliences, Fridge, Hotwater,tv, and basic kitchen appliences. Id like to do Soloar Panels as it makes sence to mount them on the roof. I was hoping you could give me some advice on the best options. It all needs to be self suffecient, i dont want anythign running off the Bus battery. Can you drop me some advice if you dont mind? Thanks
So I'm looking to change out my off grid lead acid battery bank of 12/6v T-105 batteries at 675 amp hr series 24v parallel 675 ah how many lithium batteries like 4 of them to equal the bank I have or am I missing something? Thanks
Do you run A/C from one of these? Do the inverters on the 48v/24v systems change or provide electricity for typical 12v household systems? if not, what converts the voltage to 12v? Thanks in advance for your time.
I'm lucky in that I need no ac where I live. Running small systems in 12v,24v, and 48v. Using same variations with inverters for each system. All can run any aspect of my off grid home. Inverters convert from dc to ac for all household use. Typically near or at 120v. Hope that helps you...aloha 🤙
hay my friend what Do you have Holding your solar panels Down with i look and i don't see anything just wondering i like how you have them button them up to each other ...
Got them tied together underneath on the support rack. Combination of screws and tie wire for getting them tight together on surface, as well as fairly quick disconnect for moving them around as I do while adding more. Aloha!🤙
Thanks for the video! I’m building a 48V system I already have 3 of the 4 batteries needed they are 100 ah my inverter is a 48v 5000 watt I’m planing to run my pc and a small soft start ac. How can I figure the run time?
Test your load with AC and PC for a few days of normal use plugged in to a Kill-A-Watt meter plugged into the grid. Read the watt hours used. This will give you a ballpark on how long it will run on batteries with no charging input. The gorilla in the room is the AC unit. It's like asking how big of a truck should I buy to tow my boat? 12 foot aluminum boat or a 24 foot cabin cruiser? That AC unit should get cool, then cycle off, saving the battery. If it's compressor is running 100% of the time, the batteries will drain way too quickly. You will have 5120 watt hours with 4x100AH batteries. A 5000 BTU window AC will draw about 500 watts with the compressor running. With inverter losses, the batteries will go from 100% down to fully discharged in less than 10 hours. 5102 watt hours divided by 500watts is 10.24 hours. With electrical losses and avoiding dragging the charge to zero percent, you might get 7 hours run time if it doesn't cycle. It the AC is in a small well insulated room, you might double the run time.
Thanks!! Good info! I'm putting some solar in my cargo trailer conversation motorcycle hauler. All 12 volt. I've considered 24V but not sure I want to convert back down to 12V for lights, chargers, etc. for a loss. I'm like you, I've grown up working and camping with 12volts, it's hard to justify 24 or 48V system. I'm leaning on going 12 now, and I can easily upgrade in the future. Only need to buy a new inverter and a 24 to 12v drop down transformer. Cheers from Michistan
I would stick with 12 volts because you can get a DC to DC charge controller that can recharge the battery from your tow vehicle in bad weather or if you park in the shade of trees. I have the 12 volt Renogy 30 amp DC-DC charge controller that can top off the house batteries at night or in the rain using the engine alternator. It works great. And yes, it can rain for weeks at a time in the People's Republik of Kalifornia and solar input is almost kaput. 12 volts is most common for vehicle inverters with limited solar input watts and 24/48 is better for home backup where you can go with high solar string voltages and much bigger solar arrays.
12v batteries have the advantage of being compatible with a huge range of car accessories, if you want to run a small system with no mains. Otherwise 48v is the best option for using mains efficiently. HOWEVER ANY solar system is more efficient than running a generator, or not having electricity!
12v and 24v is the simpler systems to get things for due to the auto trade cars and wagons 48v is best suited if everything your going to use is mains when i was off grid i ran 24 volt to save on wire thickness then ran buck converters for where i needed 12v anything mains was kept close to the battery
the problem with 4 batterys in series for 48 volt it the batterys going out of balance say battery 1 to battery 3 this is why 48v systems with lifepo4 tend to be 1 bms for 16 cells
Why would one voltage be more or less efficient than another? Only thing I can think of is wire diameter, but that just means you didn’t pick the right diameter for them lower volt system.
