Perhaps we could have made a faceplate, but I really loved your idea of internal connections and found your video and 'Instructables/Ammo Can Solar Power Supply' directions useful to My wife and I making an "A.mateur M.obile P.ower Box" togather. Purchasing your faceplate gave us a prefect way to both thank you, and not to have to make our own plate.
@@erickruepong9105 This was designed as a way to teach people how to build their own project and learn about solar and battery basics by doing so. If you simply want to purchase a battery backup device, there are many of them commercially available. For example: amzn.to/3xxyO2X
@@erickruepong9105 Eric if you watch the free adds and garage sales you can quite often find booster packs with modified sine wave inverter and some with an air pump as we'll all you have to do is replace the battery you can get USB ports most have battery level indicator but you need to add a set of terminals to hook a good battery charger to charge it up the charger that comes with them is designed to kill the battery in about a year so they hope you'll buy a new one I did that for over 40 years since I'm a horder I've still got a lot of my old units since I've found utube I've found out I can put a new battery in a couple of my bigger and better units so that's an idea also if you want a good cheap unit just buy a booster pack with a modified sine wave inverter most now come with USB ports just don't trust the charger that comes with it get a good battery charger and either charge through the booster cables or the auxiliary plug for solar charging harbor freight has a 100 watt solar panel kit that includes a controller and lights that plug into the solar charge controller with USB ports since non of the reviews I've seen tell I'f it's got proper charging parameters for sealed lead acid batteries but for around 200$ you can get a full system the booster packs are usually under a hundred dollars most of mine cost less than 60 dollars and I'm told the harbor freight solar panel kit is around a hundred dollars if you have devices that need USB quick charge and type C a unit that plugs into the auxiliary plug is around 10 dollars and the type C is around 30 $ you can buy splters that take the auxiliary plug and split it to 2 or as many as 5 auxiliary plugs the nice thing about the USB adapter is you can use them in your automobile to charge cell phones fit bit watches and laptops most people already have at least a slow USB adapter for their phones but the newer phones that take type C charge way to slow on them I plugged my phone in to the USB port in my sister's car for 3 hours and got a whole half hour of run time had a 2 hour trip and it died before I got a half hour out i Now have charger in both my vehicles so that won't happen again also my fit bit watch wouldn't charge on the slow charger it needed quick charge and wouldn't plug into type C
Very nice detailed solar ammo box build, I have made a few myself but not as neat as yours. Thanks for NOT calling it a solar generator. Greetings from Jamaica.
You should switch the red fused wire between the battery and the solar charge controller. Save from a parasitic draw on the battery. Nice build clean looking.
You know you've been making signs too long when the vinyl gets me excited. Nothing quite wakes you up like the smell vinyl in the morning. Thanks for spelling out some of the odd parts others skip.
Highest quality DIY RUclips video I have ever seen of what is probably one of the most important things everybody should have in case there is a public utility power-outage and / or, to have portable solar rechargeable AC / DC electrical power on the go while traveling, camping, etc. Thank you Benjamin Nelson for your RUclips video channel.
I felt uncomfortable about "back feeding," but hadn't thought through why. This is very important info - everyone trying to use a generator needs to know this! 🙂
Amazing talent to vulgarize intimidating stuff. Amazingly clear. Driven by passion and respect for his audience. I wish you were my neighbor ! Fantastic !
Finally, a project that is small enough to be in the range of what I want. Most of the youtubes and online instructions figure you want to run a whole house on them.
Hi Ben I just finished a shed and put a newer, bigger solar system (60 amp hr) in it to power lights, a fan, cordless battery charger and more. You inspired me, thank you...God Bless
Nice presentation! Well thought out. Gathering my bits pcs to make one, I will however add a disconnect switch between the battery and charge controller as not to discharge the battery during storage.
Hello Ben I finsihed mine yesterday, I will send you pics later. Very Excited, I used it last night, I had an LED light that plugs into a computer and I pluged it into the box, it worked great. I am using a 30 watt solar panel 1.76 amp max output... Thank you for sharing your project, it inspired me to do this, somthing I have never done before using tools I have never used before..LOL
Great to hear it, Ronnie! That's exactly why I did this project - for people to have a solar project that's easy enough for a first-timer to build and learn from! Nice job!
@@BenjaminNelsonX nice job BTW. I built a similar power pack into an aluminium flight case. It's heavy, though, and now I'm thinking that a lithium battery would improve it.
This has got to be the most interesting and non-intimidating electrical lesson I have see. Very easy to follow along, THANKS! I am encouraged to actually try this sometime!
