The links to Watts24/7 are loading slowly, but they work. Just takes a few seconds. Btw I love Watts24/7! Great prices and they sell some great stuff. Have not heard a single complaint from anyone, and they offer really great customer support for their inverters. Check them out. They never beg me to make videos about their products (most companies do, and it drives me nuts), and I have known them for years. They also have the lowest prices for MPP. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Does off-grid solar confuse you? Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system packages and product recommendations, and so much more! www.mobile-solarpower.com Join our DIY solar community! #1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike: www.diysolarforum.com Check out my best-selling, beginner-friendly 12V off-grid solar book (affiliate link): amzn.to/2Aj4dX4 If DIY is not for you, but you love solar and need an offgrid system, check out Tesla Solar. Low prices and great warranty, and they can take your entire house offgrid with their new Powerwalls: ts.la/william57509 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My solar equipment recommendations (Constantly updated! Check here first): 12V/48V Lithium Batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-batteries.html Solar System Component Directory: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solarcomponents.html Plug-N-Play Systems: www.mobile-solarpower.com/full-size-systems.html Complete 48V System Kits: www.mobile-solarpower.com/complete-48v-solar-kits.html DIY Friendly Air Conditioner/ Heat Pumps: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-friendly-air-conditioners.html Complete 48V System Blueprint: www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v-complete-system-blueprint.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar and Coupon Codes: -Current Connected: SOK, Victron and High Quality Components. Best prices and warranty around: currentconnected.com/?ref=wp -Signature Solar: Cheap Server Rack Batteries and Large Solar Panels: www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek -Ecoflow Delta Official Site: My favorite plug-n-play solar generator: us.ecoflow.com/?aff=7 -AmpereTime: Cheapest 12V batteries around: amperetime.com/products/ampere-time-12v-100ah-lithium-lifepo4-battery?ref=h-cvbzfahsek -Rich Solar: Mega site and cheaper prices than renogy! Check them out: richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek -Shop Solar Kits: Huge site with every solar kit you can imagine! Check it out: shopsolarkits.com/?ref=will-p -Battery Hookup: Cheap cell deals bit.ly/2mIxSqt 10% off code: diysolar -Watts 24/7: Best deals on all-in-one solar power systems, with customer support and distribution here in the USA: watts247.com/?wpam_id=3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Contact Information: I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com Join the forum at diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers: Every video includes some form of paid promotion or sponsorship. Some links on this youtube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :) DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
Will, you should ask those resellers to sponsor your channel if they want to get mentioned. Nothing wrong with doing a 30 second ad read and collecting $$, just be up front with your audience about what's a paid ad read and what's not.
I’m pretty excited about this. I have a build date for an F-150 Lightning in May. Im going to pay an electrician to run a 50a line to my driveway where I will charge my new EV. But, I don’t want to rely on the grid, so I’m going to install solar on the roof and run it to what you have shown me here and do most of my charging from this. Also can run a 30a from my Lightning to a nema outlet in front of my house and use my Lightning as a backup generator for my home.
To limit the current draw from your EV, make sure the EVSE is configured for the maximum current available. Most EVs don't let you set the max current from the onboard charger.
I've been thinking about doing this for my Tesla. Would love to charge off-grid. I typically only charge at 25A anyway from my 40A home circuit. The wires of the Tesla mobile connector just feel much cooler and safer to me since I usually charge overnight while I'm sleeping.
Dynamic rate changing with an OpenEVSE charger might be a good idea. The EV charging spec allows the charger to change the charge rate during the charge session by changing the duty cycle of the pilot carrier. This could be a method to prevent discharging battery banks during an EV charge session when solar output declines during cloud covered or at the end of the day.
Will, you did it again! A home run. Thank you. I want to set up a solar charging station for my EV that is wife friendly and this is perfect. Clean and simple. You are terrific!
I find it interesting that you also seem to have gravitated to the simple and value based MPP solar inverters. My setup is also two LV6548's, but I have switched from DIY LiFePo4 to server rack based batteries from Seplos. I also use SMA inverters for grid tie at another house, but will be augmenting those with the new MPP LVX6048WP inverters once available, as they have 600V inputs!
My guess for switching to server rack batts is that diy lifepo batts require alot of wiring and more while a server rack has all already built in...and are thus pretty cheap, and are certified (for home).
Since we are retired and average about 20 miles per day, our next plug-in hybrid will likely be a Prius Prime. Can Will's system be downsized or set up off grid maybe with an additional 6kWh storage battery in our condo carport to charge in the evening or overnight.
That’s awesome I like those all in one inverters. I am currently taking a electricians course through a college online. I am looking forward to not relying on the grid. :)
I was hoping this video was going to be about the Growatt 12k. I'm hoping to move most loads to it and a server rack 48v batteries. Then use solar and the grid tie feature. Also set at battery priority.
Best way too go is as you point out with the Tesla Wallbox directly to the inverter if you can afford two wallboxes one off grid and one connected to the grid as a backup if the batteries are empty.
I would add to check your EV’s charging parameters. My 2013 Leaf doesn’t have ability to change the charge current so the MPP would not be enough for level 2 charging.
Some chargers themselves will limit the charge current. Looking on Amazon, 16A seems to be a popular one. My Audi similarly doesn't have the feature to change charge current.
I don't believe I can set the volts on my electric car, not easily anyway, an alternative might be to hook up a socket to the inverter and have a charger that plugs into that. I have a cheap 16 amp portable charger for my car and an adapter for campgrounds. Thanks for all your work Will, an inspiration.
Interesting concept for the future: charging an EV or any battery powered equipment from solar panels. Could you talk a bit about the costs, including the solar panels? How much did you invest in you entire system?
I always appreciate your enthusiasm in these videos Will. Keep doing what you're doing. 3 of those inverters for a home is overkill isn't it? I look at my wattage per month on my bill and it is no where near what that kicks out. Maybe I am just not normal though. What is the math on sizing a inverter?
