For a Parts List and Blueprint, go here: www.mobile-solarpower.com/mobile-48v-system.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Does off-grid solar confuse you?* Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system blueprints and current 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 Book* Best-selling and beginner-friendly guide to 12V off-grid solar! amzn.to/2Aj4dX4 *My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar Products:* *Signature Solar* Offgrid One-Stop-Shop. Best Value 48V LiFePO4, Victron and Offgrid Specific Heat Pumps: www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek *Current Connected* SOK, Victron, Mr.Cool Heatpumps and High Quality Components. Fantastic customer support: currentconnected.com/?ref=wp *Epoch Batteries* My favorite high-quality 12V battery: www.epochbatteries.com/products/12v-460ah-lifepo4-battery-ip67-heated-bluetooth-victron-comms?rfsn=7352625.50494d *Litime* My favorite 12V budget battery!: www.litime.com/?ref=XBIA62RFcalHns *Watts247* Need international shipping for large batteries and big inverters? Check them out! watts247.com/?wpam_id=3 *Renogy* A classic 12V solar store that has been around for ages! DC to DC Chargers and more! renogy.sjv.io/n1VjXx *Rich Solar* Renogy's biggest competitor! Similar products, but at a better price: richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek *Battery Hookup* Cheap cell deals bit.ly/2mIxSqt 5% off code: diysolar
Dear sir Has somebody that lives in South Florida, central air condition is absolutely necessary. Can you show us, The portable system like this that was actually run the whole condominium. I also heard that you can put something called a soft start on your central air conditioner and then you actually can run it off of battery without having an upgraded version What do you recommend, building a system that can run the unit, or altering and unit so it can run on that system
those signature solar prices 😆 i can get a 6kw off grid growatt where i live for 50 dollars more what is it with solar prices and americans, i live in denmark we have the highest taxes on earth. dont use tax as a excuse
Will I recommend our viewers watch your older videos very often....So I appreciate you making videos like this. I always mention the newer videos tend to review new tech.....but your older blueprint and beginner videos are GOLD.....a gem like this mixed in is a great way to get newbies started....so thank you. Best wishes
This is how to help and educate the Solar enthusiasts. Will explains, talks about different setups, scenarios for use, cost, size, and talks about the resources (forum) If you need help. Wishing him much success in his endeavors
Built one of these last year after seeing your video and just used it to power my deep freeze when we moved. 36 hours in the back of a moving truck and it was down to 30%. Kept us from having to give away our frozen food before the move. 👍
When we began our off-grid adventure, I discovered your channel and followed along for a year or so before we finally bought our property and began building our own homestead. The very first thing we did was to build a solar shed before even beginning our house build. We followed your easy directions for the EG4 6500Ex split phase system, installed it in a few hours, wired in our breaker panel and added a couple of outlets for our power equipment. The most difficult part was just finding a good spot for our solar panels initially. Over two years later and we've been completely off-grid the entire time without a single second of down time, while our neighbors have experienced about 6 power outages of more than a few hours in that time (we're in the snow belt of New York). We have your great instructions from your forums along with the photos and instructions to thank. We APPRECIATE all you do and if you want to see the videos of our solar setup, we've got those along with our build videos on our channel. THANKS!
Thats great. I am really debating between multiple victron mppts for my system or a EG4 which would be alot simpler with the 500 volt PV input. So you EG4 is still going strong 2 years later? Do you think the mppt part of the EG4 manages the solar panels efficiently?
@@burneraccount3159 I really couldn't say for certain, but I'm guessing the mppt electronics are pretty standard and EG4 builds a pretty good unit. (Relying upon Will's assessments for most of my equipment). I keep the air filters clean, plenty of airflow space, and we're in a cooler, northern environment so we don't get too many really hot days above 85 or 90, so the units seem to run pretty efficiently. My panels are about 500' away, so the only thing I really lose any efficiency on is in the wiring (I'm using 10 AWG which was the recommended size for the distance I ran the wires). All in all, I've had outstanding service from all of the components and I followed Will's recommendations for the hardware all the way. I DO check wiring for loose connections and other issues regularly to insure everything remains in good condition.
I'm on that same journey now! Just got our 1st shipping container, a 20' and it's gonna be my battery storage and power supply to our 3 40' container home.
I also built one of these last year after watching your video. It is sooooo easy. Don't be intimidated! I'm 57 years young, female, with no help. Thanks Will!!! How about turning this system into a 240 volts to run my well pump? Water is Life! How would I do that?
I never have used his “plans” but I’ve learned a lot via the videos and his diysolarforum website. It’s pretty interesting that he explains everything for easy understanding by folks who don’t have any prior electrical experience. That’s a skill! I have a fair amount of knowledge with electrical systems but most people do not. Great information either way.
I never have used his “plans” but I’ve learned a lot via the videos and his diysolarforum website. It’s pretty interesting that he explains everything for easy understanding by folks who don’t have any prior electrical experience. That’s a skill! I have a fair amount of knowledge with electrical systems but most people do not. Great information either way.
Do you solar charge? I’m about to buy the parts to build this system, but I also want to have solar charge capabilities. I’m buying 5 of the 405w bifacial panels recommended on Will’s page. I just want to make sure I have all my math and understanding right before I pull the trigger on hooking it up.
@guns4786 I know he made an earlier video about building this system. Have you watched this video. He said that he should make more videos about this system. That is what I am commenting on.
@ I know, I did watch it. I was just letting you know that there are currently more videos that show this build in more detail. Didn’t know if you knew that or not. Wasn’t trying to be smart.
I think about how many people you’ve made solar accessible as a matter of knowledge, Will - it’s a massive positive impact. Well done, and per usual, great video. ☀️⚡️👏
The awesome part about using a setup like this in the event of a natural disaster like a hurricane is that you don't need to wait for the wind and rain to die down like you would with a gas generator before you are able to have power. You can keep this system staged inside your house during a hurricane and plug in your refrigerator, tv, and lights within minutes of the power going out. I used a smaller but sufficient setup after losing power during Hurricane Milton. Having these comforts made the situation much less stressful.
I built this last year and it has been tremendous. I use it to supplement the pv charging on my 3 Bluetti AC 200P's. I used an 1800w power strip but only charge two units at a time. I have it hooked up to 6 340w panels. The panels bring in enough solar to run both charging blocks for the Bluettis and still put a charge into the EG4 battery. It was simple to build. Thanks for the videos. You are the man!
I am about to buy a service cart (4 wheels) from Harbor Freight Tools. I bought up a bunch of 12V 100AH batteries for the bottom shelf and plan to have all the goodies on the top. This will make the whole unit mobile as all get out.
Coupling a system as you show here along with used 250 watt Santan panels - (readers, check out Will’s recent video testing them) - which is now only $50 per panel, and you can have a full capacity system super cheap. Love it!
Will, could you do a video building a hand cart that provides 120/240/and 12volt outputs ? I'm sure it'd cost a bit more, but would be quite useful. Enjoy your vids and reviews. Have learned a lot from You. Thanks, Ken
He built a hand truck with a eg4 6000 and it was incredibly big and heavy. You can find the video With the current products out there its not that portable.