I've seen this video three or four times over a number of months. This past week, I accumulated all the major components for mine, but when I started to get the little things I need to put it together, I discovered they were nickle and diming me to poverty! I originally desired to fuse and switch everything. You reminded me to KISS it! I originally started to fuse and switch just about everything. Yours uses only one switch and one fuse. I decided to change mine to use only the one fuse, but two switches. First of all, I follow the growing trend not to use the "load" option on the solar charge controller (SCC). I use mine for ham radio transmitters and on three different SCCs the "load" can't handle even the smallest radio, way below the rated current. Instead, my output devices will connect directly to the battery (always to the master fuse.) One switch will go to the SCC so I can turn it off when not charging the battery. The other switch will go to the "accessories", just as your accessory panel has. Like yours, the input and output ports bypass the switches and go directly to the fuse. I'm designing two of them and am actively assembling my prototype. My prototype will be using a 16Ah LiFePO4 battery, and have three separate 12v-USB charging ports and two APP ports. The 12v-USB ports with multiple outlets never charge two devices as fast as one. So, I'm installing three so everyone in the family can fast charge one of their devices at the same time. This is the primary purpose of the prototype, but it will also double as a power supply for picnic-type ham radio portable outings where I operate a few hours and come home. It's not worth setting up solar for one or two hours and the battery powers the radio for 5 hours. With the kinks ironed out of the prototype, I'll build four more with 32Ah LiFePO4 batteries with the same power panel as yours, but with APP where you have banana jacks. One of them will have a pure sine wave inverter for my CPAP and the others will be equipped with inverters like you have. Each family member gets one during a power outage and I get one for the CPAP and one for the radio station. The prototype will still be there for charging phones and tablets as needed.
I know it's a few years old but I've built my 3rd box since I saw this a couple of years ago. I did modify it a bit. Used 2 batteries, a solar controller and a 400 watt inverter with discharge control. Both batteries fit perfectly. The controller is mounted but the inverter is loose. It would run our lights, TV and 18v battery charger. Good stuff. Thanks for this video
@@erickruepong9105 I have about $600 in it. That's batteries, panels, inverter and charge controller and all the small hardware and box to put it all in. Harbor Freight for panels, charge controller and inverter. Can't remember brand of batteries.
Nicely done. Note that the wall wart charger does not have a constant-current mode so is not really appropriate for battery charging. In the video, it is trying to charge, seeing effectively a short circuit, shutting down, and then starting again. One solution is to add a buck converter with an adjustable constant current setting between any power supply and the battery. Old laptop power supplies are great for that if you want high power (with an appropriate buck converter).
@@SJ-xg1uf I spent about $130 USD on parts. As of the time of this message, my generator was stolen. However, if I did it again, it would be cheaper. Get this: the Yeti 150 by GoalZero is about $300, but this thing is more powerful.
Wow, thank you for this! I've seen countless videos of this same project, but none of them were as comprehensive as yours. I already have all the items I need, except for the faceplate, which of course I'm gonna order.
2018, watching in 2022 and you blew my mind still, the wall adapter trick is so mind blowing, i cant belive no one else did this. def gonna try it, i need a low budget build and im sure i should have some plugs laying in the good old box xD
A really good tutorial for starters, like the way you did the wiring. Most have a big mess which you should avoid. Seems a rather good battery for its size, as I watch I noticed you could add another one easily. 30Ah total is probably overkill but with an inverter, you could run that fridge an hour longer if needed. Having a few accessories on the lid itself is basically a choice. I do find that impressive and will stimulate you to use it more. Thanks, I changed a few plans myself because of this.
Just found your fantastic video and i have to say, FINALLY, someone has come out with a good explanation video on the solar ammo can. I'm a visual learner and i've been looking for a long time for someone to give a set-up demo on this subject and to take the mystery out of it. After watching your video i am now confident i can build my own for my emergency radio go box, thank you thank you thank you.
Thanks, Michael. There's a LOT of videos out there on similar projects, but I never found a good video with clear directions, that looked good and was easy to understand. I thought a lot of other people were looking for the same, so I sat down to make this. Glad you liked it!
Thank you for sharing this project. I am looking to build something similar with a small 10Ah Lithium LiFeP04 battery. I want to use this mostly for recharging USB powered devices while camping. Thank you for walking through this carefully for us all.
Just assembled mine last night and realized two things: you can't run an inverter in the cigarette lighter socket (the solar controller instructions says you can't do this, when I tried it would shut everything down), so I rewired that socket directly to the battery. I ordered a Low Voltage Protector Disconnect Switch to add to that circuit so I don't drain the battery. I've also decided there's plenty of room in the box for another battery, so I've ordered another one and will run them in parallel (as per the solar controller instructions). I'm adding a second solar panel as well. Other than those issues/mods, it works perfect. Thanks so much for the video!
Watching in 2021 Dec. 28.. Thanks for the information. These times I think we are going to need to know more about solar for home use. Happy New Year 2022.
