Most DIY Solar Generators Fail These Tests: RV and EV Level 2 Charging

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  • Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
  • While I am very tired of solar, due to another job I have been hitting my skull against, I wanted to test the Bluetti EP800 for 2 more functions that will be very useful for me and I am sure other off grid users. I had Jason with, Goldfield Mountain Electric, return and install a 50amp RV 240vac plug in the garage that I picked up from amazon so I could run the tests.
    #1 Will it really power all the functions on a 50amp luxury RV with 2 A/C's?
    #2 Will it really charge an electric vehicle as many solar generators do not put out compatible power for level 2 chargers?
    I was confident the RV would run, but don't forget about powering down the inverter or battery charger, but did not know if the EV would charge on level 2 as I have not been able to get it to work on any other generator.
    Thanks for watching!
    50amp RV outlet: amzn.to/4aown2z
    Dicount code for EP800 "AZEP800" : www.bluettipow... 5% off
    Dicount code for EP900 "AZEP900" : bit.ly/4bC5byk (Long-term validity discount code: AZEP900 - 5% Off)
    Bluetti Solar+ program: bit.ly/4dH1GIG
    Tech support: tech@bluetti.com

Комментарии • 64

  • @Fix-it-tony
    @Fix-it-tony 3 месяца назад +2

    I did the same thing, I built a huge 20x40 patio cover and filled it with solar panels. Installed a 15 kw battery backup that allows me to be net zero and sell 1000 kw per month back to the power company for about $300 a month credit.

  • @TimothyMichaels
    @TimothyMichaels 3 месяца назад +4

    So far the battery installation has been really positive with very few negatives.

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад +8

      I might do a follow up last video in the series for negatives. ;)

  • @Macktruck50
    @Macktruck50 3 месяца назад +7

    how much did your hole system cost

    • @svenjohnson2389
      @svenjohnson2389 3 месяца назад

      I think he was born with his hole system.

  • @canuckchris5733
    @canuckchris5733 3 месяца назад +4

    I am really enjoying this content 😎

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад

      Glad you enjoy it!

  • @clarencewiles963
    @clarencewiles963 3 месяца назад +1

    This should have a big impact on people who are into grids situations.

  • @fatmuscle1
    @fatmuscle1 3 месяца назад +1

    My home solar is a 19.1kWh system. It was great in the beginning, but since the power company restructured the rates for surpluses.

  • @CrazyMooseManor
    @CrazyMooseManor 3 месяца назад

    Thank you. Been looking at solar set up for my rv at the house. This helps alot.

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад +1

      Great to hear!

  • @Berean9999
    @Berean9999 2 месяца назад

    Now that you have demonstrated that the EP800 home system can run a 50-Amp diesel pusher let’s take it to the next step and bring it into the motorcoach. Questions abound in my mind. 1) how is the weight compared to building a Victron system from scratch with a massive battery bank like you did for your house? 2) Can the Bluetti B500 boxes be placed side by side? 3) What would I be giving up… do we have direct 12 volt output? 4) Could we supply 50 Amp shore power to big blue? 5) What would be the labor time saved? 6) Perhaps I could donate my rig for a proof of concept :)

  • @NoelBarlau
    @NoelBarlau 3 месяца назад +1

    There couldn't be a video more up my alley than this one. We have 20kW of grid-tied solar and a 2013 Nissan Leaf which has the same Lizard battery yours received as the warranty replacement. We've had it since 2015 and the range has gone down to about 60 miles with a light foot and no heating or air conditioning. Last week I picked up a crashed 2022 Leaf Plus at auction, and I'm going to be replacing the 24kWh original battery with the 62kWh one from the wreck. Looking very much forward to the 200+ mile range! Once the battery swap is done, the Leaf will be doing duty as our "toad" vehicle, just as you mentioned. It'll be interesting to see how the different campgrounds react to my request to charge the Leaf while we're parked there. I'm planning on being totally up front about it and offering to pay extra for the privilege, because it does obviously increase your electrical usage significantly. I also ordered 16x 304aH EVE LFP cells directly from China, and I'll hopefully be setting those up along with some rooftop solar in our 2007 Monaco Dynasty Palace III. Unrelatedly, the Midea air conditioner you're using in the bedroom is an inverter model which is much more efficient than the old style ones - it's essentially a cooling-only mini split, but I'd imagine you already knew that. If you get a chance to review the new inverter roof a/c units which are just coming out, that would be some great content for your channel. There's a huge amount of interest in these, but very little practical information at the moment.

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад +1

      Thank you. Your swap sounds fantastic

  • @ericklein5097
    @ericklein5097 2 месяца назад

    Just make sure that NEMA 14-50 receptacle is an "industrial" one made by Hubbell or of similar quality with BRASS contacts inside. The ones with steel contacts inside (like the Leviton cheapos) will have VERY high contact resistance and get very hot if you charge at 32A)

  • @JeffinTD
    @JeffinTD 3 месяца назад

    Nice setup and nice video. Yeah, shading just a small portion of a PV panel kills a disproportional amount of energy.

