The EV Experience — One Year On About a year ago, we purchased a Hyundai Ioniq5 electric vehicle. There were several reasons: __________ We’ve had the vehicle just over a year now, and it’s time for an update. The car itself … Continue reading →
The inverter I installed in 2020 was limited to 6000 watts output, not enough to reach the minimum specification for Level II charging, 7500 watts. Also, it had some problems starting with the charging loads. I often had to start the charge at lower rate and adjust the rate upwards to something like 5000 watts. Workable, but something better would be nice.
Continue reading →About a year ago, Marilyn and I made the leap and purchased a Hyundai Ioniq5. Our motivations were rooted in reducing fossil fuel reliance, harnessing solar energy for transportation, cutting fuel costs, and simplifying vehicle maintenance.
Continue reading →After we bought the Hyundai Ioniq5 electric vehicle, we needed a charging system at the ranch. A recommendation from a friend and my own research led to the Emporia Classic EV Charger.
Continue reading →I’ve made about 20 posts regarding my adventures in Solar Energy. They all lead to a Solar-powered “Gas Station” for an Electric Vehicle (EV). As prices for solar equipment have come down, the idea is within reach on my budget.
Continue reading →With the completion of 95 copper bus bars, I was nearly ready to assemble the Really Big Lithium Ion Battery. There is a little process involved though. The Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo) cells I was using had been in storage for a while and though new, would need a some maintenance. There would be 64 of them, arranged in 16 sets of four cells.
Continue reading →After building a wooden enclosure for the Lithium Ion Solar Battery, it was time to think about copper bus bars to connect all those cells together. This requires a little math, since the bus bars have to be big enough to handle current demand, but not too big — copper is expensive!
Continue reading →With 8 kilowatts of Solar panel to meet our power needs, it was time to think about winter heat. The solar power could be used to pump water, provide lighting, charge various devices and run small appliances, it just wasn’t going to be enough for heating — especially at night. We have a nearly endless source of deadfall live oak here at the ranch though, and a wood stove was the obvious answer.
Continue reading →The first step in building a really big lithium ion solar battery is the enclosure. At a minimum, it will hold 64 of the LiFePo4 cells and support their weight; about 325 lbs. It also occurred to me having some mobility would be nice.
Continue reading →The next upgrade for our Solar Power System was a Really Big Lithium Ion Battery (RBB). When we first installed the system in 2020, I didn’t have a cost-effective solution for Lithium Ion (LiFePo4 chemistry). That came later with the acquisition of a lot of LiFePo4 cells. Since then, I’ve built two small batteries to get used to the technology; one as a portable solar generator, and a slightly larger one to power the ham shack. With those under my belt, it’s time to tackle a 48-volt battery to replace the existing lead acid batteries.
Continue reading →