Very well presented and I appreciate the time it has taken to cover the planning and installation in detail. I am glad I came across your video after watching the other videos that did not offer your alternative! Thanks very much.
You are awesome. I got a 100 ah battery with a ice chest. That idea is perfect for my project. I have the same whistle you have . Only difference I'm adding 1000 walt inverter . Thanks for your knowledge and ideas. You are awesome
If all you are going to run is an ice chest then you might want o measure just how much it draws. If all you need is 100w then a 100w inverter has a lot less conversion losses than a 1000 watt inverter. As an example my 300w inverter with no load draws 1/4 of what my friends 1000 watt inverter draws with no load.
The only thing I would add is a stabilizer to the end so when you push in the components the mounting board stays in place and does not move down, but a neat clean good job very good my friend.
Another great well organized video. I am considering building on of these for ham radio with the addition of a matching box with just two batteries (fused of course) in it to give me 45Ahs.
THANK YOU ! "Solar generator" is a stupid term. I ask people how much "solar" does it generate. I like and use Anderson Power poles instead of banana plugs. A very well done video.
Ben: What a brilliant and helpful job you’ve done with this video! You’ve given me the confidence to try it, a first electrical project for me. I’m a preservation carpenter so pretty handy but a bit wary of elec - however, you really anticipated my questions, and I appreciate the slow and deliberate approach you take - you’re a terrific teacher, bravo! Think I will order the lazercut ply template from you when I’m ready to start the build. Only mod I’d consider would be a wood batten across the top of plate to keep it ‘down’ and in contact with case sides. Want to honor your no-drill approach, which is a good standard. Heading for a three week largely off-grid camp/fish with our son whose recently moved to MT, so will update you on my preparations. Thanks so much for the clarity and technical precision you’ve offered here. Going to check out your other videos, soon I’ll be overconfident. Um, not. Cheers to you!
Thank you for a great, informative video. You explained everything slowly, in detail, and very easy to understand. I will make an exact duplicate once I gather all the components. Thank you very much. Subscribed!!
Now that I'm thinking about it. 🤔. A lithium ion battery would be much better in terms of efficiency. I think I might go that route. Thank you again for the great 👍🏾 video
Excellent, easy-to-follow instructions, thank you. Everything works perfectly, except when I plugged in my 150 watt inverter to the DC socket and the fuse blew. No idea what happened, but the USB ports work perfectly for now.
@@pinkiepie1656 there is a 20-amp fuse, but I think the inverter is faulty. I plugged in a small usb socket and it worked fine. I'm thinking about getting another inverter and hoping for the best. Thanks for responding!
I made up a box not quite as nice as this one but I used LiFePO4 cells in it. Those cells can deliver 200A short duration. I can jump start my truck with the thing. I used 38120 Headway cells. 4P 4S configuration.
Interesting project with a lot of useful ideas. I understand why you used crimped connections as opposed to soldered, but I use di-electric grease to protect crimped connections.
This is the FULL-LENGTH, step-by-step video for people who want detailed instructions in how to build their own. For a quick overview, you want to watch THIS video: ruclips.net/video/2NIzIR_Lbkw/видео.html
The 4-in-1 socket panel already has a volt-meter as part of it, but you could certainly add a different style of volt meter if you wanted. The great thing about a project like this is you can use whichever style connections you like, including Anderson Power Poles. I know the HAM Radio guys seem to like those.
Thank you very much for sharing this project. I wanted to get something to power my depth finder and lights on my boat and this was just the trick. Very informative and easy to follow. Great job Ben!
I've also made a video showing a different way to wire up the Solar Ammo Can to repurpose the switch as a battery disconnect. See that at: ruclips.net/video/4YKRa9m4N7M/видео.html
The light bulb is 12VDC, so it can run straight off a battery and it's LED, so it's low draw. The bulb is connected to the ammo can by a cord with a standard lamp base on the one end and a cigarette lighter plug on the other. I bought the bulb at a local store, but here's a link to an example of similar bulbs. amzn.to/2R6r7by
Burger job I like it I would put couple plastic containers between the battery that we can put stuff in it and it won’t move the battery neither you’re done at two I’m in a good idea but I like the way you got it set up I like that very good job thanks I’m trying to make one myself for a couple of them for my CB radio
Nice build Benjamin. It's been about one year since you built this and I'm just wondering how your battery is holding up? I built a similar system but decided to use lithium iron phosphate cells for the increased cycle life, and 90% usable watt-hours over the 50% of the let acid batteries. Anyway your build is an inspiration, and it's nice to see others following along. Thanks for sharing your video.
