Great little setup, and thanks for showing us in the tutorial. FYI for cct boards that are bare like that, I just get some wide heatshrink tube & put a loop around the board & 70% shrink it & it becomes a protective plastic barrier you can remove later if needs be
Love your build. I built two 100ah system very similar to yours. I elected not to us and inverter as my rig only uses 12v accessories. If I need an inverter it is easily plugged into the 50 amp Anderson's plug that I have on the side of the case. you may want to add a shunt monitor. This would be the best way to monitor your power usage. I have two of the Apache 3800 cases with 100ah batteries that are easily place under seat or in our side cabinet in the over landing trailer. They each have Bluetooth monitoring. A master disconnect with a key is another item that you need to have for the battery.
Very nice. I will say as someone who worked for many years with both AC and DC high voltage and current I personally would always remove rings when working around any power but that's just me. Saw a coworker lose a wedding ring when it shorted a 48vdc contact.
Two minutes into your video I already have a great take away. Doing this yourself compared to the commercially available systems is self repair. When we learn to do this ourselves we retain control over servicing the unit. Try to take apart and replace the batteries in the commercial products. And if done right this would likely cost a fraction of what the other products would cost.
It's a lot more work but everything is modular and replaceable 👍 I've heard many of the pre built units can run diesel heaters whereas this will handle the inrush current.
Wow- that’s exactly what my buddy and I built ! (Except he used a 50AH Dakota and didn’t use a 120v inverter) his is for an ARB fridge, and charging phones / accessories.
Great build, as an aircraft electrician I really enjoyed watching your build. I have a larger renogy system I built in my camper but am in the process of building a small portable system for my dometic fridge. I appreciate the links to the products, especially the fans! I've been looking for a simple little kit like that for awhile. Love watching your videos too, and I also have a daughter named Caroline. Haha.
This is a very nicely built system. I have built 3 over the years (one last week). It's similar to yours but very small and weighs 13 pounds as I am using smaller components. Thanks for the video...
HELLO! This is one of the best designs I have seen.. very well laid out and neatly done. I have several suggestions: Use heavy duty, good quality DC breakers instead of fuses. Use them between your solar controller and the panels, between the inverter and your batteries and between your alternator and your solar controller. Instead of three wires to a terminal, keep it only 2; use a bus bar or "daisy chain" the connections before you connect them to the terminal bolts. Other than that it looks very good! I did get a kick outta your comment about removing the foam on the box top.. because of a fire-- keep in mind that plastic box will burn just as well. LOL
This is my favorite solar power box build I have seen on YT and I have watched a ton of them. I would love do a similar build but with more solar capacity and deleting the vehicle charging. You can do this build much cheaper if you want to stay away from one brand exclusively, shop around, and kill some of the smart functionality that is built into some of the components. Seriously clean and professional looking install. Subscribed!
7:50 FYI You can absolutely lay an AGM on its side. I've had a pair of Odysseys installed that way for quite some time now. 19:16 You can get a lot more accuracy with a dremel over that router. I felt your pain on that one lol. I've done that more than once myself. 49lbs is damn good for all that gear. I really need to swap my AGMs for lithium at some point. Nice job on the power system.
I could tell by your terminology of the tools and parts that you were an electrician…. I appreciate the clean work! I’ve been a sparky for 36 years. That was a great build, and so much better than a Goalzero/etc. and cheaper to with more capacity… But your average person would be intimidated to do what you did. Great job
Nicely planned and executed! The next thing may be setting up a waterproof grid tie setup in a box like that for a backup if the home setup needs down time!
Great project. Thanks for showing the real world build, plans, adjustments, and mistakes. This is what we will experience at home, and the videos that make it look like it is easy to achieve perfection on the first try are totally unrealistic and discourage people from trying.
LiTime 12V 100Ah Mini LiFePO4 Lithium Battery, Upgraded 100A BMS, Max. 1280Wh Energy-much lighter battery! Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10, 75/15, 100/15 & 100/20 are Bluetooth and give you battery info! Great case! Great video! Thanks
How'dy Lifestyle Overland, I'm Mike. Just wanna give y'all a thumbs up 👍👍🏻👍🏽on you clippy (video) and a nice big shout by all me mates (my buddies) from DownUnder ~ plain, dirt & simple Australia. Yeah. . . mate, all me mates really loved it 🤟and now some of 'em wanna build an aussie version of your DIY aux power system! It maybe won't be as fancy as yours, but fair go mate!😉
That's why I switch to Victron Energy gear! Bluetooth gear and also you can CAN-BUS or Link components via special Victron cables! Nice Build also and keep moving Forward! OORAH
Just brought back some good memories. As a limited energy journeyman electrician I used all of the same techniques at one time or another. You did it exactly the way I would have 👍🏻. I noticed you didn't mention the total cost so I'll check the description, thanks for a great tutorial.
Great video. I really liked seeing your thought process for the build and how the layout evolved as you worked through the process. Gives us some insight on things to look out for.
