I just finished assembling one myself. I just bought the plastic parts, since I already had the cells (with red Loctite on grubscrews) and the JBD BMS. Take my word for it, you want the cells fully discharged before you try and insert them, the fit is that good. I had already purchased 6 awg silicone wire, it is much easier to work with, and the single biggest thing that I would recommend they change. My JBD gave me no problems charging at 80 amps and since I didn't purchase their BMS, I wasn't aware they had programmed down the limits. I also made my wires longer and had fewer problems with the final assembly. Once assembled, the battery is pretty much "just right" and worth the money. My cells are grade B (although not previously used) and capacity wise I have two at 268AH, and the other 14 are 274AH or above. I am matching them to the limited extent possible, and it is working out nicely. The kit is actually nicer than I expected, I would highly recommend it. I just ordered 3 more, if you are on the fence about the kit, I definitely recommend it.
Yeah even at 30% SOC they were tough to fit in, can imagine 100% SOC is a bit of a struggle. But that's a good thing as it indicates a nice snug (but not too tight) fit. I'm still not sure why the BMS was programmed lower like that, but all of the settings are fully-configurable as needed.
@@LithiumSolar Yes, originally they hadn't published the guide, and I place the cells in backwards (really just means the positive and negative ends were reversed). It was a royal PITA to remove them and put them in correctly. I had to discharge them fully to get them out, and it still was NOT easy. It seems to give the cells just right compression. The reason the BMS is programmed with lower limits (I was told) is the heat generated when at the upper limits of charge and discharge. I tested at 80 amps charge rate, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just up the charge rate if you need to in the software.
Hey, We can you send you our V3 kit when it comes out we are getting our injection molds finished up, it works with cells with studs welded on them without the need for the external spacer.
14:10 - as a workaround you could use the classic 2 nut trick to tighten them. You tighten 2 nuts against each other on the stud and they will friction lock against each other. This allows you to use the nuts to tighten the bolt from the top. Then you can remove the nuts afterwards.
Actually- that was a total WIN in my eyes. Genuine capacity, well designed connections & well laid out. Under $300.00/ 100AH with some assembly required seems like a smoking deal as well. FWIW, it seems that the battery profile may fit in a standard RV battery holder (your mileage may vary) and you can buy nice positive & negative bussbars for easier access & fewer mistakes. I really, really like this solution for the 'mebbe' DIYer, David! I'm a perfect candidate for this solution- I have the tools, I have the knowledge, but- I don't want to solve for the variables like; compression, battery box, etc... Really impressed. Thank you very much and I hope I can get you a few bucks using an associate code when I buy them?
I think you need to do a little more research I can still build one battery including batteries and all tools needed like heat gun cable crimpers and anything else including everything in a battery box for the almost 1300 dollars for one box premade that they sell and you still have to assemble it. I can do all the same for about 780 not including the tools which cost less than 200.
@@simpletennesseelife5895 Nobody is stopping you. I purchased a kit (minus the cells and BMS) and will purchase more. What you wind up with when finished is very useful with a great finished appearance and quite useful. They add a lot of value to the kit version, if it isn't worth it for you, then nobody will stop you from doing your own. I already had the cells and BMS, and found the kits to be of a quality that I just ordered 3 more.
They actually put a lot of thought and effort into this kit. They added a lot of value to just ordering the battery box as some have suggested. I know exactly how much it would cost to DIY, and this is well worth the money (especially if you don't already own a printer to design and manufacture the plates). I am very pleased with the finished product, pleased enough that I just ordered 3 more.
Another good video. I looked at the site in the description and they are sold out. Kind of the way it works when posting in a youtube video, they always seem to be short of supply. Nice review. I prefer to put a 12v battery together with these type of cells rather than 18650 unless I am wanting very small footprint. All the best, have a great week!
You should not have any washers between the ring terminals and the battery post because stainless steel has higher resistance than does the terminal. This is really critical for the higher current terminals because the washer will overheat.
Right, a ting terminal will perform the mechanical function of a washer anyways... Also ~5:20 those buss bars don't necessarily look like they're nickel coated either, they should be though.
Beautiful assembly by Sun Fun Kit. This really amazed me to see a company put together such a DIY Kit like this one. All the customer have to do is to read and follow the instruction manual of the manufacturer on how to install this kit and you are all set to go👏 👍 I do like to assemble project like this which I think in my opinion is really cool built DIY/Portable Solar Powered Generator. Sun Fun Kit please send me one to do another beautiful review of this kit in a different perspective Very nice review and thanks for showing this awesome kit brother.
I am putting together 2 of these batteries and an MPP 1012lv on a cart for my sister and grandson to use as power failure generators. The finished product is very good if slightly anemic, but certainly enough to run the refrigerator and television for an extended outage.
Nice to see this hands-on. Great vid. But one thing as a noob... Please do tape off your terminals while building your battery. So little effort, so much safety.
The temp sensor came attached to the BMS and is pre-programmed for 0C low temp charging cutoff. You can place it where you want. You can see the black wire on the right of the BMS at 12:39. It's also covered on page 13 of the instruction manual.
