For the sake of others, just new to this as you know, a lot more people will learn from you by showing them and not just talking about it. I'm not a Marine but retired from the Army and we always learned instructions as a student or instructor to do 4 things. Tell it, show it, and the learner had to do it and apply it.
All good points though I'm not sure what I didn't show? However, in the preceding video I showed setting up the power station here ruclips.net/video/e70nK-F8Lbs/видео.html
Semper Fi I agree that using a solar panel and a generator to recharge makes the most sense. I do like the idea of possibly using a charger off the vehicle while using it to.
You could also use one of these new 500 watt chargers that run off your alternator. Throw your battery in your Jeep and while you're out wheeling, you can be charging that battery with 500 watts. You could also just start the Jeep if you needed to in an emergency to charge the battery. 👍
Thanks alot. I am now buying a 24v 200Ah Li Time battery on Amazon Prime Day and I hope this will work with my Anker 767 Power station. Thanks again. USMC Montreal Canada.
To me, this is an example of why the more expensive proprietary expansion batteries are worth the cost. Plug in expansion batteries, plug in solar, start unit, run electrics. If needed when things pull down, start generator. I would quickly grow tired of having to do all that plugging, unplugging, charge this, charge that, plug/ unplug again and again.
No doubt that's where they shine but for the price, those with lower budget can get more power for less but with a little more hassle. Also, on those larger units, you still need a way to charge that's sufficient to get them back to 100%. Charging, for example, a 4600wh power station with battery will take the same time as it will to charge a 2048wh power station with 2560wh extra battery ;) Same solar requirement or car charger requirement etc.
You want to know what I think? You sure about that? 🤣. I agree with you, solar and a gas generator big enough to handle a proper battery charger is the way to go. 👍🏻
Thanks. My main point in my comment on the other video was that the cost of the charger for the spare battery, the need to disconnect while charging, skill level, and so on are factors in deciding whether to use the VERY expensive factory add-on or not. I've got 4 x 100 amp hour LifePo4 batteries and 900 watts of solar powering my home office (with an AC charger if weather prevents a full charge), but I also have a DC to DC charger and a couple inverters so I can use my cars as generators in an emergency. I have tools, hardware, and skills. I was on the phone with a friend in Florida as tornadoes were touching down. I managed to track down what seemed to be the only power source left in the state at an auto parts store that was open the next day - a 300 watt modified sine wave inverter - and I had to walk her through connecting it to her car battery (I'm 3,000 miles away). It gave her the ability to run a fan or two to cool off. She's an ideal candidate for a factory add-on. Apparently she's never even jump-started a car before and she was nervous when I told her to open the hood. Ultimately, after MUCH conversation, she's decided to get a power station and a DC to DC charger rather than extra batteries, a generator, or solar panels.
Agreed. Sometimes it's easier to spend more money and get it all in one ready to go -- plug and play. It is, however, less expensive to just build the entire thing yourself however, they are coming way down in price too so...
Good video, in my very very little extra time I have I’ve been trying to study all about solar systems. Man there is a lot of solar power stuff out there and man so many different ways to configure it. Keep it up in learning little by little more more every time you add another solar video. Appreciate the information
I really appreciate your feedback! It's awesome to hear that my videos are helping you learn about solar power. Keep up the great work in your studies!
Thank you for these two videos. I was thinking about buying a 2400 watt power station. The limited battery and cost of auxiliary batteries had me hesitating. I also thought, during the first video, since I’m off grid, how do I charge the battery. I think I’m now convinced to get an all in one charge controller/inverter that I can add panels and batteries to until I have adequate power.
All in ones can be useful but I'll admit, I'm not a fan unless you really aren't ready for a DIY system. The trouble with the All in Ones much like the power stations (they both have their place) is that they are all in one ;) With separate controllers and inverters etc it's much easier to understand and maintain and adding more panels is easy enough. Now, batteries aren't a factor really, the key is to get enough battery and build the system around the battery which should be built based on the usage you intend. So, for example, if you will use 3kw of power in a day, build a 9 to 15kw battery bank and then a 1.5kw array with associated controller and breakers etc. Choose the inverter that will best meet your needs (I'm a little heavy on that side but that's intentional) and you're golden :D
@@TheOldJarhead Thank you for your reply. I’ll do a little more research I just figured the all in one was a good cross between the power station and the full DIY.