Hi Will, Lots of great ideas. Very new at Solar. So watching your videos has really helped. Thanks for the links to all websites on your page as well. Looking at building an enclosed structure on our patio. So the Pioneer or Mr Cool video has helped as well. Looks like the LVX6048 or LB6048 is what I’ll need. The solar array will be my biggest question. I’ll keep watching videos. But any info would be helpful. Thank You. Keep up the great work.
This is very helpful Will. I have a lowly 2016 Leaf with the 30KwH battery and have two level 2 chargers. One I was using early on out of a dryer plug and it only draws 16 amps. Since my EV battery is not very big, I could get away with using the 16amp level 2 charger with one of these units and be pretty happy!
Also, the Leaf has the capacity to send power out of the CHAdeMO plug. I would love in the future to use the car as a storage battery. So far sourcing one of the inverters to do this has not proven to be viable. Maybe it will once I am in a place where I can set up this type of system.
Actually, the wiring should be able to handle 220A. That specific inverter does provide 160A (2x80) from solar, but it ALSO can charge from utility (or generator) at 60A, so in total 220A. Unless you're never using the utility charger you have to wire for the maximum amps (thus, charging from both utility and full solar, even though this isn't likely to happen very often). Also, make sure the battery can handle this, lots of them only handle 100A charging, so you might need to configure the charger for lower amps (or run multiple batteries in parallel)
I was wondering about that as my hybrid invertor charges at max 100A but my battery pack says max charge is 50A, does that mean that when I put two packs in parallel I can charge with 100A even though the individual packs are rated at 50A at 1C?
I’m kinda torn about an offgrid setup like this (unless you’re off grid anyway). Advantages - it’s simple, with only some basic building and tech skills needed and relatively inexpensive. Disadvantage - you don’t have the grid as backup and you’re potentially letting solar go to waste. Especially if you’re just using it for EV charging. When the batteries are full you could be supplementing the grid and powering your own loads. Still an excellent video as usual from Will.
Yeah those were my thoughts. Of course if you had batteries you could store the energy and you could separate some of your home load to use your system - for example exterior lighting or your garage power if you have a sub panel you can isolate.
I don't plan to charge an EV, I just like watching your videos because each one spurs ideas and thoughts about the projects I am working on. I have a very specific solar project that I would like your input on. Are you available for consultations?
I love how Americans consider 6000w a small load. You guys are so lucky to have such relaxed electrical laws. Ours just keep getting stricter by the year.
Hi Will, what about charging EV using direct current directly, without loosing some percents at conversion to 240V and then another amount from 240V back to DC rail of the EV?
The problem is that you still need something to match the impedance of the panels with the car input. We call this mppt. There is a possibility that a car could be designed for a particular solar configuration, or you could adjust the dc power input via an app, to fake mppt function. I would like to see 240v charging work straight off a solar inverter, like Fronius. The problem with Will's suggestion is that it will drain the 48v battery bank when a cloud comes. If you put a fake 48v bank there, this could work by the battery bank clunking out at 44v and the 240V output turning off .... But it would not be graceful
This is my question too with a humble E-scooter. Can I build a dedicated system with 48V solar panels with a charge controller and not use the adapter that comes with the scooter? The charger output states 42V 2.0A . Thanks for your videos.
So In reality this could be mounted inside an EV that has solar panels and batteries on board and have endless power on the go! Thanks Will! You might wanna hide though!
I do wonder if you should just use a European inverter by default for EV charging because I'm sure the system can work with both 50 and 60Hz output, right?
@@eowendyl you would also have to consider if it’s split phase or single phase. The US gets 240 volts from split phase. Europe uses single phrase, Duel phase, and even three phase electrical. So…there are some other differences.
Wow this is really great information I just purchased my first EB last weekend although it is only a 16 KW hour battery in a Mitsubishi I-miev my goal is to charge it as quickly as possible on the level one port .. So tell me If I have a 24 KW hour battery that is charged by my solar system and I come home from work in the evening and I plug in the charger to my 16 KW hour battery will the power from the 24 kilowatt hour battery charge to 16 kilowatt hour battery to full capacity and wait for the sun to come up the next day to recharge itself?
First off, thank you for your great DIY posts. I have learned so much. I am interested in building a solar carport to charge my Bolt ev. The idea of reprogramming the car to charge at a slower rate is discouraging especially when we also want to use our level 2 charger. I'm thinking of just setting up for a level 1 to start with and not have near the investment. Would you possible want to cover that? The panels on a carport might be close to matching the power output to the car so battery storage might be minimal. Thanks
Amazing information and videos, appreciate all the links and more! Looking to setup a small system to charge a Kona EV entirely off the grid this summer so that I can run it completely free. Feel like there will be layover in the evenings where I might be able to get 3 or so hours of sun but then have to pull the rest from a battery rack. At 24amps, I'm guessing it would take close to 10 hours for a full charge so maybe 3-4 batteries could do the job for the rest, I wonder...
I have one basic question - If my solar panels make energy from the sun in form of DC, why do I need to convert it to AC? why can't I directly charge my car? That way the efficiency go up. btw, great video!
@haim4 voltage required by your car is different from the voltage provided by your panels. It's similar to charging your 12v battery directly with your solar panels. Voltage might be too high damaging your battery.
I charge my 1st Gen insight battery using a charger I build using 4 power switching units ( basically AC to DC converters) connected directlyto the battery... so I'd bet you could do the same thing with a newer car if you hacked the code to bypass the safety controls. You have to get or make an mppt solar controller that allows you to set the output float and absortion voltage to 100+ volts. You could look online to see what the inverter energy losses are to see what you have to gain be going down that road.