That assumption doesn't hold. If you need 1000 watts you can find similarly efficient inverters for 12, 24 and (rare) 48 volt. But the more power (watts) you need, the more will be consumed by the inverter. The more amps you need on the D.C. side, the less efficient the conversion and wiring. If you are buying efficient inverters, they typically work quite well up to 100-150 amps on the D.C. side and above that start getting really lossy. That means roughly 1200 to 1800 watts on 12v, double that for 24v and double again for 48v.
they are wired in parallel he has a video about how it work, but they communicate together... and why... well it is cheaper to buy 2 smaller, than one larger
@@LiLBitsDK You can divide your panels between the controllers so the panels won't interfere with each other. Can buy the smaller ones one at a time and add as needed. However one larger is cheaper than two smaller, up to a point (above about 50 amps the controllers start getting more expensive).
i just got a reliable 4000w -8000w for my 25.6v lithium 6.6kwh ,1.5kw solar system. been using Victron Phenix 1200va .for my laptop and fridge freezer lighting ect ect but want to run window aircon 1180w while 1400w of solar is belting into battery' cells
![Why a 48V System is Better than a 12V? [Vatrer Power]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8ukQ9wQfMIY/mqdefault.jpg)
![Why a 48V System is Better than a 12V? [Vatrer Power]](/img/tr.png)
Here I am at 62, got into this last year but cancer hit me, I'm in remission now and I finally finished my 12v system with a 1500 watt inverter and 600 watts of solar panels. I live in Florida so my goal is to make a system that can power my energy efficient Freezer and refrigerator, both combined pulls about 1.6 amps per hour. I think I'm in a good spot learning this with the 12v system. your video is magnificent. I paid good attention on the how you did the upgrades. It may be something for me to ponder next. Good day Sir, Aloha.
Sweet systems. It looks like you know what you're doing for sure. Five years ago, we retired, sold everything, bought an older motorhome. We live in it Full Time as we travel the country. We discovered we love boondocking, living off grid, and quickly learned the advantages of solar. We built our solar/battery system in 2 phases, a 12v system for our basic 12v DC needs and a 48v system for our 110v A/C needs. We started by building a 620-watt liftable solar array on the side of our motorhome. We lift it to the optimal angle to boost its output 20-30% vs flat mounted panels, especially in the winter. It makes a nice bedroom window awning too, practically lifting itself with a couple gas struts, and it's easy to clean, standing safely on the ground.
We finished the 12v part of our build a year ago, with the addition of a LiFePo-4 battery that we built with 8, 280ah prismatic cells. We use a Heltec 330amp BMS with a 5a active balancer to keep the cells synched up. It cost us less than $1,500 to build this 560ah 12v, 7.1 kwh battery, including the high amp BMS. We chose these cells rather than a pre-built battery because they fit perfectly under the steps of our MH where our old pair of GC-2 golf cart batteries used to reside. We insulated the battery compartment, cut a 1" hole in our step risers and installed a tiny computer CPU fan to keep this space at close to room temperature, so we don't have to worry about the BMS shutting down charging if they get too cold - or their life reduced from getting too hot. We use an 80A Progressive Dynamics LFP converter/charger, a 1,000w Renogy inverter, an Epever 50a MPPT charge controller and a Lnex battery monitor.
By mounting the solar array on the side of our coach, we left the roof free to rack 8, 550w solar panels (4,400 watts) down the length of our 35ft Class A, 15" off our roof, above our AC, vents, etc. This huge array covers our entire roof, similar to Evons array, providing some nice shade with plenty of cooling air underneath, increasing solar output and reducing the heat load on the air conditioners too. We mounted our Sungold Power all-in-one 48V, 5,000W Inverter/100A charge controller/battery charger, breakers and Lnex battery monitor on the wall in our bedroom. Our 48v battery that resides under our bed uses 16, 320ah prismatic cells. We use a 200amp Heltec BMS to keep it safe and happy. Together with our 560ah 12v bank, we have a total of 23.5 kwh of batteries onboard - kept charged by over 5,000 watts of solar. We removed the 13.5k btu rooftop Dometic AC we had in the bedroom and replaced it with an EG4 28.5 seer-2, 12k btu mini-split heat pump on the upper rear of our motorhome. It's super quiet and cools as well as our 14.5k btu soft start equipped Furrion we have up front. This second phase provides 24/7 off-grid air conditioning and heat from the heat pump. We have a total of 6,000 watts of 120v inverted ac power on hand giving us off-grid electrical independence for a total budget of around $11,500, (including the high-efficiency heat pump.) This allows us to keep our aging 5,500w generator in reserve, for back-up use only.
Ended up with a 12V emergency system for fridge, freezer and cpap if the power goes out. Thanks for your videos, they helped me design my system.
Glad to help, and mahalo to you for being part of the conversation 🤙
Thanks!
It might be off topic, but it would be interesting to see how you manage water.
Storage, purification etc.
5000 gallons!
Have a update on that pretty soon. Revamping the whole collection system . 🤙
I don't have an off-grid system, but have build a back-up power system for power outages, I have found 24v to a nice medium between 12v and 48v for this application. Thanks for the video.
