More info: If you need to run 12V loads, use a 24>12V step down converter. They are cheap and easy to use (affiliate link): amzn.to/3HL02oK Standby or idle consumption of this particular inverter is 24W If you need to charge your 24V solar battery with your RV/Van 12V alternator, use one of these: www.currentconnected.com/product/orion-smart/?attribute_input-output-voltage=12%2F24&attribute_output-current-watts=15A+%28360w%29&ref=wp
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 this unit is just about right to power our off grid cabin. I agree with you it's a bit low on the solar input voltage. Most of the OC Voltages on used 240 to 250 watt panels I'm finding is 37 plus volts, in series that's 74 plus volts. Looks to me to be poor planning on their part.
Wow, they sure have made it easy. I love that it has 20A receptacles built right in! That 750W PV input is kindof unfortunate though. I get it though with trying to keep safety in mind. Also wanted to note that many of the MPP Solar inverters I've used usually have a fuse on the battery input bolted down to the circuit board inside. Obviously preferred to have one externally that can be serviced, but there is likely one in there if you check.
Oh right, battery ocpd is for conductors supplying the unit, not necessarily for the unit. Yes all I have opened have that fuse as well. Right?! They make it so easy. I was giggling when I saw this, I had no idea they made it. How cool! Yeah super unfortunate about the pv input. but I know a lot of small systems with less solar than that, so it should work out. But I agree
I mean, they have mc4 adapters, so why not use a high voltage for the pv input? Still seems just as safe if one uses mc4 adapters across the entire array
Been living off grid for 15+ years, the one thing that is consistent with all this solar stuff is the digital displays go bad after a few years, .. Dip switches always work.. Anyone thinking of putting out the bucks for off grid systems, get things that have replaceable parts or USB input's..
Will, I've been watching your videos for a while and found them to be super informative. I'm getting ready to purchase my first offgrid system - just 4 380W panels. What I'm having trouble with right now is understanding what wires I'm going to need. Do you have a video on wire sizing and common endpoints like MC4? There's so much excellent knowledge available about panels, inverters, charge controllers, batteries, and the sizing thereof, but less (that I can find) on wire gauges and connectors and mounting accessories. Is there a video you recommend for such information? It's possible you have one and I've somehow missed it.
Possibly my biggest gripe about this for van/RV people is, besides the low PV allowance, is if you're wanting to wire this into your existing AC system on an RV, it doesn't have an output to your existing AC fuse/breaker box to run hard wired AC voltage items. It looks to only have outlets on it from what I've seen here, not a hard wire output terminal. Correct me if I'm wrong? Neat little unit for someone without an existing breaker box though!
I have been using this for about 2 years now with a small solar array and Nissan Leaf batteries. It powers two fridges and a freezer and it's nice to know they will run when power goes out. Customer support is one really nice guy who I've spoken with and emailed plenty of times.
That box perfect for a Van or DIY RV built. Not really for converting an RV. The low spread between charging and maximum voltage will make panel selection a bit more difficult. (42-60v)
If this unit is continuously plugged into shore power, can it be programmed in such a way as to use the solar energy stored in the batteries as the preference, with shore power being called on if they're depleted? Or would the shore power be constantly making up the difference and topping off the batteries, so that the batteries are simply a backup when shore power goes down?
Pros: price, size and ease of install. Cons: loud fans and confusing option settings. I added a separate SCC because of the fan noise. Another CON is that there are three 10AWG positive and three to negative to the battery. Considering the load on each wire could be 37.5 A (@24v) and if a conductor fails, you could have a dangerous situation.
WILL!!!!! Start bundling up packages of stuff for sale!!!!!!! Make a beginner package and sell it!!!!! Ask whatever it takes to be worth your time. Pannel , batteries, charger converter things, bundle it up so it is just a click and people ca have a well thought out solar system. DO IT!!!!¡
@@WillProwse I just watched the video where it had the panels and charge controler for a ridiculously cheap 195 dollars. I want to try it but know " you get what you pay for". I think I will get the charge controler in this video; just have to bite bullet and start buying the components.
Where was this a year ago when I was putting together my mom's 12v system based off your 400W build. We definitely need an updated version of the RV/Van build that includes one of these as the center piece.
I agree, I am buying a new entry level Grand Design Travel trailer with a very basic solar package and would love to learn how to wire this up properly to run everything off grid with Lithium batteries.
@@tjbarney22 I will take delivery of my 2400BH in a few weeks and have yet to decide which way I am going but have not fully ruled this one out yet. Let me know what you do! Join the Grand Design solar group on Facebook as well, great recommendations and support there...
Thanks Will, love your work. My one concern is whether this unit fixes a huge issue with some of the MPP all-in-ones: They don't switch to full bulk charging until they reach 25% charge. Makes them pretty much useless for an RV. Got burned with that on the LV2424 I bought. People on your forum trying to work around that with high float charge voltages (bad solution), but it's a purchase I regret as I had to buy a separate solar charge controller.
Great review and timely, looking at this MPP Inverter now. You used SOK for the testing, then mentioned the EG4 24v batteries. Comparing AOlithium (12v's in series to 24v) versus the EG4 24v battery, which is better? Then double battery as needed. This for my GD Momentum 21G.