Hi Steve! Thanks. One of the reasons why I planned this out was because of a number of long-distance canoe/camping trips I've gone on with my Dad and my brothers. My NOT modifying the Ammo Can case, it's totally water-proof. I would often toss my cell-phone inside it to charge and have the cover latched. That way, if we ever overturned a canoe, both my phone and the other contents of the case would be allright. Of course, also make sure to tether it.
love it, a couple things, black screws, loctite, i worry that someone could by accident connect your power soiurce into your remote power out sending DC volts backwards and maybe shorting the the controler or battery. One other THING you could if needed charge it from a cars cigerette light [useing your adaptor with your AC ps ]. Lastly I have seen roll up panels that would fit in the inside lid and seen nets and pockets that would attach to the lid inside. Thanks
Just came across your video and it’s really good detail for the items needed, am Uk 🇬🇧 based and looking for a similar solar panel as will be using this when fishing but struggling to find a similar sized solar panel to what you have for this at 15 watt panel any help ?
Not to take anything away from your box, but I think you should glue to the side of box to reduce fatigue from plugging and unplugging items. Especially since the backer board is very thin plywood.
That is exactly what I thought. Lots of guys who doing Ammo can like that missing that velcro could solve lots of their issues. I was thinking to use velcro to hold all the stuff. That is the way to go! You as well could add a little car Ham radio in it...=D In that case, I would put the battery in the corner instead of the center, farther away from the radio, and add an antenna connector(s) on the top. Plural or singular depends on if you have just a 2 band radio or quad band radio...
Exactly the video i was looking for. As a non electric guy and love to fly drones who needs charging... perfect video with excelent explaining. 1 thing... where did you get the toolbox? Where online? Thanks very much !
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Hi folks! Due to popular demand, I have made laser-cut wood faceplates available for sale. Please visit 300mpg.org/shop/
Perhaps we could have made a faceplate, but I really loved your idea of internal connections and found your video and 'Instructables/Ammo Can Solar Power Supply' directions useful to My wife and I making an "A.mateur M.obile P.ower Box" togather. Purchasing your faceplate gave us a prefect way to both thank you, and not to have to make our own plate.
Is possible to just buy the whole system?
@@erickruepong9105 This was designed as a way to teach people how to build their own project and learn about solar and battery basics by doing so.
If you simply want to purchase a battery backup device, there are many of them commercially available.
For example: amzn.to/3xxyO2X
@@BenjaminNelsonX Thanks for responding. I will look them up.
@@erickruepong9105 Eric if you watch the free adds and garage sales you can quite often find booster packs with modified sine wave inverter and some with an air pump as we'll all you have to do is replace the battery you can get USB ports most have battery level indicator but you need to add a set of terminals to hook a good battery charger to charge it up the charger that comes with them is designed to kill the battery in about a year so they hope you'll buy a new one I did that for over 40 years since I'm a horder I've still got a lot of my old units since I've found utube I've found out I can put a new battery in a couple of my bigger and better units so that's an idea also if you want a good cheap unit just
buy a booster pack with a modified sine wave inverter most now come with USB ports just don't trust the charger that comes with it get a good battery charger and either charge through the booster cables or the auxiliary plug for solar charging harbor freight has a 100 watt solar panel kit that includes a controller and lights that plug into the solar charge controller with USB ports since non of the reviews I've seen tell I'f it's got proper charging parameters for sealed lead acid batteries but for around 200$ you can get a full system the booster packs are usually under a hundred dollars most of mine cost less than 60 dollars and I'm told the harbor freight solar panel kit is around a hundred dollars if you have devices that need USB quick charge and type C a unit that plugs into the auxiliary plug is around 10 dollars and the type C is around 30 $ you can buy splters that take the auxiliary plug and split it to 2 or as many as 5 auxiliary plugs the nice thing about the USB adapter is you can use them in your automobile to charge cell phones fit bit watches and laptops most people already have at least a slow USB adapter for their phones but the newer phones that take type C charge way to slow on them I plugged my phone in to the USB port in my sister's car for 3 hours and got a whole half hour of run time had a 2 hour trip and it died before I got a half hour out i
Now have charger in both my vehicles so that won't happen again also my fit bit watch wouldn't charge on the slow charger it needed quick charge and wouldn't plug into type C
Very nice detailed solar ammo box build, I have made a few myself but not as neat as yours. Thanks for NOT calling it a solar generator. Greetings from Jamaica.
You should switch the red fused wire between the battery and the solar charge controller. Save from a parasitic draw on the battery. Nice build clean looking.
You know you've been making signs too long when the vinyl gets me excited. Nothing quite wakes you up like the smell vinyl in the morning.
Thanks for spelling out some of the odd parts others skip.
Highest quality DIY RUclips video I have ever seen of what is probably one of the most important things everybody should have in case there is a public utility power-outage and / or, to have portable solar rechargeable AC / DC electrical power on the go while traveling, camping, etc. Thank you Benjamin Nelson for your RUclips video channel.