Really nice build, this made me happy and thanks for the explanation about how and why you made it. Knowing how other people think about this stuff helps me learn! I made a smaller version back about 15 years ago for the same reasons - learn some things, decide if DIY would work, etc. In a waterproof plastic ammo can with a smaller sealed lead acid battery, form factor on the case kept it upright, basic mppt controller, all modular with Anderson powerpole plugs to swap components. It was heavy as heck for its size, did the job for cellphones and cameras at the time. I am inspired to do a copy of yours :)
Watched a second time truly a credit to you ! I want one ! For what its worth my project is a 23ft GMC motorhome putting the body on to a e350 4x4 ford frame 5th and sixth wheels on independently suspension 5.9 cummins 6 speed Alison transmission my weakness is electric but this is a real credit to you👍😊
Great video. Like that if one component fails you can fix it. I have a 100lb brick in my garage due to one component failure and crappy after sales support!
Really enjoyed the 'build', very, very helpful. There are indeed some very impressive 'ready-made' units from the likes of the brands you mention. They can be a real 'bargain', especially when on 'special' offer. On the plus side, they can be ready 'to go' and they come with a warranty. But it is clear from many reviews that some have even 'failed' straight out of the box. A warranty is all well and good, but absolutely no use to anyone stuck in the middle of the woods in 'bear' or 'wolf' country! Sending it back to a supplier, waiting for a replacement/repair/ or just your money back - not much use if the only time of for your 'trip' has now ben used up and you have to get back to work without completing that trip you promised the family. Warranties will only ever cover 'normal' use, (which is more than a bit subjective) - when was the last trip you had 'normal' in any way for the equipment you used . . . . Not to mention, in these ever more uncertain 'times', even some of the biggest 'brand' names we rely on may not actually still be here next year. Even 'out-of-warranty' many (if not all) of these ready made units are absolutely un-repairable by even the most adept DIY'er. Some have bespoke software or sealed or bespoke parts that make home repair impossible (for 'safety' reasons by the manufactures 'of course'). With a self made unit such as yours you can balance the 'budget' vs component 'quality' level to fit your current needs exactly and have the flexibility to 'add-to' at a later date as and when you need. All the component parts will be accessible for adjustment or repair if needed - even 'in-the-field'. Imagine your ready made unit fails because of a simple 'fuse' you did not even know it had. A trip cut short or even ruined because of a 50 cent fuse ! arrrrh.! At least with a 'home' built system you will have a really good idea of what fuses, cables, connectors would be a good idea to have a spare or two of. If they did need replacing on a trip many of the proprietary 'modular' components you have used in your own self built may well be readily 'off-the-shelf' at the nearest 'truck-shop' or camping provisions store - just a thought. The 'extra' your home built system may cost initially, compared to the price of a ready made unit could well be worth it for long term reliability, flexibility and peace of mind.
I'm going to build a small motorcycle trailer as a super power bank. Right now, I make ammo box power units using 18, 20, 40 ,60, volt etc. using drill and electric mower batteries.
Maybe use bus bars for positive and negative connectors for EVERYTHING. (Lol) A good example is the Victron Lynx Distributor. (Just an example of method, might be too big for this usage). Also maybe safely fasten a small solar panel to the inside of the lid. Plugged into the solar charge controller. Point it into the sun etc..... Good work on this youtube post. Loved it.
Thank you for putting this together along with a comprehensive and very clear to follow build list. I'm not sure how many of the components I could source here in Japan, but I have been looking to do something like this for my goods trailer that I use for camping. Our trailers need to go through a vehicle inspection just like any other vehicle and a goods trailer needs to be empty at the time of the inspection. Therefore, any modification I do to the trailer needs to be easily removable and not alter the trailer itself in any way. Therefore, your detailed build is invaluable!!
Loved the video. Not an electrician but I was able to follow along as you explained everything. I would like to do something very similar permanently in our Land Cruiser. Buying the parts and when I have everything, I will be watching this video to put it all together.
I use a “used” goal zero 1000 with 200 watt solar. It powers a “used“ Engel refrigerator. Both purchased well below new price and they work most excellently. When not in my truck it sits in the garage running 24/7, both goal zero & Engel are two of my best purchases.
Great idea and the build is awesome for most people. Personally no BT. I did a similar build with a pi attached for offline use as well as for monitoring. Currently offline use has 500 gigs of “wiki” off grid DIY/ survival info for that worst case scenario.
I have built many portable solar gen that blow away any Jack or anything on the market. DIY all the way. 2.5k , 3k and smaller. Good Job love your Video's
No fuse between the battery and the inverter or did I miss it? Love the idea….my rig is a 1971 bronco, so this is right up my alley. Love the videos. Industrial experience shows in the details…..
You said somthing about topping off the battery before storage. You might know this but incase you don't it's best to store LiFePo4 battery at 40-50% charge for long term storage. It helps keep the life cycles high.
Can't wait to see the video on running an Anderson connection from the battery/alternator. We use a Dometic PLB40 and a dedicated charge cord would be great.