Will, this is directly off of the MPP Solar Website: Does this apply here???? Important advice for 1-3K LV-MK, 5048MK, and 5048MKX models only While using generators as AC input on our zero transfer time models (1-3K LV-MK, 5048MK and 5048MKX) is possible, it is NOT recommended because there’s a strong possibility that the generator input cannot be “phase-locked” to establish a solid connection with the inverter. Zero transfer time inverters are designed based on online UPS topology and so it has a particularly high requirement to phase-lock with any AC input source. Generators output - even inverter-type generators - are known to have fluctuating frequency such that phase-lock may be very difficult, most likely not possible. While this typically won’t result in any damage, the generator input would become useless. For best performance, please refrain from using generators on these models and apply only utility grid. Makes it dubious at best to use this off grid.
First super power bank? The MANGO POWER UNION IS 2-4 times more powerful than any other battery? That’s the claim. 4.3 kw. EV class LFP Battery. 7000 cycles. 10 years of use. -20 c to 55 c temps. Have you heard of this power bank?
So I’m just curious, where on a CC would I look to find out what voltage it would need to start charging? I guess I was a little confused about the “VOC” value.
Hello 😃 You make the best videos on youtube when it comes to lifepo4 and solar power. There is one small thing I would like to add to several of your clips. This is because there is a high risk that people will build exactly the same as they see in your videos. This even though you always tell me it's for testing. so... when you connect zero, phase, earth to the invert without the cable itself having any strain relief, you should make the earth cable a few cm / inch longer. this means that if you were to get stuck / trip on the power cable and pull it off the terminal on the inverter, the earth cable will go off last. This in turn means that the connected ac device can not be live in the housing :)
I looked at the manual and noticed that there is no specific setting for LfP04 batteries. Just Lead Acid, AGM and "User". I would be interested in guidance on how to setup a LfP04 battery bank. Also, it is a shame they don't have a Bluetooth connection and a phone app for monitoring the system. Hopefully the screen on the front would be enough.
Thanks for the excellent reviews. Was wondering if Lithium battery can be charged from multiple sources simultaneously? Can I have the battery being charged via solar and at the same time get a Victron DC-DC charger to get the house battery charged up quicker by having both sources charging the battery when I'm driving. Thanks!
That’s neat, the less wires and boxes needed in a van solar set up the better. Charging from the vans alternator is a must on cloudy dull day’s. So the company should revise there model with a few more tweaks, like an inline fuse from the battery like you mentioned. Thx for the review 👍🏻🇨🇦
Loved the review of this. I’m the process of planning a small cabin build and I think this unit is perfect. You mentioned you would add a fuse for added safety, curious what size you would recommend?
I believe that this unit can pull/put out approximately a little over 100 Amps. I would suggest a 150 Amp to 200 Amp fuse max., but that depends on the size cables installed with the unit. Once you find out the cable size, look up a "wire size amperage chart" on the internet to find out how many Amps it can handle, then get a fuse small enough that it will blow before the wire can burn.
Not this model but watts247 do have several 48v models. I'm in the US but returning to the UK soon and eager to use these systems to be independent of the National Grid, as much as possible.
Not this model but watts247 do have several 48v models. I'm in the US but returning to the UK soon and eager to use these systems to be independent of the National Grid, as much as possible.
Would there be any reason why you couldn’t use this in place of a double conversion UPS to provide power to a computer/server? I can’t think of any. Plus using server rack 24v battery everything will fit nicely together
Possibly share a battery between the units, but not on the solar/AC side, they aren't parallel capable. Usually the 48v versions are parallel capable, the assumption is you would go to 48v before parallel 24v.
You have gained so much knowledge since your last DIY battery build. Can you do another series building your own 24v or 48v system. Now that there are different options and BMS(what is the best bang for your buck, long term great features) And of course all the links so we can replicate the build
Hi Will, wondering if you plan to do a video on server rack batteries vs an all-in-one like the Delta EcoFlow. I know they're for different use cases, but wondering about an apples to apples comparison based on comparing the closest size match vs efficiency. Thanks for all the info!
Now, how cool is that? You can build yourself a small solar generator for 2/3 of the cost of the lowest priced one I could find for sale with the same amount of power.
I have used MPP Solar and Growatt hybrid units. I am pleased with the quality and easiness of MPP Solar than the Growatt. The MPP Solar unit works on low panel voltage whereas Growatt requires 150+ panel input voltage. I lost expensive batteries by hooking them to Growatt hybrid units, I want to share my experience here so you will be cautious when you are planning to use the Growatt brand.
Hey Will, great channel! Have learned a lot! What’s the fan noise/heat generation like on this unit?…especially for smaller RVs/vans where it might be stored in a small compartment? Thx!
Love these videos. I have a 10KW system that the installer left me hanging with around three years into the installation. Like you in the Vegas area, we get around 300 sunny days a year so I want to get this thing working again. The inverters are built in which should make things easier. The power manager no longer works right or is not set up properly so I cannot tell what I'm generating anymore. However, I can see from our power bill that we're getting less than half. Your videos keep encouraging me to take this on and get this working right again.