I felt uncomfortable about "back feeding," but hadn't thought through why. This is very important info - everyone trying to use a generator needs to know this! 🙂
Oops! I thought I was replying to a comment on another video. 🙄
Amazing talent to vulgarize intimidating stuff. Amazingly clear. Driven by passion and respect for his audience. I wish you were my neighbor ! Fantastic !
Finally, a project that is small enough to be in the range of what I want. Most of the youtubes and online instructions figure you want to run a whole house on them.
Ditto! And Ben did a great job as an instructor, videographer, and knows the subject matter ... Good job Ben!
After watching dozens of solar battery box videos, yours is the most comprehensive and easy to understand. It is the inspiration for my own build.
Thank you!
That's what I was hoping for - something educational that would get people to try so a project like this for themselves!
Hi Ben I just finished a shed and put a newer, bigger solar system (60 amp hr) in it to power lights, a fan, cordless battery charger and more. You inspired me, thank you...God Bless
Nice job! Keep up the good work!
Nice presentation! Well thought out. Gathering my bits pcs to make one, I will however add a disconnect switch between the battery and charge controller as not to discharge the battery during storage.
Hello Ben I finsihed mine yesterday, I will send you pics later. Very Excited, I used it last night, I had an LED light that plugs into a computer and I pluged it into the box, it worked great. I am using a 30 watt solar panel 1.76 amp max output... Thank you for sharing your project, it inspired me to do this, somthing I have never done before using tools I have never used before..LOL
Great to hear it, Ronnie!
That's exactly why I did this project - for people to have a solar project that's easy enough for a first-timer to build and learn from!
Nice job!
@@BenjaminNelsonX Thank you Ben!! Already thinking about another one later. Baby steps....tku
You get a 'like' for not calling it a solar generator.
THANK YOU!😁
@@BenjaminNelsonX nice job BTW. I built a similar power pack into an aluminium flight case. It's heavy, though, and now I'm thinking that a lithium battery would improve it.
Thank you for actually talking to us. Not a mime, music montage or robo-voice.
Robot-Voice are the worst!
Glad you liked the video. Keep caring and sharing!
and best of all, no damn typing on Notepad.
Finally a youtuber that doesn't think this a battery charged by solar power is not a solar generator.
This has got to be the most interesting and non-intimidating electrical lesson I have see. Very easy to follow along, THANKS! I am encouraged to actually try this sometime!
Thanks! That's what I was shooting for!
I've seen this video three or four times over a number of months. This past week, I accumulated all the major components for mine, but when I started to get the little things I need to put it together, I discovered they were nickle and diming me to poverty! I originally desired to fuse and switch everything. You reminded me to KISS it!
I originally started to fuse and switch just about everything. Yours uses only one switch and one fuse. I decided to change mine to use only the one fuse, but two switches.
First of all, I follow the growing trend not to use the "load" option on the solar charge controller (SCC). I use mine for ham radio transmitters and on three different SCCs the "load" can't handle even the smallest radio, way below the rated current. Instead, my output devices will connect directly to the battery (always to the master fuse.)
One switch will go to the SCC so I can turn it off when not charging the battery. The other switch will go to the "accessories", just as your accessory panel has. Like yours, the input and output ports bypass the switches and go directly to the fuse.
I'm designing two of them and am actively assembling my prototype.
My prototype will be using a 16Ah LiFePO4 battery, and have three separate 12v-USB charging ports and two APP ports. The 12v-USB ports with multiple outlets never charge two devices as fast as one. So, I'm installing three so everyone in the family can fast charge one of their devices at the same time. This is the primary purpose of the prototype, but it will also double as a power supply for picnic-type ham radio portable outings where I operate a few hours and come home. It's not worth setting up solar for one or two hours and the battery powers the radio for 5 hours.
With the kinks ironed out of the prototype, I'll build four more with 32Ah LiFePO4 batteries with the same power panel as yours, but with APP where you have banana jacks. One of them will have a pure sine wave inverter for my CPAP and the others will be equipped with inverters like you have. Each family member gets one during a power outage and I get one for the CPAP and one for the radio station. The prototype will still be there for charging phones and tablets as needed.
You have made this tutorial so simple that I now feel confident to do a setup for myself. Thank you for sharing your knowledge
This is the best, most complete, well explained tutorial ever. Good job, sir!
Thank you!
Nice little project
Great video my friend. Very informative
What an awesome video thanks 🙏
I know it's a few years old but I've built my 3rd box since I saw this a couple of years ago. I did modify it a bit. Used 2 batteries, a solar controller and a 400 watt inverter with discharge control. Both batteries fit perfectly. The controller is mounted but the inverter is loose. It would run our lights, TV and 18v battery charger. Good stuff. Thanks for this video
How much did it cost you?