@@gelu88 something like 2 smaller inverters & batteries on 2 separate hand trucks that you can hook together and change programming for split phase would probably be more mobile than 1 big unit. Most of these inverters can stack 5+ units per phase to get some pretty ridiculous outputs
Will, watching your video gives me so much confidence to build my 1st emergency power station. I can climb a 100' building and clean windows, but am afraid of working with electricity. Go figure.
This sort of setup looks like it would be useful for the weekend farmers' market vendors. They are always running noisy generators for their setup or food trucks.
This is the exact setup the engineer from Signature Solar threw me out the door with when I went into their office and asked for their BEST recommendation. They did sell me a separate charger for the battery as I was intending to use the system with no solar cells while traveling the USA in my car. Took me about 30 minutes to put together. Only weird thing is the inverter’s default output is 50 Hertz until you can plug the actual inverter into a 60 Hertz power source. Great video, Will. I agree with everything you said 👍.
Will, thank you for the countless videos that never let me down. It is so good that we have folks like you and while I’m at it I want to thank your parents for instilling such great qualities into you. I wish you and your family the best.
Hey Will. Long-time fan here, if you remember. Was just thinking about you the other day. I'm actually a traveling forensic psych nurse. Usually, I work 13-wk contracts all around the country. Well, I was just lucky enough to find a 1-yr contract in my home base of Yuma, AZ, which is perfect for solar. I think it might even be sunnier than Vegas down here. Anyway, I decided to splurge and rent a big house with a massive solar array on top, thinking I might have a chance to apply some of what I've learned from this channel. As far as I can tell, it's just a basic grid-tied setup I can't do anything cool with; but, at least the AC bills won't be so bad. Thanks for the lessons regardless.
Great video ! Here's some video ideas to expand on this very interesting topic. 1) using this unit ( standalone ) - How long can it power a 2 door side by side refrigerator, a Desktop pc / Htpc , Modem & Router & charge a cell phone. 2) Best Budget Build in 2024. ( right now ) $500.00 setup ? 3) What's the Best 12 volt battery to use with 3k watt Harbor freight Pure sine wave inverter. $ 250.00 budget for a battery. & How Long could it run a 2 door side by side refrigerator without solar assist. ( Really interested in this one ) 4) Best 200 watt solar panels right now. 5) Best 100 watt solar panels right now. 6) Best Solar Panel for Emergency use in an Apartment on your Patio. ( Really interested in this one )
I ran my full size fridge/freezer/icemaker/water-dispenser for about 11 hours off a single 100 amp-hour battery while fully in use including a lot of icemaking and getting stuff in and out. The WattCycle battery he just reviewed is available for $188 right now, but look for Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales and you you may think about upping the budget to $300 - $400 to get 2 that you can parallel. I like having enough to run my fridge between sunset and sunrise so my solar has a chance to catch up and 11 hours is a little shy of what I need. I would honestly recommend you invest in a plugin watt meter for $15 - $30 and see what your appliances/devices are actually using daily. The rest is just math from there. Make sure to include inefficiency in your calculations - a cheap inverter may eat up 20% of the battery all by itself. If your fridge uses an average of 120 watts over 24 hours (yours may be substantially lower), that's 2,880 watt hours but you'll need almost 3,500 watt hours because of the inverter loss - you would actually need 3 of the 12.8 volt 100 amp hour batteries to run it 24 hours without adding solar. I've seen one test that the person claimed the Harbor Freight 3,000 watt pure sine wave inverter was more like 88% - 90% efficient, but you still have to add that loss into your calculation. In retrospect after building my own 12 volt system, I would go with the 48 volt system and the all-in-one inverter/charger shown in this video. All the fuses/breakers, bus bars, monitors, wiring connectors and tools add up quickly, but they already come in a neat package here and the 5,120 watt hours of battery should cover your fridge and internet stuff for 24 hours (when on backup power, turn your PC and monitors off when not in use). EDIT: If you use 5,000 watt hours per day and you want to fully recharge daily from solar, you'll need at least 1,000 watts of solar panels because you'll only get about 5 hours of peak sun. You can get creative with using a car to recharge or augment the solar.
@@kylefrandsen2665 Thanks. a lot of good info here. 👍. i just checked my fridge. tag inside fridge says 11.6 amps max amps. so, let's say it draws 800 watts every time it runs & runs about 2 times every hour for 15 min. how long would the 100 amp hr battery run it ? do you have a easy calculation to figure it out. ballpark ? edit- most power outages around here - california. last about 4-5 hrs. my guts telling me a 100amp hr might just do what i need.
@@slavko321 I would think it's up to the property owner rather than a legal issue and, during a power outage, the property owner would probably not have an issue with a temporary setup. I haven't really looked into the legality.
If one were really worried they could use a power strip with a built in breaker. I hope to built a simple one like this for my mountain cabin for emergency backup. It's amazing we have both the access to information to build these systems and the affordable hardware.
Will, I did the same thing after watching your video on this. I also installed this system in my deer stand with solar panels. Both systems are outstanding. Have a blessed day.
Take a look at the Etaker dc to dc charger. It has inputs for alternator and solar. Run it's output into the all in one pv input. Make sure not to exceed pv input limit.
Yes, I would love to see this too. I have a Transit and would love the option to charge from solar, shore or CCP. What is needed, how to do it correctly and safely, pros, cons, etc. 🙏
@WillProwse. I think a fun challenge for you would be to configure and build a system like this that is compatible with the Ecoflow 5kw Power kit. Plug and play where you use your vehicles own alternator and have the best option for AC. I would love to see what your brain comes up with. 🙏
After watching your original demo on this unit, I built one and it has run flawlessy. I put 6 of those eg4 batteries on it and use it slow charge my ev car. Works great. Thanks for all your videos. It really made it easy and sparked the interest to build one for ourselves.
Everyone needs one of these in their garage or somewhere. Ideally using it to make your money back. Plug in your freezer and sump pump and never have to worry about when a power outage occurs.
Waiting on my EG4 battery to get delivered, then I'm putting one of these together with a Rich Solar 3KW inverter. Bought four, 300W used panels for $40 each. Total price for the setup -- inverter, battery, panels, and hand truck was $1750.
Easy yes, but with 4KWH solar generators (all-in-one) getting closer to $2000's (hopefully by Black Friday/year end), I think I will buy just for a better packaging/warranty/safety, and add solar charging and more batteries on top of that (all your videos have been invaluable so thank you).
I use this setup mainly to power a 1 HP irrigation pump and even though I built a tiny shed for it that's technically too small for ideal ventilation it hasn't had any issues after going through its first summer.
You didn't mention about 240v,...(Looking for a similar "portable" ideas for 240v well pumps, or also hot water heater,... Etc ). Trying to compare pricing vs the Anker 3800, or ecoflow models that can do 240v,...