Really enjoyed this one, useful info and excellent displaying the whole setup mistakes and all very human and very helpful what to do and what not to do
Totally learn something and now inspired to build my own. I have a set up in my wrangler but I really like the portable aspect of this design. The other manufacturers have nice stuff and your right that’s perfect for 90% however I want to build something and I have pelican cases I could use and with my aviation technician background I’m positive I could put something together. I’ve come up with like probably 5 to 6 ideas but usually just end up with what you have done. I just have to build it now.
very nice job cool love it i build my own but i have 2 15A breaker for my two 110V AC plug that coming from my inverter so they only flip if any thing happened like breaker like have in side your house on panel box 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰nice build
I think it was necessary to put the battery in the middle between the fans, perhaps lifting it a little above them, and the fans will thereby blow on the left and right of the battery and what is around it, there would be a better balance in weight and better air exchange
right off the bat i would look at flipping the battery lugs down and towards the case sides to minimize shorting and your two power ins could be inch away,
This was probably the best power station you could make at the time. However, Renogy components sell for a premium price. Now, the Licitti Battery Box has all the ports you have plus a 1000-watt inverter and an MPPT controller pre-made for under $200. All you have to do is add a battery.😮
Warning: I just want to make sure everyone knows that, even though Licitti charges you $55 fand claims 7 day UPS shipping for their "Battery Box", it has been my experience that it may take several weeks, or more to receive your order. I’m not sure how long it will actually take, as I have not received my order yet and it has been several weeks. The worst part is they have not responded to any of my emails requesting order updates and their web site chat does not seem to work either. Make sure you use a payment method with this company that will allow you to recover your funds if the product does not arrive. It’s only a good deal if they are actually shipping products. There are quite a few people out there that are complaining about slow or non delivery as well as poor customer service from Licitti. Has anyone out there, besides the reviewers, actually received these units and/or been able to communicate with the company?
Really nice build and a great battery choice for all weather use. You could further clean up the case by removing the temperature sensor. According to the manual temp compensation is not used in the lithium charge profile.
the renogy LiFePO4 Smart battery accomplishes low temp charging protection through it’s internal BMS. The battery BMS will automatically cut off charging at 32 deg F and will resume charging when the temperature warms above 41 deg F. The renogy charger operator manual states that for LiFePO4 chemistry batteries, the charger external temperature sensor is disabled in LiFePO4 mode…..so why would you hook it up. If you read my suggestion in my original post for this very specific installation with the Renogy Smart LiFePO4 battery…..not a blanket statement for other installations…..the temperature probe is not required because this battery with it’s very sophisticated BMS and this charger selected to lithium mode ….in this case doesn’t use the temperature probe from the charger, it uses the battery BMS to control low temp charging protection.
@ it doesn’t say that anywhere. What it says is “temperature compensated charging is not used in lithium charging mode”. It doesn’t say the temperature probe is not to be used. It uses the temperature probe to disable charging below freezing. I imagine it’s to protect batteries that don’t contain an intercom’s with freezing temperature cut off.
I love projects like this! I did a solar setup on my tacoma that charged a LiFePO4 battery in my rear storage. I use it for powering anything on the truck that I use with the truck off(scene lighting, dometic, 12v in the bed for a diesel heater,etc) I only use solar to charge it though so no DCDC in my setup and I don't have an inverter on it(I've just grabbed 12v chargers for the things I would need an inverter for since its more efficient that way) I did recently pick up an Anker 521 So that I would have something portable outside the truck though.
The diy ones have a huge advantage, if a component goes south it’s easier to replace and no proprietary idiotic connections like a lot of power stations use. Easier to expand. I do have the same dc/dc/mppt solar charger, seems to work fine charging 4 100 ah batteries with 400w solar. Buuuuut if I had it to do again, I think I’d prefer a separate dc to dc and mppt. At least if there’s an issue you’d always have another way to charge.
Informative to watch. Thank you. Safety comment, if I may: 4:17 ... In my opinion, at best, this case would be IP43 rated -- and not rated for rain exposure. Elon voids his warranty if an owner submerges their car. I believe there's a pressure relief vent valve on his batteries, which, if submerged, can allow water ingress into the battery ... which can lead to corrosion, shorts, etc. On a related note, the Australians have already implemented restrictions regards placement of lithium batteries for campers, etc., and those restrictions revolve around thermal runaway. Dust too over time, with moisture = corrosion. My $0.02 Thanks again for the content.
Great job! If it were me, I’d add an external battery disconnect switch and a main fuse on the battery. I wouldn’t trust the BMS to disconnect in a short. I built one similar in a Milwaukee pack out with wheels. I use it for job site power.
So it’s a Renogy build! Bit lazy, could be even cheaper if you did some research and bought other brands, I enjoy making different brand components work and save a ton of money in the process. It did give me a laugh with your friends million dollar truck but has a Jackery for off grid. 😂😂 has he not kept up to date in the last few years?
@Flow Rider65 what did I miss? Lol I thought jackfruit was supposed to be a good brand lol I'm building my own battery generator! Got any tips? I got a 2000watt inverter and a 1000wh 88ah agm battery with a battery box. Still got some more things to get but it's coming along lol
@@Todd_G_FPV my current build is a mobile power supply on a hand truck or trolley with a 12v 300ah lithium battery mounted on the base with a sheet of 10mm thick lexan poly sheet attached to the back of the trolley mounted to that is a 1500watt pure sign wave inverter a victron smart shunt, a victron 100\50 smart solar controller, a 12volt distribution box with multiple USB, cigarette sockets and Anderson plugs it has protection from a couple of fuses and fuse holders from itech world and a 300amp isolation switch. So you can wheel this anywhere you need power, I can wheel it to my solar panels or mains lithium charger to charge it up. Eco flow, Bluetti, All Powers there are many all in one power stations out there that are far superior in discharge and recharge than the Jackery! If you build one don’t put it in a box the inverters and other components don’t last long if you do! Arrrr reading your comment again I see your taking the piss!! 😂
Nice all-in-one case. For your dc-to-dc wires to the alternator i would use heavier gauge. I used 4ga to the back of my 4runner and if I charge at 40amps the wire gets too hot and trips the breaker. I am going to oversize the wire next time.