@dawnnwilliams2946 It is if you aren't ready to go full blown DIY system, but if something quits, you'll have to replace the entire thing vs. just one component 😉
My backup is a river 2 and a river 2 pro plus a 100ah 12 volt. 560 watts of commercial panels and 300 watts of folding panels mean I can get several hours of refrigerator and heat plus a couple of lights. Not enough but I can run for a minute in an outage.
Just did something similar here in SC after Helena and was able to keep 4 refrigerators and 2 freezers (mine and neighbors) running for several days until power came back. Used several Bluetti power stations, 7 - 100 ah lifepo4 batteries and 3 - 1000 watt to 1500 watt inverters to keep everything running. I used cables with the XT 60 plug to attach the 100ah 12v batteries into the Bluetti power stations and about 100 to 120 watts was going into the power stations from the batteries. This was enough to keep the Bluetti's charged up and when the 12v - 100AH lifepo4 batteries were depleted I would charge them with a 1000 watt inverter generator with a 30 amp Victron charger. I could charge 4 batteries with a gallon of gas and I was able to save everyone's food. The little generator did run almost all day but it was really quiet and I didn't even use 5 gallons of gas for the whole thing. I purchased this equipment and set up just to run my house in an emergency and it would have been no problem for that but it was a bit of a struggle after I started helping others. I have upgraded my generator to 2000 watts so I can charge 2 batteries at once now, also advising others about the basic type of things they should have on hand in case of another multi day emergency to make it easier on myself LOL.
@@TheOldJarhead Thanks, everything turned out fine for our neighborhood, everyone wasn't so lucky though. I started out just buying batteries and inverters a few years ago when most of the mid size power stations were in the $1500 to $2000 range. But, now that models like the Bluetti AC70 and the Anker and Eco Flow equivalents are about $400 I just can't justify trying to piece a system together when just the battery and good quality inverter will cost about 3/4 of that price. Oh, and the Bluetti A2C for less than $150 and the River 3 for about $179 are great for hooking up your internet stuff, NAS and TV's. I use them like a UPS and when the power goes out I have about 5 hours on my networking stuff before I have to do anything and the TV will run about 3 hours on it's own unit, plus they will handle all of your phone and tablet charging so no rush to get everything set up for the short term outages or the power blips we see constantly. I'm an old Squid and spent several years on an anphib base so I won't hold being a jarhead against ya : )
Hey Uber ;) us jarheads love our Sailors, after all, who'd get us where we need to go if it wasn't for the Navy ;) Kidding aside, I agree with your assessment on costs and how to use units. I'm a DIY guy myself but can't help playing with inexpensive power stations either.
you make a good case for the pro built portable power stations and proprietary batteries. all the parts are matched and all safety's are built in. plus you dont have to keep track of all the bits a pieces. for occasional or emergency use simple is always better. remember" kiss" marine? my experience has been that when you are using these power stations you will end up wanting both solar panels and a generator to charge them back up depending on the weather and your day to day use.
No argument there provided the money is there for them. It's considerably cheaper to go this route than to go with the full blown proprietary system but then it's also cheaper (and better) to go with a complete off grid power system instead :D
I've been enjoying your videos. What I got from you message, power stations have their place such as picnics, camping or small construction projects....and of course a less than 24 hours grid down situation. As a off grid citizen for many years, I think that the name "solar generator" is a marketing plot put upon the uninformed urbanite. These power stations are NOT generators. I suspect that many buy a power station and don't get around to buying the silly little solar panels. And, as you pointed out, recharging power stations with small panels is not just a one to two hour proposition....as it is with one to two hour ON GRID recharging situation. It would be far better to buy 4 or more 100 amp hour 12 volt LifePo4 batteries (4800wh for $900,) a couple "real" (not harbor freight) solar panels....such as (3) 350 volt panels (used for $150-$400) and a cheap off brand 3000 watt all-in-one inverter for $350-500. With some wiring expense all couple be done on the cheap for less thank $2000....with many advantages.