Nice! Great to have a solar as backup! Aloha 🤙
Thanks for the content and excellent and thought provoking topic. In 2015 when I got the solar bug I was using 12v deep cycle batteries, then moved to 6v golf cart batteries from Costco. Now its 2023, and I converted the large 6vx8 golf cart system into a 24v outdoor in an insulated box and still going strong. I recently picked up 4 200ah AGM to do an inside large 12v system but with the flexibility of going to 24v at half the ampacity or even 48v at 1/4 of the ampacity. However, in 2023 I think I would go straight to a 24 or 48v system due to all of the all-in-one systems since they offer a decent and simple solution for the $$. But I cannot argue with having multiple systems until the inverters die. Solar and renewable is like a moving train and it depends on how fast that train is moving and how much $ and time you have available. But one thing I would and should have done is to THINK before buying cheap crap.
Mahalo for being part of the conversation here...aloha!🤙
Love your redundancy with all the different systems. Never be out of power no matter what happens. Cheers.
Gonna have to move a battery around today...haven't had sun in days. Easily done with extra stations. 🤙
NEVER BE OUT OF POWER WITH MANY OTHER SYSTEMS . USE ONE OF THEM AS THE OTHERS ARE CHARGING DURING THE DAY .🤗🤘MAY THE SOLAR BE WITH YOU .
My the solar be with you my friend! Aloha buddy 🤙
As mentioned by others, the wire size can be reduced when running higher voltage. Also 12V system, when they run high loads will demand a very high number of Amps. I.e. a 2000W load (hairdryer, heat gun, some cookware etc.) will pull like 170 Amps at 12V. (Roughly 3-4 times more than used for welding - that is a LOT of current!)
-All electricity requires respect, both high Voltage and high Amps - but running 170 Amps through various connectors, switches, fuses, wires etc. - if one of these is not just perfectly sized and just perfectly connected, then 170 Amps at 12V makes me much more alert/concerned, than same 2000W load given by 42.5 Amps on a 48V system.
-I like anything below 80-100A. For that reason - and in my case restricted by partial shading of panels(so series connections of panels is a no-go), resulting in max. 40 Volts into my charge controller - all of that does I found 24V to be optimal in my usecase.
(I may not have to write this, but in case beginners speculate: Watts/Volts = Amps. Plus calculate the inverter and various voltage drops, will pull an additional 10% - all due to efficiency loss)
Tx for sharing
Cool video that shows the typical evolution of how folks dip their toe into solar using 12v, which is safe and easy to wrap your head around, but then gradually migrate to 48v, due to efficiency and scalability. The way you did it is fun and interesting, but if someone wanted a sizable solar array and a "buy once, cry once" system, 48 volt is clearly the way to go, these days. The availability of server-rack batteries and excellent inverter/chargers at 48v basically make it a no-brainer to go with that, if you're wanting to be off-grid, or grid-tied but generating most of your own power. The place where 12v and 24v make the most sense is for smaller-scale setups or if you're in an RV or camper, with 12v or 24v appliances.
I agree with you now that I have some time in on the 48v system...especially full time cabin off grid. 🤙
For running a full size home we use 48vdc, The New LiFePO4 24kWh bank we have just put in have really changed the way we use solar. The New 8kw inverter is being wired in on Monday.
I started planning out for a 12V system since I don't need a huge one, but final plans are for a 24V with half the Ah (so same storage capacity) but it can be upgraded, the benefit is that I can do double the solar panels on the same chargecontroller vs. the original 12V system and the only change was to change the battery + add a 24->12V DC-DC converter, so slightly more expensive but not too bad, don't have massive 12V needs (in general don't have huge power needs) I can later on change the 325W inverter to a larger one 2000+W and quadruple the battery bank... but it will be in a caravan at first, with 4x 100W panels and a 24V 50Ah battery. doing a 2S+2P panel setup (2 banks of 2 panels in series) easy to pull out and setup when at the destination and will provice plenty power for the small 12V drawer fridge and recharging phone/laptop + a few lights... all I need while travelling.
Nice system and easily expanded! Aloha 🤙
Thanks for sharing! I'm starting a new out building right after the new year and solar will be as cost effective up front for setup expense as it will be to run house power to the building. Long term payback is immediate. Win win as I see it.
Think I've arrived at 48v, maybe 24? Usual needs are very low but I'll have a couple of hefty motors that will need a fair amount of juice for short periods. Glad to have some time to figure it all out as far as components, so many options. Not new to power or controls but am new to solar configurations. Nice to have folks like yourself sharing your experience to weed through all the tall grass.....
It is a win win. The payback happens very quickly! 48v or 24v, are both great ways to go. Good luck my friend! Let us know how it goes! Aloha!🤙
I have used all three now, and I use the 12 volts to control all my outside lighting that works great for turning on and off from dusk to dawn. I found if I use it for my computer, as it charged and started go from the draw to charge the 12 volt LiFePo4 batteries would reset my computer. Similar to your freezer going into defrost. I have now setup a 48 volt LiFePo4 system and my computer has no issues. And as you stated I have the 12 volt system as a fall back.
I like them all, and use them all. 48v my new favorite though...for sure. aloha 🤙
Fuses AND breakers, everywhere!! Gotta love it! Aloha.