Hmm, sounds like you might have bigger issues you might want to investigate. #4 should handle at least 80 amps. How long is your run? Is it near heat sources? How are the connections at both ends? Is the charge device putting out more than it should? Just a few things to consider. 🙌
Tip long term storage for LiFePo4 batteries, they do not like to be stored fully topped off, it'll actually damage them. Optimally they want to be at between 40-60% capacity. Voltage is irrelevant with LiFePo4 batteries since their charge and discharge curves are flat, so monitoring the amps during charging is the best way to hit the mark.
Yep, that's exactly right. I was thinking this unit would self discharge to optimal levels when in storage mode (my drone does this) but after a second look, it's not that intelligent. I'll be making a follow up video to cover these finer points for use. Good catch 👍
What happens if discharge LFP daily to say 70% and then charge to 100% next day with 8 hours on night rest at 70% SOC and 7 hours of SOC at 100% from 10am to 5pm.. is it OK?
Wish I saw this earlier before I bought my cheap 100Ah 12v battery, due to some features on communication you have readily available with your set up. Also I like going this route due to it being much more cost effective long term than ready made portable options, and not having the weight always in your vehicle, especially with mine is a daily driver.
if you want more battery storage you can get another box and put two more 100 ah batteries in it and make a jumper cable with Anderson plugs.that would give you 300 amp hours of storage.
I can find (in England) a 20w semi flex solar panel that would fit inside the lid ready for emergency recharging. I'm sure China also sends you the same panels.
Great video...FYI you can save about 30 bucks by ordering the no foam version of that case..I have been looking at doing something like this for awhile. Need to also power ham radio equipment. I am wondering how clean the power is on the HF bands.
Great build! The SB mounts requirements of square hole I try to refrain from those I use external flat cover mount and then you only drill hole big enough for the wire. Did this on my build years back and for my next one doing the same. Plus this frees up some interior room in the case. I can't like example but somewhere on my channel I did a short video that hi can see it in the background.
Buying all of the components through the Amazon links adds up to $1872, plus all of the little bits and pieces for terminals and such. That does include the BT hub he added.
Love this concept and execution. Excellent for lots of inspiration and a wonderful concept to share. Thanks for being so generous with the knowledge. I'd love to duplicate it exactly with the addition of being able to plug it into house for charging. Any advice on making that addition? I'm not knowledgeable about electric by any means. But seems that'd be a great additional source for recharging when at home. Thanks again!!!
I have this same Renogy set up in my DIY Sprinter build (except I have a second 100aH battery which is when that second RJ port is used) and I do have the BT Hub. It all works BUT you have to plug the BT2 module into EVERY device to pair them to the app **BEFORE** you plug the BT2 into the Hub. Also if for some reason you need to RE-pair a device you have to re-pair all the devices. I also dislike the Renogy app seems to require Internet and login before you can check yours devices. They may have fixed that. Finally… Renogy does not offer a very good AC-DC charger… I went with a Victron unit for that and it works great.
There is no way this is cheaper than buying something already put together. Those renogy components and the box alone already have you at a $1300 price tag.
In Afghanistan we used the expeditionary solar kit. All in boxes. You can get it surplus. It wasa great expandable set to 3kw believe
GREENS system, for anyone wanting to look up what he is talking about 😉
Awesome install! Please do a follow up on lessons learned, fixes, etc.
Your toyota is the best one I have seen yet. Congratulations.
Great little setup, and thanks for showing us in the tutorial. FYI for cct boards that are bare like that, I just get some wide heatshrink tube & put a loop around the board & 70% shrink it & it becomes a protective plastic barrier you can remove later if needs be
Love your build. I built two 100ah system very similar to yours. I elected not to us and inverter as my rig only uses 12v accessories. If I need an inverter it is easily plugged into the 50 amp Anderson's plug that I have on the side of the case. you may want to add a shunt monitor. This would be the best way to monitor your power usage. I have two of the Apache 3800 cases with 100ah batteries that are easily place under seat or in our side cabinet in the over landing trailer. They each have Bluetooth monitoring. A master disconnect with a key is another item that you need to have for the battery.
Very nice. I will say as someone who worked for many years with both AC and DC high voltage and current I personally would always remove rings when working around any power but that's just me. Saw a coworker lose a wedding ring when it shorted a 48vdc contact.
Yep, we agree! I cover this towards the end when I explain the system was dead until I activated the battery. 👍
@@LifestyleOverland I must have missed that. I don't even wear a ring anymore. Too Many years working around 40kV DC.
Two minutes into your video I already have a great take away. Doing this yourself compared to the commercially available systems is self repair. When we learn to do this ourselves we retain control over servicing the unit. Try to take apart and replace the batteries in the commercial products. And if done right this would likely cost a fraction of what the other products would cost.
It's a lot more work but everything is modular and replaceable 👍 I've heard many of the pre built units can run diesel heaters whereas this will handle the inrush current.
Man the HJ is absolutely gorgeous. Built one a few years ago and miss it every day.
Wow- that’s exactly what my buddy and I built !
(Except he used a 50AH Dakota and didn’t use a 120v inverter) his is for an ARB fridge, and charging phones / accessories.