Wouldn't using this inverter (48V SPF 12kW DVM MPV 250VDC Off Grid 120/240V Inverter with 120A Charge Controller by Growatt) bring us much closer to the maximum charge rate at level 2? Other than being a little more expensive and putting the panels into groups what are the downsides? Thanks!
Will can u show us how to use a EV system handle to charge a plastic crate system u showed us how to build. This would be very helpful for your battery bank system as these car chargeing stations are becoming more plentiful about the USA. tanks for ur pics and Carpe Diem young man!!
Good day Will! I bought a weize 12v 10ah lifpo4 battery to be a drop in replacement for the SLA in an UPS. However I am unsure after reading the instructions that came with it. I am concerned that the charge circuit in the UPS will damage the lifepo4 battery. Do you think the built in BMS board is sufficient protection, or would wiring in a DC-DC lifepo4 battery charger be required. I did do a teardown of one of them and can give you pictures and details of the inside. Thanks for your time.
Will question ???? do I have to have two systems if I want to run Solar power and wind power? Thank you, your videos are easy to follow keep up the good work..
Will thanks for all this information in solar systems.....Kindly of the many LIFEpo4 batteries you test do you or any of this battery companies ship to kenya? Our market is saturated with SLA batteries at most
Could you produce an updated video using an EG4 6000XP? As this inverter has 240 volts native out of the box I'm sure that this information would be useful to lots of people. Thanks!
Hey Will quick question, Someone posted the following on a different solar video and I wanted your advice if this also applies to your all in one systems: "it won't be long before you absolutely fry your EV's onboard charger by using that high frequency, transformerless inverter. Because there is no galvanic isolation between the inverter's DC boost stage and its AC output. All it will take is for the AC output monitoring circuitry to fail and one of the MOSFETs in the inverter's H-Bridge circuit to short to ground, and this high frequency inverter can send dangerous, high voltage, high amperage DC current straight to your EV's onboard charger which will not only damage it, but can also set your EV's charger on fire."
Thanks for the video. I have just started researching to use my solar panels to charge my PHEV. I have 4.2 kW solar panels on my roof and need to hook up a level 2 EV charging station. Any tips will be much appreciated
I have a pre-exsiting solar array on my roof for the past 11 years. I'd like to hook it up to some battery backups. Looking at the Ecoflow Delta Pro 3. My issue is the solar system was not designed for battery backup. The company Sungevity went out of business years ago and I'm leasing it for the next 3 years. I have to inverters and a sub panel that then feeds into the main panel. Would it be possible to just install a 240v outlet in between that sub panel and main panel and use that to charge my batteries directly from the solar array?
Thank you so much for this video! Just a quick note to say that when I shop for these inverters, I don't see anything on the sales pages about them being UL listed. This may be relevant for folks in some states. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Many great controllers are able do the job. In your topic, you have not talked about a complete system which will include solar panels ? In order to get the solar power, a solar array large enough will be required to cover the entire roof and/ or 1/4 acre land ? Is it the same setup as yours with the Tesla solar roof panels and your entire backyard covered with solar panels ? LOL
hi every one, regarding using DC direct from solar panels to charge an EV, great idea , I thought of that ages ago, however , some how you need to regulate the DC current going into the EV, this is normally done by the DC fast charger,it Talks to the EV and decides how much power to give, its no doubt possible, but there is so much software on both the EV and chargers that make it almost impossible for us DIYs to do, this is frustrating because i am convinced tha nice pure DC from panels would be good for Battery life, rather than the output from chargers, I doubt any AC generated and rectified DC could ever be as smooth as fro the panels. In theory you just need say 1o panels in series to achieve the 400 volts DC to charge an EV. The two small pins of the EV charge cable are the ones that talk to the car and charger!!!
I just want to ask if i get a jeep wrangler 4xe could i outfit it with solar panels that match the "volts/amps/watts" and charge it while im at work and its sitting outside doing nothing... IS THIS FEASIBLE?? Anyone with a great knowledge of this, plz just a yes or no would suffice if you have time thanks and as always great video brother
I really enjoy your videos. If I have a e transit ford, could i help my battery by installing an array similar to yours? I will be mobile on the road.. but how many panels would it take to even make a meaningful dent?
Is there some place where there is a guide top to bottom as how to charge an EV from solar? Unfortunately at my house in the Canyons there is too much shade on the house by Oak trees that make solar for the home not feasible. However, the garage is the one place that gets decent sun, especially in the summer. I want to install solar panels on the garage for the SOLAR PURPOSE (
Question: in a past video you stated lithium batteries really like to be charged and discharged at 75° F. For maximum cycle life. I'm planning to convert my prevost bus from flooded to lithium. I have a spot inside the interior of the bus that has AC and heat instead of next to the hot engine where the flooded batteries are now. My question is while I'm not using the bus, the lithium batteries will reach outside temps of 100° F. + but the batteries will not be cycling up or down because everything will be OFF. will this shorten the life of the battery ?
I hope Will or someone at his level of expertise answers this question for you. I'm not an expert but it is my understanding that you will not adversely affect the performance or longevity of your Lithium batteries when they are subjected to 100 degrees F. while being stored (no charging or discharging taking place).
Thank you for your videos! They are super useful! How would you go about sizing the battery back up to accommodate a full charge on an ev? I’m in the process of a rv/trailer build, 30’ rv and 24’ toy trailer. Trailer will hold my 18’ sailing kayak, my Ford Escape Phev (14kwh bat) and solar generator hopefully with enough charge the car while holding a few days energy for the rv. I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the electrical system I need to create. Oh I have on hand 860 a123 cells (3.3v 2.5ah) which I plan on welding into a 16s53p battery which holds 6kwh at 48v. Problem is also weight. Thank you!