I invested in a 6000 running watt inverter generator and run it drawing 3000 watts total. My reasoning is that gennie is in its sweet spot of 50% load. Great on fuel and not hammering the hell out of it. I then split 3ways into 1000 watts each 2 battery power stations, both Ankers, f2600 and f3800. Both charge at 1000 watts each 120v ac charging cord. The third 1000 watt feeds a LiTime lithium po4 battery charger that puts out 40 amps to a 52.1V 100amp lithium po4 server battery. I can charge all three simultaneously in just over 3 hours. Fully charged I have conservatively 11 kWh… My philosophy is when the shtf chances are those ultra high winds and cloudy rainy days make solar too unpredictable vs my gennie using about 2.5 gallons a day maybe.
You can also in an emergency use a 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter connected to your vehicle's battery! Just turn off all of your vehicles accessories like radio or air conditioning while doing it.
Heres a couple factors that should be considered. Battery drain on lifepo4 will put the bms in a dead state that requires a start jolt to re-enable it. Another factor is most charge controllers require a battery to work if theres no power to the battery and the panels start pumping power in it can and has damaged charge controllers in my experience. I'm looking at you renogy. Now there are some charge controllers powered via panel not battery that can fix that issue. This all raises the complexity of a solution to factor in these things. I have given thought to setting up a bank of batteries with a a small solar charger that can fully charge the bank over time and use that to keep things working. There are pieces to that puzzle that I have yet to work out.
I've completed drained the XDNY battery to the point of BMS shutdown and then recharged it back up with a 5amp charger. That's the idea with LiFePos and their BMS's. Yes they can get stuck (if you will) but I've not had that issue at all. Of course, I recommend only draining a battery about 40% if possible but in this case, it's a LiFePo4 so I'm not concerned. As for the charge controller? Never heard of that happening but perhaps with the less expensive 'overseas' controllers it's an issue.
Another option is to connect an AC power inverter to your car's battery, and then plug in your battery charger and use it to recharge the battery. You will need to have the car's engine running to supply the needed power to run the battery charger and prevent running down the car's battery. If you are anticipating having a power outage, like from storm damage to the electrical supply, you might want to be sure that you fill your gas tank before the storm hits so that you will have plenty of fuel to run the car when you need to.
That can work but does require a good high powered charger that can charge up the battery fast and of course, someone not driving off ;) But yes, this will also work in a pinch.
I am off grid. I have 3 small power stations but I run 4 batteries inverter can charger for 40amp.. and generator always looking for another idea. thanks
Yes. Of course, with a powerful enough solar panel or array, you could get by with the panels for the power station and a charger that you can runbiff the inverter butvthat may be too little
Will your NEXPEAK jump start , your 24v battery if it is completely drained, and the BMS has turned the battery off… if not where do you get a 24v jump?
That's a good question! I haven't run into that yet even though I've drained my 24v XZNY battery fully (the BMS shuts of it OFF) I was able to recharge it with my little 24v 5A charger. I'd imagine, if the BMS has failed then you'd have to charge each cell but again, I haven't run into that as the BMS wakes up once I put a charge on the battery.
Did I see something on the cable you had plugged into the power bank and connected to the "back up battery". was it a fuse? I just ordered a xt60 cable with the O rings, but it doesn't have a fuse. Can I add one? Do I even need one?
ok, assuming I wanted to use a largish solar panel farm and a solar controller to recharge the external battery, why not buy a stand alone converter at that point and skip the power station? What would you recommend in the 1200 - 2000 watt range for panels / controller / inverter? I am thinking keep the fridge / freezer and maybe the blower for the gas heater working at a minimum.
When I'm back in the office I can give you my recommendation but it would be a modern version of what I have now and can be seen in a few of my videos from late last year. 2400w solar in 2 arrays, Outback Flexmax 80 for larger array, Morningstar Tristar MPPT60 fir 2nd array (Now running a Bateria Sunrock 60 which is performing well, AIMS or SGP 4k inverter charger, generator and AGS etc.
As a beginner, I have compared backups by watt hours. Do i multiply amp hours by volts to get that in batteries? My second question is if i buy the controller and charger and solar panels, is there such thing as a switch to use so that i can have one battery charging and one battery being used with the power station?
1st, power (watts) equals voltage times amps. So yes, multiple the batteries AH rating by voltage to get wh. ie. 12.8 109AH LiFePo4 is 1280wh. You can set up the controller to charge the battery with clamps and just switch as needed. A switch isn't needed. Also, if the solar input is within the range of the power station, you could just connect and charge in most cases.