Great build, as an aircraft electrician I really enjoyed watching your build. I have a larger renogy system I built in my camper but am in the process of building a small portable system for my dometic fridge. I appreciate the links to the products, especially the fans! I've been looking for a simple little kit like that for awhile. Love watching your videos too, and I also have a daughter named Caroline. Haha.
This is a very nicely built system. I have built 3 over the years (one last week). It's similar to yours but very small and weighs 13 pounds as I am using smaller components. Thanks for the video...
Liked how it looked at the Xpo. Very neat and clean, and such portability too. Until next time... Wrench and Travel safe.
HELLO! This is one of the best designs I have seen.. very well laid out and neatly done. I have several suggestions: Use heavy duty, good quality DC breakers instead of fuses. Use them between your solar controller and the panels, between the inverter and your batteries and between your alternator and your solar controller. Instead of three wires to a terminal, keep it only 2; use a bus bar or "daisy chain" the connections before you connect them to the terminal bolts. Other than that it looks very good! I did get a kick outta your comment about removing the foam on the box top.. because of a fire-- keep in mind that plastic box will burn just as well. LOL
This is my favorite solar power box build I have seen on YT and I have watched a ton of them. I would love do a similar build but with more solar capacity and deleting the vehicle charging. You can do this build much cheaper if you want to stay away from one brand exclusively, shop around, and kill some of the smart functionality that is built into some of the components. Seriously clean and professional looking install. Subscribed!
7:50 FYI You can absolutely lay an AGM on its side. I've had a pair of Odysseys installed that way for quite some time now.
19:16 You can get a lot more accuracy with a dremel over that router. I felt your pain on that one lol. I've done that more than once myself. 49lbs is damn good for all that gear. I really need to swap my AGMs for lithium at some point. Nice job on the power system.
Brilliant. 👍A nice weekend project.
Best diy power system ive ever seen. Great job mate, keep up the good work.
Thanks 👍
Beautiful job! I have built a couple of these, just finished one in a Rigid 22 inch tool box.
I could tell by your terminology of the tools and parts that you were an electrician…. I appreciate the clean work! I’ve been a sparky for 36 years. That was a great build, and so much better than a Goalzero/etc. and cheaper to with more capacity…
But your average person would be intimidated to do what you did. Great job
Nicely planned and executed! The next thing may be setting up a waterproof grid tie setup in a box like that for a backup if the home setup needs down time!
Great project. Thanks for showing the real world build, plans, adjustments, and mistakes. This is what we will experience at home, and the videos that make it look like it is easy to achieve perfection on the first try are totally unrealistic and discourage people from trying.
LiTime 12V 100Ah Mini LiFePO4 Lithium Battery, Upgraded 100A BMS, Max. 1280Wh Energy-much lighter battery! Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10, 75/15, 100/15 & 100/20 are Bluetooth and give you battery info! Great case! Great video! Thanks
I have 4 of the litime mini 100s in my van build, those batteries are awesome
Very well done. I've built a smaller (12A) boxed system for Ham radio use. I will definitely use some of these ideas for a larger system.
This is the video I was looking for to make a DIY battery bank!
How'dy Lifestyle Overland,
I'm Mike. Just wanna give y'all a thumbs up 👍👍🏻👍🏽on you clippy (video) and a nice big shout by all me mates (my buddies) from DownUnder ~ plain, dirt & simple Australia.
Yeah. . . mate, all me mates really loved it 🤟and now some of 'em wanna build an aussie version of your DIY aux power system! It maybe won't be as fancy as yours, but fair go mate!😉
That's why I switch to Victron Energy gear! Bluetooth gear and also you can CAN-BUS or Link components via special Victron cables! Nice Build also and keep moving Forward! OORAH
Nice work M! I’m a IBEW myself. JL
Just brought back some good memories. As a limited energy journeyman electrician I used all of the same techniques at one time or another. You did it exactly the way I would have 👍🏻. I noticed you didn't mention the total cost so I'll check the description, thanks for a great tutorial.
Great video. I really liked seeing your thought process for the build and how the layout evolved as you worked through the process. Gives us some insight on things to look out for.
Thanks!
Really nice build, this made me happy and thanks for the explanation about how and why you made it. Knowing how other people think about this stuff helps me learn!
I made a smaller version back about 15 years ago for the same reasons - learn some things, decide if DIY would work, etc. In a waterproof plastic ammo can with a smaller sealed lead acid battery, form factor on the case kept it upright, basic mppt controller, all modular with Anderson powerpole plugs to swap components. It was heavy as heck for its size, did the job for cellphones and cameras at the time. I am inspired to do a copy of yours :)
Awesome build, this is most definitely on the thing to add to our overland gear.
Watched a second time truly a credit to you ! I want one ! For what its worth my project is a 23ft GMC motorhome putting the body on to a e350 4x4 ford frame 5th and sixth wheels on independently suspension 5.9 cummins 6 speed Alison transmission my weakness is electric but this is a real credit to you👍😊
Great video. Like that if one component fails you can fix it. I have a 100lb brick in my garage due to one component failure and crappy after sales support!
That has to be one of the best builds I have seen. It's so clean well done
great tutorial - thank you. the fan temp regulator was money.....