Wouldn't mind being able to install 240v system on a small trailer, and be able to temporarily connect to a generator hook-up, or recharge an EV partially, with some solar panels attached to trailer,... And probably some that can be unfolded or propped up individually,... ( No EV as of yet,... But do know of at least being able to run a well pump, and run a hot water heater in maybe a weekend type of idea.) Hot water only takes about an hour to be usable,... Then can be shut off.,... Water pump only needs to run to build up water pressure again.,.... While not in use,... Solar is regenerating,... Probably easier to just get gas generator,... But just want to get away from the gas tank,... It's too bad more hybrids cars "Minivan" don't come with inverter to run 240v,... And be able to connect to a generator hook-up.
You know Will, everything you show, I want to go buy it. I have a pretty good arsenal by now, because I watched your channel since the early days, and everything works very well. I live in an area where we get storms and outages, and I am the only one who has lights and power, without firing up the good ol' generator. My electric bill averages under $90 a month, and everything at home is all electric . Thank you!
I'm not sure if I said it before, but thank you so much for all you've taught me. Before these all in one's, with your videos to help, I assembled my own system. Now it's easy, but I wouldn't trade the experience of learning the ins and outs of the individual components. Again, thank you!
I'm sorely tempted to put something like this in my RV. I've got under-bed storage that could hold the battery and inverter. The challenges would be noise and airflow for the inverter. I could probably make a penetration for airflow if I could route it via some kind of pipes. Having that inverter humming under the bed might be problematic, though.
Yeah, mine is definitely noisy enough that I would not want it under my bed. It needs a fair bit of airflow around it too, so it can’t be in a confined space without ventilation.
You might want to consider a victron inverter and mppt instead. They're more efficient can separate them to move the heat around and they're super common in RV builds. If you don't need AC-in you can use a Phoenix, otherwise you can use a Multiplus.
Love it! And it's expandable. Not sure I understand about how the 12v add on is installed. I could just get another hand truck and add two more batteries. Make a quick and easy disconnect from the invertor and the second battery hand truck for transport. Or put the batteries and inverter on a small cart instead of a hand truck.
I made a 300ah portable 3000 eg4 unit. Powerful and I use it all the time. I brought it to a reptile show and powered all the tables around mine. Pretty sweet.
I love my EG4 3000 except for 1 thing: When it pulls from the grid, the limit setting is a setting in addition to load. So, if you try to limit your charging to 15amps and you have 10 amps running from it, it will try and pull 25 amps from the AC grid. Its weird that it does that.
You should be able to limit the amount of current from AC charging. It has a large input capability that you will probably want to turn down. I have a 20 amp rated input cable and even that gets hot so turn down the AC input amps in settings.
Yea this is a bit of a problem. When the generator is off we have 3000 watts available. When the 2000w generator is running and charging at like 1000W we have less than 1000W available. Not often a problem for us as we have 3900watts of a panels connected. I installed the system in June and now the last few days we have had to run the generator. The skies have been very overcast the last few days combined with the short days we are coming up sort on power. Nice clear skies out there this morning so today shouldn't be a problem. That said even on the very grey days we are bringing in 200-300watts and are average load is not much more than 100watts. So we generally we do ok on grey days. Yesterday I was testing a new water heater and ran the battery bank down.
I used this inverter to build an off grid shed. I'm using 42 (in stacks of 7) Nissan leaf g1 battery modules with the bms/breaker kit techdirectclub used to sell a few years back, I had them laying around from a previous setup so I just reused them. I have 6 270w solar panels in series to charge the system, the whole setup has been flawless. Currently it's running a POE switch, 2 security cameras, 2 IR lights, an Alexa, and a wifi router 24/7. I've also ran an electric chain saw, shop vac, circular saws and other power tools, this thing has ran it all with no issues. My battery is always full by noon, thanks for suggesting this inverter.
@jfig4891 would you say your ~20kwh battery capacity is necessary for you? I’m working on building out my shed off grid but with only every once in awhile usage of a job site table saw, maybe power some outdoor strong led lights, and a few batteries for tools, so wasn’t sure if I needed the same capacity as yours. I guess I could always expand this system if I wanted….
I wanted to share one of the main reasons I chose the EcoFlow for my off-grid cabin. I use a generator and needed a setup where I could run the generator briefly to quickly charge up the battery, allowing me to use power for an extended period without the noise. The quick-charge feature of the EcoFlow was a huge selling point for this. Once I add solar, this will be less of a concern, but for now, it’s ideal for my generator/battery setup. It might be interesting to explore this aspect of inverter/battery solutions in a future video.
Thanks for making this video refocusing the usefulness of this. I had sent your other video to a cousin because he lives in an apartment and portable batteries are expensive. I'm going to send this video to convince him.
This is the system I built and use in my class A motorhome about a year ago. I love that EG4 all in one inverter! I went with LiFePO4 prismatic cells because they're far cheaper than server rack batteries.
Thanks Will. I built one of these 3 years ago when I started building my house instead of setting up a temporary power pole. It worked great. I ran a compressor table saw and chop saw all at the same time no problem. Then I wired my house so that I can connect it to a critical loads panel. And prewired for solar. My only mistake was that I used a growwatt inverter that can't be plugged directly into the wall. But, in general I think this is the perfect set up for many people.
Thanks Will. I built one of the systems you recommended a couple years ago(6500EX-48/EG4-LL batteries)installed in a mobile rack. Love it! Just trying to figure out how to utilize my 14 panels on my roof(net metered). I have some extra panels that I can use though. Have spread the word on these. Very helpful.
I love this setup. The only problem is for someone like me who doesn't have a big solar array. My power station type equipment is truly just a backup for I've storms or tornado caused power outages. I have generators to recharge but having a backup to the backup means solar. Just wish this could take 400w of solar to augment the 120v charging. Can't lie tho, this is probably the coolest diy system ever!
I built a pretty nice setup worked perfectly for a year and a half then idk what happened I think someone that wants my land burnt my house down but what will be will be. Starting over is near impossible 😅 love your vids and still watch them though. You can never stop learning right.
I built this system after watching your video using the LL battery. It is a love hate relationship. Mainly wanted to use it for the Refrigerator that uses 115V at 7.2 amp when compressor runs. The hate part is the inverter. It ran the Refrigerator for 37 hours with the fridge using 2.4KW, and the other 2.7 was consumed by the Inverter. So I daisy chained the battery only to my EcoFlow Delta Max 2000 and it ran the Fridge for 55 hours straight. My yard and roof do not get a lot of sun so I don't have enough space for solar panels to provide voltage required. So I trickle charge the battery with my delta flow using two Ecoflow bifacial 220W panels. My next project will be using a 12V system using an Epoch , or Temgot 460 ah battery. My reason is that I can use a smaller inverter like a 1200W for more efficiency and I can use the solar panels I have on hand. Thanks for the videos and sharing your knowledge with us Neanderthals.
That's weird, the idle consumption should be the same or less than the EcoFlow. Can you post your system and settings to the forum? I bet we can figure it out
I didn’t like the power strip option as the gauge of the connecting wires wasn’t thick enough. I ended up using a three-way outlet that is heavy duty. 12/3 I think it is or 10/3. If you can run up to 3000 W, you definitely don’t want to have one of those little power strips because those are only rated to about 1.8 kW
@@tomproctor.archivesimply not true. Plenty of power strip options with 12 or even 10awg wire. UL tested and certified. They will cost you around $50 usd and up.
