DIY Off Grid Solar Power System overview and comparison Bluetti AC500 Review
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- Опубликовано: 13 дек 2023
- First up: Bluetti gave me the AC500 and B300S for review. We don't need it, we already have a system, however we like the Bluetti systems and many people may benefit from sharing our experience and this review.
Our DIY Off-Grid Power system powers our big shed and little shed home adequately. We have very modest power needs at the house and I do use the power for my workshop power tools. It produces 4000 watts reliably and we do have to manage what we use at any one time up to the 4000 watts available. Typically we power two refrigerators (one family one and a bar fridge in the shed), lights, water pump, small electric hot water system, coffee maker, electric kettle, microwave oven, computers and internet plus miscellaneous - charging etc.
We built our own system which took a lot of research and effort to get it all working well. It cost us approximately $15k AUD which included 240v wiring in our big shed. The system works great and I am very happy with it.
The Power system consists of;
Solar Panels - Qty 12 Hyundai 390W giving a maximum of 4680 Watts of Solar Power.
Inverter Charger - Victron 48/5000/70
Solar Charge Controller - Victron MPPT 250/85
Communications via Victron Cerbo GX and touch screen
Victron Smart Shunt.
Batteries - Qty 16 EVE 280 Amphr Lifepo4 Lithium Batteries, 3.2 v in series giving 48v DC (13440 Watt Hour capacity)
Miscellaneous - Cables, breakers, Cable lugs, Isolation switches, conduit etc.
The main point of this video is to highlight some of the options for power in your Off Grid situation.
1.You could build your own system (Check the legal side of doing this. I had help from a Solar Installer mate). You can make your system as big or small as you like. You will need crimping tools and general electrical tools.
2. You could pay a company to install your system and you may receive government incentives for doing so. (We didn't). You can expect to pay more for this system but you could also expect to have warranty and support on the workmanship and components.
3. You could buy a Plug and Play type system. With these you buy small or big and really you just need to have a way of recharging them. Solar is excellent if you have plenty of sun, or perhaps wind or hydro (or combination). A generator will also give you recharging ability and is a good back up.
This video we reviewed the Bluetti AC500 and B300s. If found no real significant issues with this power system. Really it is impressive giving 5000 watts of AC power and has everything needed to manage the recharging built in. The Battery is 3072 watt hours (w/hr) in capacity. You need to divide your total watt hour usage into that 3072 w/hr minus some system efficiency losses (They all have losses converting DC into AC power) to determine how long the battery will run the system. Connecting to a Solar array is the way to go. The product specs provide all the detail. I broadly covered these in the review. Please note there is a special on for a short time at the time of publishing this video.
If you are interested in these products, check the links below that provide more detailed information.
Affiliate link below;
Bluetti End Of Financial Year Sale Link below
www.bluettipower.com.au/pages...
AC500 Link
bit.ly/3VjjZvt
AC500 discount coupon: SCT200 ( A$200, June 1st-30th)
#bluetti #eofysale
The website will have a promotion for AC500+B300S, in addition to discounts on products, there will also be EOFY Fun, every participant has a chance to win a prize draw, there are many different kinds of prizes.
Exclusive Affiliate Discounts for New Arrival: BLUETTI AC180T
---Coupon code: AFAC180T
---Validity: 23th May - 30th June (AEST)
---Savings: A$100 off the AC180T
---Purchase Link: BLUETTI AC180T Portable Power Station | 1,800W 1,433.6Wh (bluettipower.com.au)
---Coupon code: AFAC180T150
---Validity: 23th May - 30th June (AEST)
---Savings: A$150 discount on the AC180T+ PV200/PV350 Bundle
---Purchase Link: BLUETTI AC180T Portable Power Station | 1,800W 1,433.6Wh (bluettipower.com.au) 
Наука
Excellent review Scott. I have an AC200MAX for the Ford Ranger (also as an emergency power source for our household frig if the grid goes down). Recommended this unit to my brother and daughter who also subsequently bought one. I had a problem with one of the (optional) cables I had ordered and after proving to them I ordered the correct cable they sent me a replacement FOC. Great Backup. Great Support. Thoroughly recommend BLUETTI. I'll be testing my system out heading to Adelaide via Birdsville track and back via Brisbane. 6K round trip leaving 1st Jan. Merry Christmas to you both.
Thank you Malcolm! Yes the AC200Max is a great little unit. We've used ours a lot out here. Safe travels; sounds like a great trip! Merry Christmas Malcolm!