@@LithiumSolar ok, if you show it and test it like Will then we won't be asking in the future. Sometime manufacture claim low temp charging cut off works but doesn't.
Hey man, love your channel. You inspired me to get into making battery packs. I bought some supplies from battery hookup but I am concerned about safety. Could you do a video on how you store your batteries, what safety measures you take, and what not to do? Thank you
A trick to tighten the screws for the terminals: Install 2 nuts. Tighten top nut against bottom nut. Tighten screw with bottom nut. Remove top nut, remove bottom nut.
Hi, thank you for the review, it looks like we sent you the wire harness for the v1 kit. We have a different wire harness for the v2 which is a little longer that takes care of the spacer height difference.
I love this idea and would buy one in a heartbeat. Unfortunately I need something smaller just to power my kayak, maybe 100/120ah. I didn’t see anything that small on their website.
i did mine off plywood, if you get like half inch ply, like a 4' by 2' the 2' lenght is perfect to make a 8s 280AH all in a single line with a little spare for padding/wood walls. I made a 280AH24v just by cutting strips on 2 4x2 ply boards, really easy if you have a circular saw
A single case holding 8 of these batteries would be very heavy, around 130lbs. It's probably best to have two cases connected in series. Then again, you need two BMS that way instead of a single 8s BMS, so I guess each way has pros and cons.
You can series connect these. I agree a 24v single BMS would be better, but Sun Fun Kits does have a good video doing these in series for 24v and running an air conditioner for an extended time. They even sell Anderson connector cables to do exactly that. The BMS is rated for up to 80v in series, but I personally wouldn't go above 24v, too much effort to keep things balanced.
As John mentioned, they do support being connected in series, up to 4 batteries or 48V. They technically can go higher but it's recommended by most manufacturer's not to exceed 48V. A single kit of 24V (one case for 8 batteries) would be very heavy, approximately 130lbs.
@@LithiumSolar Yes, I am over 60, my back likes 4 of these 280AH cells much better than 8 of them! I have been going with 100AH cells over 12v, just much easier to handle.
When threading those machine screws through the top of the battery case, as soon you get enough thread out, you put two nuts on the machine screw and tighten them against each other. Then use a wrench to turn the screw to tighten it. You can get a lot of force on studs and bolts that way. Mechanics technique, called "double nutting". Then break the nuts apart and thread them off.
Yes we program the default settings for 60 Amps charge and 125 charge, our reasoning behind this is better to have a little wiggle room, but of course it can be over-ridden the by the user. In a future app update we will add this feature as well.
Awesome, good to know. It can sustain 125A charge, right? I haven't seen any JBD that are limited to 50% charge (like the Daly are) but don't want to just assume.
@@LithiumSolar 80A is the most it can do, but the issue is many people are buying grade B cells, we don't know if its a good Idea to pump this much power into questionable cells, This is why we defaulted to 60, actually we were debating going down to 50 as the default.
@@sfkenergy So far all of my grade B cells have done fine at 80 amps charge and over 100 amps discharge for extended periods. I have a busbar with two 175 amp Anderson connectors and four 50 amp Anderson connectors that I use. I can hook up two 40 amp power supplies and 4 parallel cells (for top balancing) and/or 4 electronic loads for capacity testing (40 amps at 3.65v or 28 amps at 14.2v, each). The important thing is to clean the connections each time, I have a nice thermal camera I use to spot problems. I would suggest that you up the default charge rate, those Aims chargers are popular. I recently ordered one myself, just haven't received it. They are pricey, but if you are using a generator to charge, you want that extra oomph.
I have everything to put mine together, i was happy to see this. When i saw 200 for the plastic box it made me not so happy, 50-75 bucks apiece and i probably would have bought a couple. It really looks nice though.
Excellent review as always - interesting, although I’m not sure about the plastic case for mobile use. Would have liked to see padding all the way around.
1. At minute 8:00 you could've moved one of the ring terminals to the end battery post, as the busbar going between the two batteries would've read the same voltage either end. 2. If you strip the M6 thread on the battery posts, just drill and thread them to M8. Or use steel coil inserts to repair the M6 thread. Both cheap options, which means the battery is still usable.
I came in here to say the exact same. Just retap to m8. It's aluminum, you only need the strength of a toddler to do it, so harbor freight taps would do it for ya, lol. I've had to do this to several different banks over the past dozen years, it's no big deal, honestly a non-issue. The only issue is that it's aluminum to start with so pure copper terminals will just cause corrosion. Make sure yrs are AL7CU or AL9CU.