Presumably if you want to fit a 24v system on a 12v van you will also want a high output 24v alternator and regulator. Looking online those seem to come together at a cost of $2500 to $3000 at a well known online vendor. You can no doubt find individual parts cheaper, but most people would still get it fitted at cost. Then there's the 12v regulator for 12v products in the van. Even if you get those parts cheap, I don't see how that comes in cheaper than the additional cost of thicker 12v wires on a 12v system? 12v vans are usually not that big. Also if you have sunshine year round you will likely also have air conditioning fitted to your 12v van and have a compressor fitted In the place where you need to fit your 24v alternator. If you can't fit it there, you are talking expensive add ons. Fitting another alternator is also giving you less miles to the gallon.
I LOVE LOVE the idea of this one the only few things that are stopping me from buying this unit are it needs a higher watt output / higher solar input only reason i say that is because my few main constant draws are mini fridge diesel heater and my computer / monitors and i would have really loved to see the ability to still have dc output ports for 12v wiring built in as well for the 12v diesel heater and 12v ceiling fan hoping they drop a suprise upgrade for just a bit more cost and im sold
So this looks like a box I could use to run a full size refrigerator and freezer and few led lights. The question is how big of battery do I need to shop for with capacity of 24 hours of load?
Will or anyone who knows to answer please 🙏 Hey Will love your content. About to buy MPP Solar 2724 LV-MR. Can't download the manual so just wanted to know can the inverter be turned off for AC when not in use? I'm building a system for my van mainly for 24/12V.. I know that inverter draws 24W. Also 4 150W panels with VOC of 42.74 I'll wire parallel and s/b about 17 amps at max and VOC 42.74. Is that going to make for a good system? ( 2 100AH 24V SOK batteries..)
Hey Will, need your advice. Can I use this unit, with a 24V battery as a constant UPS? If AC products live TV, security camera system, internet modem etc. are plugged into this unit. I assume the unit will bypass current from the wall socket to the products without using the battery, while keeping battery topped off until wall socket loses power, then transfer to the battery. Is this correct? Would this be a good unit for such a setup? Thank you.
You people talk way too much crap, like battery charging,just use a battery chargers plugged into system since the input is less then the draw. All this ,and way more just to make a buck it's nuts.
I have a couple of questions. How come you recommend the 24>12 converters instead of 24>13.8? Also what is the idle consumption of that unit? Love your work. Keep it up!
Thanks Will for the content, would this unit be OK for a sailboat? Obviously if the word marine is added to a devices label, double or triple the price.
This is seriously perfect for what I need, but the 600W solar input is killing me. I doubt I'll use more than 400W, but I'd still like the option... I'll probably grab the LV2424 for the 2000W input and just deal with connecting my own plugs for the same price.
Hi will I have the lv2724 and two Ampere Time 24v 100ah batteries and eight 100 watt solar panels. Will you please give some advice on setting up my system
Thanks for all your informative videos. I’m really getting sick of solar generators. I live off grid, and the quality of the Bluetti lately has been terrible. I’ve had six fail this year! My older ones are OK but the new ones are really poor quality. Do you know anyone who sells this brand in Canada? Thanks again for all the great videos. I am a trades person and I’m fairly confident that I can wire any electrical as I already have training in this field.
I am a retired woman and have learned so much from you. I purchased this system and will be setting it up by myself. I was without power during the hottest days of summer this year, twice. I don't ever want to do that again. Thank you for teaching us about solar power. You are an excellent teacher.
Can I have the battery being charged via solar and at the same time get a Victron DC-DC charger to get the house battery charged up quicker by having both sources charging the battery when I'm driving. Thanks!
This hand truck solar generator has captured my interest but would like to know if there is a way to increase to its output to 3.5k watts (more expensive batteries?) to replace my gas generator. I just run a refrigerator, some led lights and if in winter the fan of a forced air gas heater. Suggested panels and # of panels to recharge in 6 hours of solar power in winter (Optimal winter tilt angle: 41°).
Nice vid Will, Thanks. Question to you or those here. I have 2 panels with the specs listed below, will they work with this unit? These are the Rich solar 200 w. I noticed you had to get 40v to get the solar input to start charging. I have them in series. I guess my question is..does the amount of sun affect the rated 20.4v and will I have an issue during cloudy days and only getting say 50-100 watts incoming or does the voltage in series produce 40.8 in my case? Maximum Power(Pmax): 200W Maximum Power Voltage(Vmp): 20.4V Maximum Power Current(Imp): 9.80A Open Circuit Voltage(Voc): 24.3V Short Circuit Current(Isc): 10.2A Maximum System Voltage(Vmax): 1000V DC
sorry for the potential newbie question -- but how would I set this up with a 24V DC output? That way I could borrow 24v components in the van like a fridge, fan, lights, etc
never mind, silly question, I am doing more research and see I will do that before it enters into the PIP..excited I am going to try and go this route with a dorm fridge setup too and 2 server batteries!
Questions I have . . . I'm intrigued by this one. But the next iteration in this physical size class should bump the charge controller voltage cap up to around 100V. The 2700W inverter looks very generous, though. But how efficient is it? One of the criticisms I've heard about some of these wall mount units is that the inverter's self-consumption on idle is rather high.
I could never get this to work with my panels. I tried contacting them and did several different different setups, but I never got the solar charge portion of this unit to work. It has been ok for ac charging and providing ac power from my battery. Not happy that I bought this unit. I have since bought a victron and it worked on first try with no problems.