@@erickruepong9105 I have about $600 in it. That's batteries, panels, inverter and charge controller and all the small hardware and box to put it all in. Harbor Freight for panels, charge controller and inverter. Can't remember brand of batteries.
@@jimmywalker2429do you have a detailed video on how you created it. That sounds awesome.would love to see.
Nicely done. Note that the wall wart charger does not have a constant-current mode so is not really appropriate for battery charging. In the video, it is trying to charge, seeing effectively a short circuit, shutting down, and then starting again. One solution is to add a buck converter with an adjustable constant current setting between any power supply and the battery. Old laptop power supplies are great for that if you want high power (with an appropriate buck converter).
Thank you so much for your detailed instruction. I just finished putting mine together - AND IT WORKS!!!
How much did you spend on it altogether?
@@SJ-xg1uf I spent about $130 USD on parts. As of the time of this message, my generator was stolen. However, if I did it again, it would be cheaper. Get this: the Yeti 150 by GoalZero is about $300, but this thing is more powerful.
A lot of details and questions answered with this video.
Not being able to accidentally plug things in the wrong way is exactly why I built my box with anderson powerpoles.
THANKS FOR SHARING THIS GOOD AND SO DETAIL YOUR DESIGN THE POWER BOX.YES, IT WILL BE SO HELPFUL FOR HAMERS AND OTHERS.
my name's Ben too! Who'd've thunk it!? Very helpful video. Thank you 🌤
I love this... my one suggestion would be to seal the wood on the odd chance you live in a humid environment.
Wow, thank you for this! I've seen countless videos of this same project, but none of them were as comprehensive as yours. I already have all the items I need, except for the faceplate, which of course I'm gonna order.
2018, watching in 2022 and you blew my mind still, the wall adapter trick is so mind blowing, i cant belive no one else did this. def gonna try it, i need a low budget build and im sure i should have some plugs laying in the good old box xD
A really good tutorial for starters, like the way you did the wiring. Most have a big mess which you should avoid. Seems a rather good battery for its size, as I watch I noticed you could add another one easily. 30Ah total is probably overkill but with an inverter, you could run that fridge an hour longer if needed. Having a few accessories on the lid itself is basically a choice. I do find that impressive and will stimulate you to use it more. Thanks, I changed a few plans myself because of this.
You did a fantastic job with this video, very clear step-by-step instructions, the best I have seen on RUclips!
Thank you!
This guy is amazing wow you blow my mind we appreciate your time bro for putting this together simple and easy
Thank you!
You've done a great video explaining from the beginning till the end of the Solar Ammo Can. Not to forget it is not a solar generator. ;)
Just found your fantastic video and i have to say, FINALLY, someone has come out with a good explanation video on the solar ammo can. I'm a visual learner and i've been looking for a long time for someone to give a set-up demo on this subject and to take the mystery out of it. After watching your video i am now confident i can build my own for my emergency radio go box, thank you thank you thank you.
Thanks, Michael. There's a LOT of videos out there on similar projects, but I never found a good video with clear directions, that looked good and was easy to understand. I thought a lot of other people were looking for the same, so I sat down to make this.
Glad you liked it!
Thank you for sharing this project. I am looking to build something similar with a small 10Ah Lithium LiFeP04 battery. I want to use this mostly for recharging USB powered devices while camping. Thank you for walking through this carefully for us all.
Batteries are improving all the time. I just upgraded the battery in the project to a 12AH lithium. amzn.to/3GpLHPi
Just assembled mine last night and realized two things: you can't run an inverter in the cigarette lighter socket (the solar controller instructions says you can't do this, when I tried it would shut everything down), so I rewired that socket directly to the battery. I ordered a Low Voltage Protector Disconnect Switch to add to that circuit so I don't drain the battery. I've also decided there's plenty of room in the box for another battery, so I've ordered another one and will run them in parallel (as per the solar controller instructions). I'm adding a second solar panel as well. Other than those issues/mods, it works perfect. Thanks so much for the video!
The joy of a project like this is that you can customize it however you want!
Watching in 2021 Dec. 28.. Thanks for the information. These times I think we are going to need to know more about solar for home use.
Happy New Year 2022.
Make sure to check out the videos I have on how I designed and installed my own solar system!
ruclips.net/video/dvUohDXKjYw/видео.html
One of the best instructional videos I’ve seen. Very professional.
Can’t wait to start the project.
This is going to be perfect for camping with my kids, I might try and increase the batteries internally but this design already allows for it.
Very well presented and I appreciate the time it has taken to cover the planning and installation in detail. I am glad I came across your video after watching the other videos that did not offer your alternative! Thanks very much.
You are awesome. I got a 100 ah battery with a ice chest. That idea is perfect for my project. I have the same whistle you have . Only difference I'm adding 1000 walt inverter . Thanks for your knowledge and ideas. You are awesome
If all you are going to run is an ice chest then you might want o measure just how much it draws.
