SolarDIY

Hello. I recently bought an off-grid house with its own solar system. So I’m learning little by little. Right now, I have a Voltronic Axpert VMIII inverter connected to two battery banks. These battery banks have 16 batteries each, totaling 32 batteries (LiFePO4). Each bank has a BMS model JK B2A20S20P. There is no communication between this inverter and the BMS; everything works based on voltages, meaning I have told the inverter what voltage it should have. I am going to upgrade my installation with more panels, a Victron MultiPlus-II 48/10000/140-100 inverter, a Victron Cerbo GX MK2, a VICTRON MPPT 250/100-Tr VE.Can, a VICTRON MPPT 250/70-Tr VE.Can, and some other things that I don’t think are important right now. My doubts arise about whether it will be possible to connect the BMS of the battery banks to the Victron system so that it can manage the batteries correctly, or if it is better to buy new BMS that do allow this. What do you think?

Hi! I’m looking for recommendations for classes/education on off grid solar.

I know this is solarDIY, but it seems like a good place for this anyways. Tl;dr is there a good way to integrate wind and solar without spending a bundle?

I live in the central US in a south-facing apartment with a TON of sunlight, and I’ve been wanting to set something up mostly for hobbyist/curiosity reasons. I know actual financial benefits are going to be pretty unlikely, and that’s ok.

Im considering installing a small - Maybe 1Kw set of panels into a location but I would like to get an idea of what their actual performance would be like before I do the installation. Its a strange location with some over hanging trees and some shading by neighbours fromntine to time but it could help provide some redundancy. Understanding of it could produce enough or whether a mains powered UPS is required would help before I pick and buy a solution.

I’m in the process of converting my garage to my home office and want to set up solar to run my laptop, a couple monitors, lights, phone charging and I’m sure a few other small things.

I want to make a solar charger for tool batteries. I’m thinking plug a standard AC dual 5 amp 20v battery charger into an inverter charged via a solar battery bank. Enough to charge four batteries during the day. That’s not in the budget so I’m going to start small with just one battery at a time (600watts?). Maybe two batteries a day if I can afford it.

I’m looking for a small setup that allows the panel to be removed without removing screws from the roof and exposing holes.

My office/ lab at home uses around 600W when fully running, and I see that there are quite a few power stations that will comfortably handle that, and foldable 4 panel setups that can generate 300-400W.

How do I design a large solar system that spans many buildings across a few km?

Can I connect a 5w 5w solar panel directly into a 10k mAh portable battery bank safely via USB 2.0, or does it need some sort of protection in-between like a solar charge controller or a schottky diode?

Hey all,

For several years I’ve used a Raspberry Pi Zero for sensors, camera & door motor control which opens & closes a chicken coop door. The Rpi & controller is 5v, the motor is 12v. This has been powered by around 50’ of extension cord, but the elements are beginning to weather the cord & we also need to move the chickens further away from our mains. I think it is time to implement solar. I aspire to assemble a PV, battery, & converter system which: - Uses an off-the-shelf 12v PV panel (30w or so) - Uses LiFePO cells for heat resiliency & stability - Provides both 12v & 5v power - Isn’t proprietary; uses standard, easily-sourced components… unless it meets specs perfectly & isn’t terribly expensive. - Minimal power draw; at most 2 amps @ 12v for 10 seconds twice daily.

The Renogy Wanderer states that it is optimized for 10A, 12V/24V batteries. What would happen if it was connected to a battery pack containing one 3.6V 18650 battery such as this?

Hi everyone, had anyone played with alternative battery technology to try and bring the cost of storage down when weight and space are not an issue? Zinc bromine? Nicole iron?

As my first foray into Solar DIY, I’d like to try to power a 5V computer fan with a solar panel. My goal is to run it for at least several hours per day. My understanding is that I’d need the solar panel (duh!), a fan, a charge controller, and a battery. As a newbie, I’d like to run my setup by this community since you know better than I do. Please let me know if this makes sense:

Sorry if this is a wrong community to ask these question since my system is only partially DIY, but does anyone have experience with EPS systems like EcoFlow Delta?

I’m starting to design a quite large solar pergola, to be built in the southern uk. Has anyone got any advice on the different methods of adding waterproofing between panels? And/or any general tips or experiences in constructing the pergola?

Has anyone here ever had success running either of these in a solar-powered off-grid structure?

I have three extra solar panels from a pack of 10 I ordered. I don’t have room for them to fit with my other 7 panels and am looking for unique ideas on where to put them. I could throw them up on my east facing roof, or perhaps on a large playhouse in the back yard. I could lean them up against a south wall, or mount them to a railing. Any other crazy ideas?

I’m looking to build out a semi-off grid system for a cabin. I have a 2000w generator I’d like to use to feed the inverter/charger to assist with the battery charging. The datasheet indicates that it’ll draw significantly more current than the generator can provide. Can the charge current be adjusted down in software? I see recommendations for buying a standalone AC charger, but that seems silly. I’m looking at the GroWatt SPF-3000 unit.

If your intention is to supply electricity back to the grid, it is advisable to consult your electric company and local permitting offices (such as city, county, or provincial authorities) to determine the necessary documentation. Requirements may vary, with some entities having stringent specifications for plan submissions, while others may simply prioritize the filing of an application. Even if a formal plan submission is not mandatory, it can be beneficial to create one for personal reference or potential future property sale, as it provides comprehensive information about the installation.

Currently the best hybrid inverter has got to be the EG4 18KPV Inverter with the Sol-Ark 15K coming in second only due to the $2,600 price difference. Both of these inverters can do it all. They are relatively easy to install, can be used with a small system and can scale up to handle a 200 amp system with as little as three units (you can start with one and two would cover most consumers needs), have small idle consumption, and can be setup in a variety of ways. If you are looking to DIY a system, I don’t think you can go wrong with either of these units.

Some people are terrified by electricity. I am guessing few in this community fall into that category. What makes you comfortable working with solar systems? For me, my father was an electrical engineer and I learned a lot from watching and helping him run new power and phone outlets. There wasn’t anything he was scared of pulling apart to try and fix. I think the first outlet drops I installed in a wall were BNC coax drops in an apartment I was renting. I did take some computer architecture classes at university that formally introduced me to electricity and circuits, later I ended up taking some electrical courses, reading home improvement books, and lots of online videos. I guess I could also look back at the stereo installs I was involved in as a youth for myself and friends.

Are there any Din Rail Ampere Meters that don’t require AC power to run? I currently have a shunt in my system that monitors the DC power coming in from my panels. I am about to upgrade my inverter to a smarter one and I will no longer need the shunt. But when looking around, I found some Din Rail ampere meters for AC and thought it would be nice to put something like that next to my DC circuit breaker near my panels. However, every one I have found appears to require AC power.

Here is my example for a starter system you can pick up to learn more about solar installations: