We are Feature Complete!  

Congratulations Andy , I wouldn't have had the patience but I'm glad you did. Thanks for teaching me something.

The Off Grid Detail, I mean Garage is the best place to get the nuts and bolts of practical application. I'm in the dream/planning stages of my solar system and this is my favorite place to learn and get excited about what the equipment is doing and what it takes to keep it happy. I'm worried about all the electronics (contactors, digital switches, etc) lasting in a remote off-grid location for a long time but that's for future me to worry about. Right now, this is the place to learn and get the minutia embedded in my brain. Thanks for all the great info and time in experimenting. I look forward to taking the next step and actually getting the hardware but not until I've absorbed more of this needful info.

Your enthusiasm is contagious! I watch your videos to get cheered up

Congrats! Finally you are on the right way :-) I'm looking forward to see the complete setup in its place

Well done Andy. Have enjoyed your videos and plenty of food for thought to build a system for my caravan to go off grid. Cheers!

Doing a similar rocket sience topic in my offgrid castle in germany. Very nice to see that my path is okay. Excellent work, very interesting

Thank you so much for your videos Your content is what I look forward to most on RU-vid. I hope your channel continues to grow well, you deserve it. - A diy battery and solar enthusiast from QLD

Congrats. Thank you for showing us your progress. You can use the SmartShunt for the inverter or the batteries(both solar/inverter connected). Your charge controller only measures solar charging.

⭐️ super vlog 👍

before you go a fan setup try a chimney tube setup 8-10 inch tall 3inch tubes going upward from top of the box and cold air inlet at bottom this would allow the chimney effect to work then if needed can add fans at bottom add the temperature management setup to control when the fans come on the chimney effect is effective when you get a 20f-30f temperature difference from the bottom to top of case it will draw its own cool air in most of time. I have built many super high end gaming rigs with this principle I just had a crazy amount of water cooling rads in my cases setup so that I had alot of buffer as the draw picked up and my setups rarely ever had the fans even turn on even during extreme gaming / encoding / mining / streaming you name it my rigs stayed pretty cool and were dead silent.

You are such an inspiration Andy. Thank you.

I love your project passion! Great video. Every time I think I have all I need to complete my (similar) project, I find myself buying something else. It is all fun regardless.

Awesome I love your excitement! I don't think you should put that inverter in a enclosure. The charge controller will be fine. But 300watt loss in the small enclosure might work for awhile but all that heat will cause efficiency losses to be raised and premature failure. Cut a 120mm hole in the top and drill holes in the bottom. Then install a fan with a temp probe. You do it for $50. I use a temp controller designed for seed germination to controller a heating pad and 120mm fan inside of a 30inch aluminum tool box in my lfp 300ah 24v battery box.it works great

Thanks for what you are doing. Watching closely. I can't find a link to the BMS you chose on your site. Am I missing it?

Love watching your videos, we are all learning together and i too found out about wiring the BMS after i had the cells set up. Thank you

Awesome! So happy you are moving into final phases. I am finally (after months of testing etc. like you) I am building my wall as well and getting excited! By the way, I agree with your thoughts on the cabinet.. see how it all goes, and if you need to vent later you could add a DC to DC power supply to a set of terminal blocks and run a small computer type fan to exhaust heat if you need . GREAT JOB and love your videos!

Could you cut a hole in the metal cabinet and add a computer fan to keep airflow up?

If you need cooling. You maybe able to put a relay powered by the inverter fan circuit. That way your box cooling fan will only come on when your inverter needs cooling.

Great job Andy. I would keep the smart shunt because it will show a lot of information you won't get from your bms. I really love my shunt and don't miss a display for the shunt

Great video. You can improve convection/ cooling by having holes in top and bottom and allowing free flow at every device on every side (do not mount the devices directly to the back, use distance bushings) Have fun :-)

I agree also that you’ll need some better cooling Andy, especially as your garage will already be pretty warm in summer. A couple of small computer fans would make a huge difference. Nice job thus far 👍

So sieht ein zufriedener Mann aus. Der liebt es, wenn ein Plan funktioniert. 😁

Keep the victron shunt. Take a look at the "open source" part of their website, specially to the Venus distro for the raspberry pi. You can make a very nice display/dashboard on the cheap.

You are doing so well, I am excited to watch the next video. In relation to heat, will you measure via a thermometer?

Excited, excited, excited!!! That Battery looks gorgeous. Wouldn't a 16S BMS be easier to set up? I want to make this journey as well, but that BMS config made me sh#t my pants... 😅😅😅

Easy option for cooling if required, fit 2 fans in the door ( this way you can leave all of you components still installed). Just pop the door off, cut out 2 holes for fans one in the upper half one in the lower, put the fan directions with the lower blowing into the box the upper sucking out. Control these 2 with a simple thermostat so they only run if required. You can buy fans with filtered cowls so they not only look smart the will not suck dust into the box.

022721/0406h PST- Brisbane 022721/2206. Thank you, for the presentation. I may suggest that 2X100mm ball bearing extractors (230V mains) may be used, during extreme hot weather conditions in Brisbane. You need not monitor the switching ON/OFF procedure; as the same can be controlled through a digital temperature dependent unit costing around US$3.15 AU$4. (AliExpress)The device is extremely reliable and operates on universal voltage. Once set Up is done, it works indefinitely. Best extractors are induction motors (small) which lasts longer and less maintenance. Best wishes and 73s...

I don't know what's easiest, top balance of large cells, or 10,000 small cells! When I used small cells I did full charge each cell, but it's impractical to parallel all before building the battery, I haven't had issues, I did connect each pack parallel to each other and charged them, and allowed time to self balance, also did a few micro cycles, discharge from 4.2v to 3.9 or so, then charge, to allow any lower cells to charge, but capacity testing 1,000's of cells in a pack at once isn't easy with the equipment I have , it would take months!! With eack cell tested, and matched in packs it should all be good, it us so far, I have about 1200 ah 24v I'm looking for a non smart BMS, I need to pass 300amps constantly, without hearing, I'm using a shunt trip with small BMS, that will never balance the pack, it may if only charged at 1 amp for a day, if the balance is off a bit, it should keep decent balance, I used quality cells, I haven't had issues yet, but time will tell!

you could use computer cpu cooling paste in between the backside of you charge controller and cabinet. that stuff is made to transfer heat as effecient and fast as possible

I'd trust the victron shunt a lot more than the BMS, also consider adding a contactor that can be used to disconnect the batteries remotely/automatically if needed.

When you parallel them all to balance, I really suggest you connect the charger whilst doing it. Just putting them in parallel itself can never fully balance them, it needs a charge or discharge current to get them balanced (preferably charge). :)

Hello Andy!! Congrats for the amazing setup! I've just completed my first setup too and i can totally understand the exiting that explode in your mind when you troubleshoot and than things works!! It's really amazing! One question by tho. My setup is much smaller than your, i have just 4 200Ah cells in series for a portable standard 12V array. I noticed that the cells were pefectly matched in termes of volts so i didn't do the top balancing procedure... What problems may occur? Thank you very much! Cheers from Italy!

I'd just put a fan in the bottom of the cabnet, with a vent in one side, fan on the other, about a 140mm high speed fan use a thermal switch, to turn on at about 40°c, they are cheap, normally open thermal switch, and a fan and switch just incase it's needed, 104°F should not be too hot, place the sensor on the hottest component, or a adjustable thermal switch is only about $5, set the in and off temp, I set it for about 30°C and off at about 27°C they are available in 12v 24v and 220v and good for 10amps but I'd stay at about 5amps, but a simple fan in the enclosures should be fine if any cooling is needed,

Good job and congratulations

Hi you need to put a link to the BMS

Good JOB.....................

You are the best man 🤝👍✌

Looking good my man =)

I have the Victron 500 Amp shunt. The information it delivers to you is amazing. You definitely want to keep it and use. it It is way more accurate that the other devices. And with the Victron App on your phone you have WIFI access to all of your battery info instantly. Don't send it back, keep it and use it you won't be sorry.