Maybe you can answer my question or direct me to where I can get an answer. I have a 4kw converter. It requires 24vdc to run. I hooked up 2 12v marine deep cycle batteries in series. I ran a portable ac that draws 1800 watt max. It ran for a couple of hours and converter shut off. One of the batteries is now completely dead and won't take a charge. Wrong batteries?
Semper Fi! Usually when one battery dies it means the battery was not the same condition as the other or the connections to the series batteries was on one of the two rather than cross them. This can allow the draw to come of the one it's hooked up to. If it was a LiFePo4 battery and they were balanced well (same voltages with 1/2 a volt when fully charged) and only one died and now won't revive that suggest a problem perhaps with the BMS of the batteries. Where they the same age, brand and voltage? Also, Marine batteries aren't that great to use though RV manufacturers use them a lot. They are 'ok' to use but have a lot less life cycles and less overall power they can provide without dying. I'd probably take that one back to the company I got it from if they were the same age, type etc and the connection to them was correct.
@AdamRoby I am trying now to decide on a power station, Amazon Prime day for us today and tomorrow. Not sure if Jackery is better than Bluetti or not... I have two 100 W panels at the cabin with controller and would like to bring this to tie into my system on the weekends when I have bigger power requirements (building something), but keep at home for emergency power, like to run a fridge for a few hours should the power go out. I'm thinking ~1000 Wh should be a decent start, not too expensive.
But at that point, if it will cost you so much to get these extra tools, not just a battery, it would cost the same as just getting the extended battery for the ecoflow that cost $500.
It's nice having a Gennie, or 24 Volt Solar System with 1600 Watts on dual Victron 150/35 Charge Controllers feeding 4 24 Volt 100ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries for 10K o Back Up Power to Tap into. That's why I have several Systems set up here in The California High Desert area at 3,100 feet from Sea Level. Semper Fi @ 🌴 💦 Indian Creek Ranch 🌵 ⛩
So, you bought a cheap, rather inexpensive, 24 volt 5 amp charger, NEXPEAK NC202… AND it works… But how bout a LUCITTI 30 AMPS, OR the premium Victron… Going from 50 bucks, to 140, to 190 dollars… Now we both know its NOT 30 AMP, for 24 volt… More like 12-15 Amps… I,m hearing a Dead Battery recovery thing, and shunt thing? Sounds like video material to me… 👍
I actually have a BatteryEvo 34amp 29.4v charger I'll be using as soon as my Anderson plug to ring terminal cable arrives. So the little charger is a temp one ;) Dead battery recovery would be fun, just need the right charger to handle cells individually I'm thinking.
FINALLY SOMEONE ANSWERS THIS QUESTION! Thank you!
For the sake of others, just new to this as you know, a lot more people will learn from you by showing them and not just talking about it. I'm not a Marine but retired from the Army and we always learned instructions as a student or instructor to do 4 things. Tell it, show it, and the learner had to do it and apply it.
All good points though I'm not sure what I didn't show? However, in the preceding video I showed setting up the power station here ruclips.net/video/e70nK-F8Lbs/видео.html
Semper Fi
I agree that using a solar panel and a generator to recharge makes the most sense. I do like the idea of possibly using a charger off the vehicle while using it to.
Semper Fi! and yes, I hadn't included the vehicle charger but it is a great way to go and I will be doing some testing with one soon. Cheers
You could also use one of these new 500 watt chargers that run off your alternator. Throw your battery in your Jeep and while you're out wheeling, you can be charging that battery with 500 watts. You could also just start the Jeep if you needed to in an emergency to charge the battery. 👍
Absolutely!
That's better than a generator IMO - just make sure you have plenty of fuel for your vehicle.
IDK my big generator only uses 1/2 gallon of LPG at the output I'm using it for. 11 years on it and going strong :D
Thanks alot. I am now buying a 24v 200Ah Li Time battery on Amazon Prime Day and I hope this will work with my Anker 767 Power station. Thanks again. USMC Montreal Canada.
Semper Fi Marine!
To me, this is an example of why the more expensive proprietary expansion batteries are worth the cost. Plug in expansion batteries, plug in solar, start unit, run electrics. If needed when things pull down, start generator. I would quickly grow tired of having to do all that plugging, unplugging, charge this, charge that, plug/ unplug again and again.