If all you need is 100w then a 100w inverter has a lot less conversion losses than a 1000 watt inverter. As an example my 300w inverter with no load draws 1/4 of what my friends 1000 watt inverter draws with no load.
Very well done. I loved this video. After I watch ten more or this one 5 more times I am going to try this. Thank you so much.
Awesome, keep on charging Benj!!! One of the best tutorial out there about offgrid solar setup.....
Nice! He is definitely a OSHA safety video producer.
Ha!
I have worked on several "Lock-Out/Tag-Out" videos!
This is an amazing instructional video! Thanks!
I like how you build your power box..!!! Nice 👍👍
Outstanding video! One of the best I have seen on how to build a portable solar power box! Time for me to order some parts and make one similar!
The only thing I would add is a stabilizer to the end so when you push in the components the mounting board stays in place and does not move down, but a neat clean good job very good my friend.
Most excellent video on both materials used and method of assembly!
Thank you!
I did mine too and it works!!!
The cleanest and most helpful video to build a solar charger. Affordable and efficient. Thank you Ben! 🎈
Another great well organized video. I am considering building on of these for ham radio with the addition of a matching box with just two batteries (fused of course) in it to give me 45Ahs.
THANK YOU ! "Solar generator" is a stupid term. I ask people how much "solar" does it generate. I like and use Anderson Power poles instead of banana plugs. A very well done video.
MVP right here
Dude you are a freakin genius
Ben: What a brilliant and helpful job you’ve done with this video! You’ve given me the confidence to try it, a first electrical project for me. I’m a preservation carpenter so pretty handy but a bit wary of elec - however, you really anticipated my questions, and I appreciate the slow and deliberate approach you take - you’re a terrific teacher, bravo! Think I will order the lazercut ply template from you when I’m ready to start the build. Only mod I’d consider would be a wood batten across the top of plate to keep it ‘down’ and in contact with case sides. Want to honor your no-drill approach, which is a good standard.
Heading for a three week largely off-grid camp/fish with our son whose recently moved to MT, so will update you on my preparations. Thanks so much for the clarity and technical precision you’ve offered here. Going to check out your other videos, soon I’ll be overconfident. Um, not. Cheers to you!
Glad you like the project! There's a zillion ways to build this, so feel free to change it to what best suits your needs!
I love them premade panels, makes things clean looking. I wish I thought of them or making an inner plate before I did mine :(
Thank you for a great, informative video. You explained everything slowly, in detail, and very easy to understand. I will make an exact duplicate once I gather all the components. Thank you very much.
Subscribed!!
And just as a reminder to everybody, I have links to all the components in the video description.
This is a very informative video, I am making this to run my WYZE security camera. Good job.
Very very cool design. I will try to make one for a friend who is going entirely off grid....
At home due to surgery need projects this one is just up my ally. I just order panel and parts can’t wait to get started! Thank you 👍🏼
I just mailed that panel to you. Good luck with your project!
BenjaminNelson thank you 🙏
Am going to build this as a power supply for a portable Ham Radio Station. I like your idea alot better then mine,
station. I like
paul Ebelmesser yea... for about five minutes...
tyfs... this is my next power box project... waiting for supplies...
Now that I'm thinking about it. 🤔. A lithium ion battery would be much better in terms of efficiency. I think I might go that route. Thank you again for the great 👍🏾 video
Excellent, easy-to-follow instructions, thank you. Everything works perfectly, except when I plugged in my 150 watt inverter to the DC socket and the fuse blew. No idea what happened, but the USB ports work perfectly for now.
Is there at least a 15 amp fuse on the socket? Or maybe the capacitor in the inverter is pulling too much current when initially plugged in.
@@pinkiepie1656 there is a 20-amp fuse, but I think the inverter is faulty. I plugged in a small usb socket and it worked fine. I'm thinking about getting another inverter and hoping for the best.
Thanks for responding!
Perfect tutorial. Thank for your effort.
youre a born teacher. thank you
:)))
Benjamin, one of the best videos I have seen, clear, concise, informative and easy to follow. Awesome 👍
I made up a box not quite as nice as this one but I used LiFePO4 cells in it. Those cells can deliver 200A short duration. I can jump start my truck with the thing. I used 38120 Headway cells. 4P 4S configuration.
Interesting project with a lot of useful ideas.
I understand why you used crimped connections as opposed to soldered, but I use di-electric grease to protect crimped connections.
Excellent video! Thank you so much for making this video. Very impressive. You're an excellent instructor.
Glad it was helpful!
I enjoyed your video very much the instructions were very easy to follow. Thank you.
Very good instructional video, thanks .