I'm sure this is the wrong place, but it's really the only thing I've seen RE:240. I was thinking about using 2 Bluettis & batteries to make 240. Is it possible to then run it to a separate breaker box for 2 legs, 1 - 240 circuit for mini split and 2-120 circuits to run my TV/Computer room? Then I'd run 240 to charge the Bluetti when there's not enough solar. If there's a better place for this question just point me in that direction and I'll get out of your hair. Thanks!
What if you also want to use 120v appliances while charging at 240v? Would you just wire the inverter to a breaker box and use both 240v and 120v breakers? How would dynamic load balancing even work, assuming you want to prioritize 120v devices?
Both of the MPPSolar units linked have neutral lugs, so you can connect line-to-neutral to get 120V circuits. Any inverter with multiple lines and a neutral would have to be designed to deal with unbalanced 120V loads, as that would be an inevitability.
What are the chances of you using the utility trailer as an extended battery or on the go charging for a Tesla. Pretty much have it hooked up as you pull the trailer.
The transfer switch method is what I'm going to use to give backup power to my house and perhaps run a couple circuits full time in order to cycle the batteries.. As I won't be charging from solar initially (maybe not at all) I'm curious about charging from AC. Basically the reverse of the AC output method. AC output will be L14-30 cord (female half) wired directly to the inverter and plugged into the generator inlet box. Can I also wire the other half (male half) of the L14-30 directly into the AC input and plug it into an L14-30 receptacle?
I would love to see the different model names of various inverters with an explanation of their naming conventions. What to the letters ir numbers tell us and how do we compare their capabilities.
I didn't hear mention of panels with built-in microinverters. So the system you are suggesting here is just straight old PV panels in DC strings of properly configured voltage? Hope so because I am getting an EV and I have a pallet of the plain old panels
When you say "LVX has low frequency output," is there ever a circumstance where you'd want the frequency to not be 60Hz (or 50Hz in other parts of the world)?
Oops, should have said it's a low frequency design inverter. Which means better surge capabilities. Not the actual frequency at the output terminal. Sorry
I like MPP interface and connection terminals more. I need to make a video about that. Also, it doesn't sound like you are aware that the new LVX 6048 has max input voltage of 450VDC.
LVX6048 Utility charging ? The LVX6048 inverter in you video has a Utility charging port. Does that mean it is a hybrid unit that needs to be connected to the utility? I need to charge a 2021 Bolt totally off-grid.
So, this charging solution does not contain batteries. Only, your EV charges slower, which for me is no problem. Correct? You tested, that the EV.s can charge slower? Or they have some software that they recognize slower charging and they cut the charging?
Do you have to use batteries with this system? Could you just charge your car with this during the day instead of sending the power to batteries and then transferring to your car's battery?
Hello, for an EV charging as for example a Tesla Model S , can you let me know what battery power would I need with this system. I currently I own 2x 100AH 12v AGM batteries and was thinking to just an additional two to get them to 48v, but please let me know your thogughts
The links to Watts24/7 are loading slowly, but they work. Just takes a few seconds.
Btw I love Watts24/7! Great prices and they sell some great stuff. Have not heard a single complaint from anyone, and they offer really great customer support for their inverters. Check them out. They never beg me to make videos about their products (most companies do, and it drives me nuts), and I have known them for years. They also have the lowest prices for MPP.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Does off-grid solar confuse you? Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system packages and product recommendations, and so much more! www.mobile-solarpower.com
Join our DIY solar community! #1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike: www.diysolarforum.com
Check out my best-selling, beginner-friendly 12V off-grid solar book (affiliate link):
amzn.to/2Aj4dX4
If DIY is not for you, but you love solar and need an offgrid system, check out Tesla Solar. Low prices and great warranty, and they can take your entire house offgrid with their new Powerwalls: ts.la/william57509
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My solar equipment recommendations (Constantly updated! Check here first):
12V/48V Lithium Batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-batteries.html
Solar System Component Directory: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solarcomponents.html
Plug-N-Play Systems: www.mobile-solarpower.com/full-size-systems.html
Complete 48V System Kits: www.mobile-solarpower.com/complete-48v-solar-kits.html
DIY Friendly Air Conditioner/ Heat Pumps: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-friendly-air-conditioners.html
Complete 48V System Blueprint: www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v-complete-system-blueprint.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar and Coupon Codes:
-Current Connected: SOK, Victron and High Quality Components. Best prices and warranty around: currentconnected.com/?ref=wp
-Signature Solar: Cheap Server Rack Batteries and Large Solar Panels:
www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
-Ecoflow Delta Official Site: My favorite plug-n-play solar generator:
us.ecoflow.com/?aff=7
-AmpereTime: Cheapest 12V batteries around:
amperetime.com/products/ampere-time-12v-100ah-lithium-lifepo4-battery?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
-Rich Solar: Mega site and cheaper prices than renogy! Check them out:
richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
-Shop Solar Kits: Huge site with every solar kit you can imagine! Check it out:
shopsolarkits.com/?ref=will-p
-Battery Hookup: Cheap cell deals
bit.ly/2mIxSqt
10% off code: diysolar
-Watts 24/7: Best deals on all-in-one solar power systems, with customer support and distribution here in the USA:
watts247.com/?wpam_id=3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact Information:
I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com
Join the forum at diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar
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Every video includes some form of paid promotion or sponsorship. Some links on this youtube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :)
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Hi Will would you happen to have a updated eta for the ecoflow delta max?
@@mason9354 They emailed me! Should have it soon
@@WillProwse Sounds good. Hope you had a good holiday!
Ian is great, and the support he provides is worth the extra cost over dealing directly with MPP Solar.
Will, you should ask those resellers to sponsor your channel if they want to get mentioned. Nothing wrong with doing a 30 second ad read and collecting $$, just be up front with your audience about what's a paid ad read and what's not.