No doubt that's where they shine but for the price, those with lower budget can get more power for less but with a little more hassle. Also, on those larger units, you still need a way to charge that's sufficient to get them back to 100%. Charging, for example, a 4600wh power station with battery will take the same time as it will to charge a 2048wh power station with 2560wh extra battery ;) Same solar requirement or car charger requirement etc.
You want to know what I think? You sure about that? 🤣. I agree with you, solar and a gas generator big enough to handle a proper battery charger is the way to go. 👍🏻
lol ahhh hmmmm maybe not lol Personally, a 50amp charger and genny are my preference but then I have a whole system so...
Thanks. My main point in my comment on the other video was that the cost of the charger for the spare battery, the need to disconnect while charging, skill level, and so on are factors in deciding whether to use the VERY expensive factory add-on or not.
I've got 4 x 100 amp hour LifePo4 batteries and 900 watts of solar powering my home office (with an AC charger if weather prevents a full charge), but I also have a DC to DC charger and a couple inverters so I can use my cars as generators in an emergency. I have tools, hardware, and skills.
I was on the phone with a friend in Florida as tornadoes were touching down. I managed to track down what seemed to be the only power source left in the state at an auto parts store that was open the next day - a 300 watt modified sine wave inverter - and I had to walk her through connecting it to her car battery (I'm 3,000 miles away). It gave her the ability to run a fan or two to cool off. She's an ideal candidate for a factory add-on. Apparently she's never even jump-started a car before and she was nervous when I told her to open the hood. Ultimately, after MUCH conversation, she's decided to get a power station and a DC to DC charger rather than extra batteries, a generator, or solar panels.
Agreed. Sometimes it's easier to spend more money and get it all in one ready to go -- plug and play. It is, however, less expensive to just build the entire thing yourself however, they are coming way down in price too so...
Good video, in my very very little extra time I have I’ve been trying to study all about solar systems. Man there is a lot of solar power stuff out there and man so many different ways to configure it. Keep it up in learning little by little more more every time you add another solar video. Appreciate the information
I really appreciate your feedback! It's awesome to hear that my videos are helping you learn about solar power. Keep up the great work in your studies!
hi, just bought , thru your links above the station battery and cable. i also got a charger. total $1668.09 for all that power! station today is 899
Awesome! I think you'll love it!
I'm actually doing this, just purchased Delta pro 3. I'm on a serious budget so this is my back up plan to get it charged up if I have to.
Nice!
Thank you for these two videos. I was thinking about buying a 2400 watt power station. The limited battery and cost of auxiliary batteries had me hesitating. I also thought, during the first video, since I’m off grid, how do I charge the battery. I think I’m now convinced to get an all in one charge controller/inverter that I can add panels and batteries to until I have adequate power.
All in ones can be useful but I'll admit, I'm not a fan unless you really aren't ready for a DIY system. The trouble with the All in Ones much like the power stations (they both have their place) is that they are all in one ;) With separate controllers and inverters etc it's much easier to understand and maintain and adding more panels is easy enough. Now, batteries aren't a factor really, the key is to get enough battery and build the system around the battery which should be built based on the usage you intend. So, for example, if you will use 3kw of power in a day, build a 9 to 15kw battery bank and then a 1.5kw array with associated controller and breakers etc. Choose the inverter that will best meet your needs (I'm a little heavy on that side but that's intentional) and you're golden :D
@@TheOldJarhead Thank you for your reply. I’ll do a little more research I just figured the all in one was a good cross between the power station and the full DIY.
@dawnnwilliams2946 It is if you aren't ready to go full blown DIY system, but if something quits, you'll have to replace the entire thing vs. just one component 😉
Good video. I use a Victron 100/30 solar charger connected to 3x 220w bifacial panels to in series
Nice 👍
My backup is a river 2 and a river 2 pro plus a 100ah 12 volt. 560 watts of commercial panels and 300 watts of folding panels mean I can get several hours of refrigerator and heat plus a couple of lights. Not enough but I can run for a minute in an outage.