Hello, very clean kit with a few small issues. Nice work! The problem is that the kit Without cell’s is reasonably priced and is likely a good kit for someone making a tiny or smaller camper or van system. However with cells included are Very Very Very Expensive! IMO I bought EVE 280ah cells for $106 ea (I think up to about $135 ea now) I feel almost all resellers of cells are unreasonably priced at a “kinda usual” in the USA 300% markup! Just for reselling cells that they have inspected? ALL 64 of my EVE cells directly from Basen were packaged and matched perfectly as far as open voltage goes and had zero issues or damage. If you can DIY.. I recommend doing it yourself! Then hopefully resellers will get the message and stop with the nonsense of 300% cell markup! Good video and nice work sir! ✌️PT
One thing people don't seem to understand is that businesses need to make a profit in order to succeed. They aren't 300% marked up. They're probably acquiring them from the same (or similar) source as the rest of us. If they buy for $125 and sell for $200, that's a 60% increase or $75. They also have to factor in damaged cells, payment processor fees, discount codes, etc. So how much are they really making per sale? Probably not much and certainly not "nonsense". Buying from China will always be cheaper...
The cells they are selling are pretty obviously grade A, and go for (assuming you order grade A) about $130 to $150 each plus shipping. The ones I purchase are manufactured by EVE when you order, and come with the EVE test reports. Yes, you can order "bulk" cells, but you get what you pay for. As noted, they aren't making a large profit on these, I think they are very reasonably priced. "Bulk" cells won't come with the EVE branded caps for the terminals, just FYI. I already had cells and BMS, so I can't really speak for the ones they supply. But I will note that only cells sold and shipped by EVE come with those caps.
@@LithiumSolar got it.. need to make a profit. I said as much. However if you are DIY.. most want to DIY to save money. Mine.. 53,760watts under $7100 Just saying..
@@ProspectorTripp how much would you sell you $7100 53k battery for? If someone offered to commission you to do the job 30% up front the rest when delivered.
Oh, I cannot believe you used channel locks on the bolt threads… I’m sure you were gentle, and I noticed you pushed backwards from the jaw grip to limit damage to the threads, but still, a better way to do that would be to put a pair of nuts on the stud, and tighten them together, to create a safe gripping surface.
That is a good tip, I just made slightly longer (doubled) 6 awg silicone wires and had no problems. The wire makes a big difference in the frustration level.
Great video, been waiting for a solit diy kit to come to market. Thanks for taking the time to show us. ??? Any idea if they approve of series wiring to 48 volts. These would be a great upgrade to my battleborns - with 3x capacity and servicable cells and componants. Looks like I could fit 60 kwh where i currantly store 20 kwh if I am guaging the size of that case accurately. Keep up the great work, will check out your link to the kits.
The JBD BMS is rated for use in series up to 80v, but if at all possible, I would recommend not doing multiple batteries in series. Too easy to run into balance problems, I personally wouldn't go over two in series for that reason. But a 24v series capable of 150 amps will supply a lot of power.
@@john_in_phoenix excellant, thanks for that info. We are ronning a 48 volt outback system so I am financially committed to that setup, but Id be willing to bet that BMS would perform as well or better than the battleborn BMS in a series configuration. They have worked fine for the last 4 years but Im ready for more storage capacity. Id think the BMS is more advanced and capable than what battleborn had 4 years ago. I will look into it further. Have a sunny day...
I just measured mine, 13.5 inches by 7.5 inches for the bottom part, but the handles on each end make it 14.5 by 7.5. Mine with the largest spacer is 11.5 inches tall. I hope that helps you determine if it will fit.
3-D printed case. How stable is it. I have not worked much with 3-D plastics. I understand the instructions say to connect the cables the way you did, but could you connect pig-tails to the lid first, then connect to battery/BMS? I bet they are still too short. Thanks for sharing.
An updated Lid will be released by Late November, this will accommodate the taller cells without the need for adding a spacer, here is a preview: czcams.com/video/eIir2V_ZhuE/video.html
Adjustable Electric Fan Thermostat Switch Radiator Temperature Control Probe Kit..probably an excellent option for bms without low temperature sensors?
If you strip the posts they can be retapped to the next size up, been there done that. There is a ton of material in the post connections on Eve cells where they enter the battery ( we had one torn apart in a car accident while installed in an RV - Yes, it was handled as hazmat, clean up crews warned but I still saw exactly how thick those posts are, and how long) Having seen the sheer size of material in the aluminum posts, The only reason I can think of why they give us M6 size bolts/post is to keep the cells from being damaged by the force you can put on M8 or larger threaded materials. I mean it's just much too easy to put a lot of torque on a M8-10 bolt before the threads strip. I ultimately feel the small bolt/stud size is a safety feature whereby the threads can strip before the battery is damaged and this may not be true if they used larger sizes..... but tapping those post holes to M8 (or even M10) won't compromise the post material imo . It just means you have to be especially careful not to over torque the new M8 post or bolt because you now have enough purchase to twist that aluminum post structure inside the battery. Eve calls for 8Nm (5.90 ft-lb) on most 280ah products. Check your spec sheet. TL;DR I have tapped these to the next size up after a client stripped the threads out of them. I neither recommend you follow my actions or make any guarantee that what works for me would work for you.
A good video, i didn't know that was so complicated... and so expensive; not entirely interested yet; we really need a different and better battery technology; my four "solar" 160Ah lead acids cost 150 each, they are now 4 years old,on my 1.5Kw solar system,6 panels, and they still work perfectly; the key is to have them oversized for the needs and they may last a decade.