If I wanted to add an additional let's say renogy 40 amp charge controller would this then increase the max input voltage and minimum solar controller amp rating
I purchased one and have a problems . The fans are always on when the unit is only connected to battery, no charging and no loads. It is very loud in a small place like a RV especially during the night.
Great 👍 content I remember you review this unit a year ago .. older version I think it cost 1500 at the time .. very cool making this update video with the latest version of this unit ...
Could you use a dc to dc inverters on the pv input, use 3 panels in series then have the dc to dc inverter reduce the voltage to 60 vdc and limit the current to 750 watts??
Thanks Will, Got one this year for our RV and it has been so handy, we built a mobile cart for it too, to allow use tent-camping and powering tools far from power on our homestead and in a greenhouse. Ditto your comment on a fuse between the pos cable and battery rated for 125A (this unit has max draw of 123A). To get the most out of this little inverter, use battery set up that can support at least 123A output current or more. We have found it can handle pretty large tool-loads, and opening it up (I just had to see what was inside!) the unit has a substantial iron core transformer, that seems to handle the starting current on pretty large tools with a suitable battery connected. The cord for Utility charging needs to be 10AWG. Most RV's are set up for 30A and will match this gauge. Watch the factory defalt inverter settings! out of the box our unit was set to 50Hz - but easily changed to 60, and the battery charging defaults were all for AGM so if you are planning to use LiFePO4 you will need to change the battery settings. A really great little unit at a low price, very portable, thanks for the recommendation.
Considering the 12v version for my small camper. How does this wire into the existing converter/charger/fuse box? I understand I'll have to unplug the existing charger. But I'm still not clear on how it plugs into the existing 12v/120ac wiring.
I have a wood burning insert that draws 100 watts. How long would that system run before needing a recharge? I'm learning about solar charging before biting the bullet and installing one. I like my insert stove but obviously need electricity for it to work if and when the power goes out.
Will, Have you looked at any of the MPPT 12V all in one with 1KW of power? I have a tiny camper (pop-up) with limited power needs and need to replace my deep cycle battery. I would prefer to replace it with a LiFeP04 100A 12V and an all in one. I thank you in advance for any information that you can provide.
Will---this is the exact set up I purchased. I've purchased the components over the last year in cash as I had enough funds to do so. I mention this because I'm way outside of my return windows on all these items. I'm now ready to install and I'm at a loss because according to SOKs website these batteries cannot be connected in series?! I mean clearly they can because you just did it in the video. I'm kind of a simpleton and went this route because I don't want to burn my van up. Am I missing something ?!
More info:
If you need to run 12V loads, use a 24>12V step down converter. They are cheap and easy to use (affiliate link): amzn.to/3HL02oK
Standby or idle consumption of this particular inverter is 24W
If you need to charge your 24V solar battery with your RV/Van 12V alternator, use one of these: www.currentconnected.com/product/orion-smart/?attribute_input-output-voltage=12%2F24&attribute_output-current-watts=15A+%28360w%29&ref=wp
Did you see my last comment about the guy trying to get money out of me, and saying it was you?
@@3000gtwelder yeah that's a scam. They are all over RUclips.
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.
Thanks Will! Is there possibility to trigger additional load like water heater only when battery is topped? :)
Will this unit is just about right to power our off grid cabin. I agree with you it's a bit low on the solar input voltage. Most of the OC Voltages on used 240 to 250 watt panels I'm finding is 37 plus volts, in series that's 74 plus volts. Looks to me to be poor planning on their part.
You have helped so many people with your knowledge! I hope you know how much we appreciate you!
Wow, they sure have made it easy. I love that it has 20A receptacles built right in! That 750W PV input is kindof unfortunate though. I get it though with trying to keep safety in mind. Also wanted to note that many of the MPP Solar inverters I've used usually have a fuse on the battery input bolted down to the circuit board inside. Obviously preferred to have one externally that can be serviced, but there is likely one in there if you check.
Oh right, battery ocpd is for conductors supplying the unit, not necessarily for the unit. Yes all I have opened have that fuse as well.
Right?! They make it so easy. I was giggling when I saw this, I had no idea they made it. How cool!
Yeah super unfortunate about the pv input. but I know a lot of small systems with less solar than that, so it should work out. But I agree
I mean, they have mc4 adapters, so why not use a high voltage for the pv input? Still seems just as safe if one uses mc4 adapters across the entire array
Agreed @ that 750 / 60 volt limit. *snaps fingers* But certainly headed in the direction I'm looking for.
I have an mpp but different model and it rated as 1000 w as max input but I hooked 2000 w of solar panels. Do you think would it be ok?
@@kevinroberts781 this is what they said in the manual. I think the 1000 w or 700 w is the max capacity of the charge controller to charge batteries
Been living off grid for 15+ years, the one thing that is consistent with all this solar stuff is the digital displays go bad after a few years, .. Dip switches always work.. Anyone thinking of putting out the bucks for off grid systems, get things that have replaceable parts or USB input's..