Judes : "you have a happy life Scotty" threats of pain if you disagree 🤣🤣 Glad you guys keep moving along!
:) Thanks Troy!
Just discovered your show. Excellent presentation and thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Very kind. Thank you very much!
super timely mate, literally just came onto the internet to look for solar and this vid is the first thing I saw! cheers
How bout that! Cheers Rob!!
Good primer on off grid power. Getting geared up to put solar on our home in the next few years and looking at ALL the options. Thanks for your input, Scott. Cheers to the Missus.
Thanks you! Yes there are heaps of options.
Great presentation summary of off-grid options. Thanks Scott. 👍😎👍
Cheers Joel!
After watching your AC200 Max video from a year ago, my brother bought a Bluetti AC180. He loves it. Great info, Scott, you presented how you use your Bluetti unit so that even this old layman could understand.
Best holiday wishes to you and fam. Cheers.
Many thanks Rick! Merry Christmas and have a great New Year.
Hi Scott . Excellent review & demonstrating of the Bluetti Ac500 .
Good to see the new equipment needed now. Take care to you both.
Thank you Bob!
Hey Scott
Compliments of the season to you both and your family,
Keep up all the good work
Cheers from NZL
Cheers Leigh! Merry Christmas.
Great review Scott. You look like you’re both getting very settled in the off grid life. Hope you and your family have a great Xmas
Thank you! Yes we are making the adjustment well so far. Merry Christmas and have a great New Year.
Great info thanks Scott, always interested in the different solutions.
Thank you Andrew!
Great video i now wish I had a Bluetti and it’s great how your set up with your own solar thanks again for the great video
Thanks Geoffrey!
Great to see your review on the bluetti, I'm looking at getting this system for the house during a blackout situation. We already have a 6 kw solar system on the house, so this would be ideal to charge that up. awesome to see so many ways to charge it and i was surprised at how many appliances could be run at the same time.
Thanks Josh. Last week I used it for welding. Worked fine, so it's a strong set up.
Awesome Scott, thank you -pretty sure thats the way to go now !
Much appreciated!
I'll be buying a Bluetti for power on my woodlot. It'd be nice to have the large one to run lights and firewood conveyor. Days are short here in The Adirondacks this time of year. Cheers to you two.
Thank you Derek! What a beautiful part of the world!
Good review, I have the 200max and it runs everything for a one man household - kitchen, laundry washing machine and dryer, gadgets, tools… But, as I’m single, I only use one thing at a time - so I’m not cooking and washing clothes at the same time ! And I’ve got two B300 batteries given 8,192 kWh.
Thank you Stephan! Yes the AC200max worked great for us when we were setting up initially.
Thanks for sharing
No worries, thank you!
Jude giving us a good doof doof music rendition was awesome❣️ Hopefully the tropical storm isn’t raising too much hell for you both up there, we’re waiting for the tail end to reach us on the sunny coast eventually but we need the rain. Merry Xmas 🎄 Shell
Thanks Shell! Getting a Lot of rain atm. Merry Christmas to you too!
@@ScottTurnerformeindustrious I’ll take the rain, it’s the wind when the ground is saturated that’s the worry, I jump at every creak & crack of a tree & we’re heavily tree’d, I worry about our Koala’s Frank & Barbara too. I put fresh water out this morning it’s humid today.
Thank you for the overview of your diy system. We have a smaller 700w Bluetti portable system that we use during occasional storm-induced power outages here in Dallas and just love it.
Thanks Debra! Yes they are perfect for those times when power drops out. All the best!
Hi Scott , After watching your Solar cart and bluetti videos previously I decided to go diy . I bought a H+F welders trolly and my son suggested using Kings gear as it reasonably priced . I also decided to install a panel in one of my small sheds and put some gear in there as well. Being a sparkie I have the tools and I also dabble in electronics so I’m hoping to repair any of the kit that fails . If I didn’t have a trade background I think I would be buying the Bluetti kit for sure.
Love your comment Frank, thanks! I'm not a sparkie but I love the technical side of building these systems. All the best.
DIY all day
Happy Christmas from noel and family here in tipperary ireland
Merry Christmas Noel and to all your loved ones in Tipperary! All the best for the New Year as well! It's warm and wet over these parts.
👍👍👍
Growers arent bothered about cable size Scott...