  • @RVingwithBandit
    @RVingwithBandit 3 месяца назад

    Now you need to figure out how to add to your leaf and feed power from its battery into your houses system if needed. Basically using it as extra battery storage.

  • @tacokid13579
    @tacokid13579 3 месяца назад +1

    Need a taller solar pergola instead of trimming the trees, more shade for the house and I’m sure the trees would appreciate it too 😊. Great content!!!

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад +1

      Great idea!

  • @gereshomeE
    @gereshomeE 3 месяца назад

    Nice video and a nice house; I like the colour schemes! 😊

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад

      Thanks! 😊

  • @ikokovidis56
    @ikokovidis56 3 месяца назад

    Impressive !!..Personally and as I see the hole story, you need more efficient panels ,possibly higher pergola (or better install them on your roof..) DOUBLE the Bluetti stack and you 'll be 100% Independent from the grid... Well done!!

  • @dc1544
    @dc1544 3 месяца назад

    you can rebuild that leaf battery in EV.

  • @jeffsteele1295
    @jeffsteele1295 3 месяца назад

    Great Video Thanks so much .

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад

      Glad it was helpful!

  • @smashdaworld5916
    @smashdaworld5916 3 месяца назад

    Hey, always enjoy the RV vids now solar too is awesome.
    Small shading can have major impact on a solar array if the whole array is in series. All current is limited by the least producing panel.
    Parallel has the drawback of wire amount and size.

  • @amsoiltek
    @amsoiltek 3 месяца назад

    You are lucky that your SRP rates start at .13 to .14 cents per kw, here in Socal I'm almost a .40 cent kw and my 2kw panels barely make a dent anymore, it was great back in 2010 when I installed them.

  • @JohnMcdermott-ho6je
    @JohnMcdermott-ho6je 3 месяца назад

    Very impressive system overall. The big question as always is total cost. I know you did most of the labor involved but materials and devices and hired labor are?

  • @curtisdoyle3598
    @curtisdoyle3598 3 месяца назад +1

    Your good I like solar

  • @ImpalamansGarage
    @ImpalamansGarage 3 месяца назад

    Have you seen the new Pebble electric pull-behind RV?

  • @curtisdoyle3598
    @curtisdoyle3598 3 месяца назад +1

    I wished I had a motorhome to live in but SS does not stretch that far 😅

  • @user-cf2wt8xc9m
    @user-cf2wt8xc9m 3 месяца назад +1

    with the current system at your house how long will the battery will last, if there is a power failure in your area how long will the battery system last with no power.

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад

      Assuming good sun and wise power management, I would never lose power for the refrigerator and lights, a better more modern solar array would allow me to run the A/C the whole day too with never ending power.

    • @ericklein5097
      @ericklein5097 2 месяца назад

      Average house is somewhere around 20-30kwh of usage a day. An energy efficient household (without factoring in water heater, air conditioning/heating) can be below 10kWh a day. Obviously heating water or using a heating element on a stove/oven and using air conditioning is going to be the MASSIVE energy consumer of your house. So it really depends on where you live because in Phoenix you will be running AC almost all day from May to August. If you live in WI expect to need heat from Nov to March which is just as bad in terms of consumption as AC.
      If you can put up enough solar to cover your usage AND charge your batteries during the day its just a matter of having batteries that can cover your 16 hour consumption when the sun isn't out. 20kWh to 30kWh of battery is typically enough to cover most households. Having 5kW of solar is probably the minimum you would be looking for....10kW should be enough for a 2500SqFt house.
      Upgrading to an efficient water heater will definitely be one of the easier things you can do to minimize the amount of battery you need. Mini Split AC's/Heat Pumps would be a close second (although an expensive up front cost). Then you just need to be cognizant of your power usage when cooking and doing laundry. LED lights are also another easy switch that will help bring down the constant load thats always on your inverter. Most homes will see a constant load of 500-700W

  • @2hotscottpro
    @2hotscottpro 3 месяца назад

    That took a lot of time well enjoyed.I think.lol😅

  • @rcac1023
    @rcac1023 3 месяца назад

    My question is, all the money you have spent to build this system. How long will it take to pay for its self

  • @GeofCates8075
    @GeofCates8075 3 месяца назад

    I should probably watch again but i missed the obvious...your roof covered in some panels? Do you notice dust decreasing efficiency as well?

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад +1

      no, I used to clean them but found no improvement in the desert. The storms was them enough here.

  • @chevy5515
    @chevy5515 3 месяца назад

    If a guy was to purchase that system out of pocket how long would it take to recoup his investment? With power savings.