Game changer for small trailers and Vans Thanks Will
Will, I've been watching your videos for a while and found them to be super informative. I'm getting ready to purchase my first offgrid system - just 4 380W panels. What I'm having trouble with right now is understanding what wires I'm going to need. Do you have a video on wire sizing and common endpoints like MC4? There's so much excellent knowledge available about panels, inverters, charge controllers, batteries, and the sizing thereof, but less (that I can find) on wire gauges and connectors and mounting accessories. Is there a video you recommend for such information? It's possible you have one and I've somehow missed it.
There have been some reliability concerns about these units. Are you still positive about them?
Possibly my biggest gripe about this for van/RV people is, besides the low PV allowance, is if you're wanting to wire this into your existing AC system on an RV, it doesn't have an output to your existing AC fuse/breaker box to run hard wired AC voltage items. It looks to only have outlets on it from what I've seen here, not a hard wire output terminal. Correct me if I'm wrong? Neat little unit for someone without an existing breaker box though!
Best solar related channel on the Tube. Thanks for the time you put into your videos, they are precise and informative.
I have been using this for about 2 years now with a small solar array and Nissan Leaf batteries. It powers two fridges and a freezer and it's nice to know they will run when power goes out. Customer support is one really nice guy who I've spoken with and emailed plenty of times.
Have you tried using an AC / Split sytem with it at all?
How many solar panels do you have connected to it.
Yes please how many panels and watts
@@tborpatterson6467 its only 600 watts (six 100 watt panels) which is all it's rated for.
@@danemmerich6775 I would like to test my home AC on it but its almost 2 tons so I'm sure it would be too much.
That box perfect for a Van or DIY RV built. Not really for converting an RV. The low spread between charging and maximum voltage will make panel selection a bit more difficult. (42-60v)
You are my #1 source of reliable, accurate and all around best source of knowledge on everything solar. 👍
Thanks Paul!!
If this unit is continuously plugged into shore power, can it be programmed in such a way as to use the solar energy stored in the batteries as the preference, with shore power being called on if they're depleted? Or would the shore power be constantly making up the difference and topping off the batteries, so that the batteries are simply a backup when shore power goes down?
Good question I think the correct answer is correct
Pros: price, size and ease of install. Cons: loud fans and confusing option settings. I added a separate SCC because of the fan noise. Another CON is that there are three 10AWG positive and three to negative to the battery. Considering the load on each wire could be 37.5 A (@24v) and if a conductor fails, you could have a dangerous situation.
WILL!!!!! Start bundling up packages of stuff for sale!!!!!!! Make a beginner package and sell it!!!!! Ask whatever it takes to be worth your time. Pannel , batteries, charger converter things, bundle it up so it is just a click and people ca have a well thought out solar system. DO IT!!!!¡
The parts list for this system is in the video description and my website. I have many packages on my website
@@WillProwse Ok!!! Will look at your website.
Thank you!!!!
@@WillProwse I just watched the video where it had the panels and charge controler for a ridiculously cheap 195 dollars. I want to try it but know " you get what you pay for". I think I will get the charge controler in this video; just have to bite bullet and start buying the components.
Do you come to North Carolina at all?
Where was this a year ago when I was putting together my mom's 12v system based off your 400W build. We definitely need an updated version of the RV/Van build that includes one of these as the center piece.
yes pls!
I agree, I am buying a new entry level Grand Design Travel trailer with a very basic solar package and would love to learn how to wire this up properly to run everything off grid with Lithium batteries.
@@jaredhaddock1812 did you figure anything out? I’m about to pick up a new 17mke and am trying to figure out the same thing!
@@tjbarney22 I will take delivery of my 2400BH in a few weeks and have yet to decide which way I am going but have not fully ruled this one out yet. Let me know what you do! Join the Grand Design solar group on Facebook as well, great recommendations and support there...
@@jaredhaddock1812 I checked this out and it's a private group. You have to currently own a Grand Design to join.
Thanks Will, love your work. My one concern is whether this unit fixes a huge issue with some of the MPP all-in-ones: They don't switch to full bulk charging until they reach 25% charge. Makes them pretty much useless for an RV. Got burned with that on the LV2424 I bought. People on your forum trying to work around that with high float charge voltages (bad solution), but it's a purchase I regret as I had to buy a separate solar charge controller.
Great review and timely, looking at this MPP Inverter now. You used SOK for the testing, then mentioned the EG4 24v batteries. Comparing AOlithium (12v's in series to 24v) versus the EG4 24v battery, which is better? Then double battery as needed. This for my GD Momentum 21G.
Will, this is directly off of the MPP Solar Website: Does this apply here????
Important advice for 1-3K LV-MK, 5048MK, and 5048MKX models only
While using generators as AC input on our zero transfer time models (1-3K
LV-MK, 5048MK and 5048MKX) is possible, it is NOT recommended
because there’s a strong possibility that the generator input cannot be
“phase-locked” to establish a solid connection with the inverter. Zero
transfer time inverters are designed based on online UPS topology and so it
has a particularly high requirement to phase-lock with any AC input
source. Generators output - even inverter-type generators - are known to
have fluctuating frequency such that phase-lock may be very difficult, most
likely not possible. While this typically won’t result in any damage, the
generator input would become useless. For best performance, please
refrain from using generators on these models and apply only utility grid.
Makes it dubious at best to use this off grid.