😆🏴🇬🇧
Goodness me ;)
Bluetti also have the EP760 system for a permanent grid tie set up, it'll give you 7600W supply and can take up to 9kw solar infeed... Oodles of power even for a large house, about $20K though(19kWh storage) not including the solar
Yes that's a big system for sure. Cheers.
Great reviews! Would it be possible to hookup the bluetti to a house the same way one can hookup a generator to the house via a dedicated plug when there is a power outage? And so so run the whole/part of the house from the bluetti (so the fridge, fans, maybe even an aircon…run as normal).
Thank you. Yes for sure you can do that. I mentioned in the video you can set it up as a UPS, uninterrupted Power Supply through a transfer switch on your power board.
Good vid Scott. Very clear and informative. But your sidekick must only be getting paid peanuts....😉
Thanks Phil! True!
Great overview f your power set up. Thanks for going through it. Those Bluetteis look good and I am sure expensive. I noticed your slasher in the background at the start. Would be interested in what brand you went for, what you think of it, width and how many horsepower your tractor is driving it. Plus what sort of ground you are clearing with it, ie do you have a few sticks and branches it needs to deal with ? Thanks. Duncan. .
Thanks Duncan. The slasher came withe the tractor. Brand is Sabre 5 foot I think. Tractor is 33hp. The slasher is good for high grass but poor at giving a finishing cut ( lawns) yes good for sticks etc. I use a ride on mower for most of my mowing.
@@ScottTurnerformeindustrious thanks for the reply Scott.
how well did/does the power setup work during our cyclone? 😉 that smaller system would make a great backup in my caravan park setup
We had/ have a lot of rain and heavy cloud. I had to use my little generator for the first time (Honda EU2i) to top up my system. Other than that, all good. Cheers.
good to hear you stayed safe, we had very little problems down here in cairns too 👍@@ScottTurnerformeindustrious
Scott, do you think it can run my 3 phase plasma table + 5.5 Hp, 3 phase air compressor.🙂
That's another great video you've put out there for everyone to see.👍
Haha, that's a no ; ) My Victron system runs my welder and 3400 air compressor (not at same time), single phase. I have to be mindful of what else is running in the background though. Cheers Ross!
I don't understand any of that solar stuff, but it sure looks a lot better then on that Green Acres Show with Eva Gabor, where her husband gave every appliance a number and she couldn't plug in anything that added up to more then 10 lol, but she always did....
Thanks for the review Scott. Ive been off grid for 15 years. My 2nd hand forklift battery (420ah paid 1500 for it) is losing its capacity because having no access to grid power, I cant charge it properly. Im considering a lifepo4 battery replacement but im not clear on charging times or ac charging current required to charge say, your reviewed system. I have micro hydro available for six months of the year but when its not running my relatively small solar array isnt enough (im in NW Tassie) so i run my big kabota generator (13kva single phase) with a 40amp charge. It can take 3-4 hrs some mornings to reach a reasonable charge state this way. My question is, in your experience do the lifepo4 batteries charge faster than lead acid and how far can you discharge them. Cheers mate
Thank you! My response is based on what I have learned and I am not Battery expert (So I may be proven wrong). Lead Acid batteries are good proven solid technology, however it there are newer battery chemistries that have massive advantages over Lead. For the Lead chemistry batteries 1. they should only be discharged by approximately 40 to 50% capacity. You can discharged them more but that has a negative affect on their longevity. 2. They have a slower recharge cycle where they take a bulk charge to say 80% then a slower trickle charge to 100%.
For Lithium (Lifepo4) 1. you can use nearly all their capacity, though this too can reduce life but not anywhere near as bad as lead. 2. Recharge times - they take a bulk charge up somewhere near 98% and then float the remainder. Much faster. Discharge and Recharge depend on the battery and Battery Management systems (BMS). For more I recommend watching "Off Grid Garage" Andy is in QLD and he provides lots of good detail on the Lithium systems. Hope this helps.
That does help Scott. Thank you
Can you run the welder with the Bluetti?
Yes it can. I used the Bluetti today to weld 5mm steel. Sorry for the late reply.
The Bluetti/Ecoflow/Jackery systems are all very nice, but they're far too expensive for me and you can't live off them for more than a weekend. For the $6k they want for them, I could have my household system built and expanded a lot further than these toys. Their utility is in their connectivity (for the phone people who die without an app to check), plug&play nature, stackability (makes them pretty) and portability (for campers/vanners). In that, they've really done well. I just can't justify dropping that kind of money on one.