Excellent video Will, as an engineer by trade, you covered all of the right talking points. Cheers.. :-)
I’m pretty excited about this. I have a build date for an F-150 Lightning in May. Im going to pay an electrician to run a 50a line to my driveway where I will charge my new EV. But, I don’t want to rely on the grid, so I’m going to install solar on the roof and run it to what you have shown me here and do most of my charging from this. Also can run a 30a from my Lightning to a nema outlet in front of my house and use my Lightning as a backup generator for my home.
I'm really grateful for this channel. Learning a tremendous amount about solar.
I don't think any of your ideas are bad, you know your work, that's why we watch you, that's a powerful system
To limit the current draw from your EV, make sure the EVSE is configured for the maximum current available. Most EVs don't let you set the max current from the onboard charger.
I like it. You should have thrown some sample pricing for all the parts, the minimum practical kWh of batteries, that sort of thing.
nice work Will, I love your show! You're helping a lot of people out here I hope all the best to you. Thank you for your time.
Thank you soo much for this 6548 video Will. Now all I need is an ecar!
I've been thinking about doing this for my Tesla. Would love to charge off-grid. I typically only charge at 25A anyway from my 40A home circuit. The wires of the Tesla mobile connector just feel much cooler and safer to me since I usually charge overnight while I'm sleeping.
Dynamic rate changing with an OpenEVSE charger might be a good idea. The EV charging spec allows the charger to change the charge rate during the charge session by changing the duty cycle of the pilot carrier.
This could be a method to prevent discharging battery banks during an EV charge session when solar output declines during cloud covered or at the end of the day.
Great video. I like to see a complete project from solar panel to EV charger construction. 240V, greater than 30Amp.
Will, you did it again! A home run. Thank you. I want to set up a solar charging station for my EV that is wife friendly and this is perfect. Clean and simple. You are terrific!
@ should be easy to find a clean and simple one too!
@ and combed hair, with no rooster tails
I find it interesting that you also seem to have gravitated to the simple and value based MPP solar inverters. My setup is also two LV6548's, but I have switched from DIY LiFePo4 to server rack based batteries from Seplos.
I also use SMA inverters for grid tie at another house, but will be augmenting those with the new MPP LVX6048WP inverters once available, as they have 600V inputs!
My guess for switching to server rack batts is that diy lifepo batts require alot of wiring and more while a server rack has all already built in...and are thus pretty cheap, and are certified (for home).
Wow this is great Will, and I just recently bought my first hybrid plug in. My stepping stone to an eventual Tesla. lol
Since we are retired and average about 20 miles per day, our next plug-in hybrid will likely be a Prius Prime. Can Will's system be downsized or set up off grid maybe with an additional 6kWh storage battery in our condo carport to charge in the evening or overnight.
Great video!! Can an EV charger similar to this be setup with a battery less inverter?
That’s awesome I like those all in one inverters. I am currently taking a electricians course through a college online. I am looking forward to not relying on the grid. :)
I was hoping this video was going to be about the Growatt 12k. I'm hoping to move most loads to it and a server rack 48v batteries. Then use solar and the grid tie feature. Also set at battery priority.
Is there a specific Growatt model that you are talking about?
I haven't seen Growatt grid-tied invertors with battery backup
Best way too go is as you point out with the Tesla Wallbox directly to the inverter if you can afford two wallboxes one off grid and one connected to the grid as a backup if the batteries are empty.
I would add to check your EV’s charging parameters. My 2013 Leaf doesn’t have ability to change the charge current so the MPP would not be enough for level 2 charging.
Ohhh that's unfortunate. Yes good point
Some chargers themselves will limit the charge current. Looking on Amazon, 16A seems to be a popular one. My Audi similarly doesn't have the feature to change charge current.
I'd love to get the independence of an EV and Off-grid charging system soon.
I don't believe I can set the volts on my electric car, not easily anyway, an alternative might be to hook up a socket to the inverter and have a charger that plugs into that. I have a cheap 16 amp portable charger for my car and an adapter for campgrounds. Thanks for all your work Will, an inspiration.
Interesting concept for the future: charging an EV or any battery powered equipment from solar panels. Could you talk a bit about the costs, including the solar panels? How much did you invest in you entire system?
You probably need $10k-15k. You'd need at least 15kw of panels to fast charge at 40a + $3k in inverters + $2.5k in batteries
My EBike just uses 250 watts to charge it in 6 hours at 2 amps per hour using 110 volts for its 48 volt battery.
👍
Nice video bro & I always wonder how people keep their stuff clean & clear I mean it always get messy when we done making video on it 🤪👍
I always appreciate your enthusiasm in these videos Will. Keep doing what you're doing. 3 of those inverters for a home is overkill isn't it? I look at my wattage per month on my bill and it is no where near what that kicks out. Maybe I am just not normal though. What is the math on sizing a inverter?
Hi Will,
Lots of great ideas. Very new at Solar. So watching your videos has really helped. Thanks for the links to all websites on your page as well.
Looking at building an enclosed structure on our patio. So the Pioneer or Mr Cool video has helped as well. Looks like the LVX6048 or LB6048 is what I’ll need. The solar array will be my biggest question. I’ll keep watching videos. But any info would be helpful. Thank You. Keep up the great work.
Thanks Will... 240v out of a single unit. 👍 Nice...
This is very helpful Will. I have a lowly 2016 Leaf with the 30KwH battery and have two level 2 chargers. One I was using early on out of a dryer plug and it only draws 16 amps. Since my EV battery is not very big, I could get away with using the 16amp level 2 charger with one of these units and be pretty happy!
Also, the Leaf has the capacity to send power out of the CHAdeMO plug. I would love in the future to use the car as a storage battery. So far sourcing one of the inverters to do this has not proven to be viable. Maybe it will once I am in a place where I can set up this type of system.
Actually, the wiring should be able to handle 220A. That specific inverter does provide 160A (2x80) from solar, but it ALSO can charge from utility (or generator) at 60A, so in total 220A.