Love this idea but I need something that will run my 240 well pump. What inverter would I use to hook up to my transfer switch installed by the electric company that is at my meter? Or just be able to hook to my well pump and refrigerators?
There is one thing I'd higly recommend to add and that's a GFCI. Here in Europe this is actually mandatory as soon as you supply more than one load. I'm aware that all the pre-buildt powerstations have the same issue but this doesn't change that connecting multiple loads without a GFCI is potentially deadly.
Thanks for the refresh / reminder on the hand truck system. It's on my list of "to do" - perhaps a year out from now. I'll probably skip over the milk crate system since I already have a factory built solar generator in that power / battery class.
Video ideas for this thing: ● Breakers - how to not melt the cables on the thing by accidentally drawing too much power (input charging cord and outputs) ● DC/PV disconnect - MC4 connectors aren't rated to be disconnected under load ● Charging from 12v alternator - If used in a camper or tent, wiring it to charge from an alternator WITHOUT draining the car battery is non-trivial ● Other Inverter options - -for things like 240v- I just notice you already did a 240v version video. You could still do other inverters for other reasons but I can't think of any of the top of my head ● TT-30 socket - powering campers, super basic but some people might want a guide to know they are doing it right ● more battery without making it unwieldy ● when to a ground neutral bond and connecting to generator inlet/transfer switches ● using in an apartment where you can't modify the house wiring, but getting the most cost savings out of it
Awesome seeing this one revisted again, love the high quality, super easy/fast build portable DIY solar system videos! That said, have any of the components for this system dropped in price(?)
You have shown this before Will. What we need is a portable unit like the Ecoflow Ultra Max, because while I like their system, I can buy a much larger server rack battery with a wheeled cabinet for the same price as their 6kWh double battery base unit set up. I need 240 for the transfer switch and hook up to charge the batteries from a generator just in case the power is out for a long time.
I have the OG 100AH GYLL pack and a 3k Growatt running as a PC USB that seconds as a solar & Fridge & Medical equipment back up for like 4 years now. Flawless
Add a backing board with the power strip mounted, 48V to USB converter, safety switch/fuse, utility light, small box with just the tools needed for the system. Lift battery a few inches off the ground so it’s less likely to get damaged in wet conditions. Proper handles so people can help lift it into a truck bed.
I need to sell mine, its still on the wall in the front spare room after I went to a full house double 6000XP system. It worked great till I stopped using it. I used it to run my computers, security system and big screen for nearly a year until I went to full house. Would be excellent for emergency use of general power cost savings. Mine was basically set up to be a big solar powered UPS backup system that was supplemented by the grid. Worked great with 100AH LIPO4 12V batteries series to 48V and the 100AH EG4 LL 48v and even better when i used both battery sets to double capacity. It worked fine to charge my first 280 AH Power Pro that arrived before the first 6000XP was hooked up. Not a bad unit.
You have the best solar content of anyone. Very authentic and exciting. I've been thinking of a solar setup for quite a while, I have a shop on the property that I've been improving, and thought a roof of solar panels tied to a battery bank would be ideal. The shop has a subpanel from the main house but in that subpanel is the connection to our well pump so it would be perfect in the event of power outage as well. Keep up the good work.
The simplicity here has a cost in purchase, in standby current, and in the inverter efficiency. Balance that against the high output and high solar input plus the quality. I think the main appeal here is that it will get more people into solar power and that's a very good thing.
Will, opinions welcome! I've been watching your videos, I do not have solar yet and thought I was ready to plunge on either the economical system EG4 6000xp 8000 watt input/6000 watt output 48volt, EG4 wall mount battery, 10 Hyperion 395w bifacial panels or upgrade to EP Cube system. Then I saw the EG4 BOSS and Flex... Do a review on those please.
my first solar project was just like this, a small all in one inverter/charger, two deep cycle lead acid batteries and two 100w solar panels. all built on a hand cart like shown. little did i know it was a gate way drug to my solar addiction. i currently have a 6.4Kwh array, 32Kwh battery storage and 12Kwh of inverters in two systems that power all of my garage and most of my home. all DIY and separate from the power company's grid.
For a Parts List and Blueprint, go here: www.mobile-solarpower.com/mobile-48v-system.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Does off-grid solar confuse you?*
Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system blueprints and current 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 Book*
Best-selling and beginner-friendly guide to 12V off-grid solar!
amzn.to/2Aj4dX4
*My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar Products:*
*Signature Solar*
Offgrid One-Stop-Shop. Best Value 48V LiFePO4, Victron and Offgrid Specific Heat Pumps:
www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
*Current Connected*
SOK, Victron, Mr.Cool Heatpumps and High Quality Components. Fantastic customer support:
currentconnected.com/?ref=wp
*Epoch Batteries*
My favorite high-quality 12V battery:
www.epochbatteries.com/products/12v-460ah-lifepo4-battery-ip67-heated-bluetooth-victron-comms?rfsn=7352625.50494d
*Litime*
My favorite 12V budget battery!:
www.litime.com/?ref=XBIA62RFcalHns
*Watts247*
Need international shipping for large batteries and big inverters? Check them out!
watts247.com/?wpam_id=3
*Renogy*
A classic 12V solar store that has been around for ages! DC to DC Chargers and more!
renogy.sjv.io/n1VjXx
*Rich Solar*
Renogy's biggest competitor! Similar products, but at a better price:
richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
*Battery Hookup*
Cheap cell deals
bit.ly/2mIxSqt
5% off code: diysolar
Dear sir
Has somebody that lives in South Florida, central air condition is absolutely necessary.
Can you show us, The portable system like this that was actually run the whole condominium.
I also heard that you can put something called a soft start on your central air conditioner and then you actually can run it off of battery without having an upgraded version
What do you recommend, building a system that can run the unit, or altering and unit so it can run on that system
those signature solar prices 😆
i can get a 6kw off grid growatt where i live for 50 dollars more
what is it with solar prices and americans, i live in denmark we have the highest taxes on earth.
dont use tax as a excuse
One issue i see is that a weak person could not move it around easily. Perhaps you could design a 4-wheeled version.
Love the videos!
I want to build this system, but I want it to be as weather resistant as possible. What box could I put it in that has some rigidity?
Will, I need a 24v version for a Sailboat...Which all in one solar charge inverter should I use? EG4 nolonger has a 24v version.