First super power bank? The MANGO POWER UNION IS 2-4 times more powerful than any other battery? That’s the claim. 4.3 kw. EV class LFP Battery. 7000 cycles. 10 years of use. -20 c to 55 c temps. Have you heard of this power bank?
$2800
So I’m just curious, where on a CC would I look to find out what voltage it would need to start charging? I guess I was a little confused about the “VOC” value.
Have you seen THE MANGO POWER UNION?
Looks very useful & hope they produce one for 48v batteries ( with a little higher solar input)
I wish the bigger inverters had a 240v NEMA outlet to plug a Tesla directly into.
Thank you for this video!!!!
Hello 😃
You make the best videos on youtube when it comes to lifepo4 and solar power.
There is one small thing I would like to add to several of your clips. This is because there is a high risk that people will build exactly the same as they see in your videos. This even though you always tell me it's for testing. so...
when you connect zero, phase, earth to the invert without the cable itself having any strain relief, you should make the earth cable a few cm / inch longer. this means that if you were to get stuck / trip on the power cable and pull it off the terminal on the inverter, the earth cable will go off last. This in turn means that the connected ac device can not be live in the housing :)
I looked at the manual and noticed that there is no specific setting for LfP04 batteries. Just Lead Acid, AGM and "User". I would be interested in guidance on how to setup a LfP04 battery bank. Also, it is a shame they don't have a Bluetooth connection and a phone app for monitoring the system. Hopefully the screen on the front would be enough.
Thanks for the excellent reviews. Was wondering if Lithium battery can be charged from multiple sources simultaneously? Can I have the battery being charged via solar and at the same time get a Victron DC-DC charger to get the house battery charged up quicker by having both sources charging the battery when I'm driving. Thanks!
I would always go with a growatt 3000w or higher. It's only a few hundred more but way more power
That’s neat, the less wires and boxes needed in a van solar set up the better. Charging from the vans alternator is a must on cloudy dull day’s. So the company should revise there model with a few more tweaks, like an inline fuse from the battery like you mentioned. Thx for the review 👍🏻🇨🇦
Loved the review of this. I’m the process of planning a small cabin build and I think this unit is perfect. You mentioned you would add a fuse for added safety, curious what size you would recommend?
I believe that this unit can pull/put out approximately a little over 100 Amps. I would suggest a 150 Amp to 200 Amp fuse max., but that depends on the size cables installed with the unit. Once you find out the cable size, look up a "wire size amperage chart" on the internet to find out how many Amps it can handle, then get a fuse small enough that it will blow before the wire can burn.
That is very cool! I am going to send a link to my Dad who will be thrilled to see this video and will probably buy one for his motor home.
"you do not want to switch these, if the red goes on the black you're going to have a bad day."
Id rather spend a couple to 300 more and get a growatt
Is there a 230V version on the drawingboard for us across the pond?
is there a 240v version for all those who don't use 110v
Not this model but watts247 do have several 48v models.
I'm in the US but returning to the UK soon and eager to use these systems to be independent of the National Grid, as much as possible.
Hi do they make a uk version (240v)?
Not this model but watts247 do have several 48v models.
I'm in the US but returning to the UK soon and eager to use these systems to be independent of the National Grid, as much as possible.
Would there be any reason why you couldn’t use this in place of a double conversion UPS to provide power to a computer/server? I can’t think of any. Plus using server rack 24v battery everything will fit nicely together
Just curious - To up the ante - Could you parallel two of these boxes and get 1500w solar - plus double everything else?
Possibly share a battery between the units, but not on the solar/AC side, they aren't parallel capable. Usually the 48v versions are parallel capable, the assumption is you would go to 48v before parallel 24v.
what is the standby current draw of that thing ?
You have gained so much knowledge since your last DIY battery build. Can you do another series building your own 24v or 48v system.
Now that there are different options and BMS(what is the best bang for your buck, long term great features)
And of course all the links so we can replicate the build
Hi Will, wondering if you plan to do a video on server rack batteries vs an all-in-one like the Delta EcoFlow. I know they're for different use cases, but wondering about an apples to apples comparison based on comparing the closest size match vs efficiency. Thanks for all the info!
Now, how cool is that? You can build yourself a small solar generator for 2/3 of the cost of the lowest priced one I could find for sale with the same amount of power.
I have used MPP Solar and Growatt hybrid units. I am pleased with the quality and easiness of MPP Solar than the Growatt. The MPP Solar unit works on low panel voltage whereas Growatt requires 150+ panel input voltage. I lost expensive batteries by hooking them to Growatt hybrid units, I want to share my experience here so you will be cautious when you are planning to use the Growatt brand.
Hey Will, great channel! Have learned a lot! What’s the fan noise/heat generation like on this unit?…especially for smaller RVs/vans where it might be stored in a small compartment? Thx!
You make such great videos, Will. For a solar dummy like myself, you do such a great job explaining things.
Love these videos. I have a 10KW system that the installer left me hanging with around three years into the installation. Like you in the Vegas area, we get around 300 sunny days a year so I want to get this thing working again. The inverters are built in which should make things easier. The power manager no longer works right or is not set up properly so I cannot tell what I'm generating anymore. However, I can see from our power bill that we're getting less than half.
Your videos keep encouraging me to take this on and get this working right again.
Hi Will, Could you show us how to set up with this model for 12V Please?