Just did something similar here in SC after Helena and was able to keep 4 refrigerators and 2 freezers (mine and neighbors) running for several days until power came back. Used several Bluetti power stations, 7 - 100 ah lifepo4 batteries and 3 - 1000 watt to 1500 watt inverters to keep everything running. I used cables with the XT 60 plug to attach the 100ah 12v batteries into the Bluetti power stations and about 100 to 120 watts was going into the power stations from the batteries. This was enough to keep the Bluetti's charged up and when the 12v - 100AH lifepo4 batteries were depleted I would charge them with a 1000 watt inverter generator with a 30 amp Victron charger. I could charge 4 batteries with a gallon of gas and I was able to save everyone's food. The little generator did run almost all day but it was really quiet and I didn't even use 5 gallons of gas for the whole thing. I purchased this equipment and set up just to run my house in an emergency and it would have been no problem for that but it was a bit of a struggle after I started helping others. I have upgraded my generator to 2000 watts so I can charge 2 batteries at once now, also advising others about the basic type of things they should have on hand in case of another multi day emergency to make it easier on myself LOL.
That's awesome and what I was thinking a person could do! Glad you made it through! Hope everything survived and all is well?
@@TheOldJarhead Thanks, everything turned out fine for our neighborhood, everyone wasn't so lucky though. I started out just buying batteries and inverters a few years ago when most of the mid size power stations were in the $1500 to $2000 range. But, now that models like the Bluetti AC70 and the Anker and Eco Flow equivalents are about $400 I just can't justify trying to piece a system together when just the battery and good quality inverter will cost about 3/4 of that price. Oh, and the Bluetti A2C for less than $150 and the River 3 for about $179 are great for hooking up your internet stuff, NAS and TV's. I use them like a UPS and when the power goes out I have about 5 hours on my networking stuff before I have to do anything and the TV will run about 3 hours on it's own unit, plus they will handle all of your phone and tablet charging so no rush to get everything set up for the short term outages or the power blips we see constantly. I'm an old Squid and spent several years on an anphib base so I won't hold being a jarhead against ya : )
Hey Uber ;) us jarheads love our Sailors, after all, who'd get us where we need to go if it wasn't for the Navy ;) Kidding aside, I agree with your assessment on costs and how to use units. I'm a DIY guy myself but can't help playing with inexpensive power stations either.
thanks for the info :-) relly great to see an example of exactly what i want to see. Will the 10AWG cable be ok with 50w ?
10awg cable is good for 30amps typically though over this short distance even that should be fine. So, at 30amps 24v would be over 700 watts :D
you make a good case for the pro built portable power stations and proprietary batteries. all the parts are matched and all safety's are built in. plus you dont have to keep track of all the bits a pieces. for occasional or emergency use simple is always better. remember" kiss" marine? my experience has been that when you are using these power stations you will end up wanting both solar panels and a generator to charge them back up depending on the weather and your day to day use.
No argument there provided the money is there for them. It's considerably cheaper to go this route than to go with the full blown proprietary system but then it's also cheaper (and better) to go with a complete off grid power system instead :D
I've been enjoying your videos.
What I got from you message, power stations have their place such as picnics, camping or small construction projects....and of course a less than 24 hours grid down situation. As a off grid citizen for many years, I think that the name "solar generator" is a marketing plot put upon the uninformed urbanite. These power stations are NOT generators. I suspect that many buy a power station and don't get around to buying the silly little solar panels. And, as you pointed out, recharging power stations with small panels is not just a one to two hour proposition....as it is with one to two hour ON GRID recharging situation.
It would be far better to buy 4 or more 100 amp hour 12 volt LifePo4 batteries (4800wh for $900,) a couple "real" (not harbor freight) solar panels....such as (3) 350 volt panels (used for $150-$400) and a cheap off brand 3000 watt all-in-one inverter for $350-500. With some wiring expense all couple be done on the cheap for less thank $2000....with many advantages.
Amen!
Thanks for the video
You bet!
Thank you
You're welcome
I invested in a 6000 running watt inverter generator and run it drawing 3000 watts total. My reasoning is that gennie is in its sweet spot of 50% load. Great on fuel and not hammering the hell out of it. I then split 3ways into 1000 watts each 2 battery power stations, both Ankers, f2600 and f3800. Both charge at 1000
watts each 120v ac charging cord. The third 1000 watt feeds a LiTime lithium po4 battery charger that puts out 40 amps to a 52.1V 100amp lithium po4 server battery. I can charge all three simultaneously in just over 3 hours. Fully charged I have conservatively 11 kWh…
My philosophy is when the shtf chances are those ultra high winds and cloudy rainy days make solar too unpredictable vs my gennie using about 2.5 gallons a day maybe.