Aloha! 🤙
Went with a 48 volt. I wanted to use smaller wires and seems to have more kick for air-conditioning
Nice!🤙
Started off with a 24 volt system in our cabin. Runs furnace, tv and lights. 400 AH of lithium batteries. Later added a fridge and 600 AH of 12 volt gel batteries. 1000 watts for the 24 volt system and 500 on the 12 system. Barn/shop has quite a large power demand so pretty much had to go with 48 volt system running a 15kva Quattro inverter. 15875 watts of solar on the roof, 18 degree pitch so winter production is not that good. Can't run out of power in the winter as the water pipes would freeze. So far it seems to work OK. Do have an emergency generator in case of snow on the panels but propane is expensive. No grid power, too expensive to get it there. Excess power in the summer so we leave the mini splits on all the time
i am hoping they start doing more rack mounted stuff for the batterys as i think this makes for a more clean looking system
I like the rack systems best too! 🤙
I go 12v for anything up to 1500 watt, maybe up to 2000 if not continuously loaded at that rate. This is wired with 2 AWG (minimum, short lengths) or 1/0 (most of the time) or 2/0 for somewhat longer lengths of wire.
The same size wire at 24v works well up to 3000 watt, maybe 4000.
The same size wire at 48v works well to 6000 watt, maybe 8000. My 48v system can surge (30 minutes) at 11KW and that is wired with 4/0 AWG. It can run my 2HP submersible well pump.
One advantage to multiple systems is being able to size the inverter to the load. I have a 300 watt inverter that can run the heat tape on some external pipes to keep the water flowing well below freezing. It has only 5-10 watt of losses. My 1500 watt inverter can run any of the normal household loads, but even with no load it takes 25 watt or more just for itself. My 48v inverter idles about 75 watts.
Love how you broke down this information for everyone! Mahalo for all you add to the conversation! Aloha 🤙
Good show the lower volts are more safe and im old school ttoo using 12 volts when i was a kid radios trolling moters etc. So starting off with 12 volts i understand that but quickly i realized how easy a 24v is with more efficiency so i went their and yeah the 48 v would be the way to go but im happy with my 24 v for now . Its realy good to have all thoes systems good redundancies
You're moving right along... Good to see you!
😉🤙
Since you have MPPT solar controllers, you can connect your panels in series for higher voltage so less loss in power on your long cable run from panels to controller. The controller will automatically adjust the higher voltage from the panels down to 12v. Just make sure your panel voltage does not exceed the maximum voltage of the controller.
I also run two separate systems in case one goes down so at least i will still have lights no matter what.
Love your DIY setup!
Greetings from sunny Jamaica.
Very good, it's called Redundancy 👌 I have a 12 volt system and am working on a 48-volt system looks beautiful there
Aloha 🤙
nice systems. when off grid I found it best to have more then 1 system. I keep my 12V for small loads like 12V LED lighting and 12V RV stuff. large 24V is for appliances like the washer or toaster micro wave. I have a standalone 12/24V system just for spare battery charging. also use it to charge power station. years back I bult a 36V system for off grid cabin. used 6V golf cart battery's .I have a friend that bult 2 - 12V systems independent. then put a jumper from one pos to neg on outher. giving 24V and 12V . just 48V and up you have a shock hazard. 😃
Loving the multi system approach for sure. The versatility I have now gives me options under almost any circumstance, and that makes everything pretty easy now. More panels yet to add where I can to be even better and faster on those dark day's that inevitably will return. Still trying to figure out best use of those anderson connectors you mentioned before. For as much as I shuffle batteries around a quick plugin and unplugging would be sweet. Just not sure where to tie them in? Aloha buddy!🤙
@@ProjectsinParadise808 The Anderson connectors I use are the SB series. and the ones I use are color coded and only mate with same color. grey 12V ,yellow 24V ,red 48V . SB 50 is rated 50 amps max. SB 175 is rated 175 amps . SB 350 is rated 350 amps. OEM Anderson is UL and rated up to 600 volts DC. each SB connector has 2 pins + and - . Buy as a set and choose wire AWG. For the SB 50 there is a crimp tool . I solder mine. this is easy . each wire place a piece of heat shrink on it. push it dawn a ways . strip down wire. put solder flux on wire and in contact hole. put contact in small vice hollow part pointing up. heat with small torch . when hot flow solder into hole after that when still hot place wire in contact . still heat and apply solder to side of wire at end of contact. them remove heat . hold still allow to cool on its own . when finished slide heat shrink up to contact and heat . when done insert into housing. they are marked + and - . follow that and always mater the same. no crossed polarly . I think there is videos on how to install Anderson connectors on UA-cam. The ones you want are the SB type. The power pole are for low current and used on many solar power stations . They have a set just for them comes with crimp tool . Anderson connectors are a industry standard and been used many years world wide. I learned many years before the internet. thank you for showing us how easy it is to build a system . 😀😀
I really like watching you're channel , I've learned a lot from you ,thanks . I have a 12v system now but I'm going 48 v soon .