2 nuts on the screws . Lock the nuts together . Place wrench on lower nut . Do not over tighten . Or you can use a piece of leather or plastic with your channel locks .
@@LithiumSolar no doubt aluminum is soft, more engagement the better, and a threaded stud is always the preferred solution. Just providing a datapoint if you need to make a judgement call in the future. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
About the output of the BMS - there is a penalty of high amp chargers - it is convenient but you degrade the battery at the expense of fast charging. The lithium particles gets trapped in the anode plate material at greater rate when the charging amperage are higher. The is the problem with all types of chemically based batteries. The lower the charge, the less heat and stress on the plates or materials. Heat (while charging) also degrades the battery.
Ah, milk crate batteries are pretty neat too. I've wanted to do one for a while now but a few others have already done so and it's difficult to be original sometimes as we're all after the same components lol.
I put helicoils in all my batteries before i even use them now because i know the threads will strip at the required torque. experience! a helicoil kit from amazon is inexpensive and i always use studs tightened down to the bottom of the threads and the flange nuts
I've heard of people using helicoils to repair the damaged threads, and it sounds like an interesting idea. I've also heard some of those resulted in melted terminals (fire risk) and don't want to go there myself. If I damage one, I'd rather recycle it and buy a new cell to be safe.
@@k20nutz I drilled the same depth about 6 mm and ground the tap so that it just had a slight lead. Used my drill press to ensure it was plumb to start the threads. 40 years as a toolmaker gave my all kind of skills I never thuoght I would use in retirement lol.
As most of these companies will be out of business in 5 - 10 yrs (statistically speaking) their warranty's are pretty much useless, factor in the stability of LiFePO4 and a warranty is not necessary past 30 days. I certainly would not pay the $500 - $600 warranty from Battleborn.
1. Will the cells eventually bulge and put stress on connectors? 2. Regarding the vent, is there gas discharge involved, or another purpose? 3. What gear is needed for top balancing? 4. So total kit out the door with cells is over $1061 if I heard correct... how do you get $295/kWh? $1061/(12V × 280Ah) = .316 ... I'm likely miscalculating. It also seems more expensive than some other prebuilt batteries on Amazon... Are the cells and other hardware higher quality? THANK YOU SO SO VERY MUCH for all that you do!
The temp sensor came attached to the BMS and is pre-programmed for 0C low temp charging cutoff. You can place it where you want. You can see the black wire on the right of the BMS at 12:39. It's also covered on page 13 of the instruction manual.
I test batteries in amp hours because reporting watt hours is inaccurate due to not taking into account losses in the cabling, circuit breakers, BMS, etc.
They need to add a set screw Allen key placement at the end of them positive and negative bolts so you can thigh them from the top instead of sticking a Allen key into the box. Just my opinion 🤷♂️
The pricing is very confusing from this video. Going to to their website presents many options and the complete battery kit with all suggested options is expensive.
I did also ,and when i went to there website I got a very big surprise LOL I've got four more years $960 a month child support so I guess in four yesrs I will be able to purchase one and a fishing boat ( living the dream)
This kit is designed to build a 12V battery. Yes, you can connect the batteries into other configurations but you won't have the proper BMS or other parts to assemble it completely.
@@LithiumSolar , Hmm...I did not see you attach a wire (temp sensor) to one of the batteries or tape it to the side of opne of the batteries. Is it on the BMS board it self? If so, I think it's been proven that a board mounted, since it doesn't touch one of the battery cells..is not as accurate. Please advise...and thanks
@@douglasmontgomery6315 You can see the two black wires coming off the right side of the BMS at 12:40. Page 13 of the manufacturer's instructions www.sunfunkits.com/MediaStorage/Product/Documents/Document/1_20210924150120163.pdf includes mounting recommendations.
Unfortunately they ship only within US. Anybody any idea about an equivalent kit to order in Europe / Germany? Or via Aliexpress a similar kit (and quality) like case, BMS, ideally wires and such? ✌
This kid looks very good but when I went to Sun fun kits and looked at it to get all the parts appeared to cost over $1,000? If that is incorrect I would be happy to purchase one but I could not find 100ah battery kit for the price you were quoting. Please let me know where you got it. Thanks
The manufacturer states that you can connect up to 4 of these batteries in series for 48V. Each battery has their own BMS though, so you would need to manually balance the 4 batteries to the same state of charge first, before connecting in series.
I just used my own active balancer (oddly enough I have the same model) to top balance the cells and removed it when doing the final assembly. The BMS does have resistive balancing and is keeping the cells well balanced.
Where do you see that mentioned? All of the JBD BMS I've ever used can charge and discharge at 100% of their rating. That's one of the big reasons I stopped using Daly.
No, that model BMS is rated for 150 amps charge, and comes defaulted to 160 amps over current. I had no problems charging at 80 amps, but I used the same model JBD that I had previously purchased.
