Going Off Grid - DIY 4600w Solar Lithium Battery Power System EP7
Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль
Like most of the projects I have tackled on this Off Grid adventure, putting together a larger Solar Lithium Battery system was a big deal. There is so much information out there on the inter webs, perhaps too much or it is too fractured. But being a "maker" I had to give it a go myself, with a bit of help. (Zero sponsorship or incentives etc, all funded by Judy and myself).
If you are going to take a project like this please do your own homework. This video is not a specific "how to do" this project, rather I'm giving you a little taste of the adventure. I hope you understand.
My system is as follows;
4600watt Solar input 13.44 KWH battery, totally off grid giving 4000w of 240v useable power.
Solar panels 12 Hyundai s390UF
Clenergy racking system
Victron Inverter charger 48/5000/70
Victron MPPT 250/85
Victron Cerbo GX and touch screen
Victron Smart Shunt
EVE 280 Amp Hour Lithium Batteries (liFePo4) x 16 (3.2V each)
Cable from MPPT to Battery 35mm2
Cable from Battery to Inverter 70mm2
2 x DC 25 amp breakers
1 x 80 amp MCB (need to replace with 125 amp)
2 x Roof Top Solar power DC Isolators
Thanks to my Mother and Father In law - Gloria and Michael for the help in getting the panels up. xoxo
Thanks to Tim Lawton for the advice and help in wiring up the 240 volt section and Solar Panels. Oh and the great feed, thank you!!
Tim's Tavel and camping link
/ @timstravelandcamping4634
Пікірлер: 344
And then there was never another bill.. ANTI-INFLATIONARY!😮😊Every home should have a system like this. Our government should provide more incentives to allow landlords to provide the opportunity for tenants to access the technology and then cost of living pressures might subside. Love your work, keep the videos coming ✅🦠⛈🔥
@jonathanrashleigh8771
Жыл бұрын
It’s a bit of misconception that you’ll never pay a bill again. Batteries need replacing/expanding and panels need upgrading. Even the inverters (the really expensive part) die. So put that power bill money aside you are going to need it one day. Love being off grid though and the obvious environmental benefits.
@ballbous
6 ай бұрын
@@jonathanrashleigh8771 It's really a misconception that the costs of maintaining a modern LiFePo4 system are anywhere near an order of magnitude lower than what you can expect to pay for mains electricity, especially these last few years, the quality of inverters has improved drastically over the last 3 years, and the cost of inverters, panels and cells has all fallen similarly. LiFePo4 cell longevity increases exponentially with reduced depth of discharge, so you can expect them to outlive you if you oversize them adequately. You can get a modern, high quality 5kw Chinese inverter for 500 AUD and an 11kw inverter for under 1000 AUD, at current electricity prices; buying low cost components a high electricity user could turn over their system every 2 years and still be near breaking even. Nothing needs replacing anywhere near every 2 years.
That's a HUGE deal, Scott!!! Beautiful job! Thank you Tim for making this possible.
Never let that magic smoke out. Stuff doesn't work without it 😉😁
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Nice and tight, no smoke escapes ;)
@tree_carcass_mangler
Жыл бұрын
Yep, keep that magic blue smoke inside the gadget.
@micksmith3021
Жыл бұрын
Very hard to get it back in to
You definitely won't miss the sound of a generator running! Congrats on the progress
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
100% right. Handy for a back up but shatters the tranquillity. Thankyou Joseph.
It's always nice when KZreadrs have each other's back. 👍🇦🇺👍 BTW, very impressive system & build. I used to work for ETSA, which was our South Aussie electricity supplier & was against privatisation from the get-go. Thumbs up for going self-sufficient & tubing your nose at utility rorts.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
8 ай бұрын
Thank you! It was great to have Tim around for the installation. He even cooked up a great feed that evening! This installation certainly has taught me a lot about electricity.
All this electrickery way above my head, still enjoyed seeing and learning stuff. Lamb shank sounded nice too, lol. Stay safe and well.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Mmmmmm Lamb Shank :) Cheers again!
Congrats, Scott! Must feel liberating to have that milestone accomplished.
Love seeing a good solar set up👍
Love a good solar setup. Looks great!