Mahalo for being part of the conversation here...aloha!🤙
Good day, I enjoy your teachings.
I have a little problem as a beginner.
I connected a 24v hybrid inverter ( An inverter with an inbuilt charge controller) but the solar panels is not charging the batteries (2nos of 12v batteries 240Ah connected in series )
SOLAR PANELS
Rated power==327w
Voltage (wmp)==54.7v
Current (imp) =5.98A
VOC ==64.9v
Short circuit current==6.46A
Max series fuse==15A
INVERTER MODE
Rated power=3000VA/2400w
DC input=24vdc
AC input=230vac 50/70hz 10.4A
SOLAR CHARGER MODE
Rated power=3000w
Norminal operating power (VOC)=240vdc
Max.solar voltage VOC =450vdc
MPPT Voltage range=90 -430vdc
Max.solar charging current= 60A
Party at ur house!!! Solar fun land!!
I love them all. Depends on off grid scenario.
Some smaller systems 12v only possible and more flexible. Larger ones allow more options.
Yes sir it's truly party time here! Got company from the mainland, getting plenty running around the island, and plenty lanai time too! They are amazed at what solcan do! Good points you mentioned for sure...mahalo!🤙
I didn't have the money to build a 48 volt system to start with, so I compromised with a 24 volt system. If someone has the money, I would recommend to start with a 48 volt system... given you can run 1/4 size wire as compared to a 12V system. Copper is VERY expensive, and the larger the wire, and the more amps you have to push, and everything just has to be larger, which is more difficult to work with in general. In terms of complexity, they are basically all the same.
It's not that bad.
If you don't need to draw more than 2500W and plan to have some DC loads, you may be better off with 24V 100A and 4 AWG cabling. There are much more inverters, relays, buck and boost converters available below 28V than above. You can use a lot of accessories made for trucks and reduce the risk of sustained arcs. If you need higher DC voltage, cheap boost converters are also available. For higher power of course, 48V makes sense as the additional cost for 60V capable fuses, regulators etc becomes small compared to the cost of the batteries. Plus you get more power out of the same charger if your string voltage is high enough (I would recommend at least 100V).
The solar panels are not charging the batteries dat is y I sent you the information ahead , tanks
Waiting for your reply
For off-grid 48v is the only way to go.
For RV's, vanlife etc it is usually best to use 24V. 24V works with many appliances designed for cars and boats. ATC, Mega, Maxi etc fuse blocka also all work on 24V systems where 48V systems will not work on ATC and most ANL ans Maxi fuses.
You can get Victron 12 to 24v dc to dc chargers and Victron makes their Multiplus systems in 24V. With 24V you can get inverters larger than 3000W while using wiring than is half the ampacity needed vs 12V.
You will still need a 24v to 12v step down transformer for some standard DC systems in cars/vanlife/RVs etc.
I have just ordered a Victron 1200w 24v inverter... I had one 3000w generic brand pure sine inverter die on me after 6 months and got a new one that was half dead on arrival, it can only do 250w max. I will from now on run 2 inverters to have one in backup. My entire system is based on redundancy except for my inverter, and it is my inverter that keeps failing. In is in my van and it is not fun geting your entire trip cut of because no electric power (and here it cost 50€£$ a night to park on a place with electricity available).
I am in a HOA Condo. What I need it a system that charges the battery from 9PM to next day 4PM and auto switches at 4PM from mains feed to my fridge from inverter then back to mains at 9PM. Two would save me al lot because I am on a 2 tier rate usage. $0.27 1st and $0.37 2nd. HOA says no solar yet but is something in the works. I have 48VDC 20AM LiFePO batteries for my two E-Trikes that I can make use of. Kind of a store and forward. Also good when we lose power.
You need a house. Hoa is lame.
I was wondering if you had any type of a schematic of each of your systems? As a novice, I'd definitely like to look at how you hooked up each of your components, especially your home 12-volt system. Thank you.
I'm 12v and 24v now I'm starting to get all i need to go 48v
That’s really the best way…good luck, stay in touch !Aloha🤙
Question: i want to set up a mobile 24V system using two 12V 100ah lifepo4 batteries and a 24V 3500W inverter. How do you go about deciding what is the minimum amount of solar panels to use? I already have 2 100W panels. Thank you for your videos they are excellent.