Nice setup I like the fan co trol option
Really enjoyed the 'build', very, very helpful. There are indeed some very impressive 'ready-made' units from the likes of the brands you mention. They can be a real 'bargain', especially when on 'special' offer. On the plus side, they can be ready 'to go' and they come with a warranty. But it is clear from many reviews that some have even 'failed' straight out of the box. A warranty is all well and good, but absolutely no use to anyone stuck in the middle of the woods in 'bear' or 'wolf' country! Sending it back to a supplier, waiting for a replacement/repair/ or just your money back - not much use if the only time of for your 'trip' has now ben used up and you have to get back to work without completing that trip you promised the family. Warranties will only ever cover 'normal' use, (which is more than a bit subjective) - when was the last trip you had 'normal' in any way for the equipment you used . . . . Not to mention, in these ever more uncertain 'times', even some of the biggest 'brand' names we rely on may not actually still be here next year. Even 'out-of-warranty' many (if not all) of these ready made units are absolutely un-repairable by even the most adept DIY'er. Some have bespoke software or sealed or bespoke parts that make home repair impossible (for 'safety' reasons by the manufactures 'of course'). With a self made unit such as yours you can balance the 'budget' vs component 'quality' level to fit your current needs exactly and have the flexibility to 'add-to' at a later date as and when you need. All the component parts will be accessible for adjustment or repair if needed - even 'in-the-field'. Imagine your ready made unit fails because of a simple 'fuse' you did not even know it had. A trip cut short or even ruined because of a 50 cent fuse ! arrrrh.! At least with a 'home' built system you will have a really good idea of what fuses, cables, connectors would be a good idea to have a spare or two of. If they did need replacing on a trip many of the proprietary 'modular' components you have used in your own self built may well be readily 'off-the-shelf' at the nearest 'truck-shop' or camping provisions store - just a thought. The 'extra' your home built system may cost initially, compared to the price of a ready made unit could well be worth it for long term reliability, flexibility and peace of mind.
I'm going to build a small motorcycle trailer as a super power bank. Right now, I make ammo box power units using 18, 20, 40 ,60, volt etc. using drill and electric mower batteries.
Maybe use bus bars for positive and negative connectors for EVERYTHING. (Lol)
A good example is the Victron Lynx Distributor. (Just an example of method, might be too big for this usage). Also maybe safely fasten a small solar panel to the inside of the lid. Plugged into the solar charge controller. Point it into the sun etc.....
Good work on this youtube post. Loved it.
Thank you for putting this together along with a comprehensive and very clear to follow build list. I'm not sure how many of the components I could source here in Japan, but I have been looking to do something like this for my goods trailer that I use for camping. Our trailers need to go through a vehicle inspection just like any other vehicle and a goods trailer needs to be empty at the time of the inspection. Therefore, any modification I do to the trailer needs to be easily removable and not alter the trailer itself in any way. Therefore, your detailed build is invaluable!!
Loved the video. Not an electrician but I was able to follow along as you explained everything. I would like to do something very similar permanently in our Land Cruiser. Buying the parts and when I have everything, I will be watching this video to put it all together.
I use a “used” goal zero 1000 with 200 watt solar. It powers a “used“ Engel refrigerator. Both purchased well below new price and they work most excellently. When not in my truck it sits in the garage running 24/7, both goal zero & Engel are two of my best purchases.
Excellent excellent excellent video!
This is an excellent build idea. I will be doing something similar to use with my frig unit
Great idea and the build is awesome for most people. Personally no BT. I did a similar build with a pi attached for offline use as well as for monitoring. Currently offline use has 500 gigs of “wiki” off grid DIY/ survival info for that worst case scenario.
I have built many portable solar gen that blow away any Jack or anything on the market. DIY all the way. 2.5k , 3k and smaller. Good Job love your Video's
Wow great install thanks
You can use a green scrub pad for a dirt filter between the grill and fan. Plus they are easy to remove and clean.
AWESOME idea! 👍 Been thinking about that.
I suggest a white scrubby. Finer mesh = bet filtration and a quick look will tell you when it needs to be cleaned.
I was thinking the same thing. Some sort of dust filter.
No fuse between the battery and the inverter or did I miss it? Love the idea….my rig is a 1971 bronco, so this is right up my alley. Love the videos. Industrial experience shows in the details…..
You said somthing about topping off the battery before storage. You might know this but incase you don't it's best to store LiFePo4 battery at 40-50% charge for long term storage. It helps keep the life cycles high.
Firm believer in the mobility of components. Awesome build thanks for sharing.
Can't wait to see the video on running an Anderson connection from the battery/alternator. We use a Dometic PLB40 and a dedicated charge cord would be great.
Shiiiiiiiiii we would pay you to make one for us and slap a huge lifestyle overland logo on the bad boy 💕 I am NOT a technical guy like that 😂
Really enjoyed this one, useful info and excellent displaying the whole setup mistakes and all very human and very helpful what to do and what not to do
What a great video! Love watching the full creation. All the way to crimping. Well done. Thank you! ❤️
Definitely a Game Changer 👍 very cool
This is a really nice solution. I would be interested in knowing the total cost. Maybe compare to like portable pack, pros, cons, differences.
Totally learn something and now inspired to build my own. I have a set up in my wrangler but I really like the portable aspect of this design. The other manufacturers have nice stuff and your right that’s perfect for 90% however I want to build something and I have pelican cases I could use and with my aviation technician background I’m positive I could put something together. I’ve come up with like probably 5 to 6 ideas but usually just end up with what you have done. I just have to build it now.