A 15 minute video in 52 minutes... now that's getting your money's worth
This is the FULL-LENGTH, step-by-step video for people who want detailed instructions in how to build their own. For a quick overview, you want to watch THIS video: ruclips.net/video/2NIzIR_Lbkw/видео.html
Very well done. Great tutorial showing basic solar power set up.
Great vid, thank you. I would also add 12v. power pole connector and a volt meter to keep tabs on battery draw down.
The 4-in-1 socket panel already has a volt-meter as part of it, but you could certainly add a different style of volt meter if you wanted.
The great thing about a project like this is you can use whichever style connections you like, including Anderson Power Poles. I know the HAM Radio guys seem to like those.
Thank you very much for sharing this project. I wanted to get something to power my depth finder and lights on my boat and this was just the trick. Very informative and easy to follow. Great job Ben!
Fantastic video! I’m inspired to get building.
I've also made a video showing a different way to wire up the Solar Ammo Can to repurpose the switch as a battery disconnect. See that at: ruclips.net/video/4YKRa9m4N7M/видео.html
BenjaminNelson Great video! Thanks for your explanations on items described and some newer parts!
Hi, how did you set up the 12v led light bulb? Thanks
The light bulb is 12VDC, so it can run straight off a battery and it's LED, so it's low draw. The bulb is connected to the ammo can by a cord with a standard lamp base on the one end and a cigarette lighter plug on the other. I bought the bulb at a local store, but here's a link to an example of similar bulbs. amzn.to/2R6r7by
@@BenjaminNelsonX thank you for the clarification...its a great set up
BenjaminNelson I’ve managed to get hold of a 12v 35ah sla battery... is this ok to use?? apologies but my knowledge of electrics is a little limited.
Ben,
Got all the components and assembled my unit. Works great with my 20 watt renogy solar panel. Thanks
That is awesome. I just subscribe. Last night we discussed prepping. Going to make a few of these.
A really great video. Thank you!
Burger job I like it I would put couple plastic containers between the battery that we can put stuff in it and it won’t move the battery neither you’re done at two I’m in a good idea but I like the way you got it set up I like that very good job thanks I’m trying to make one myself for a couple of them for my CB radio
Nice build Benjamin. It's been about one year since you built this and I'm just wondering how your battery is holding up? I built a similar system but decided to use lithium iron phosphate cells for the increased cycle life, and 90% usable watt-hours over the 50% of the let acid batteries. Anyway your build is an inspiration, and it's nice to see others following along. Thanks for sharing your video.
It all works just fine. I've been very happy with this project.
excellent!.wiring done properly.
Hi Ben
I like this idea it great and waterproof. I have copied your idea and is great for camping and canoeing.
Many thanks
Steve
Hi Steve! Thanks. One of the reasons why I planned this out was because of a number of long-distance canoe/camping trips I've gone on with my Dad and my brothers. My NOT modifying the Ammo Can case, it's totally water-proof. I would often toss my cell-phone inside it to charge and have the cover latched. That way, if we ever overturned a canoe, both my phone and the other contents of the case would be allright. Of course, also make sure to tether it.
Thank you so much! It was very useful! Besides your explanation is very nice and clear...
Thanks for all info is really good thanks
love it, a couple things, black screws, loctite, i worry that someone could by accident connect your power soiurce into your remote power out sending DC volts backwards and maybe shorting the the controler or battery. One other THING you could if needed charge it from a cars cigerette light [useing your adaptor with your AC ps ]. Lastly I have seen roll up panels that would fit in the inside lid and seen nets and pockets that would attach to the lid inside. Thanks
Just came across your video and it’s really good detail for the items needed, am Uk 🇬🇧 based and looking for a similar solar panel as will be using this when fishing but struggling to find a similar sized solar panel to what you have for this at 15 watt panel any help ?
Built this today! Awesome! Thanks for the detailed video!
Fantastic. Thanks for the great video.
Amazing Project, Much Thanks
Not to take anything away from your box, but I think you should glue to the side of box to reduce fatigue from plugging and unplugging items. Especially since the backer board is very thin plywood.
Fantastic video. Thanks. Learn two tips I didn’t know.
That is exactly what I thought. Lots of guys who doing Ammo can like that missing that velcro could solve lots of their issues. I was thinking to use velcro to hold all the stuff. That is the way to go! You as well could add a little car Ham radio in it...=D In that case, I would put the battery in the corner instead of the center, farther away from the radio, and add an antenna connector(s) on the top. Plural or singular depends on if you have just a 2 band radio or quad band radio...
This is a really well made and helpful video! It's the best DIY solargenerator vid I've seen so far! Thanks!
Exactly the video i was looking for.
As a non electric guy and love to fly drones who needs charging... perfect video with excelent explaining.
1 thing... where did you get the toolbox? Where online?
Thanks very much !
I bought my box at a local home improvement store, but they are available online for mail order. Link in video description or: amzn.to/4ab4yKX