Hi, I follow your posts because they are very interesting. Thank you. I am writing to you why I should buy a lifepo4 battery for my experimental aircraft with a engine of 200hp power, and a 50A alternator. I saw the EarthX company that makes a lot of aviation batteries, they are light, small, but I don't know if they are also reliable. Do you know them? Can you recommend me a good, light and safe aviation battery? Thanks, ..... a warm greeting. Alex from Italy, .... ciao.
I just finished assembling one myself. I just bought the plastic parts, since I already had the cells (with red Loctite on grubscrews) and the JBD BMS. Take my word for it, you want the cells fully discharged before you try and insert them, the fit is that good. I had already purchased 6 awg silicone wire, it is much easier to work with, and the single biggest thing that I would recommend they change. My JBD gave me no problems charging at 80 amps and since I didn't purchase their BMS, I wasn't aware they had programmed down the limits. I also made my wires longer and had fewer problems with the final assembly. Once assembled, the battery is pretty much "just right" and worth the money. My cells are grade B (although not previously used) and capacity wise I have two at 268AH, and the other 14 are 274AH or above. I am matching them to the limited extent possible, and it is working out nicely. The kit is actually nicer than I expected, I would highly recommend it. I just ordered 3 more, if you are on the fence about the kit, I definitely recommend it.
Yeah even at 30% SOC they were tough to fit in, can imagine 100% SOC is a bit of a struggle. But that's a good thing as it indicates a nice snug (but not too tight) fit. I'm still not sure why the BMS was programmed lower like that, but all of the settings are fully-configurable as needed.
@@LithiumSolar Yes, originally they hadn't published the guide, and I place the cells in backwards (really just means the positive and negative ends were reversed). It was a royal PITA to remove them and put them in correctly. I had to discharge them fully to get them out, and it still was NOT easy. It seems to give the cells just right compression. The reason the BMS is programmed with lower limits (I was told) is the heat generated when at the upper limits of charge and discharge. I tested at 80 amps charge rate, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just up the charge rate if you need to in the software.
One thing I didn't see was high and low temp sencers. Does JBL bms have that or add on?
@@putteslaintxtbks5166 Yes, it has temperature sensors, and yes you can disable charging when the low temperature setting is reached.
@@john_in_phoenix where is the temp sensor located?
Man if it wasn't for you and Will and David. I wouldn't get to see any of this stuff. I love it
this one looks very nice
What a cool little kit!!! And it is dirt cheap! Wow I had no idea about these. Good find
Truly nice kit. Pricing seems to keep getting better! Great video.
Hey, We can you send you our V3 kit when it comes out we are getting our injection molds finished up, it works with cells with studs welded on them without the need for the external spacer.
@@sfkenergy that would be awesome! My email can be found on my videos
@@WillProwse I'm excited to see your review! :) I just found this guy, from your page. Lol
@@shoreangler3383 Hey now, "this guy" is still cool too LOL.
14:10 - as a workaround you could use the classic 2 nut trick to tighten them. You tighten 2 nuts against each other on the stud and they will friction lock against each other. This allows you to use the nuts to tighten the bolt from the top. Then you can remove the nuts afterwards.
beat me too it 😀
+2
Actually- that was a total WIN in my eyes. Genuine capacity, well designed connections & well laid out. Under $300.00/ 100AH with some assembly required seems like a smoking deal as well. FWIW, it seems that the battery profile may fit in a standard RV battery holder (your mileage may vary) and you can buy nice positive & negative bussbars for easier access & fewer mistakes. I really, really like this solution for the 'mebbe' DIYer, David! I'm a perfect candidate for this solution- I have the tools, I have the knowledge, but- I don't want to solve for the variables like; compression, battery box, etc... Really impressed. Thank you very much and I hope I can get you a few bucks using an associate code when I buy them?
You can get 100ah for under $100 in conventional deep cell batteries...
@jeebusk but conventional chemistry doesn't allow for use of 100% capacity and cycles are drastically lower.
A very nice diy alternative. Prevents us from needing to buy a LOT of tools for the job as well. Saves a lot for the diy battery builder.
I think you need to do a little more research I can still build one battery including batteries and all tools needed like heat gun cable crimpers and anything else including everything in a battery box for the almost 1300 dollars for one box premade that they sell and you still have to assemble it. I can do all the same for about 780 not including the tools which cost less than 200.
@@simpletennesseelife5895 Nobody is stopping you. I purchased a kit (minus the cells and BMS) and will purchase more. What you wind up with when finished is very useful with a great finished appearance and quite useful. They add a lot of value to the kit version, if it isn't worth it for you, then nobody will stop you from doing your own. I already had the cells and BMS, and found the kits to be of a quality that I just ordered 3 more.
This looks like a great, affordable, quality DIY battery solution! I think we'll start seeing the market flooded with similar kits in the near future.
They actually put a lot of thought and effort into this kit. They added a lot of value to just ordering the battery box as some have suggested. I know exactly how much it would cost to DIY, and this is well worth the money (especially if you don't already own a printer to design and manufacture the plates). I am very pleased with the finished product, pleased enough that I just ordered 3 more.