Unless you're never using the utility charger you have to wire for the maximum amps (thus, charging from both utility and full solar, even though this isn't likely to happen very often).
Also, make sure the battery can handle this, lots of them only handle 100A charging, so you might need to configure the charger for lower amps (or run multiple batteries in parallel)
I was wondering about that as my hybrid invertor charges at max 100A but my battery pack says max charge is 50A, does that mean that when I put two packs in parallel I can charge with 100A even though the individual packs are rated at 50A at 1C?
I’m kinda torn about an offgrid setup like this (unless you’re off grid anyway). Advantages - it’s simple, with only some basic building and tech skills needed and relatively inexpensive. Disadvantage - you don’t have the grid as backup and you’re potentially letting solar go to waste. Especially if you’re just using it for EV charging. When the batteries are full you could be supplementing the grid and powering your own loads. Still an excellent video as usual from Will.
your right, but in a case like my that I'm not a home owner and cant be grid tied this is the best solution
Yeah those were my thoughts. Of course if you had batteries you could store the energy and you could separate some of your home load to use your system - for example exterior lighting or your garage power if you have a sub panel you can isolate.
I don't plan to charge an EV, I just like watching your videos because each one spurs ideas and thoughts about the projects I am working on. I have a very specific solar project that I would like your input on. Are you available for consultations?
I love how Americans consider 6000w a small load. You guys are so lucky to have such relaxed electrical laws. Ours just keep getting stricter by the year.
Just like 300 hp cars are pretty common in the US
@@michaelmccarthy4615 Up until GM shutdown here a few years back 300hp was also very common.
@Jimbob what country ru?
@@wendygerrish4964 Australia
Hi Will, what about charging EV using direct current directly, without loosing some percents at conversion to 240V and then another amount from 240V back to DC rail of the EV?
interesting question. I believe DC fast chargers bypass the vehicles' onboard AC charging unit, so perhaps it's theoretically possible
The problem is that you still need something to match the impedance of the panels with the car input. We call this mppt. There is a possibility that a car could be designed for a particular solar configuration, or you could adjust the dc power input via an app, to fake mppt function. I would like to see 240v charging work straight off a solar inverter, like Fronius. The problem with Will's suggestion is that it will drain the 48v battery bank when a cloud comes. If you put a fake 48v bank there, this could work by the battery bank clunking out at 44v and the 240V output turning off .... But it would not be graceful
This is my question too with a humble E-scooter. Can I build a dedicated system with 48V solar panels with a charge controller and not use the adapter that comes with the scooter? The charger output states 42V 2.0A . Thanks for your videos.
@@MegJones7 Hi, for purpose of charging eScooter you’ll need something like Ecoflow Delta and one solar panel…
So In reality this could be mounted inside an EV that has solar panels and batteries on board and have endless power on the go! Thanks Will! You might wanna hide though!
Was my thinking as well. Go on a long camping trip in your EV ute, set it all up at the camp site and have access to power the entire time + recharge.
It's even easier if you're in Europe since you have 240V inverters by default. Just pick the largest one you can find.
I do wonder if you should just use a European inverter by default for EV charging because I'm sure the system can work with both 50 and 60Hz output, right?
@@eowendyl If I were in the US, and it would only be to charge an EV, that's what I would do.
@@eowendyl you would also have to consider if it’s split phase or single phase. The US gets 240 volts from split phase. Europe uses single phrase, Duel phase, and even three phase electrical. So…there are some other differences.
How many solar panels would you need if your goal was to charge your tesla?
Great setup but how many panels or total watts and battery AH needed to charge a Tesla with 25 miles daily usage? Sorry for rookie question.
Wow this is really great information I just purchased my first EB last weekend although it is only a 16 KW hour battery in a Mitsubishi I-miev my goal is to charge it as quickly as possible on the level one port ..
So tell me
If I have a 24 KW hour battery that is charged by my solar system and I come home from work in the evening and I plug in the charger to my 16 KW hour battery will the power from the 24 kilowatt hour battery charge to 16 kilowatt hour battery to full capacity and wait for the sun to come up the next day to recharge itself?
First off, thank you for your great DIY posts. I have learned so much. I am interested in building a solar carport to charge my Bolt ev. The idea of reprogramming the car to charge at a slower rate is discouraging especially when we also want to use our level 2 charger. I'm thinking of just setting up for a level 1 to start with and not have near the investment. Would you possible want to cover that? The panels on a carport might be close to matching the power output to the car so battery storage might be minimal. Thanks
Amazing information and videos, appreciate all the links and more! Looking to setup a small system to charge a Kona EV entirely off the grid this summer so that I can run it completely free. Feel like there will be layover in the evenings where I might be able to get 3 or so hours of sun but then have to pull the rest from a battery rack. At 24amps, I'm guessing it would take close to 10 hours for a full charge so maybe 3-4 batteries could do the job for the rest, I wonder...
I have one basic question - If my solar panels make energy from the sun in form of DC, why do I need to convert it to AC? why can't I directly charge my car? That way the efficiency go up.
btw, great video!
You could but you have to make the DC -DC converter yourself.
@Gary-ee3kq sorry for my ignorance, but why do I need to make a DC to DC converter? By the name itself it is the same.
@haim4 voltage required by your car is different from the voltage provided by your panels. It's similar to charging your 12v battery directly with your solar panels. Voltage might be too high damaging your battery.
I charge my 1st Gen insight battery using a charger I build using 4 power switching units ( basically AC to DC converters) connected directlyto the battery... so I'd bet you could do the same thing with a newer car if you hacked the code to bypass the safety controls. You have to get or make an mppt solar controller that allows you to set the output float and absortion voltage to 100+ volts. You could look online to see what the inverter energy losses are to see what you have to gain be going down that road.