Will I recommend our viewers watch your older videos very often....So I appreciate you making videos like this. I always mention the newer videos tend to review new tech.....but your older blueprint and beginner videos are GOLD.....a gem like this mixed in is a great way to get newbies started....so thank you. Best wishes
This is how to help and educate the Solar enthusiasts. Will explains, talks about different setups, scenarios for use, cost, size, and talks about the resources (forum) If you need help. Wishing him much success in his endeavors
Built one of these last year after seeing your video and just used it to power my deep freeze when we moved. 36 hours in the back of a moving truck and it was down to 30%. Kept us from having to give away our frozen food before the move. 👍
When we began our off-grid adventure, I discovered your channel and followed along for a year or so before we finally bought our property and began building our own homestead. The very first thing we did was to build a solar shed before even beginning our house build. We followed your easy directions for the EG4 6500Ex split phase system, installed it in a few hours, wired in our breaker panel and added a couple of outlets for our power equipment. The most difficult part was just finding a good spot for our solar panels initially. Over two years later and we've been completely off-grid the entire time without a single second of down time, while our neighbors have experienced about 6 power outages of more than a few hours in that time (we're in the snow belt of New York). We have your great instructions from your forums along with the photos and instructions to thank. We APPRECIATE all you do and if you want to see the videos of our solar setup, we've got those along with our build videos on our channel. THANKS!
Thats great. I am really debating between multiple victron mppts for my system or a EG4 which would be alot simpler with the 500 volt PV input. So you EG4 is still going strong 2 years later? Do you think the mppt part of the EG4 manages the solar panels efficiently?
@@burneraccount3159 I really couldn't say for certain, but I'm guessing the mppt electronics are pretty standard and EG4 builds a pretty good unit. (Relying upon Will's assessments for most of my equipment). I keep the air filters clean, plenty of airflow space, and we're in a cooler, northern environment so we don't get too many really hot days above 85 or 90, so the units seem to run pretty efficiently. My panels are about 500' away, so the only thing I really lose any efficiency on is in the wiring (I'm using 10 AWG which was the recommended size for the distance I ran the wires). All in all, I've had outstanding service from all of the components and I followed Will's recommendations for the hardware all the way. I DO check wiring for loose connections and other issues regularly to insure everything remains in good condition.
@@AlAndValOffGrid thanks for the info!
I'm on that same journey now! Just got our 1st shipping container, a 20' and it's gonna be my battery storage and power supply to our 3 40' container home.
Love your videos, Will. I am fascinated by new power technologies. I'm 74, disabled. but I can build this! Just need to sell some stuff in the attic!😄
Yes sir, I used this setup during/after hurricane Milton, I was playing COD & running my fridge while everyone else in my apt was tossing their food
I also built one of these last year after watching your video. It is sooooo easy. Don't be intimidated! I'm 57 years young, female, with no help. Thanks Will!!! How about turning this system into a 240 volts to run my well pump? Water is Life! How would I do that?
I second this question.
You'll want to upgrade your inverter to an EG4 6000XP
buy two of the 3kw or 1 of the 6000xp
Been using one of your older setups for about 3 years now, going strong.
I never have used his “plans” but I’ve learned a lot via the videos and his diysolarforum website.
It’s pretty interesting that he explains everything for easy understanding by folks who don’t have any prior electrical experience. That’s a skill!
I have a fair amount of knowledge with electrical systems but most people do not. Great information either way.
I never have used his “plans” but I’ve learned a lot via the videos and his diysolarforum website.
It’s pretty interesting that he explains everything for easy understanding by folks who don’t have any prior electrical experience. That’s a skill!
I have a fair amount of knowledge with electrical systems but most people do not. Great information either way.
Do you solar charge? I’m about to buy the parts to build this system, but I also want to have solar charge capabilities. I’m buying 5 of the 405w bifacial panels recommended on Will’s page. I just want to make sure I have all my math and understanding right before I pull the trigger on hooking it up.
My battery just came in for this build! Thanks for sharing this setup! 🤘
Yes! Please make more videos about this system.
He already has
@guns4786 I know he made an earlier video about building this system. Have you watched this video. He said that he should make more videos about this system. That is what I am commenting on.
@ I know, I did watch it. I was just letting you know that there are currently more videos that show this build in more detail. Didn’t know if you knew that or not. Wasn’t trying to be smart.
@guns4786 Thank you for the clarification.
I think about how many people you’ve made solar accessible as a matter of knowledge, Will - it’s a massive positive impact. Well done, and per usual, great video. ☀️⚡️👏
The awesome part about using a setup like this in the event of a natural disaster like a hurricane is that you don't need to wait for the wind and rain to die down like you would with a gas generator before you are able to have power. You can keep this system staged inside your house during a hurricane and plug in your refrigerator, tv, and lights within minutes of the power going out. I used a smaller but sufficient setup after losing power during Hurricane Milton. Having these comforts made the situation much less stressful.
I built this last year and it has been tremendous. I use it to supplement the pv charging on my 3 Bluetti AC 200P's. I used an 1800w power strip but only charge two units at a time. I have it hooked up to 6 340w panels. The panels bring in enough solar to run both charging blocks for the Bluettis and still put a charge into the EG4 battery. It was simple to build. Thanks for the videos. You are the man!
@WillProwse you should show how to use this to charge an EV car the fastest. Thanks for all the content you create.
You are my only source for all things solar.
I am about to buy a service cart (4 wheels) from Harbor Freight Tools. I bought up a bunch of 12V 100AH batteries for the bottom shelf and plan to have all the goodies on the top. This will make the whole unit mobile as all get out.
Coupling a system as you show here along with used 250 watt Santan panels - (readers, check out Will’s recent video testing them) - which is now only $50 per panel, and you can have a full capacity system super cheap. Love it!
Will, could you do a video building a hand cart that provides 120/240/and 12volt outputs ? I'm sure it'd cost a bit more, but would be quite useful. Enjoy your vids and reviews. Have learned a lot from You. Thanks, Ken
He built a hand truck with a eg4 6000 and it was incredibly big and heavy. You can find the video
With the current products out there its not that portable.
@@gelu88 something like 2 smaller inverters & batteries on 2 separate hand trucks that you can hook together and change programming for split phase would probably be more mobile than 1 big unit. Most of these inverters can stack 5+ units per phase to get some pretty ridiculous outputs
This is EXACTLY the system I put in my cabin. Wow. Awesome. Major upgrade. Changed my life at the cabin. Thank you Will.
Will, watching your video gives me so much confidence to build my 1st emergency power station. I can climb a 100' building and clean windows, but am afraid of working with electricity. Go figure.
This sort of setup looks like it would be useful for the weekend farmers' market vendors. They are always running noisy generators for their setup or food trucks.
This is the exact setup the engineer from Signature Solar threw me out the door with when I went into their office and asked for their BEST recommendation. They did sell me a separate charger for the battery as I was intending to use the system with no solar cells while traveling the USA in my car. Took me about 30 minutes to put together. Only weird thing is the inverter’s default output is 50 Hertz until you can plug the actual inverter into a 60 Hertz power source. Great video, Will. I agree with everything you said 👍.
Will, thank you for the countless videos that never let me down. It is so good that we have folks like you and while I’m at it I want to thank your parents for instilling such great qualities into you. I wish you and your family the best.
i made 2 of these and it has been enough for me to run a mini fridge AC and wifi... just about as easy as it gets
Cannot get this one out of my head. Thanks for posting this design.