    • @ericklein5097
      @ericklein5097 2 месяца назад

      10 years if you DIY the batteries (at most). 20 years if you buy overpriced off the shelf stuff.

  • @ernielansford8710
    @ernielansford8710 3 месяца назад

    Have you had experience with the new Anker System? Their marketing is certainly good, LOL

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад +1

      I have not seen the system yet. Looks nice to me too.

  • @freewaylee
    @freewaylee 3 месяца назад

    The side yard limits your sun to 4 hours? A string inverter, a single panel in shade will knock out the array by 60% or more? Is there a reason you did not put the pergola in the backyard?

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад

      theres a pool there and it is east of a two story house

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад

      Also it's the south side so it makes usable power from 9am to 4pm

    • @freewaylee
      @freewaylee 3 месяца назад

      @@AZExpert gotcha.

  • @garyag45
    @garyag45 3 месяца назад

    Interesting 🤛👍🙏😎🦅🇺🇸

  • @MaryWehmeier
    @MaryWehmeier 3 месяца назад

    Question: How does the wife and kids deal with the solar system? LOL on the dreaded HOA.

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад

      Just have to listen to me talk about it all the time, otherwise it hasn't changed life around the house at all. HOA can't say much about solar installs.

  • @franklogan494
    @franklogan494 3 месяца назад

    Hello James, have you ever come across a reliable aftermarket 12 volt pickup truck heater? My heater core needs a replacement and trying to find a shop that will work on an older truck is not easy, thank you!

    • @EfficientRVer
      @EfficientRVer 3 месяца назад +1

      Get some aftermarket 12V seat heaters to sit on. Heating the air much with 12V needs more power than most alternators can spare, and you'd need wires with as much copper in them as a heater core.

    • @franklogan494
      @franklogan494 3 месяца назад

      @@EfficientRVer thank you for the advice.

  • @ronaldsova2380
    @ronaldsova2380 3 месяца назад

    Always enjoy watching your videos. Got a lot of great options with Your solar set up Something a little off-topic Just bought a 2007 American tradition the previous owner installed 3 new 15000 Btu Ac's on the roof are there any certain brand of soft starts for the AC's you Recommend THANKS!!

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад +2

      afunny you should mention that...that's my next video. But RVP makes an easy one for coleman and dometic makes a more plug in play one for dometic and Amazon sells a Spartan I've used that's a little more confusing, and the micro air are nice but very complicated.

    • @2hotscottpro
      @2hotscottpro 3 месяца назад

      Will wait for next vid.😊

    • @PineRidgeRez
      @PineRidgeRez 3 месяца назад

      I installed the Coleman soft start unit on the bedroom Coleman air that always was noisy when starting, and is much quieter now.

  • @Critical-Thinker895
    @Critical-Thinker895 3 месяца назад

    So the power company gets to accept electricity you provide from infrastructure you invested in, you maintain and you upgrade when necessary and all they have to do is charge you at the going rate. In other words they get to provide you with electricity without ANY investment at all. The best part is that they convince you that you are helping the environment when in fact all you're helping is their business model. Have I forgotten anything?

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад

      Yes, change is never solved by complaining about change

    • @Critical-Thinker895
      @Critical-Thinker895 3 месяца назад

      @@AZExpert I'm sure they see it that way too. This is probably gonna get you taxed more too from somebody. Like how electric vehicles cause an increase in taxes because the government loses revenue from the gas tax.

    • @EfficientRVer
      @EfficientRVer 3 месяца назад

      @@Critical-Thinker895 I'm getting hit with I think $150 extra on my car registration this year due to owning a PHEV. But I'm OK with that. I get to make 1/2 gallon of "gas" every night by plugging in, and even when running only on gas, I'm getting 60mpg, or 70mpg if I drive slow. The amount of money I save on gas is WAY more than the amount I give to the government, due to having an efficient car.
      Would I prefer to contribute no taxes to the roads I drive on? Depends on what mood I'm in, but generally, no. Happy to pay my share, and have the roads.
      I've got to go now. Harbor Freight opens in a while, and I want to be the first person there to take the limit of 3 Icon rechargeable bar work lights for $20ea, normally $40. Plus I get 3 free gifts with any purchase. And I get to drive there and back without using any gas, without any wear on my engine. It will use way under $1 of electricity. If I drove something stupid, it would cost me $5 of gas, plus engine wear and tear. None of that for me today.

  • @stevebadalamente7070
    @stevebadalamente7070 3 месяца назад

    I sent you a question on your Email and am curious if you actually recieved it.

  • @Scott924m
    @Scott924m 3 месяца назад

    Can I get a snarkey reply ?

    • @AZExpert
      @AZExpert  3 месяца назад +2

      ahem...."snarky reply"