Another excellent video, Scott. A lot of people will watch this for a one-stop look at what’s involved in getting a system up and running.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Cheers Justin!
Congrats Scott your getting there 👍
To keep it legal ..... take a trip here and watch people rewiring the power from the cables going down the street. The main qualification seems to be a bottle of rice whisky before, during, and the testing afterwards. Nice job and not that many panels.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you! I've seen a bit of that sort of power grid - wild!!
Living off-grid is a lot of work but so rewarding in the END 🎉‼️. I’ve got a place in maine and been off grid for 3 years now so cool
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
7 ай бұрын
Total agree. So much work, especially getting started, but it is good work and the lifestyle is a great teacher. All the best!
Congratulations on this milestone. Keep these vids coming - thanks for posting. Thumbs up!
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks again TCM. Glad that one is done now and we have silent power :)
Happy days dude.. great job.
Fantastic! That'll be a big milestone reached in this adventure of yours.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Alasdair
Brilliant off-grid solar setup! I appreciate you sharing your process and experience here -- always happy to learn more about rooftop solar for the home.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Damien!
Superbe vidéo. Super boulot!! Hugs from France 🇫🇷 ;)
Congratulations on meeting and overcoming another obstacle! Keep up the great work, everything is coming together very nicely!!!
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Barry!
You have some great outlaws & friends. That is a very nice solar system. I laughed "Well here is moment of truth. No Smoke?" Great job.
great video , i built my own system recently as well ,good fun , learnt alot , guys like wil prowse make life alot easier with there great diy videos
Salut scott un super boulot comme d’habitude .petit à petit l’oiseau fait son nid bravo et merci .😁👍👍
Looking to upgrade to solar with batteries in the next few years. THanks for the primer! Glad you have THE POWER!
That's a milestone, love to see it. I've watched a handful of off grid youtubers put together a battery bank and solar array but holy hell yours is impressive.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Very kind Scott! Thank you!
Great video. Going solar super cool and convenient. Mahalo for sharing! : )
Fantastic work, Scoot! 😃 I want to do the same here at home, as soon as I can! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
So nice to have great family and friends❤️🙏 That electrical job would scare me to try and do. Thanks for walking everyone through the install. It’s a bit of a job there lol😄 Looking really good and love the puppy dogs❤️😊
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you David! I am blessed :)
Well done mate, I would need a wall full of batteries over here and then some lol. 👍🇬🇧👍
Wow nice one Must be a great feeling having it up and running
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Sure is, and a relief too.
Purposed placement! Xcellent job and btw great to have family and friends. Thanks for the look.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you John! So true!
Bloody good to watch as you are talented and you also have a great sense of humour. Some more uncut ones would be good.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Nick!!
Love the enthusiasm. I feel the same way!
Wow fantastic great job it made me smile when you turned the bandsaw on job done
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Was a good feeling, cheers Alan.
Good job mates!
I geek out on Solar, this was a great video. Thanks Scott!
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Much appreciated Wayne!
Very nice work Scott... Be careful and take care...
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Gary! God Bless.
That's the best cherry picker I've ever seen Scot. 10 times more gadgets on the powerboard, all for a dose of sunshine. 😊 Good job mate.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Haha, thanks Paul! I'm too tight to rent the Cherry Picker ;)
fantastic accomplishment - 👍👍😎👍👍
Beautiful simple set up. We'll explained. Thanks for sharing
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Simon, I saw earlier your comment about overloading the breakers but now I cannot find them. I have two 25 amp breakers with a max load of 20 amps each. Each series string will give just over 130v at 10 amps. Then two strings are put in parallel ring 130v t 20 amps. This then goes through a 25 amp DC Breaker. Same for the next six panels. I hope this helps clarify.
@reefr80
Жыл бұрын
@@ScottTurnerformeindustrioussorry, I missunderstood how you wired up the panels from the video, I thought it was in parallel then series, making it 30amps and 100v per string, posted about overloading the dc breaker, then double checked, realizing my mistake, then deleted the comment.
HOWdy G-O-G, Thanks for showing us your SYSTEM COOP the WiSeNhEiMeR from Richmond, INDIANA - USA ...