Hey Will. Long-time fan here, if you remember. Was just thinking about you the other day. I'm actually a traveling forensic psych nurse. Usually, I work 13-wk contracts all around the country. Well, I was just lucky enough to find a 1-yr contract in my home base of Yuma, AZ, which is perfect for solar. I think it might even be sunnier than Vegas down here. Anyway, I decided to splurge and rent a big house with a massive solar array on top, thinking I might have a chance to apply some of what I've learned from this channel. As far as I can tell, it's just a basic grid-tied setup I can't do anything cool with; but, at least the AC bills won't be so bad. Thanks for the lessons regardless.
Great video ! Here's some video ideas to expand on this very interesting topic.
1) using this unit ( standalone ) - How long can it power a 2 door side by side refrigerator, a Desktop pc / Htpc , Modem & Router & charge a cell phone.
2) Best Budget Build in 2024. ( right now ) $500.00 setup ?
3) What's the Best 12 volt battery to use with 3k watt Harbor freight Pure sine wave inverter. $ 250.00 budget for a battery. & How Long could it run a 2 door side by side refrigerator without solar assist. ( Really interested in this one )
4) Best 200 watt solar panels right now.
5) Best 100 watt solar panels right now.
6) Best Solar Panel for Emergency use in an Apartment on your Patio. ( Really interested in this one )
I ran my full size fridge/freezer/icemaker/water-dispenser for about 11 hours off a single 100 amp-hour battery while fully in use including a lot of icemaking and getting stuff in and out. The WattCycle battery he just reviewed is available for $188 right now, but look for Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales and you you may think about upping the budget to $300 - $400 to get 2 that you can parallel. I like having enough to run my fridge between sunset and sunrise so my solar has a chance to catch up and 11 hours is a little shy of what I need.
I would honestly recommend you invest in a plugin watt meter for $15 - $30 and see what your appliances/devices are actually using daily. The rest is just math from there. Make sure to include inefficiency in your calculations - a cheap inverter may eat up 20% of the battery all by itself. If your fridge uses an average of 120 watts over 24 hours (yours may be substantially lower), that's 2,880 watt hours but you'll need almost 3,500 watt hours because of the inverter loss - you would actually need 3 of the 12.8 volt 100 amp hour batteries to run it 24 hours without adding solar. I've seen one test that the person claimed the Harbor Freight 3,000 watt pure sine wave inverter was more like 88% - 90% efficient, but you still have to add that loss into your calculation.
In retrospect after building my own 12 volt system, I would go with the 48 volt system and the all-in-one inverter/charger shown in this video. All the fuses/breakers, bus bars, monitors, wiring connectors and tools add up quickly, but they already come in a neat package here and the 5,120 watt hours of battery should cover your fridge and internet stuff for 24 hours (when on backup power, turn your PC and monitors off when not in use).
EDIT: If you use 5,000 watt hours per day and you want to fully recharge daily from solar, you'll need at least 1,000 watts of solar panels because you'll only get about 5 hours of peak sun. You can get creative with using a car to recharge or augment the solar.
Is apartment solar legal in the us?
@@kylefrandsen2665 Thanks. a lot of good info here. 👍. i just checked my fridge. tag inside fridge says 11.6 amps max amps. so, let's say it draws 800 watts every time it runs & runs about 2 times every hour for 15 min. how long would the 100 amp hr battery run it ?
do you have a easy calculation to figure it out. ballpark ?
edit- most power outages around here - california. last about 4-5 hrs. my guts telling me a 100amp hr might just do what i need.
@@slavko321 I would think it's up to the property owner rather than a legal issue and, during a power outage, the property owner would probably not have an issue with a temporary setup. I haven't really looked into the legality.
@@kylefrandsen2665 in europe we are allowed 600w balcony solar setups.
If one were really worried they could use a power strip with a built in breaker.
I hope to built a simple one like this for my mountain cabin for emergency backup. It's amazing we have both the access to information to build these systems and the affordable hardware.
Awesome video, Will! I just installed an EG4 3K a few days ago. They are awesome 😊😊
I built this using the last video you made on this setup it worked through Helene and Milton thank you will!
I watched your old video like this yesterday and was pricing parts. Thanks for updating it!
Will, I did the same thing after watching your video on this. I also installed this system in my deer stand with solar panels. Both systems are outstanding. Have a blessed day.
I'd love to see more videos for RV power. For example a box like this one, but also made to take input from an alternator.
Take a look at the Etaker dc to dc charger. It has inputs for alternator and solar. Run it's output into the all in one pv input. Make sure not to exceed pv input limit.
Yes, I would love to see this too. I have a Transit and would love the option to charge from solar, shore or CCP. What is needed, how to do it correctly and safely, pros, cons, etc. 🙏
@WillProwse. I think a fun challenge for you would be to configure and build a system like this that is compatible with the Ecoflow 5kw Power kit. Plug and play where you use your vehicles own alternator and have the best option for AC. I would love to see what your brain comes up with. 🙏
After watching your original demo on this unit, I built one and it has run flawlessy. I put 6 of those eg4 batteries on it and use it slow charge my ev car. Works great. Thanks for all your videos. It really made it easy and sparked the interest to build one for ourselves.
Best content on RUclips! Thanks for sharing your knowledge, skills, and experience with us! I appreciate you.
Everyone needs one of these in their garage or somewhere. Ideally using it to make your money back. Plug in your freezer and sump pump and never have to worry about when a power outage occurs.
Waiting on my EG4 battery to get delivered, then I'm putting one of these together with a Rich Solar 3KW inverter. Bought four, 300W used panels for $40 each. Total price for the setup -- inverter, battery, panels, and hand truck was $1750.
Could u share where u picked up the 300 Watt panels for $40?
Easy yes, but with 4KWH solar generators (all-in-one) getting closer to $2000's (hopefully by Black Friday/year end), I think I will buy just for a better packaging/warranty/safety, and add solar charging and more batteries on top of that (all your videos have been invaluable so thank you).
Which ones are you referring to?
More vids like this! Gotta teach folks to crawl before walk/run. And it’s a practical for tons of people for a wide array of reasons
Would love to see a video about how you modify it to use the full 3000w output
Thanks for the video Will. I'm wondering how reasonable it would be to make a portable 240 VAC power bank.
Looking foward to the EG4 12000XP review. Excellent work Will.
I use this setup mainly to power a 1 HP irrigation pump and even though I built a tiny shed for it that's technically too small for ideal ventilation it hasn't had any issues after going through its first summer.
You didn't mention about 240v,...(Looking for a similar "portable" ideas for 240v well pumps, or also hot water heater,... Etc ). Trying to compare pricing vs the Anker 3800, or ecoflow models that can do 240v,...
Ding, ding…! North Carolina hurricane victim here realizing well pumps are the #1 priority now after a storm.
Wouldn't mind being able to install 240v system on a small trailer, and be able to temporarily connect to a generator hook-up, or recharge an EV partially, with some solar panels attached to trailer,... And probably some that can be unfolded or propped up individually,... ( No EV as of yet,... But do know of at least being able to run a well pump, and run a hot water heater in maybe a weekend type of idea.)
