The whole bottom balancing these cells are different than Lead Acid batteries. You pull each individual cell down to 2.750 volts. Get all of them within a few milli-volts of each other. Then charge them all up (connected in series for a nominal 48v pack (actually 56v) ) together.
Happily, as they are charging up, they are remaining well balanced. The last reading after today's cloudy day, putting in 2.4 KwH, showed them all within 2mV.
Fantastic.
I am relieved to no longer need to balance the cells. All in all, it took me a week and a half for the 16 cells. Between the rain, building the other structures, sleeping, and sun-stroke.
Tomorrow I'll connect both strings to the combiner box. Today showed me that even in some not so perfect conditions, half of the array was producing enough to power (per hour) my 42in TV for an hour. With the full array pulling in power.... I should be golden!
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| A view into our Life. |
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| 2000 Watts basking in the sun. |
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| Putting 15.2 amps into the batteries. 819 Watts (1000watts connected) |
Wonderful! Actually, the only thing I understood was "enough to power (per hour) my 42in TV for an hour", but it sounds like everything is going well :-) Your Big Blue Cloud Ranch is beautiful!
ReplyDelete:-D, As long as the champagne is chilled and the TV has enough juice to play a movie. All the math doesn't matter in the end. :)
DeleteIs it wrong that I saw the headline and thought they would be pics of you laying outside working on your tan??? ;-)
ReplyDeleteGranny beat me to it, I wish I understood all of that but it reminds me of math, not one of my strong suits. I tend toward the other side of the brain, history, english, art, etc. All that math, chemistry, algebra was lost on me in school. But hey, as long as the TV runs and the fridge is keeping things cold, I'm good!
Nice job!
Oh, Ray, I've been collecting plenty of those rays! I'm quite tanned up. I fear though that if I do not finish fast, I may be awfully funny colored.
DeleteCold drinks (beer or otherwise) and TV. Ahh the simple life for me.
I was reading two men and a little farm's blog just now and happened to check the comments on a post and link followed back to you.
ReplyDeleteImagine my surprise when I realized I have been watching you build that on my way to and from work for the last couple weeks!!! Such a very small world we live in.
Great job and welcome to the area!!
Oh...WOW! That's great! Jennifer wants a farm life, Cloud wants a farm life, and they are neighbors!
DeleteUt-oh, Guess I better watch my words. The neighbors now my tricks now. Welcome Jennifer. I do hope that you find the looks of my pretty Solar panels and build work aggreable. ;-)
DeleteFunny isn't it how that comes about, Carol.
WOW! Small world indeed huh? That's kind of neat actually. We're all connected in some way, I like that.
DeleteGreat job Cloud on getting electric. Unlike the others I am an electrician so I understand just what you are doing with the solar. It would be hard for me to live totally off the grid. I am spoiled by a 200amp AC pannel and a whole house back up generator. I could hang with solar as long as their was no limit to TV hours and Refrigerator power. But the simple life holds much to be desired. I really look forward to your posts. What is your plan for food for the winter this year? I know you do not have time to grow and build at the same time.
ReplyDeleteIt is my belief that I have over built the array to accommodate ample usage as you mention. That was the idea all along. To over build in lieu of relying on a genset to cover for it. This is what draws people to stop and question. Its too large for a shed. It should be powering a home.
DeleteFood in winter. As of now, I believe I may return back onto the road with another company. Do another round of camping (although with a house tent this time) and save up for next summer to build an Electric 'Audi'. ;)
Next spring/summer however will be a massive gardening effort. Thus return this blog to the stay at home gardener.
Why not build a solar powered greenhouse? With you being (I think) a vegetarian, you could probably grow your own food right through the winter months.
DeleteYes, perhaps. A friend here believes that I am being 'harassed' due to the belief that I am going to be growing cash crops inside that shed with grow lights and my large array.
Delete:) I could grow in winter. No doubt. May do. However, this time around I will probably go road traveling for work again to save up for an electric audi conversion. Then I could thumb my nose up to the pump and foreign powers as well.
I'm all about having ample people to rightly thumb up to!!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteLove all the information on your site. Specifically the solar. We are currently thinking about system size for off grid (family of five). Where did you purchase your system? What are the specifics of the LiFePO4 batteries you have? Thank you.
Allan in Canada
I wrote a specific post for your question. Take a look at the feb 17th posting.
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