The answer to that depends on your load usage. That's a big inverter. What are you running? A chest freezer.... 90 watts, a 10,000 BTU window AC unit of 1100 watts? Here's the good news. Put as many solar panels as you can on the top of the vehicle, buy a decent sized MPPT charge controller and set it up for lifep04 batteries. I also highly recommend a battery state of charge meter that shows all info at a glance. Pay attention to the input limits of the charge controller and wire your panels in series and parallel such that you don't exceed the MPPT input rating. I think mine was 100 volts and my panels have 22.1 volts open circuit. So all 4 are in series for 88.4 maximum volts, well under the charge controller's 100 volt maximum input voltage allowed. 2x100ah batteries in series can take some serious charging amp input, so a 40 amp MPPT is cheap enough and small enough to charge even on cloudy days.
The nice thing about MPPT charge controllers is that they take the battery to 100% then shut off. You can actually set them for less % if you wanted, say shut off at 90%. Either way, you can pretty much ignore the system once its set up. My mobile system sits energized for a week or 2 with no loads rain or shine, then gets beat on with a microwave oven, toaster, coffee maker, 120 volt LED lights, box fan, sometimes a small 200 watt heater. Its 300 amp hours of lifep04 battery, 40 amp MPPT controller, 2000 watt inverter. I hope this helps!
Very inspiring, thank you 👍
My pleasure!🤙
All you need is few more panels and batteries. Example: my 2600 watt panels can still charge my batteries on an overcast day. Good luck and thanks.
I've definitely been adding more and more panels! Finally getting the systems up to snuff! Aloha 🤙
You need a solar tracker mount :)
I used one in the mountains, but don't really need this close to the equator.🤙
For systems like 120v it's a lot easier to convert energy from 12v battery. But for. 220v over a 1000w inverter will struggle that's why we look for higher voltage input at the DC side. Nevertheless a 12v system is always best fit for the DC offgrid solar or campervan. Cheers
Another Great Video as always. Have you considered Anderson Plugs for the batteries for quick disconnect when changing batteries? I have found them extremely useful and easy. I worried about stripping the battery terminals connecting and reconnecting.
On my smaller systems I wire an SB120 to the 12v blocks. It is rated to disconnect 120 amps but can safely handle at 160amps to 180amps for extended periods if wired with 2 AWG wire (or more amperage for shorter time, based on how hot is okay). They offer (but are hard to find) a terminal that accepts 1/0 AWG for the SB120 that is rated at 240 amps. For example, I built a system onto a rolling service cart. It has 4x 100 amphour batteries wired as two 12volt groups of two. Each group has an SB120. I can plug into them with a parallel adapter to have 400 ah at 12v, or with a series adapter to get 200 ah at 24v, depending on what I need to power. Or I have a pair of 12v 100ah batteries in toolboxes, each with their own SB120. Again can parallel or series or use them independently depending on need. There are bigger SB-series connectors... such as SB175 or SB350 on jumper cables. I don't want to plug them into a LiFePO4 battery! Also smaller. I use a lot of SB50 (good up to 80 amps or so continuous - more than I need thru them).
Actually have Anderson plugs in my shopping cart !🤙
Excellent presentation!! Thank you!!!
You're very welcome!🤙
This is great! Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure! Aloha!🤙
I bought a dc to dc 20 amp boost buck converter on allie 18 euro .. you can charge whit it whit minimum loss..input 0-60v output 0-60v 1800w it even has a low battery cut off..super handy to pump up your battery whit a battery that is lower our higher than the one you are using..if’s its running low, like in the winter
I have had the buck converter mentioned to me before, and I will look further into it. No experience as of yet with it, but after the way you describe it , it's something I need to get on with. Mahalo for sharing this information with us! Aloha! 🤙
@@ProjectsinParadise808 The Chanel..The off-grid garage… got some nice clear videos about them .. explaining the stuff you can do whit it .. set low voltage cut of .. set output voltage..set amp output… the new one comes whit a fan on the head sink .. a real versatile gadget that you can use on your 12 24 and 48 setup.. a 20 amp universal charger for les then 20 bucks..🫲😑🫱only in China bro
Thanks for the insight!
My pleasure! Aloha!🤙
What size fuses and breaker do you use between your battery cables for your 12,24and 48 system?
I really like the idea of just putting a system wherever you need it. I've picked up some little, cheap mppt chargers, that I'm going to experiment with small panel systems with waterproof reclaimed 18650 7s battery banks wherever I need them.
Love having redundancy!🤙
nice video, thanks for posting.
My pleasure! Aloha!🤙
So…when does the “windmill” DC generator experiment start? 😅
I'm trying to put together a solar set up how did you figure out the wire size or awg for you set up and the bus bars are also something I'm trying to wrap my brain around
48volt does have some caveats, if you get an all in one inverter/charge controller/charger, the minimum volts can be as high as 150 volts for solar..meaning you'll need several panels in series..The other thing is that putting 4 batteries in series to create 48 volts, lets the batteries become unbalanced from one another, which causes batteries to stop charging sooner and shut off loads sooner, which reduces capacity, but is some what solvable with a balancer that is made for connecting to (4) 12 volt batteries, or (2) 24 volt batteries, but, already built 48 volt batteries are pricey, if going that route..One BMS per battery bank tends to be more reliable, as far as series connections go, parrallel connections don't seem to suffer from those issues..Several panels in series and a 48 volt battery can be expensive..But far more efficient..Food for thought..It is better to match your batteries voltage to your system, and avoid series connections..