Hot water only takes about an hour to be usable,... Then can be shut off.,... Water pump only needs to run to build up water pressure again.,.... While not in use,... Solar is regenerating,... Probably easier to just get gas generator,... But just want to get away from the gas tank,... It's too bad more hybrids cars "Minivan" don't come with inverter to run 240v,... And be able to connect to a generator hook-up.
You know Will, everything you show, I want to go buy it.
I have a pretty good arsenal by now, because I watched your channel since the early days, and everything works very well.
I live in an area where we get storms and outages, and I am the only one who has lights and power, without firing up the good ol' generator.
My electric bill averages under $90 a month, and everything at home is all electric . Thank you!
I've had mine running my small home for over a year now
I love it
One day I will build this 💅
Thanks Will
I do wish we could get those units in south africa they so nice!!! Thanks for the vids!!
This is it, I'm finally diving into solar. No more diesel genset for me. Thanks for this!
Good Morning Will ! Thank You. Have a Great Day. TAKE CARE..
My power was out today for about 6 hours. Makes putting one of these together sound like a good idea.
I'm not sure if I said it before, but thank you so much for all you've taught me. Before these all in one's, with your videos to help, I assembled my own system. Now it's easy, but I wouldn't trade the experience of learning the ins and outs of the individual components. Again, thank you!
I'm sorely tempted to put something like this in my RV. I've got under-bed storage that could hold the battery and inverter. The challenges would be noise and airflow for the inverter. I could probably make a penetration for airflow if I could route it via some kind of pipes. Having that inverter humming under the bed might be problematic, though.
Yeah, mine is definitely noisy enough that I would not want it under my bed. It needs a fair bit of airflow around it too, so it can’t be in a confined space without ventilation.
You might want to consider a victron inverter and mppt instead. They're more efficient can separate them to move the heat around and they're super common in RV builds.
If you don't need AC-in you can use a Phoenix, otherwise you can use a Multiplus.
Love it! And it's expandable. Not sure I understand about how the 12v add on is installed. I could just get another hand truck and add two more batteries. Make a quick and easy disconnect from the invertor and the second battery hand truck for transport. Or put the batteries and inverter on a small cart instead of a hand truck.
Thanks for this. Very simple explanation of a solution many would view as complex. Love your videos!
I made a 300ah portable 3000 eg4 unit. Powerful and I use it all the time. I brought it to a reptile show and powered all the tables around mine. Pretty sweet.
I love my EG4 3000 except for 1 thing: When it pulls from the grid, the limit setting is a setting in addition to load. So, if you try to limit your charging to 15amps and you have 10 amps running from it, it will try and pull 25 amps from the AC grid. Its weird that it does that.
You should be able to limit the amount of current from AC charging. It has a large input capability that you will probably want to turn down. I have a 20 amp rated input cable and even that gets hot so turn down the AC input amps in settings.
@ the limit does not include the running load.
Yea this is a bit of a problem. When the generator is off we have 3000 watts available. When the 2000w generator is running and charging at like 1000W we have less than 1000W available.
Not often a problem for us as we have 3900watts of a panels connected. I installed the system in June and now the last few days we have had to run the generator. The skies have been very overcast the last few days combined with the short days we are coming up sort on power. Nice clear skies out there this morning so today shouldn't be a problem.
That said even on the very grey days we are bringing in 200-300watts and are average load is not much more than 100watts. So we generally we do ok on grey days. Yesterday I was testing a new water heater and ran the battery bank down.
I used this inverter to build an off grid shed. I'm using 42 (in stacks of 7) Nissan leaf g1 battery modules with the bms/breaker kit techdirectclub used to sell a few years back, I had them laying around from a previous setup so I just reused them. I have 6 270w solar panels in series to charge the system, the whole setup has been flawless. Currently it's running a POE switch, 2 security cameras, 2 IR lights, an Alexa, and a wifi router 24/7. I've also ran an electric chain saw, shop vac, circular saws and other power tools, this thing has ran it all with no issues. My battery is always full by noon, thanks for suggesting this inverter.
What inverter is it?
@@LiquidPlacidity The one in the video, the EG4 3kW Off-Grid Inverter. Awesome inverter for the price.
@@jfig4891 thanks!!
WHOA!!! I never knew the powor of supplemental IR light. Thanks. I'm inspired
@jfig4891 would you say your ~20kwh battery capacity is necessary for you? I’m working on building out my shed off grid but with only every once in awhile usage of a job site table saw, maybe power some outdoor strong led lights, and a few batteries for tools, so wasn’t sure if I needed the same capacity as yours. I guess I could always expand this system if I wanted….
You gotta design a 240v inverter version!
You can get a second eg4 and run them in split phase at 240v
@ correct, but that would be awfully clunky on that hand truck.
@@buysomericeI thought about that- I was thinking maybe you could mount an eg4 on both sides of the hand truck.
XP6000 with a 14.5 wall mount on a larger cart?
Like some others below, looking to build a 240V version to run a well pump from time to time, yet still somewhat mobile
Make a mini series about this build
I wanted to share one of the main reasons I chose the EcoFlow for my off-grid cabin. I use a generator and needed a setup where I could run the generator briefly to quickly charge up the battery, allowing me to use power for an extended period without the noise. The quick-charge feature of the EcoFlow was a huge selling point for this. Once I add solar, this will be less of a concern, but for now, it’s ideal for my generator/battery setup. It might be interesting to explore this aspect of inverter/battery solutions in a future video.
Thanks for making this video refocusing the usefulness of this. I had sent your other video to a cousin because he lives in an apartment and portable batteries are expensive. I'm going to send this video to convince him.
My old 12v system is aging out, am planning on doing this next year, thank you Will
5:05 I recommend the 48V to 13.8V buck converter, as I had problems with the 12V converter not being strong enough.
This is the system I built and use in my class A motorhome about a year ago. I love that EG4 all in one inverter! I went with LiFePO4 prismatic cells because they're far cheaper than server rack batteries.
Could you review the Ecoflow Delta Pro Ultra?
Thanks Will. I built one of these 3 years ago when I started building my house instead of setting up a temporary power pole. It worked great. I ran a compressor table saw and chop saw all at the same time no problem. Then I wired my house so that I can connect it to a critical loads panel. And prewired for solar. My only mistake was that I used a growwatt inverter that can't be plugged directly into the wall. But, in general I think this is the perfect set up for many people.
Thanks Will. I built one of the systems you recommended a couple years ago(6500EX-48/EG4-LL batteries)installed in a mobile rack. Love it! Just trying to figure out how to utilize my 14 panels on my roof(net metered). I have some extra panels that I can use though. Have spread the word on these. Very helpful.
I’m glad you re-posted about this set up. I’ll be sure to post something on the forum because I do have questions.
I love this setup. The only problem is for someone like me who doesn't have a big solar array. My power station type equipment is truly just a backup for I've storms or tornado caused power outages. I have generators to recharge but having a backup to the backup means solar. Just wish this could take 400w of solar to augment the 120v charging. Can't lie tho, this is probably the coolest diy system ever!
I built a pretty nice setup worked perfectly for a year and a half then idk what happened I think someone that wants my land burnt my house down but what will be will be. Starting over is near impossible 😅 love your vids and still watch them though. You can never stop learning right.
