Tag Archives: storage

Build a Really Big Lithium Ion Solar Battery

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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.

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Build a Handy 12-Volt Solar Generator with LiFePo4 Batteries

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Previously, I wrote about Upgrading a Solar Power System and mentioned a cache of new Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4) cells. The “ThunderSky Winston” cells had come from a Segway repair operation and were new. A little looking around the ‘net revealed they were still available from GWL Group. With a capacity of 60 Amp Hours (AH) and nominal voltage of 3.3 volts, they looked useful for building a 12-volt Solar Generator.

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Solar Power Eases A Bad Ice Storm

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Solar Power Update With several posts regarding the installation of solar power at Roy Creek Ranch, one might wonder whether or not it worked. Read on and learn about our experience in an emergency situation. The Solar Array is enlarged … Continue reading →

How to Build an Inexpensive Storage Shed

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I’ve been threatening to build a storage shed at the ranch for some time now. After going through everything in the shop and selling, discarding, or giving everything away I could, it was still too crowded to work effectively. I needed more space. A friend had recently mentioned a sale on small buildings at Costco — it was worth a look.

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How to Wire a Solar System – Finished

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In the last post, I described the DC charge controller and battery wiring for the Shop Solar System. With solar panels and batteries connected, the inverter was functional. A quick test showed the expected 240 VAC at the inverter output, and it was time to connect it to the breaker panel in the shop.

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How to Wire a Solar Power System – DC

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In the last post, we mounted the solar panel array. Now it was time for the solar power system low-voltage wiring. The array is about 50 feet from my shop, where the batteries and inverter are located. I planned to use two strands of #6 UF direct-bury cable to conduct the predicted maximum of 36 amperes to the shop.

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Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Completed?

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The Solar Powered Rainwater Project began about eight months ago, although one might argue it is the culmination of my rainwater system dreams beginning in 2002.

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Solar Power Rainwater System – More Panels!

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The solar-powered rainwater system was complete — except for more panels, and a cable to isolate the rainwater power from the rest of the system. Construction on the rainwater system began in 2002, when I trenched the various wires and pipes into the ground. I needed power for the rainwater system, and tapped into an underground wire originally intended to supply power to the well.

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Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Final Assembly

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With all the parts in stock, it was time to assemble the whole Solar Powered Rainwater Project. I cleaned out a space in the garden shed, and added plywood to the wall for attaching the various components. We would be mounting the inverter/charge controller, solar panel combiner/breakers, A/C transfer switch and related wiring.

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Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Batteries

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You may recall from an earlier post that the Solar Powered Rainwater Project requires substantial battery storage. In our original calculations, we decided we would need 15,796 watt/hours of storage to provide three days of autonomy (or days without sun).

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