A very useful system, I wonder how much it would cost for
Whole system $15k
Wouldn't using this inverter (48V SPF 12kW DVM MPV 250VDC Off Grid 120/240V Inverter with 120A Charge Controller by Growatt) bring us much closer to the maximum charge rate at level 2? Other than being a little more expensive and putting the panels into groups what are the downsides? Thanks!
If we could only get Will into wind and hydro now 👌🏻
Will can u show us how to use a EV system handle to charge a plastic crate system u showed us how to build. This would be very helpful for your battery bank system as these car chargeing stations are becoming more plentiful about the USA. tanks for ur pics and Carpe Diem young man!!
Can you provide a video with a schematic to put together an off grid charging system for 3 Teslas. I really like all your information.
Forget about it unless you have space & $$$ for a 30-40kw solar system.
Wow this is what I was looking for!! So excited 😆
If you were going to do this today would you use the same equipment?
No use 2 lv6548
@@Gary-ee3kq is there a good video?
Good day Will! I bought a weize 12v 10ah lifpo4 battery to be a drop in replacement for the SLA in an UPS.
However I am unsure after reading the instructions that came with it. I am concerned that the charge circuit in the UPS will damage the lifepo4 battery.
Do you think the built in BMS board is sufficient protection, or would wiring in a DC-DC lifepo4 battery charger be required.
I did do a teardown of one of them and can give you pictures and details of the inside.
Thanks for your time.
Will question ???? do I have to have two systems if I want to run Solar power and wind power? Thank you, your videos are easy to follow keep up the good work..
Will thanks for all this information in solar systems.....Kindly of the many LIFEpo4 batteries you test do you or any of this battery companies ship to kenya? Our market is saturated with SLA batteries at most
heya yes those all in 1 inverter are great. I have the MPP solar HV 5048 hybrid inverter with 6K solar array, really want it to install it
Could you produce an updated video using an EG4 6000XP? As this inverter has 240 volts native out of the box I'm sure that this information would be useful to lots of people. Thanks!
Hey Will quick question,
Someone posted the following on a different solar video and I wanted your advice if this also applies to your all in one systems:
"it won't be long before you absolutely fry your EV's onboard charger by using that high frequency, transformerless inverter. Because there is no galvanic isolation between the inverter's DC boost stage and its AC output. All it will take is for the AC output monitoring circuitry to fail and one of the MOSFETs in the inverter's H-Bridge circuit to short to ground, and this high frequency inverter can send dangerous, high voltage, high amperage DC current straight to your EV's onboard charger which will not only damage it, but can also set your EV's charger on fire."
This is why you are supposed to have the AC input and AC output on circuit breakers.
That's what I needed thank you so much ❤️
Thank you for this excellent info. I subscribed! 🙂
Would be super cool to see your solar trailer have pannels on the roof and be pulled around by your tesla while charging and driving simultaneously
Thanks for the video. I have just started researching to use my solar panels to charge my PHEV. I have 4.2 kW solar panels on my roof and need to hook up a level 2 EV charging station. Any tips will be much appreciated
I have a pre-exsiting solar array on my roof for the past 11 years. I'd like to hook it up to some battery backups. Looking at the Ecoflow Delta Pro 3. My issue is the solar system was not designed for battery backup. The company Sungevity went out of business years ago and I'm leasing it for the next 3 years.
I have to inverters and a sub panel that then feeds into the main panel.
Would it be possible to just install a 240v outlet in between that sub panel and main panel and use that to charge my batteries directly from the solar array?
Thank you so much for this video! Just a quick note to say that when I shop for these inverters, I don't see anything on the sales pages about them being UL listed. This may be relevant for folks in some states. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
It makes no difference ul or not. They operate the same.
Awesome !
Many great controllers are able do the job. In your topic, you have not talked about a complete system which will include solar panels ? In order to get the solar power, a solar array large enough will be required to cover the entire roof and/ or 1/4 acre land ? Is it the same setup as yours with the Tesla solar roof panels and your entire backyard covered with solar panels ? LOL
hi every one, regarding using DC direct from solar panels to charge an EV, great idea , I thought of that ages ago, however , some how you need to regulate the DC current going into the EV, this is normally done by the DC fast charger,it Talks to the EV and decides how much power to give, its no doubt possible, but there is so much software on both the EV and chargers that make it almost impossible for us DIYs to do, this is frustrating because i am convinced tha nice pure DC from panels would be good for Battery life, rather than the output from chargers, I doubt any AC generated and rectified DC could ever be as smooth as fro the panels. In theory you just need say 1o panels in series to achieve the 400 volts DC to charge an EV. The two small pins of the EV charge cable are the ones that talk to the car and charger!!!
Thanks Will!
I just want to ask if i get a jeep wrangler 4xe could i outfit it with solar panels that match the "volts/amps/watts" and charge it while im at work and its sitting outside doing nothing... IS THIS FEASIBLE?? Anyone with a great knowledge of this, plz just a yes or no would suffice if you have time thanks and as always great video brother
It makes perfect sense you would have a Tesla, free fuel with your intelligence 👍❣
I really enjoy your videos. If I have a e transit ford, could i help my battery by installing an array similar to yours? I will be mobile on the road.. but how many panels would it take to even make a meaningful dent?
Do you need to hook up a battery for storage also or does this inverter act as a storage bank also?
Have to connect batteries
Is there some place where there is a guide top to bottom as how to charge an EV from solar? Unfortunately at my house in the Canyons there is too much shade on the house by Oak trees that make solar for the home not feasible. However, the garage is the one place that gets decent sun, especially in the summer. I want to install solar panels on the garage for the SOLAR PURPOSE (
You will get almost 0 miles until you hit 3-4 kw of panels. If you can't put at least 10 panels on your roof don't waste your time.