Really nice job. looks great
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
11 ай бұрын
Thank you Tony!
Brilliant! And yes I am Will's big fan too!
cool as ol mate im still impressed with the things you get up to
Amazing Scott, never in mind did i think this would be a thing, i'm still getting over Battery Tools.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
haha! Yes so true. Beats running the noisy diesel generator though ;)
@davidsnyder2000
Жыл бұрын
So much nicer than a loud engine running all the time and trips back and forth to the petrol station 👍🙂
Great video cheers
Great👌 my next big project planed a long time
Nice work Scott. Looks like a beast of a system. Would love to see your feedback on how well it's coping with your needs as time goes on. Keep it up mate.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Brett. I'll follow up down the track, cheers.
Well done mate
Great video, enjoyed it
102122/0248h PST 🇺🇸 102122/2048h NSW 🇦🇺 Greetings from California. The real time presentation was great. Thank you. The help from the In laws were equally great. Thank you. Good to see the location has no shades falling on the PV array. Wish you all the best and 73s…
Will is am awesome content creator. He has done a great service to the solar community and a lot of new folks to solar too.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Totally agree Wade.
Great video.. really cool to see it all come together.. would be interested to see how you found and decided on all the components
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Benjamin. Oh that was a saga! Not many places cater for someone setting up a their own large DIY system. I'll have to do some sort of break down. This video was really keeping in touch with progress to date.
Self-sufficiency at its best enjoy, Scott. Play safe from Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Scott! Agreed!
Will is cool dude :) Nice channel with planty info about off-grid
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Very true. A great wealth of knowledge.
Nice system. I've lived offgrid in Hawaii for the past 14 years and swear by Victron products. I think they're number one in the industry. Also I've learned quite a bit from will prowse even though I'm twice his age. Thanks for posting
Nice system. Greetings from Jamaica.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Lawrence!
Hello from Phoenix Arizona. I really enjoyed the video. Thank you I watch wills channel as well.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
8 ай бұрын
Thank you Joe!
Love it. Also a big fan of Wil Prowse. Looks good.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
9 ай бұрын
Thank you!
i got the same inverter and batteries shunt etc.. it seems youtube understand exactly what i want to see. Great build!
Great video love to watch every video you make I always learn something new
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Very much appreciated Simon!!
Congrats on the install! Working on my own with the EG4 6500EX inverters.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Adam. Those all in one inverters do interest me.
@AdamDeLay07
Жыл бұрын
I am attempting to document my installation on my channel if your interested.
@kellyjoe4life
Жыл бұрын
@@AdamDeLay07 what’s your channel interested in learning more to build a system
@AdamDeLay07
Жыл бұрын
@@kellyjoe4life You can click on my name or use this link: kzread.info/dron/YPJ-fAVyGUiEBB6pKATxgQ.html
Hi mate really enjoyed ..A big thanks for your time.. Liked and Subscribed
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Many thanks!!
Amigo Scott, ver para creer ! Veo que has creado en un páramo agreste un verdadero "Centro de Comando Industrial", nadie hubiera imaginado lo que has hecho con tanta voluntad y perseverancia lográndose este objetivo. Espero pronto ver esas creaciones a las que ya nos tienes acostumbrados, estaré en primera fila ! Un fuerte abrazo Scott.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Gracias Rodolfo!! Tanto trabajo por hacer. Te veré de nuevo pronto.
Australian thongs and British thongs are SO different 😂 I am looking at expanding my meagre solar PV with a few additional panels. This was a well-timed video.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
We have both. I normally wear both haha ;)
@NigelMarston
Жыл бұрын
@@ScottTurnerformeindustrious Nothing like a good flossing to set you up for a day. 😆
Top stuff Scott. I've got 2130w on my bus roof and a multiplus 12 3000 and 3x 280ah eve battery packs. All victron smart mppt and cerbo gx. Great having autonomy, good stuff 🍻
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks! I'm a fan of the Victron gear. Time will tell how it all goes but fingers crossed.
Absolutely "you bewty". Cheers, David
Great job!