Nice job. Would you please tell us the ages of all the batteries.
I have two years in on most things now...all working great! 🤙
You got redundancy. And that's great.
There are considerations for choosing 12V, 24V or 48V systems.
The expected simultaneous power consumption plays a major role.
up to 2000W/3000W - 12V
up to 4000W/6000W - 24V
up to 8000W/12,000W - 48V
Main reason is cost. Larger power consumption in a 12V would mean larger diameters copper cable.
And you can see that cable length of the DC power plays a role to.
But as soon as it's inverted to AC power, we can do longer runs with small diameter cables.
Great information and worthy of a screenshot! Mahalo!🤙
Well it looks like you have all the bases covered.
Just wondering why you have a two fuses between the breaker on the positive side.
I added quick disconnect breakers because I am constantly moving things around for demonstration purposes mostly. Just so I can start turning wrenches faster while building up, or down. 🤙
Aloha, Is your solar room/power room connected to the main house like in another room or a separate building away from the main. Just curious thanks
u dont need a fuse between the paralel connected chins battery?and what fuse do u use on the wall for this system?thank u
Hi, yes i have some questions. I am doing a Double Decker Bus Conversion. Single use. What would i need to Run the entire Bus with? I mean basic appliences, Fridge, Hotwater,tv, and basic kitchen appliences. Id like to do Soloar Panels as it makes sence to mount them on the roof. I was hoping you could give me some advice on the best options. It all needs to be self suffecient, i dont want anythign running off the Bus battery. Can you drop me some advice if you dont mind? Thanks
So I'm looking to change out my off grid lead acid battery bank of 12/6v T-105 batteries at 675 amp hr series 24v parallel 675 ah how many lithium batteries like 4 of them to equal the bank I have or am I missing something? Thanks
Hey good video, what do think about using 3 3000watt 24v inverters instead of 1 5000watt inverter to run 2bed room home?
I would need a little more information on what you're running to offer an opinion. aloha 🤙
I am a little confused with your 2 victron controllers when one will take care of it..
Do you run A/C from one of these? Do the inverters on the 48v/24v systems change or provide electricity for typical 12v household systems? if not, what converts the voltage to 12v? Thanks in advance for your time.
I'm lucky in that I need no ac where I live. Running small systems in 12v,24v, and 48v. Using same variations with inverters for each system. All can run any aspect of my off grid home. Inverters convert from dc to ac for all household use. Typically near or at 120v. Hope that helps you...aloha 🤙
@@ProjectsinParadise808 Thank you sir for the response.
@@jimkearns534 You're welcome and mahalo for being part of the conversation here...aloha 🤙
hay my friend what Do you have Holding your solar panels Down with i look and i don't see anything just wondering i like how you have them button them up to each other ...
Got them tied together underneath on the support rack. Combination of screws and tie wire for getting them tight together on surface, as well as fairly quick disconnect for moving them around as I do while adding more. Aloha!🤙
how's the "reliable" 3000w inverter? i've heard conflicting things about the "pure sine" part of it.. but i want to buy it. let me know! thanks
I run two of these 24/7, and have for a couple years. One is 12V, the other 48V. Not one problem on either so far. Hope this helps you 🤙
Very nice, thanks.
Thank you too!🤙
How do you keep the low volt alarm from going off on your inverter?
Oh it does trigger the alarm when I drain a battery. Usually when I am sleeping, but certainly loud enough to wake me up! Aloha!🤙
it all depends if your after a simple system or the most efficient system
🤙
Love the beard bother. 😎 👍
Back at ya brother! Aloha! 🤙
Thanks for the video! I’m building a 48V system I already have 3 of the 4 batteries needed they are 100 ah my inverter is a 48v 5000 watt I’m planing to run my pc and a small soft start ac. How can I figure the run time?
Test your load with AC and PC for a few days of normal use plugged in to a Kill-A-Watt meter plugged into the grid. Read the watt hours used. This will give you a ballpark on how long it will run on batteries with no charging input. The gorilla in the room is the AC unit. It's like asking how big of a truck should I buy to tow my boat? 12 foot aluminum boat or a 24 foot cabin cruiser?
That AC unit should get cool, then cycle off, saving the battery. If it's compressor is running 100% of the time, the batteries will drain way too quickly. You will have 5120 watt hours with 4x100AH batteries. A 5000 BTU window AC will draw about 500 watts with the compressor running. With inverter losses, the batteries will go from 100% down to fully discharged in less than 10 hours. 5102 watt hours divided by 500watts is 10.24 hours. With electrical losses and avoiding dragging the charge to zero percent, you might get 7 hours run time if it doesn't cycle. It the AC is in a small well insulated room, you might double the run time.