How loud is this thing is it quiet than bluetti or ecoflow all in one? Or louder. Thank you
Interesting ! Is it suited for the European market too ? Overhere we have 230V for mains power.
Presumably if you want to fit a 24v system on a 12v van you will also want a high output 24v alternator and regulator. Looking online those seem to come together at a cost of $2500 to $3000 at a well known online vendor.
You can no doubt find individual parts cheaper, but most people would still get it fitted at cost.
Then there's the 12v regulator for 12v products in the van.
Even if you get those parts cheap, I don't see how that comes in cheaper than the additional cost of thicker 12v wires on a 12v system?
12v vans are usually not that big.
Also if you have sunshine year round you will likely also have air conditioning fitted to your 12v van and have a compressor fitted In the place where you need to fit your 24v alternator. If you can't fit it there, you are talking expensive add ons.
Fitting another alternator is also giving you less miles to the gallon.
Can I run this unit with just batteries and no solar panels? Then I can charge the batteries when I get home from the weekend.
I'm curious about that pass-through feature. Would that work as a UPS? If so I could get rid of the 5 UPS's in my home lab!
I LOVE LOVE the idea of this one the only few things that are stopping me from buying this unit are it needs a higher watt output / higher solar input only reason i say that is because my few main constant draws are mini fridge diesel heater and my computer / monitors and i would have really loved to see the ability to still have dc output ports for 12v wiring built in as well for the 12v diesel heater and 12v ceiling fan hoping they drop a suprise upgrade for just a bit more cost and im sold
Was I the only one waiting for Will to start taking it apart? LOL
Is there any particular solar panel you would recommend with this setup
So this looks like a box I could use to run a full size refrigerator and freezer and few led lights. The question is how big of battery do I need to shop for with capacity of 24 hours of load?
depends if the sun comes out and how big are your solar panels watts i use 24 volt 200 ah lithium battery
Great information keep it up!
Will or anyone who knows to answer please 🙏
Hey Will love your content. About to buy MPP Solar 2724 LV-MR. Can't download the manual so just wanted to know can the inverter be turned off for AC when not in use? I'm building a system for my van mainly for 24/12V.. I know that inverter draws 24W.
Also 4 150W panels with VOC of 42.74 I'll wire parallel and s/b about 17 amps at max and VOC 42.74. Is that going to make for a good system? ( 2 100AH 24V SOK batteries..)
That is really cool ,Victron and their crazy overpriced stuff better look out.
Hey Will, need your advice. Can I use this unit, with a 24V battery as a constant UPS? If AC products live TV, security camera system, internet modem etc. are plugged into this unit. I assume the unit will bypass current from the wall socket to the products without using the battery, while keeping battery topped off until wall socket loses power, then transfer to the battery. Is this correct? Would this be a good unit for such a setup? Thank you.
You people talk way too much crap, like battery charging,just use a battery chargers plugged into system since the input is less then the draw. All this ,and way more just to make a buck it's nuts.
I like the portable cart system idea with everything going on these days. I really want to thank you Will for all the links you list...So cool 😎
I have a couple of questions. How come you recommend the 24>12 converters instead of 24>13.8? Also what is the idle consumption of that unit?
Love your work. Keep it up!
Probably because they run higher than that. 12/24 are common numbers. Notice how those 2 12 volt batteries read 26 volts?
Yeah, most step down converters output 13.6V. same with alternators.
Thanks Will for the content, would this unit be OK for a sailboat? Obviously if the word marine is added to a devices label, double or triple the price.
If you can keep it dry, sure
@@WillProwse thanks, that was my thinking
I love how enthousiastic you get because it works. Very inspiring.
Do you think it could work with 24v lithium batteries? THANKS,
This is seriously perfect for what I need, but the 600W solar input is killing me. I doubt I'll use more than 400W, but I'd still like the option... I'll probably grab the LV2424 for the 2000W input and just deal with connecting my own plugs for the same price.
It's actually 750w max. But I know what you mean. I wanted to build a 1k+ watt array but, ugh...
Hi will I have the lv2724 and two Ampere Time 24v 100ah batteries and eight 100 watt solar panels. Will you please give some advice on setting up my system
Thanks for all your informative videos. I’m really getting sick of solar generators. I live off grid, and the quality of the Bluetti lately has been terrible. I’ve had six fail this year! My older ones are OK but the new ones are really poor quality. Do you know anyone who sells this brand in Canada? Thanks again for all the great videos. I am a trades person and I’m fairly confident that I can wire any electrical as I already have training in this field.
I am a retired woman and have learned so much from you. I purchased this system and will be setting it up by myself. I was without power during the hottest days of summer this year, twice. I don't ever want to do that again. Thank you for teaching us about solar power. You are an excellent teacher.
Can I have the battery being charged via solar and at the same time get a Victron DC-DC charger to get the house battery charged up quicker by having both sources charging the battery when I'm driving. Thanks!
This hand truck solar generator has captured my interest but would like to know if there is a way to increase to its output to 3.5k watts (more expensive batteries?) to replace my gas generator. I just run a refrigerator, some led lights and if in winter the fan of a forced air gas heater. Suggested panels and # of panels to recharge in 6 hours of solar power in winter (Optimal winter tilt angle: 41°).