You can also in an emergency use a 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter connected to your vehicle's battery! Just turn off all of your vehicles accessories like radio or air conditioning while doing it.
Yes!
Heres a couple factors that should be considered. Battery drain on lifepo4 will put the bms in a dead state that requires a start jolt to re-enable it. Another factor is most charge controllers require a battery to work if theres no power to the battery and the panels start pumping power in it can and has damaged charge controllers in my experience. I'm looking at you renogy. Now there are some charge controllers powered via panel not battery that can fix that issue. This all raises the complexity of a solution to factor in these things. I have given thought to setting up a bank of batteries with a a small solar charger that can fully charge the bank over time and use that to keep things working. There are pieces to that puzzle that I have yet to work out.
I've completed drained the XDNY battery to the point of BMS shutdown and then recharged it back up with a 5amp charger. That's the idea with LiFePos and their BMS's. Yes they can get stuck (if you will) but I've not had that issue at all. Of course, I recommend only draining a battery about 40% if possible but in this case, it's a LiFePo4 so I'm not concerned. As for the charge controller? Never heard of that happening but perhaps with the less expensive 'overseas' controllers it's an issue.
Another option is to connect an AC power inverter to your car's battery, and then plug in your battery charger and use it to recharge the battery. You will need to have the car's engine running to supply the needed power to run the battery charger and prevent running down the car's battery. If you are anticipating having a power outage, like from storm damage to the electrical supply, you might want to be sure that you fill your gas tank before the storm hits so that you will have plenty of fuel to run the car when you need to.
That can work but does require a good high powered charger that can charge up the battery fast and of course, someone not driving off ;) But yes, this will also work in a pinch.
I am off grid. I have 3 small power stations but I run 4 batteries inverter can charger for 40amp.. and generator always looking for another idea. thanks
So the extra costs to plan for would be a charger and a solar charge controller ? For those who don't allready have them.
Yes. Of course, with a powerful enough solar panel or array, you could get by with the panels for the power station and a charger that you can runbiff the inverter butvthat may be too little
Will your NEXPEAK jump start , your 24v battery if it is completely drained, and the BMS has turned the battery off… if not where do you get a 24v jump?
That's a good question! I haven't run into that yet even though I've drained my 24v XZNY battery fully (the BMS shuts of it OFF) I was able to recharge it with my little 24v 5A charger. I'd imagine, if the BMS has failed then you'd have to charge each cell but again, I haven't run into that as the BMS wakes up once I put a charge on the battery.
Did I see something on the cable you had plugged into the power bank and connected to the "back up battery". was it a fuse? I just ordered a xt60 cable with the O rings, but it doesn't have a fuse. Can I add one? Do I even need one?
Nope. In this case, it's an XT90, but regardless, I did not fuse, though it can't hurt but would need to be big enough to allow full use
ok, assuming I wanted to use a largish solar panel farm and a solar controller to recharge the external battery, why not buy a stand alone converter at that point and skip the power station?
What would you recommend in the 1200 - 2000 watt range for panels / controller / inverter? I am thinking keep the fridge / freezer and maybe the blower for the gas heater working at a minimum.
When I'm back in the office I can give you my recommendation but it would be a modern version of what I have now and can be seen in a few of my videos from late last year. 2400w solar in 2 arrays, Outback Flexmax 80 for larger array, Morningstar Tristar MPPT60 fir 2nd array (Now running a Bateria Sunrock 60 which is performing well, AIMS or SGP 4k inverter charger, generator and AGS etc.
Battery charger with a smart plug, can turn it on and off wireless
And the new LiFePo4's often have Bluetooth capability which helps monitor them etc.
I have delta 2 and 2 220 eco flow panels i can charge eco to 100%/95% in less than 4 hrs. So i am looking at getting external to extend more power.
Sounds like a great setup!
YAY!
Ya back at ya
SEMPER FI 🇺🇸
Semper Fi!