Great work Scott. Bit of upfront cost that’ll pay itself off pretty quick. It might even cool the shed down slightly. Appreciate the video, Cheers Pete
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks again Pete! Yes it does help keep the sun off the roof making it a bit cooler.
Pretty awesome in-laws you have there Scott. :)
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Absolutely!
Good information bro
Awesome job.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
10 ай бұрын
Thank you!
Great build. That earth stake looked like it took some convincing 😂. Looking to do something similar to power my critical circuits overnight by storing my excess solar instead of pushing it out into the grid.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
10 ай бұрын
Thank you! Yes it liked a beating :) good idea if you can get better use of your solar. Generally I'm topped off at 10am so I loose all the solar from that point. I should put in an electric hot water system.
Brilliant video mate, Tim is a mate of my brother, they met through my bro's youtube channel.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Hey big Fella! Thanks. Yes he has mentioned you both fondly. Tim has a heart of gold and I'm glad I met him. All the best mate, take care.
A salute to Gloria and Michael for being great parents-in-law.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
100%!
Looking good 👍 I recently finished a powerwall using EV batteries and already want to build a new one with LFP cells lol
Big step forward! Wifey and I have just booked a trip to Cairns, you can turn on some of that sun in November please ;)
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you! Raining right now but November is normally on the dry side, unless someone comes up for a holiday ;)
@FixitFingers
Жыл бұрын
@@ScottTurnerformeindustrious We've been lucky. Was up in Nov 6 years ago on our first honeymoon, then March this year and both dry... 3rd time the charm for a cyclone? ;)
nice system , hello from france
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Jerome!
The bank account is taking a beating. It will defiantly help speed up future builds though without the noisy genset.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Agreed! Thank you.
I've talked to a bunch of people about stand-alone power systems and many complain at the price tag. True, there is a bit of money involved, but compared to getting mains power connected (if such a thing is even remotely possible where your property is) it's a no-brainer! The efficiency and simplicity of components today, as compared to even 10 years ago, is amazing. If people want to go really cheaply, then they can get everything from panels ($20-50), inverters (under $100) and batteries (about $100 each) second-hand from Facebook Marketplace and other sites. The quality varies radically and ideally you would have everything tested (buyer beware!). I should point out though, that while you CAN go quite cheaply, you're getting it cheap for a reason and I wouldn't rely on it for a long-term system. As with most things, new is usually best. Once again you've shown us that it's not rocket surgery. Well done and nicely explained. Thanks Scott.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks again! There is power down the road, but like you say $$ for poles and connection so we bit the bullet and did it ourselves. A big thing with this system is now we have built it, we understand it and if something goes wrong I'll be able to fix it without to much drama.
Amazing home power..
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thankyou!
Awesome inlaws and friends! A brilliant and efficient installation Scott. Nice one! One thought, did you consider setting up the solar panels in front of the shed to create a additional shelter? I think the panels would perform better in the open, but of course, you would have to build the supporting structure.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Benjamin! Yes existing structure plus it cools the shed also.
@BenMitro
Жыл бұрын
@@ScottTurnerformeindustrious I can't talk, mine are on the roof too, but I've been considering building a veranda and tossing up whether to use roofing sheet products or use solar panels instead. Hence my original question...It seems too good a solution in my eyes...I'm just going to use 2nd hand panels and they will be running a hot water service. I guess I was fishing to see if you had considered that option and if you had, why you had rejected the idea - maybe I've missed something?
Excellent work. I just wish our house had the right aspect to take advantage of this sort of setup 😞
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Yes Aspect is super important. Thank you Paul!
Bravo !! Tu vas pouvoir travailler 😉
Very clean build, good job. however, your battery is 280×51.2=14,336 watt hours. I have built two of them and they came to 28,672 watt hours. I used JK BMS with 200 amp charge/discharge and 2 amp active balancing. I followed Andy from Andy's Garage when building our's.
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
5 күн бұрын
Thanks Steven. I just go off the Manufacturers specs which go off 48v nominal. I enjoy watching Andy's show. Cheers.
Very nicely done Scott. Victron is top gear which I'm sure will last any years to come.. I'm interested in the Lithium batteries you have used.. and of course their reliability.. Would you have some more details.. Every month think about how you have not paid a bill to connect to the electricity grid, and of course the per KW charges.. Lovely stuff. Once again thank you for a very interesting and entertaining video..