Great video.
Mahalo!🤙
Thanks!! Good info!
I'm putting some solar in my cargo trailer conversation motorcycle hauler. All 12 volt. I've considered 24V but not sure I want to convert back down to 12V for lights, chargers, etc. for a loss. I'm like you, I've grown up working and camping with 12volts, it's hard to justify 24 or 48V system. I'm leaning on going 12 now, and I can easily upgrade in the future. Only need to buy a new inverter and a 24 to 12v drop down transformer. Cheers from Michistan
Mahalo for being part of the conversation here...aloha 🤙
I would stick with 12 volts because you can get a DC to DC charge controller that can recharge the battery from your tow vehicle in bad weather or if you park in the shade of trees. I have the 12 volt Renogy 30 amp DC-DC charge controller that can top off the house batteries at night or in the rain using the engine alternator. It works great. And yes, it can rain for weeks at a time in the People's Republik of Kalifornia and solar input is almost kaput. 12 volts is most common for vehicle inverters with limited solar input watts and 24/48 is better for home backup where you can go with high solar string voltages and much bigger solar arrays.
Please explain how 24V system charges "faster" and discharges "slower" than a 12V system... My brain is cramping right now
12v batteries have the advantage of being compatible with a huge range of car accessories, if you want to run a small system with no mains. Otherwise 48v is the best option for using mains efficiently. HOWEVER ANY solar system is more efficient than running a generator, or not having electricity!
12v and 24v is the simpler systems to get things for due to the auto trade cars and wagons 48v is best suited if everything your going to use is mains when i was off grid i ran 24 volt to save on wire thickness then ran buck converters for where i needed 12v anything mains was kept close to the battery
I agree 🤙
the problem with 4 batterys in series for 48 volt it the batterys going out of balance say battery 1 to battery 3 this is why 48v systems with lifepo4 tend to be 1 bms for 16 cells
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I live on Hilo side, I dont know how you get batteries mailed to you. Whats the secret? Everytime it says does not deliver in my area.
Go straight to manufacturer website…gotta pay shipping of course, but it’s still worth it. 🤙
Why would one voltage be more or less efficient than another? Only thing I can think of is wire diameter, but that just means you didn’t pick the right diameter for them lower volt system.
Under the assumption that 48 volts converted to 110 ac takes less power to convert for efficient i would chose 48 volt
That assumption doesn't hold. If you need 1000 watts you can find similarly efficient inverters for 12, 24 and (rare) 48 volt. But the more power (watts) you need, the more will be consumed by the inverter. The more amps you need on the D.C. side, the less efficient the conversion and wiring. If you are buying efficient inverters, they typically work quite well up to 100-150 amps on the D.C. side and above that start getting really lossy. That means roughly 1200 to 1800 watts on 12v, double that for 24v and double again for 48v.
Way more efficient on 48v for sure!🤙
Why 2 charge controllers on the 12 volt system? How are they wired?
they are wired in parallel he has a video about how it work, but they communicate together... and why... well it is cheaper to buy 2 smaller, than one larger
@@LiLBitsDK You can divide your panels between the controllers so the panels won't interfere with each other. Can buy the smaller ones one at a time and add as needed. However one larger is cheaper than two smaller, up to a point (above about 50 amps the controllers start getting more expensive).
@@Sylvan_dB guess you meant that for Don Brloks?
Each controller tied into 500 watt strings🤙
Cool
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Yes sistema👍 ☀⚡🔋🔌💡
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My victrons are running like a sewing machine 👍try out a sun star unit
Love the Victrons! 🤙
So you can run these at night time to
Yes, they run 24/7 with no problem. Aloha!🤙
What did you use to do that
Batteries duh
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And if we get hit with a EMP?
This is the type of setup that Elon Musk was talking about when he said he could build a system that could run all of China.
Aloha
Aloha 🤙
12 volt plug n play 2000 watt. my speed.
You know it's my speed too! Always be a 12v guy. Still what I'm most comfortable with day in and day out. Old ways die hard. Aloha🤙
How do you make holy water
you boil the hell out of it...
11.17 n your trying to teach ppl, (being polite) is there not an easier way
i just got a reliable 4000w -8000w for my 25.6v lithium 6.6kwh ,1.5kw solar system. been using Victron Phenix 1200va .for my laptop and fridge freezer lighting ect ect but want to run window aircon 1180w while 1400w of solar is belting into battery' cells
Very good! All great products you have up and running. Luckily I don't need air conditioning here, otherwise I need much more equipment. Aloha 🤙
What island? I'm moving back to kamuela in a couple months
Big Island here! 🤙
Старик Хоттабыч
You still have wind unharnessed. Make it work for you with wind turbine. They are even more efficient...