Do these two discharge equally together when using them connected?
Nope. The battery drains 1st
As a beginner, I have compared backups by watt hours. Do i multiply amp hours by volts to get that in batteries? My second question is if i buy the controller and charger and solar panels, is there such thing as a switch to use so that i can have one battery charging and one battery being used with the power station?
1st, power (watts) equals voltage times amps. So yes, multiple the batteries AH rating by voltage to get wh. ie. 12.8 109AH LiFePo4 is 1280wh. You can set up the controller to charge the battery with clamps and just switch as needed. A switch isn't needed. Also, if the solar input is within the range of the power station, you could just connect and charge in most cases.
@@TheOldJarhead thanks so much
You bet
Maybe you can answer my question or direct me to where I can get an answer. I have a 4kw converter. It requires 24vdc to run. I hooked up 2 12v marine deep cycle batteries in series. I ran a portable ac that draws 1800 watt max. It ran for a couple of hours and converter shut off. One of the batteries is now completely dead and won't take a charge. Wrong batteries?
When I get home I'll answer but batteries may be part of it as well as the draw and where you hooked up the inverter
@@TheOldJarhead thank you. Semper Fi.
Semper Fi! Usually when one battery dies it means the battery was not the same condition as the other or the connections to the series batteries was on one of the two rather than cross them. This can allow the draw to come of the one it's hooked up to. If it was a LiFePo4 battery and they were balanced well (same voltages with 1/2 a volt when fully charged) and only one died and now won't revive that suggest a problem perhaps with the BMS of the batteries. Where they the same age, brand and voltage? Also, Marine batteries aren't that great to use though RV manufacturers use them a lot. They are 'ok' to use but have a lot less life cycles and less overall power they can provide without dying. I'd probably take that one back to the company I got it from if they were the same age, type etc and the connection to them was correct.
@@TheOldJarhead thank you.
you bet
@AdamRoby
I am trying now to decide on a power station, Amazon Prime day for us today and tomorrow.
Not sure if Jackery is better than Bluetti or not...
I have two 100 W panels at the cabin with controller and would like to bring this to tie into my system on the weekends when I have bigger power requirements (building something), but keep at home for emergency power, like to run a fridge for a few hours should the power go out. I'm thinking ~1000 Wh should be a decent start, not too expensive.
1000wh with a 2nd battery like the 24v one I show here would be ideal as 1000wh for a normal fridge might only give you 3hrs
Ecoflow Delta 2 max is 2kwh for 999. Delta 2 is 459 for 1 kWh. I bought 2 Delta 2s.
nice
But at that point, if it will cost you so much to get these extra tools, not just a battery, it would cost the same as just getting the extended battery for the ecoflow that cost $500.
except the echoflo needs the solar too. in my case I use a $30 charger
It's nice having a Gennie, or 24 Volt Solar System with 1600 Watts on dual Victron 150/35 Charge Controllers feeding 4 24 Volt 100ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries for 10K o Back Up Power to Tap into. That's why I have several Systems set up here in The California High Desert area at 3,100 feet from Sea Level.
Semper Fi @ 🌴 💦 Indian Creek Ranch 🌵 ⛩
It sounds like you’ve got a solid setup! The combination of solar power and backup systems is definitely a smart move, especially in the high desert.
Plenty of Lumber in Big Bear Lake Mountain Resorts Community just 20 miles south of Me - The Big Bonus here is this Mountain Spring Aquaphor Well 💦
I bet that's nice!
#4. Use your vehicle
Yes though running a vehicle that long will be more costly than a generator
Need a generator, power station, and solar.
Agreed
So, you bought a cheap, rather inexpensive, 24 volt 5 amp charger, NEXPEAK NC202… AND it works… But how bout a LUCITTI 30 AMPS, OR the premium Victron… Going from 50 bucks, to 140, to 190 dollars… Now we both know its NOT 30 AMP, for 24 volt… More like 12-15 Amps… I,m hearing a Dead Battery recovery thing, and shunt thing? Sounds like video material to me… 👍
I actually have a BatteryEvo 34amp 29.4v charger I'll be using as soon as my Anderson plug to ring terminal cable arrives. So the little charger is a temp one ;) Dead battery recovery would be fun, just need the right charger to handle cells individually I'm thinking.