Love this. Definitely giving me some ideas for an additional power source for our multiple vehicles. Thanks as always.
very nice job cool love it i build my own but i have 2 15A breaker for my two 110V AC plug that coming from my inverter so they only flip if any thing happened like breaker like have in side your house on panel box 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰nice build
I like those flush Anderson connectors!
You need terminal insulators on your positive terminals, at least.
the lid alway great location for fans.
Nice Build
I think it was necessary to put the battery in the middle between the fans, perhaps lifting it a little above them, and the fans will thereby blow on the left and right of the battery and what is around it, there would be a better balance in weight and better air exchange
right off the bat i would look at flipping the battery lugs down and towards the case sides to minimize shorting and your two power ins could be inch away,
This was probably the best power station you could make at the time. However, Renogy components sell for a premium price. Now, the Licitti Battery Box has all the ports you have plus a 1000-watt inverter and an MPPT controller pre-made for under $200. All you have to do is add a battery.😮
Warning: I just want to make sure everyone knows that, even though Licitti charges you $55 fand claims 7 day UPS shipping for their "Battery Box", it has been my experience that it may take several weeks, or more to receive your order. I’m not sure how long it will actually take, as I have not received my order yet and it has been several weeks.
The worst part is they have not responded to any of my emails requesting order updates and their web site chat does not seem to work either. Make sure you use a payment method with this company that will allow you to recover your funds if the product does not arrive. It’s only a good deal if they are actually shipping products. There are quite a few people out there that are complaining about slow or non delivery as well as poor customer service from Licitti.
Has anyone out there, besides the reviewers, actually received these units and/or been able to communicate with the company?
That sounds great. But where does one aquire said item. What platform did you see it on and what's the exact name of device
@@VincenzoValentine-si9regoogle can answer any question you have.
Like what you make, just want an update with AC charger and main kill switch, switch for the inverter and the Renogy Hub.
Now you're ready for the ARRL field day or winter field day!
Really nice build and a great battery choice for all weather use. You could further clean up the case by removing the temperature sensor. According to the manual temp compensation is not used in the lithium charge profile.
the renogy LiFePO4 Smart battery accomplishes low temp charging protection through it’s internal BMS. The battery BMS will automatically cut off charging at 32 deg F and will resume charging when the temperature warms above 41 deg F.
The renogy charger operator manual states that for LiFePO4 chemistry batteries, the charger external temperature sensor is disabled in LiFePO4 mode…..so why would you hook it up.
If you read my suggestion in my original post for this very specific installation with the Renogy Smart LiFePO4 battery…..not a blanket statement for other installations…..the temperature probe is not required because this battery with it’s very sophisticated BMS and this charger selected to lithium mode ….in this case doesn’t use the temperature probe from the charger, it uses the battery BMS to control low temp charging protection.
@ it doesn’t say that anywhere. What it says is “temperature compensated charging is not used in lithium charging mode”. It doesn’t say the temperature probe is not to be used. It uses the temperature probe to disable charging below freezing. I imagine it’s to protect batteries that don’t contain an intercom’s with freezing temperature cut off.
Love your videos!!! Like they said in the movie, Jaws, " I think we're going to need a bigger box!!!🤣
I love projects like this! I did a solar setup on my tacoma that charged a LiFePO4 battery in my rear storage. I use it for powering anything on the truck that I use with the truck off(scene lighting, dometic, 12v in the bed for a diesel heater,etc) I only use solar to charge it though so no DCDC in my setup and I don't have an inverter on it(I've just grabbed 12v chargers for the things I would need an inverter for since its more efficient that way) I did recently pick up an Anker 521 So that I would have something portable outside the truck though.
Nice job i like it.
👍👍
The diy ones have a huge advantage, if a component goes south it’s easier to replace and no proprietary idiotic connections like a lot of power stations use. Easier to expand. I do have the same dc/dc/mppt solar charger, seems to work fine charging 4 100 ah batteries with 400w solar. Buuuuut if I had it to do again, I think I’d prefer a separate dc to dc and mppt. At least if there’s an issue you’d always have another way to charge.
Great job I'm following suit 👍
Informative to watch. Thank you.
Safety comment, if I may:
4:17 ... In my opinion, at best, this case would be IP43 rated -- and not rated for rain exposure.
Elon voids his warranty if an owner submerges their car. I believe there's a pressure relief vent valve on his batteries, which, if submerged, can allow water ingress into the battery ... which can lead to corrosion, shorts, etc.
On a related note, the Australians have already implemented restrictions regards placement of lithium batteries for campers, etc., and those restrictions revolve around thermal runaway.
Dust too over time, with moisture = corrosion.
My $0.02
Thanks again for the content.
Great job! If it were me, I’d add an external battery disconnect switch and a main fuse on the battery. I wouldn’t trust the BMS to disconnect in a short. I built one similar in a Milwaukee pack out with wheels. I use it for job site power.
it's for overlanding. a switch would brake
@@jffgoulet A 100a resetable flag relay would work for that.
So it’s a Renogy build! Bit lazy, could be even cheaper if you did some research and bought other brands, I enjoy making different brand components work and save a ton of money in the process. It did give me a laugh with your friends million dollar truck but has a Jackery for off grid. 😂😂 has he not kept up to date in the last few years?