All good feedback TCBL! Agreed they are not for everyone and I guess that's why I built my own system but I see them being useful for a lot of people. I get a lot of messages on the power system I built and I sense and understand it's too much for a lot of people to do, Hence I recommend get an installer to build one or buy a plug and play system. Cheers.
@@ScottTurnerformeindustrious yes definitely a case of "horses for courses".
How are you doing with the cyclone? I hope you are safe.
We are doing fine apart from the heavy rain thanks Cathy. All part of living up here in the north I guess. All the best.
Hi Scott, I run an AC500 system for my off grid home. Does it need an earth /grounding connection? I can’t find any info about this in the user manual and researching is confusing for someone like me with no electrical knowledge.. thank you
Great Question; I hope my answer provides some guidance. I'm happy for the qualified electrical folk to add their input to the question.
I will be setting my AC500 up in another building (in the near future). Here is how I will set it up. From the solar panels I will have hi quality DC Isolator Switches and DC breakers like in my big shed then connect to the Bluetti. I will use MC4 connectors. For the AC side I will come out of the Bluetti 240v outlet (32 amp or perhaps the 15 amp) and run that power into a 240v Breaker box. In that box I will have an RCD (Residual Current Device) and maybe 2 MCB's (Mini Circuit Breaker). One for Power points and one for lights. I would definitely install a Ground Rod or Earthing stake which is connected to your Breaker Box circuits. I would have normal 240v sockets and switches in the building. That is all qualified Electrician work.
As a minimum, if you just want the simplest installation, buy a portable RCD (with outlets) that plugs into your Bluetti and run everything from that.
I will go with my first option as it hides all the cables and looks neat. But I guess if you can run and hide your extension leads that is a lot cheaper and will be just fine (safety provided by your portable RCD).
I hope the damage of Jasper didn’t set things back at the block. Looked pretty nasty up your way.
Thank you. Jasper is dumping heaps of rain our way. The wind was quite mild. We consider our selves pretty fortunate. All the best!
My ac200 max is biger than the one you showed it weighs 63 pounds
May be a different version?
Solar power is useless. Why people persist annoys me.
The only benefit is _temporary_ power supply, that's it.
Most people aren't aware that photons (sun light) need to be perpendicular (at right angle) to solar panels. Other than manually moving them or employing a solar tracker, at best, you're only going to achieve 50% efficiency (based on stationary panels and with the sun directly overhead).
Unless you've got 180 degrees of unobstructed view of the sun, also reduces efficiency. There are very few places on the planet where that the case (the desert and ocean the exception).
Then there's the cost of an entire system (panels, charge controller, inverter, batteries, cables...)
Dependence of weather. Forget setting up a solar system in the northern hemisphere. During winter there is _no_ sunlight. None.
And don't get me started on "global warming " scare-mongering! If people only realised they amount of natural resources consumed and unearthed in order to produce "environmentally friendly, clean energy solutions", they may think twice.
Nuclear power is the future.
I agree with a lot of your points including your second last point. I have said in a few of my videos that the modern "Grid" being power, water, sewage, waste collection etc is fantastic. A modern marvel and we take it for granted (a lot of us, not all). Though in our circumstances, land without any grid connections we either run a generator or go solar and solar absolutely works for us; fixed panels and all. It suits our lifestyle very well. I'm not trying to convert the population to living like we do, with the exception of trying to live more simply. We are in the moderate tropics so power production is good even in winter, and on rainy days. I appreciate your comment, and get some clothes on ;)
@@ScottTurnerformeindustrious lolololololoolololol I'm a tigers supporter, Richmond tigers. You Queenslanders are so lucky to live in tropical climate. Us southerners (Victoria), have to endure -2 to -5 in winter.
Scotty turner played for Richmond in the 90's. A survivable player..
Scot, I hope you're running ac to the house. Voltage drop is significantly less using ac, (see telsa/Edison).
I've been living on solar since 2015. A 1994 tarago with 2 x 110 watt panels (in parallel), mppt charge controller, 330 watt inverter, and 2 x 12v lighter plugs. If you think you're doing it tough, try shitting whilst raining outdoors in winter, or not showering for 3 months.
I watch your vids and think: _omg, he lives in luxury, he must be a billionaire!_ I love what you've done, how you live, and your desire to live off the grid. Although lots of people _say_ they want to live like that, not many have the intestinal fortitude to do so.
I have watched all your vids yet, but I'm excited to see the one on sailing. I just bought a _solo_ for $200 that needs plenty of work. I'd love to race you once it's ready.
Look into flywheel power.