The number one question should be, what is the intended application?
@jeebusk typical use, but also educational so the end user has a greater grasp of their equipment.
Another good video. I looked at the site in the description and they are sold out. Kind of the way it works when posting in a youtube video, they always seem to be short of supply. Nice review. I prefer to put a 12v battery together with these type of cells rather than 18650 unless I am wanting very small footprint. All the best, have a great week!
I was wondering how long until someone made something like this. This is something I would look into if I was going to buy LiFePO4 batteries.
You should not have any washers between the ring terminals and the battery post because stainless steel has higher resistance than does the terminal. This is really critical for the higher current terminals because the washer will overheat.
Right, a ting terminal will perform the mechanical function of a washer anyways...
Also ~5:20 those buss bars don't necessarily look like they're nickel coated either, they should be though.
Very interesting, this is a valuable tutorial, I'm new to this type of battery, and. building this kit. So THANKS for the schooling 😃😃
That is very cool for a beginner like me. Thanks for the video
Beautiful assembly by Sun Fun Kit.
This really amazed me to see a company put together such a DIY Kit like this one. All the customer have to do is to read and follow the instruction manual of the manufacturer on how to install this kit and you are all set to go👏 👍
I do like to assemble project like this which I think in my opinion is really cool built DIY/Portable Solar Powered Generator.
Sun Fun Kit please send me one to do another beautiful review of this kit in a different perspective
Very nice review and thanks for showing this awesome kit brother.
Agreed, they put together a very nice kit here. Very well thought out.
@@LithiumSolar
Yes.
FANTASTIC
I am putting together 2 of these batteries and an MPP 1012lv on a cart for my sister and grandson to use as power failure generators. The finished product is very good if slightly anemic, but certainly enough to run the refrigerator and television for an extended outage.
@@john_in_phoenix
Awesome job and thanks for sharing
@@john_in_phoenix did you consider cheaper and less explosive conventional deep cell Batteries?
Nice to see this hands-on. Great vid.
But one thing as a noob... Please do tape off your terminals while building your battery. So little effort, so much safety.
Thanks, great review! I didn't see a temperature sensor anywhere for low temperature charge cut-off.
Yes, isn't low temp charge cut off BMS very important for LiFePO4 Battery?
The temp sensor came attached to the BMS and is pre-programmed for 0C low temp charging cutoff. You can place it where you want. You can see the black wire on the right of the BMS at 12:39. It's also covered on page 13 of the instruction manual.
@@LithiumSolar ok, if you show it and test it like Will then we won't be asking in the future. Sometime manufacture claim low temp charging cut off works but doesn't.
@@jameshwang4750 I've tested the temp protection of JDB BMS's more times than I can count. Didn't feel it relevant to do yet again.
Hey man, love your channel. You inspired me to get into making battery packs. I bought some supplies from battery hookup but I am concerned about safety. Could you do a video on how you store your batteries, what safety measures you take, and what not to do? Thank you
What is your application, did you consider a conventional deep cell battery?
Nice kit 👍 when I built my battery if I had know about this kit I definitely would have bought the kit rather then buying all components separately
That's a really nice kit
Loved your video. Greetings from Holland
Finally. Some ones (company) getting it !
A trick to tighten the screws for the terminals:
Install 2 nuts.
Tighten top nut against bottom nut.
Tighten screw with bottom nut.
Remove top nut, remove bottom nut.
Jam nut
When tightening using a jaw wrench use a wooden insert to protect the threads
Hi, thank you for the review, it looks like we sent you the wire harness for the v1 kit. We have a different wire harness for the v2 which is a little longer that takes care of the spacer height difference.
Same BMS and bus bar as ours at Current Connected....Kinda funny!
Yep, I noticed that as soon as I unpacked them. LOL
Great Video.
I love this idea and would buy one in a heartbeat. Unfortunately I need something smaller just to power my kayak, maybe 100/120ah. I didn’t see anything that small on their website.
Great looking case. I would love to see an 8S 24V version of this case.
i did mine off plywood, if you get like half inch ply, like a 4' by 2' the 2' lenght is perfect to make a 8s 280AH all in a single line with a little spare for padding/wood walls. I made a 280AH24v just by cutting strips on 2 4x2 ply boards, really easy if you have a circular saw
A single case holding 8 of these batteries would be very heavy, around 130lbs. It's probably best to have two cases connected in series. Then again, you need two BMS that way instead of a single 8s BMS, so I guess each way has pros and cons.
A 24v kit would be nice, especially with SOK having been back-ordered with theirs for so long.
You can series connect these. I agree a 24v single BMS would be better, but Sun Fun Kits does have a good video doing these in series for 24v and running an air conditioner for an extended time. They even sell Anderson connector cables to do exactly that. The BMS is rated for up to 80v in series, but I personally wouldn't go above 24v, too much effort to keep things balanced.
As John mentioned, they do support being connected in series, up to 4 batteries or 48V. They technically can go higher but it's recommended by most manufacturer's not to exceed 48V. A single kit of 24V (one case for 8 batteries) would be very heavy, approximately 130lbs.