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Mark! I got the batteries from Lifepo4 Oz 280 amphr lithium 48 volt kit with BMS. Yes it is great but you have to keep in mind the upfront cost and the capacity is limited compared to grid connection. Additionally you have the cost of ownership/ maintenance. If you are handy it is very doable. For my situation I have more than enough power.
I'm a new subscriber to your channel Scott and I'm loving it!! With the PV system you've installed would you be able to run decent size single phase MIG say 250 Amps?
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
7 ай бұрын
Thank you! I'm yet to properly test the system for welding. I have done some light welding no problem. My big air compressor can have some trouble getting running if I have anything else on at the same time. I'm planning on doing a video to talk about my experience with the system to date.
A breakdown of the costs would be amazing
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Hi Jon. I'll probably do a follow up video to cover more detail as this was just to keep in touch with my progress so far. Nearly 5k for all the Victron gear, MPPT, Inverter/Charger/ Cerbo GX. Panels and rack plus breakers Under 4k. Batteries under 5k plus miscellaneous.
You can strip a lot more of the insulation for those mc4 connectors. Gives more contact
Nice build! One thing I wanted to add, since I have not found it in others comments: You should think about locking/tying together the LiFePo batteries. Research shows, that they will last 30-40% longer, when they are locked and can't expand...
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you! Yes I have had a lot of comments on that. I will have to do something. Cheers
Great Scott, Scott. Good job & quick build vid. I love Will Prowse too, but you might want to check out Andy’s Off Grid Garage Australia, for some local talent and excellent info on this type of setup, he really knows his stuff. It looks like some sort of a marine ply ur using as a backing to ur Power Wall, you may have to use a fibre cement type board (non-flammable) to comply. Not sure what BMS u have there or what preinstallation prep u have done (balancing etc), but I will give u a tip for a backup or replacement, check out the 48v 200A JK BMS with 2A active balancing (Ali Express), they work great with these cells. Will have to check out some of ur other vids. Cheers
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks again! Diligreen BMS 200Amp. In time I'll get more knowledge on the system, largely thanks to Andy and Will. All the best.
I'm green with envy.
Geez Scott, you and Tim make that look easy. So I'm wondering if you can explain a bit about cost of your solar set up please 🙏 I'm in the process of researching solar for my own off grid and hoping to steal your hard work 😂
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
2 ай бұрын
Thank you! Cost of the system as shown in the video was around 15k AUD. Figures are rough but close enough. MPPT $1200, Inverter Charger $2700, Cerbo GX $400, Shunt $300, Panels and racking $4500, Batteries $5000. The rest is in wire and switches etc. Hope this helps.
Great build video, excelente craftsmanship, I just think you got the wrong BMS there... I think Daly's are really not the best for the setup you have. Thanks for the video.
Parabéns ! Ótimo.
Very cool 😎
Thanks for sharing Scott. We are thinking of doing all this when we retire so its great to follow your videos. Can you share how much this cost for all the parts. Cheers
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for following along. My system cost around the 15k mark (AUD)
Design Awesome 👍 bro 😘🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩
When you flicked the switch I was expecting an increasing whir like a jet engine, then a constant hum at the end, just saying. Great job Cheers from down south
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Iain! Such a good feeling.
Really nice job, clear and simply! I have a question, the Victron charge controller have some protections against shoting down from the bms? I would love to change my Epever to Victron, because Epever burn without batteries connected and solar pannels still working.. Thanks from lands of Venice 🇮🇹
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Miki! It only has the 80 AMP MCB.
Great Video Scott!! I was thinking about doing it myself and you inspired me. I have just ordered some cells from Lifepo4 myself. Do the connecting straps for the batteries come with the cells? If not , where did you get them?
@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Жыл бұрын
Thanks David, I'm glad you found the video useful! I got mine from Lifepo4 oz and they supplied the 16 x 208 amphr batteries plus all the connecting bars and the 200 amp BMS with my 48v kit. I also bought a 3.65v Top Balance charger (Takes ages). Good luck with the build.