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Build a Really Big Lithium Ion Solar Battery

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on August 30, 2023 by JimSeptember 9, 2023
photo of the Really Big Lithium Ion Battery Box

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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Posted in solar, Projects | Tagged 16s, 48 volt, battery, battery management system, bms, howto, lithium ion, off-grid, radiob, solar, storage

Build a Handy 12-Volt Solar Generator with LiFePo4 Batteries

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on July 23, 2023 by JimDecember 7, 2023
photo of the completed solar generator

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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Posted in solar, Projects | Tagged battery, bms, build, bus bar, charge, controller, DIY, generator, howto, inverter, iron, lifepo, lithium, management, phosphate, radiob, solar, storage, system, wb0mmc

Solar Power Eases A Bad Ice Storm

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on February 14, 2023 by JimFebruary 15, 2023
photo of 5 Kilowatt Solar Array with ice

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 →

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Posted in solar | Tagged charge controller, controller, DIY, electric kettle, hill country, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, off-grid, panel, solar, space heater, storage, tankless, toaster oven, update, water heater, wood stove

How to Build an Inexpensive Storage Shed

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on July 29, 2020 by JimJuly 29, 2020
photo of The finished shed

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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Posted in Projects, Woodworking | Tagged build, building, DIY, hill country, home depot, how to, howto, shed, storage, Texas, wb0mmc

How to Wire a Solar System – Finished

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on June 10, 2020 by JimJune 10, 2020
photo showing Miles (dog) approving of the Solar Power System

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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Posted in solar | Tagged batteries, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, how to, Interstate, inverter, off-grid, power, renogy, solar, solar power generator, storage, sungoldpower

How to Wire a Solar Power System – DC

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on May 29, 2020 by JimJune 10, 2020
Image of Shop Solar System showing the Inverter, Batteries and DC Wiring

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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Posted in solar | Tagged batteries, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, how to, Interstate, inverter, off-grid, power, renogy, solar, solar power generator, storage, sungoldpower

Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Completed?

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on November 15, 2017 by JimNovember 15, 2017
photo of Completed Solar Powered Rainwater System

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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Posted in Central Texas, Gardening, Greenhouse, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar | Tagged amateur, ampere-hours, battery bank capacity, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, equipment, Grid-assist, grid-tie, ham radio, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, marine, mppt, off-grid, panel, panel wattage, pwm, rainwater, renogy, solar, solar panel wattage, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

Solar Power Rainwater System – More Panels!

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on November 14, 2017 by JimNovember 15, 2017
photo of A solar-powered water shed

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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Posted in Greenhouse, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar, Woodworking | Tagged amateur, ampere-hours, battery bank capacity, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, equipment, Grid-assist, grid-tie, ham radio, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, marine, mppt, off-grid, panel, panel wattage, pwm, rainwater, renogy, solar, solar panel wattage, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Final Assembly

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on July 15, 2017 by JimNovember 14, 2017
photo of the entire solar system

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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Posted in Central Texas, Greenhouse, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar | Tagged amateur, ampere-hours, battery bank capacity, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, equipment, Grid-assist, grid-tie, ham radio, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, marine, mppt, off-grid, panel, panel wattage, pwm, rainwater, renogy, solar, solar panel wattage, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Batteries

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on July 11, 2017 by JimJuly 15, 2017
photo of Battery cart with batteries

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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Posted in Central Texas, Greenhouse, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar | Tagged amateur, ampere-hours, battery bank capacity, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, equipment, Grid-assist, grid-tie, ham radio, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, marine, mppt, off-grid, panel, panel wattage, pwm, rainwater, renogy, solar, solar panel wattage, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

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