Will, could I use this with my 400W panel to charge an EGO charging station?
Nice vid Will, Thanks. Question to you or those here. I have 2 panels with the specs listed below, will they work with this unit? These are the Rich solar 200 w. I noticed you had to get 40v to get the solar input to start charging. I have them in series. I guess my question is..does the amount of sun affect the rated 20.4v and will I have an issue during cloudy days and only getting say 50-100 watts incoming or does the voltage in series produce 40.8 in my case?
Maximum Power(Pmax): 200W
Maximum Power Voltage(Vmp): 20.4V
Maximum Power Current(Imp): 9.80A
Open Circuit Voltage(Voc): 24.3V
Short Circuit Current(Isc): 10.2A
Maximum System Voltage(Vmax): 1000V DC
did you ever figure this out?
sorry for the potential newbie question -- but how would I set this up with a 24V DC output? That way I could borrow 24v components in the van like a fridge, fan, lights, etc
never mind, silly question, I am doing more research and see I will do that before it enters into the PIP..excited I am going to try and go this route with a dorm fridge setup too and 2 server batteries!
I know this says 750w but I was wondering if it would handle 8 100w panels wire to 48v input ?
Awesome 🔥❤️🥳🌙🪐💥⭐️✨⚡️
Will, since it's been a year, it's this still what you'd recommend or has anything else come out that we should be considering? Thank you!
Questions I have . . .
I'm intrigued by this one. But the next iteration in this physical size class should bump the charge controller voltage cap up to around 100V. The 2700W inverter looks very generous, though. But how efficient is it? One of the criticisms I've heard about some of these wall mount units is that the inverter's self-consumption on idle is rather high.
I could never get this to work with my panels. I tried contacting them and did several different different setups, but I never got the solar charge portion of this unit to work. It has been ok for ac charging and providing ac power from my battery. Not happy that I bought this unit. I have since bought a victron and it worked on first try with no problems.
you need to configure your solar panels parallel and series to get 42 volts v o c
Were you able to truly get 750 watts solar input on this unit?
Will your so helpful for us newbies, Would you consider doing a video on proper usage of a voltage meter ?
If I wanted to add an additional let's say renogy 40 amp charge controller would this then increase the max input voltage and minimum solar controller amp rating
I purchased one and have a problems . The fans are always on when the unit is only connected to battery, no charging and no loads. It is very loud in a small place like a RV especially during the night.
Not sure standard AC plugs are exactly best for van lifers. Vibration and all.
And how are we alternator charging this 24v battery perfect for vanlife?
Could you hook up a 110v power inverter to the vehicles 12 volt battery and hook that up to the solar charger?
Great 👍 content I remember you review this unit a year ago .. older version I think it cost 1500 at the time .. very cool making this update video with the latest version of this unit ...
Could you use a dc to dc inverters on the pv input, use 3 panels in series then have the dc to dc inverter reduce the voltage to 60 vdc and limit the current to 750 watts??
Thanks Will,
Got one this year for our RV and it has been so handy, we built a mobile cart for it too, to allow use tent-camping and powering tools far from power on our homestead and in a greenhouse. Ditto your comment on a fuse between the pos cable and battery rated for 125A (this unit has max draw of 123A).
To get the most out of this little inverter, use battery set up that can support at least 123A output current or more. We have found it can handle pretty large tool-loads, and opening it up (I just had to see what was inside!) the unit has a substantial iron core transformer, that seems to handle the starting current on pretty large tools with a suitable battery connected.
The cord for Utility charging needs to be 10AWG. Most RV's are set up for 30A and will match this gauge.
Watch the factory defalt inverter settings! out of the box our unit was set to 50Hz - but easily changed to 60, and the battery charging defaults were all for AGM so if you are planning to use LiFePO4 you will need to change the battery settings. A really great little unit at a low price, very portable, thanks for the recommendation.
Considering the 12v version for my small camper. How does this wire into the existing converter/charger/fuse box? I understand I'll have to unplug the existing charger. But I'm still not clear on how it plugs into the existing 12v/120ac wiring.
Thanks a lot
Low temperature disconnect?
Can I hook up two 12v 200ah lifepo4 batteries to this?
I have attempted to link to this product, is it still available?
I have a wood burning insert that draws 100 watts. How long would that system run before needing a recharge?
I'm learning about solar charging before biting the bullet and installing one. I like my insert stove but obviously need electricity for it to work if and when the power goes out.
The time you can use a device is based on the battery size used not the MPP unit.
Will, Have you looked at any of the MPPT 12V all in one with 1KW of power? I have a tiny camper (pop-up) with limited power needs and need to replace my deep cycle battery. I would prefer to replace it with a LiFeP04 100A 12V and an all in one. I thank you in advance for any information that you can provide.
Can this be connected to an automatic switch for shore power on my bus build?
Will---this is the exact set up I purchased. I've purchased the components over the last year in cash as I had enough funds to do so. I mention this because I'm way outside of my return windows on all these items.
I'm now ready to install and I'm at a loss because according to SOKs website these batteries cannot be connected in series?! I mean clearly they can because you just did it in the video. I'm kind of a simpleton and went this route because I don't want to burn my van up.
Am I missing something ?!
cool it has MC4 connectors like many microinverters - any UL certification?