I built this system after watching your video using the LL battery. It is a love hate relationship. Mainly wanted to use it for the Refrigerator that uses 115V at 7.2 amp when compressor runs. The hate part is the inverter. It ran the Refrigerator for 37 hours with the fridge using 2.4KW, and the other 2.7 was consumed by the Inverter. So I daisy chained the battery only to my EcoFlow Delta Max 2000 and it ran the Fridge for 55 hours straight. My yard and roof do not get a lot of sun so I don't have enough space for solar panels to provide voltage required. So I trickle charge the battery with my delta flow using two Ecoflow bifacial 220W panels. My next project will be using a 12V system using an Epoch , or Temgot 460 ah battery. My reason is that I can use a smaller inverter like a 1200W for more efficiency and I can use the solar panels I have on hand. Thanks for the videos and sharing your knowledge with us Neanderthals.
I am completely off-grid using eg4 batteries with the 6000 ex-48hv inverter. The inverter draw is a legitimate concern.
Thanks for reminding us. The cheap stuff has high idle consumption every time.
That's weird, the idle consumption should be the same or less than the EcoFlow. Can you post your system and settings to the forum? I bet we can figure it out
@@WillProwse I've tried logging in to your forum but forgot the password and when I ask for password I do not get a response.
@@shelley131 what's your email
I built one and it’s been great to have.
Will, this is exactly what I was looking for. Nice job!
i did not understand the power strip part..please consider make a video indicating different options like power strip and limitations. tks
I used 2 20 amp power strips
I didn’t like the power strip option as the gauge of the connecting wires wasn’t thick enough. I ended up using a three-way outlet that is heavy duty. 12/3 I think it is or 10/3. If you can run up to 3000 W, you definitely don’t want to have one of those little power strips because those are only rated to about 1.8 kW
@@tomproctor.archivesimply not true. Plenty of power strip options with 12 or even 10awg wire. UL tested and certified. They will cost you around $50 usd and up.
Love this idea but I need something that will run my 240 well pump. What inverter would I use to hook up to my transfer switch installed by the electric company that is at my meter? Or just be able to hook to my well pump and refrigerators?
EG4 6000XP
There is one thing I'd higly recommend to add and that's a GFCI. Here in Europe this is actually mandatory as soon as you supply more than one load. I'm aware that all the pre-buildt powerstations have the same issue but this doesn't change that connecting multiple loads without a GFCI is potentially deadly.
Thanks for the refresh / reminder on the hand truck system. It's on my list of "to do" - perhaps a year out from now. I'll probably skip over the milk crate system since I already have a factory built solar generator in that power / battery class.
🇨🇦 THANK YOU,,,I HAVE BEEN SHARING THIS INFORMATION EVERYTIME YOU POST IT
Awesome set up, some wheels and handle bars make the world a better place ❤
Video ideas for this thing:
● Breakers - how to not melt the cables on the thing by accidentally drawing too much power (input charging cord and outputs)
● DC/PV disconnect - MC4 connectors aren't rated to be disconnected under load
● Charging from 12v alternator - If used in a camper or tent, wiring it to charge from an alternator WITHOUT draining the car battery is non-trivial
● Other Inverter options - -for things like 240v- I just notice you already did a 240v version video. You could still do other inverters for other reasons but I can't think of any of the top of my head
● TT-30 socket - powering campers, super basic but some people might want a guide to know they are doing it right
● more battery without making it unwieldy
● when to a ground neutral bond and connecting to generator inlet/transfer switches
● using in an apartment where you can't modify the house wiring, but getting the most cost savings out of it
@TAWithiam, I was think that this setup could probably use a PV disconnect switch. Thanks for confirming my hunch.
Awesome seeing this one revisted again, love the high quality, super easy/fast build portable DIY solar system videos! That said, have any of the components for this system dropped in price(?)
I have just over two years running rwo of the 3000EHV-48 V1, and 12 of the LL V1 batteries on my boat. Been perfect.
You have shown this before Will. What we need is a portable unit like the Ecoflow Ultra Max, because while I like their system, I can buy a much larger server rack battery with a wheeled cabinet for the same price as their 6kWh double battery base unit set up. I need 240 for the transfer switch and hook up to charge the batteries from a generator just in case the power is out for a long time.
I have the OG 100AH GYLL pack and a 3k Growatt running as a PC USB that seconds as a solar & Fridge & Medical equipment back up for like 4 years now.
Flawless
Add a backing board with the power strip mounted, 48V to USB converter, safety switch/fuse, utility light, small box with just the tools needed for the system.
Lift battery a few inches off the ground so it’s less likely to get damaged in wet conditions.
Proper handles so people can help lift it into a truck bed.
I built one and I love it.
Living off grid for about 7 months with that same setup.
Let me like the video first and then watch… it’s gonna be good anyway
I need to sell mine, its still on the wall in the front spare room after I went to a full house double 6000XP system. It worked great till I stopped using it. I used it to run my computers, security system and big screen for nearly a year until I went to full house. Would be excellent for emergency use of general power cost savings. Mine was basically set up to be a big solar powered UPS backup system that was supplemented by the grid. Worked great with 100AH LIPO4 12V batteries series to 48V and the 100AH EG4 LL 48v and even better when i used both battery sets to double capacity. It worked fine to charge my first 280 AH Power Pro that arrived before the first 6000XP was hooked up. Not a bad unit.
You have the best solar content of anyone. Very authentic and exciting. I've been thinking of a solar setup for quite a while, I have a shop on the property that I've been improving, and thought a roof of solar panels tied to a battery bank would be ideal. The shop has a subpanel from the main house but in that subpanel is the connection to our well pump so it would be perfect in the event of power outage as well. Keep up the good work.
The simplicity here has a cost in purchase, in standby current, and in the inverter efficiency. Balance that against the high output and high solar input plus the quality. I think the main appeal here is that it will get more people into solar power and that's a very good thing.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge it is much appreciated Will.. much respect my young brotha!
Said it before, as soon as EG4 makes a quiet one I’ll buy one.
Love all of this as usual, Will! But, would LOVE to see more on those Noco batteries you touched on recently!
Looking forward to building this, waiting weeks on back ordered items. Here's hoping it ships soon
Will, opinions welcome!
I've been watching your videos, I do not have solar yet and thought I was ready to plunge on either the economical system EG4 6000xp 8000 watt input/6000 watt output 48volt, EG4 wall mount battery, 10 Hyperion 395w bifacial panels or upgrade to EP Cube system.
Then I saw the EG4 BOSS and Flex... Do a review on those please.
my first solar project was just like this, a small all in one inverter/charger, two deep cycle lead acid batteries and two 100w solar panels. all built on a hand cart like shown. little did i know it was a gate way drug to my solar addiction. i currently have a 6.4Kwh array, 32Kwh battery storage and 12Kwh of inverters in two systems that power all of my garage and most of my home. all DIY and separate from the power company's grid.
An ATS add-on with gen start for AC input would be a cool quick video.
This is a very good idea to actually learn in a very small scale. I love the idea.