Growatt also has a 12k watt 240v inverter at a great price
Question: in a past video you stated lithium batteries really like to be charged and discharged at 75° F. For maximum cycle life. I'm planning to convert my prevost bus from flooded to lithium. I have a spot inside the interior of the bus that has AC and heat instead of next to the hot engine where the flooded batteries are now. My question is while I'm not using the bus, the lithium batteries will reach outside temps of 100° F. + but the batteries will not be cycling up or down because everything will be OFF. will this shorten the life of the battery ?
I hope Will or someone at his level of expertise answers this question for you. I'm not an expert but it is my understanding that you will not adversely affect the performance or longevity of your Lithium batteries when they are subjected to 100 degrees F. while being stored (no charging or discharging taking place).
As usual, thanks for the great content. Quick question, recommendation on a simple retrofit add onto an existing old system ?
Thank you for your videos! They are super useful! How would you go about sizing the battery back up to accommodate a full charge on an ev? I’m in the process of a rv/trailer build, 30’ rv and 24’ toy trailer. Trailer will hold my 18’ sailing kayak, my Ford Escape Phev (14kwh bat) and solar generator hopefully with enough charge the car while holding a few days energy for the rv. I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the electrical system I need to create. Oh I have on hand 860 a123 cells (3.3v 2.5ah) which I plan on welding into a 16s53p battery which holds 6kwh at 48v. Problem is also weight.
Thank you!
I'm sure this is the wrong place, but it's really the only thing I've seen RE:240. I was thinking about using 2 Bluettis & batteries to make 240. Is it possible to then run it to a separate breaker box for 2 legs, 1 - 240 circuit for mini split and 2-120 circuits to run my TV/Computer room? Then I'd run 240 to charge the Bluetti when there's not enough solar. If there's a better place for this question just point me in that direction and I'll get out of your hair. Thanks!
Thank you soooo much Will. Great video
Excellent, but I’m curious about using the growatt inverters for this. Thoughts?
What if you also want to use 120v appliances while charging at 240v? Would you just wire the inverter to a breaker box and use both 240v and 120v breakers? How would dynamic load balancing even work, assuming you want to prioritize 120v devices?
Both of the MPPSolar units linked have neutral lugs, so you can connect line-to-neutral to get 120V circuits. Any inverter with multiple lines and a neutral would have to be designed to deal with unbalanced 120V loads, as that would be an inevitability.
What are the chances of you using the utility trailer as an extended battery or on the go charging for a Tesla. Pretty much have it hooked up as you pull the trailer.
The transfer switch method is what I'm going to use to give backup power to my house and perhaps run a couple circuits full time in order to cycle the batteries..
As I won't be charging from solar initially (maybe not at all) I'm curious about charging from AC. Basically the reverse of the AC output method.
AC output will be L14-30 cord (female half) wired directly to the inverter and plugged into the generator inlet box.
Can I also wire the other half (male half) of the L14-30 directly into the AC input and plug it into an L14-30 receptacle?
If you install a 30amp receptical like 14-30 than you will not have to lower the charge current it will automatically be 24amps
I would love to see the different model names of various inverters with an explanation of their naming conventions. What to the letters ir numbers tell us and how do we compare their capabilities.
Do I need to a battery power bank? Or this system to charge the EV directly?
Will, is there an inverter that you’d recommend that would have the ability to charge a Tesla (or in my case a Rivian) at full Level 2 capacity?
Victron
At 40 amps?
@@niktak11142 lv 6548. Can do 40a fast charging.
I didn't hear mention of panels with built-in microinverters. So the system you are suggesting here is just straight old PV panels in DC strings of properly configured voltage? Hope so because
I am getting an EV and I have a pallet of the plain old panels
Yes. Inverters convert power from DC to ac at the panel.
If you directly connect tesla wall charger, what do you do with the neutral not being used? Does inverter has neutral ground bonded?
Awesome tutorial! Thank you!
When you say "LVX has low frequency output," is there ever a circumstance where you'd want the frequency to not be 60Hz (or 50Hz in other parts of the world)?
Oops, should have said it's a low frequency design inverter. Which means better surge capabilities. Not the actual frequency at the output terminal. Sorry
GroWatt SPF5000es would be preferred over the MPP for strictly charging at 240V. It has 450VDC solar input.
I like MPP interface and connection terminals more. I need to make a video about that. Also, it doesn't sound like you are aware that the new LVX 6048 has max input voltage of 450VDC.
@@WillProwse And the new LVX6048WP will be 600V!
@@WillProwse
Understood
The SPF5000es is $899 (240VDC only)
The MPP LVX6048 is $1577
And it’s over 2x the size & weight
High Freq GW vs Low Freq MPP
Where is it that cheap?? That is a bargain
@@WillProwse
Signature Solar
Will would you please do a video on 24v systems for beginners using 12vx100 batteries?
Great video, Will.
LVX6048 Utility charging ?
The LVX6048 inverter in you video has a
Utility charging port. Does that mean it is a hybrid unit that needs to be connected to the utility? I need to charge a 2021 Bolt totally off-grid.
Yes. You can add AC bypass once the batts go dead it switches to utility.
So, this charging solution does not contain batteries. Only, your EV charges slower, which for me is no problem. Correct? You tested, that the EV.s can charge slower? Or they have some software that they recognize slower charging and they cut the charging?
Do you have to use batteries with this system? Could you just charge your car with this during the day instead of sending the power to batteries and then transferring to your car's battery?
I power my house with one I love it
SMART BOY! THANKS BRO 🤝
Why charge from AC to DC when you can charge directly from the panels and this saves conversion losses in the inverter!!!
Because nobody make that at lower cost. Would be awesome.
Hello, for an EV charging as for example a Tesla Model S , can you let me know what battery power would I need with this system. I currently I own 2x 100AH 12v AGM batteries and was thinking to just an additional two to get them to 48v, but please let me know your thogughts
Have you seen Midnite solar DIY series of inverters. They are all-in- one units
I was expecting you would connect the batteries, the cable, the charger and show your tesla charging