@Flow Rider65 what did I miss? Lol I thought jackfruit was supposed to be a good brand lol I'm building my own battery generator! Got any tips? I got a 2000watt inverter and a 1000wh 88ah agm battery with a battery box. Still got some more things to get but it's coming along lol
@@Todd_G_FPV my current build is a mobile power supply on a hand truck or trolley with a 12v 300ah lithium battery mounted on the base with a sheet of 10mm thick lexan poly sheet attached to the back of the trolley mounted to that is a 1500watt pure sign wave inverter a victron smart shunt, a victron 100\50 smart solar controller, a 12volt distribution box with multiple USB, cigarette sockets and Anderson plugs it has protection from a couple of fuses and fuse holders from itech world and a 300amp isolation switch. So you can wheel this anywhere you need power, I can wheel it to my solar panels or mains lithium charger to charge it up. Eco flow, Bluetti, All Powers there are many all in one power stations out there that are far superior in discharge and recharge than the Jackery! If you build one don’t put it in a box the inverters and other components don’t last long if you do! Arrrr reading your comment again I see your taking the piss!! 😂
Nice all-in-one case. For your dc-to-dc wires to the alternator i would use heavier gauge. I used 4ga to the back of my 4runner and if I charge at 40amps the wire gets too hot and trips the breaker. I am going to oversize the wire next time.
Hmm, sounds like you might have bigger issues you might want to investigate. #4 should handle at least 80 amps. How long is your run? Is it near heat sources? How are the connections at both ends? Is the charge device putting out more than it should? Just a few things to consider. 🙌
What size breaker?
Tip long term storage for LiFePo4 batteries, they do not like to be stored fully topped off, it'll actually damage them. Optimally they want to be at between 40-60% capacity. Voltage is irrelevant with LiFePo4 batteries since their charge and discharge curves are flat, so monitoring the amps during charging is the best way to hit the mark.
Yep, that's exactly right. I was thinking this unit would self discharge to optimal levels when in storage mode (my drone does this) but after a second look, it's not that intelligent. I'll be making a follow up video to cover these finer points for use. Good catch 👍
@@LifestyleOverland great build, should last you many many years!
What happens if discharge LFP daily to say 70% and then charge to 100% next day with 8 hours on night rest at 70% SOC and 7 hours of SOC at 100% from 10am to 5pm.. is it OK?
Its fine @anilgargsfo
Good job you did man 👍🙏
Nice project!
Greta build.
Wish I saw this earlier before I bought my cheap 100Ah 12v battery, due to some features on communication you have readily available with your set up.
Also I like going this route due to it being much more cost effective long term than ready made portable options, and not having the weight always in your vehicle, especially with mine is a daily driver.
Just subscribed your talking Chinese to me but injoyed this video ill watch it again so can take it all in LOL
Thanks
if you want more battery storage you can get another box and put two more 100 ah batteries in it and make a jumper cable with Anderson plugs.that would give you 300 amp hours of storage.
I can find (in England) a 20w semi flex solar panel that would fit inside the lid ready for emergency recharging. I'm sure China also sends you the same panels.
A whole folding panel, say 80w, might even fit.
Great video...FYI you can save about 30 bucks by ordering the no foam version of that case..I have been looking at doing something like this for awhile. Need to also power ham radio equipment. I am wondering how clean the power is on the HF bands.
awsome build 🎉 curious to see what have you done to get around buying a hub to monitor both of the battery and the dc dc device.
Just a heads up, cheap car fuses will happily pass a lot more current than their rating. Littelfuse and Bussmann are reliable brands
Did like the Toyota and the v8
Great build! The SB mounts requirements of square hole I try to refrain from those I use external flat cover mount and then you only drill hole big enough for the wire. Did this on my build years back and for my next one doing the same. Plus this frees up some interior room in the case. I can't like example but somewhere on my channel I did a short video that hi can see it in the background.
Nice! I'm working on something that will fit into an ammo can. I did one in a 5 gallon bucket but it's pretty weak.
Great! Really good inspiration, but what did it all cost you?
Buying all of the components through the Amazon links adds up to $1872, plus all of the little bits and pieces for terminals and such. That does include the BT hub he added.
@@timaugustine-dirt_trippin thanks!!
Awesome build. How have the Renogy components held up for you since assembled? I hear mixed reviews and am curious what your thoughts are.
check voltage drop accross the fuse legs. These often burns because of poor connection and still not burn the fuse.
Love this concept and execution. Excellent for lots of inspiration and a wonderful concept to share. Thanks for being so generous with the knowledge.
I'd love to duplicate it exactly with the addition of being able to plug it into house for charging. Any advice on making that addition?
I'm not knowledgeable about electric by any means. But seems that'd be a great additional source for recharging when at home.
Thanks again!!!
I have this same Renogy set up in my DIY Sprinter build (except I have a second 100aH battery which is when that second RJ port is used) and I do have the BT Hub. It all works BUT you have to plug the BT2 module into EVERY device to pair them to the app **BEFORE** you plug the BT2 into the Hub.
Also if for some reason you need to RE-pair a device you have to re-pair all the devices.
I also dislike the Renogy app seems to require Internet and login before you can check yours devices. They may have fixed that.
Finally… Renogy does not offer a very good AC-DC charger… I went with a Victron unit for that and it works great.
Cool video.
There is no way this is cheaper than buying something already put together. Those renogy components and the box alone already have you at a $1300 price tag.