@@LithiumSolar Yes, I am over 60, my back likes 4 of these 280AH cells much better than 8 of them! I have been going with 100AH cells over 12v, just much easier to handle.
When threading those machine screws through the top of the battery case, as soon you get enough thread out, you put two nuts on the machine screw and tighten them against each other. Then use a wrench to turn the screw to tighten it. You can get a lot of force on studs and bolts that way. Mechanics technique, called "double nutting". Then break the nuts apart and thread them off.
Jam nut
Yes we program the default settings for 60 Amps charge and 125 charge, our reasoning behind this is better to have a little wiggle room, but of course it can be over-ridden the by the user. In a future app update we will add this feature as well.
Awesome, good to know. It can sustain 125A charge, right? I haven't seen any JBD that are limited to 50% charge (like the Daly are) but don't want to just assume.
@@LithiumSolar 80A is the most it can do, but the issue is many people are buying grade B cells, we don't know if its a good Idea to pump this much power into questionable cells, This is why we defaulted to 60, actually we were debating going down to 50 as the default.
@@sfkenergy So far all of my grade B cells have done fine at 80 amps charge and over 100 amps discharge for extended periods. I have a busbar with two 175 amp Anderson connectors and four 50 amp Anderson connectors that I use. I can hook up two 40 amp power supplies and 4 parallel cells (for top balancing) and/or 4 electronic loads for capacity testing (40 amps at 3.65v or 28 amps at 14.2v, each). The important thing is to clean the connections each time, I have a nice thermal camera I use to spot problems. I would suggest that you up the default charge rate, those Aims chargers are popular. I recently ordered one myself, just haven't received it. They are pricey, but if you are using a generator to charge, you want that extra oomph.
I have everything to put mine together, i was happy to see this. When i saw 200 for the plastic box it made me not so happy, 50-75 bucks apiece and i probably would have bought a couple. It really looks nice though.
What I’d do different. Always apply the serrated nut against the bus bar. Any ring terminal goes on top of that with another nut(possibly a jam nut).
I completely agree and addressed this in the follow-up video :)
Excellent review as always - interesting, although I’m not sure about the plastic case for mobile use. Would have liked to see padding all the way around.
So add padding to the outside. Making it out of steel or aluminum would not be easy.
There is space in the case to fit a bit of foam on the other 2 sides if that's the concern.
They have a molded abs lid coming out soon it is 20mm taller and is 1 piece.
Yeah i thought about doing these for my car audio system but way too high for what i need it for so I'm going with yinlong cells.
1. At minute 8:00 you could've moved one of the ring terminals to the end battery post, as the busbar going between the two batteries would've read the same voltage either end.
2. If you strip the M6 thread on the battery posts, just drill and thread them to M8. Or use steel coil inserts to repair the M6 thread. Both cheap options, which means the battery is still usable.
I came in here to say the exact same. Just retap to m8. It's aluminum, you only need the strength of a toddler to do it, so harbor freight taps would do it for ya, lol. I've had to do this to several different banks over the past dozen years, it's no big deal, honestly a non-issue.
The only issue is that it's aluminum to start with so pure copper terminals will just cause corrosion. Make sure yrs are AL7CU or AL9CU.
@@B_Van_Glorious they should be nickel plated
Hello, very clean kit with a few small issues. Nice work!
The problem is that the kit Without cell’s is reasonably priced and is likely a good kit for someone making a tiny or smaller camper or van system. However with cells included are Very Very Very Expensive! IMO
I bought EVE 280ah cells for $106 ea (I think up to about $135 ea now)
I feel almost all resellers of cells are unreasonably priced at a “kinda usual” in the USA 300% markup! Just for reselling cells that they have inspected?
ALL 64 of my EVE cells directly from Basen were packaged and matched perfectly as far as open voltage goes and had zero issues or damage.
If you can DIY.. I recommend doing it yourself! Then hopefully resellers will get the message and stop with the nonsense of 300% cell markup!
Good video and nice work sir!
✌️PT
One thing people don't seem to understand is that businesses need to make a profit in order to succeed. They aren't 300% marked up. They're probably acquiring them from the same (or similar) source as the rest of us. If they buy for $125 and sell for $200, that's a 60% increase or $75. They also have to factor in damaged cells, payment processor fees, discount codes, etc. So how much are they really making per sale? Probably not much and certainly not "nonsense". Buying from China will always be cheaper...
The cells they are selling are pretty obviously grade A, and go for (assuming you order grade A) about $130 to $150 each plus shipping. The ones I purchase are manufactured by EVE when you order, and come with the EVE test reports. Yes, you can order "bulk" cells, but you get what you pay for. As noted, they aren't making a large profit on these, I think they are very reasonably priced. "Bulk" cells won't come with the EVE branded caps for the terminals, just FYI. I already had cells and BMS, so I can't really speak for the ones they supply. But I will note that only cells sold and shipped by EVE come with those caps.
@@john_in_phoenix 😂 as long as you are happy with your purchase!