Will the BMS App show you state of charge for your battery bank.

Yes 🔋👍

Mount the inverter outside the cabinet.

Nice to see you are going forward. How the bms substitutes a shunt ? Or is missed a point ?

Hi I enjoy your videos very much. I was wondering what is the make of the BMS? As it seems like the right one for me. I am looking to change from lead acid to lifep for my house in Spain as it is totally of grid. Thanks

My gratulations that you came so far. It's good to know that you got advise fron China for the BMS: I would not expecting this. I think we all are looking foreward for your final installation. Good luck!

Great video Thanks

POTENTIAL RISK OF SHORT!!! Not having any way to contact Andy directly I am using this comment forum to warn everyone of a POTENTIAL HAZARD. This may not apply to all lithium cells supplied direct from China but I suggest that you check your cells to make sure that it doesn't apply to you. It is reasonably well known that the casing of these lithium cells are metal and are the same potential as the positive terminal. As the casings are covered in blue plastic this should reduce the risk of shorting out. However I have found that the underside of mine do not have any covering. Any cells connected in series sitting on a metal surface can create a short with hazardous consequences. I noticed this because I intend to sit my cells on an aluminium plate with heater mats underneath to distribute heat in cold weather. Although most users won't be installing their cells on a conducting surface the risk is still relevant wherever the cells might be placed even temporarily on a metal surface. If anyone has direct contact with Andy can you draw his attention to this so that he can spread the word. Meanwhile I will contact my supplier in China to inform them of the problem.

How much was the shipping on your batteys

I can't speak to your BMS, but mine, in theory is able to count AH usage. In reality, I found it to be wildly inaccurate. I bought the Victron Smart Shunt and will be keeping it. It is far more accurate. I would check your BMS against the Smart Shunt before returning it.

Hey Andy, Can you provide me the link for the new app for bms? And the wiring diagram. I think I'm buying the same holly trash bms😁

Hi, Question what is the buck converter you used?

AGM set voltage done.. no bms no apps no emails no bs to go threw

Waiting hour by hour but no more news from australia. How shall i survive?

Im building 280ah x 16. Daly bms 120ah. Can u use a Daly bms to setup? Ty.

I geek the same way

I have my RV inverters mounted in a much larger compartment and the inverters easily heat the compartment up to over 100F (around 40C) when they are under load. The only issue with this is that the inverters can only produce their rated power at around 20C. As they get hotter they de-rate themselves and will not produce as much power. Victron inverters actually publish various power outputs for different temperatures to help illustrate this effect. Keeping the inverters cool is key to allowing them to operate at their full capacity. I would not mount them inside that enclosure unless you're going to put some serious exhaust fans on it.

moonshine loader ??? :D Setzt Du deshalb deinen gasbrenner (BBQ) nicht instand? Weil Du die Abwärme fürs BBQ nutzen möchtest? Du bist ja noch sparsamer als die berüchtigten Schwaben ;o) Gruß nach DU zu den Eisbären und Pinguinen :D lg walter

Congrats everything is working and you documenting it, very much appreciated.

@DIY Projects yes using a better solar charge control would be more efficient but he is talking about heat generated inside a sealed box electrodacus makes a control with diversion if you have heat generated in the box that is coming from energy losses in the devices enclosed using a diversion with a peltier or liquid thermal transfer would allow box to remain sealed and to those who are saying peltier is grossly inefficient they dont know the proper way to use them otherwise NASA would NOT use them on the space station and manufacturers would stop making them because they want all the profit spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2009/ip_4.html www.science.gov/topicpages/t/thermoelectric+cooling+devices.html

sandwich peltier cells on side walls for thermal mgmt using solar to operate cells during the day with pwm control very painless like a thermal cooler

First

Well on my system I do not generate much heat in the batteries just a couple of degrees but the charging system and the inverters make a lot of heat but this all depends on the loads I charge at 100 amps but only discharge at 40 amps so good luck on a 40 degree Aussy day.