Your happy!
@@LithiumSolar got it.. need to make a profit. I said as much. However if you are DIY.. most want to DIY to save money.
Mine.. 53,760watts under $7100
Just saying..
@@ProspectorTripp how much would you sell you $7100 53k battery for? If someone offered to commission you to do the job 30% up front the rest when delivered.
Oh, I cannot believe you used channel locks on the bolt threads… I’m sure you were gentle, and I noticed you pushed backwards from the jaw grip to limit damage to the threads, but still, a better way to do that would be to put a pair of nuts on the stud, and tighten them together, to create a safe gripping surface.
I was just frustrated by the time I got to that point, which resulted in the inappropriate use of pliers.
That is a good tip, I just made slightly longer (doubled) 6 awg silicone wires and had no problems. The wire makes a big difference in the frustration level.
Would it make more sense to put the busbars on before the orange cap? Otherwise there is no protection from shorting.
Hi, great video. This is a great DIY Kit. BTW any update on the CERRNSS battery, the review I had requested earlier? Have your received the battery?
Yeah it's here, but haven't looked at it yet. It was delivered last week.
@@LithiumSolar Oh great. Hope to see your review soon. Thanks so much.
So what does it cost in total for everything you have there and are they grade A..... great video!
Great video, been waiting for a solit diy kit to come to market.
Thanks for taking the time to show us. ??? Any idea if they approve of series wiring to 48 volts. These would be a great upgrade to my battleborns - with 3x capacity and servicable cells and componants. Looks like I could fit 60 kwh where i currantly store 20 kwh if I am guaging the size of that case accurately.
Keep up the great work, will check out your link to the kits.
The JBD BMS is rated for use in series up to 80v, but if at all possible, I would recommend not doing multiple batteries in series. Too easy to run into balance problems, I personally wouldn't go over two in series for that reason. But a 24v series capable of 150 amps will supply a lot of power.
@@john_in_phoenix excellant, thanks for that info.
We are ronning a 48 volt outback system so I am financially committed to that setup, but Id be willing to bet that BMS would perform as well or better than the battleborn BMS in a series configuration. They have worked fine for the last 4 years but Im ready for more storage capacity.
Id think the BMS is more advanced and capable than what battleborn had 4 years ago.
I will look into it further.
Have a sunny day...
I just measured mine, 13.5 inches by 7.5 inches for the bottom part, but the handles on each end make it 14.5 by 7.5. Mine with the largest spacer is 11.5 inches tall. I hope that helps you determine if it will fit.
I like this one and if you had your own printer it would be easy to make too bad the bms doesn't have active balance.
3-D printed case. How stable is it. I have not worked much with 3-D plastics. I understand the instructions say to connect the cables the way you did, but could you connect pig-tails to the lid first, then connect to battery/BMS? I bet they are still too short. Thanks for sharing.
An updated Lid will be released by Late November, this will accommodate the taller cells without the need for adding a spacer, here is a preview: czcams.com/video/eIir2V_ZhuE/video.html
What Instrument did you use for Capacity checking?
Could you have crimped both balance leads to just 1 ring terminal each to give you less space for the screw?
Adjustable Electric Fan Thermostat Switch Radiator Temperature Control Probe Kit..probably an excellent option for bms without low temperature sensors?
Perfect 👍🏻 😁
If you strip the posts they can be retapped to the next size up, been there done that. There is a ton of material in the post connections on Eve cells where they enter the battery ( we had one torn apart in a car accident while installed in an RV - Yes, it was handled as hazmat, clean up crews warned but I still saw exactly how thick those posts are, and how long) Having seen the sheer size of material in the aluminum posts, The only reason I can think of why they give us M6 size bolts/post is to keep the cells from being damaged by the force you can put on M8 or larger threaded materials. I mean it's just much too easy to put a lot of torque on a M8-10 bolt before the threads strip. I ultimately feel the small bolt/stud size is a safety feature whereby the threads can strip before the battery is damaged and this may not be true if they used larger sizes..... but tapping those post holes to M8 (or even M10) won't compromise the post material imo . It just means you have to be especially careful not to over torque the new M8 post or bolt because you now have enough purchase to twist that aluminum post structure inside the battery. Eve calls for 8Nm (5.90 ft-lb) on most 280ah products. Check your spec sheet. TL;DR I have tapped these to the next size up after a client stripped the threads out of them. I neither recommend you follow my actions or make any guarantee that what works for me would work for you.
A good video, i didn't know that was so complicated... and so expensive; not entirely interested yet; we really need a different and better battery technology; my four "solar" 160Ah lead acids cost 150 each, they are now 4 years old,on my 1.5Kw solar system,6 panels, and they still work perfectly; the key is to have them oversized for the needs and they may last a decade.
I'd like to know where to get a battery box similar to the one you used. SunFun does not show them as a separate item to purchase.
Nice setup. Any issues with connecting 4 in series to make a 48V system?
Nope. In fact, they sell a 4-pack intended for a 48V setup :)
2 nuts on the screws . Lock the nuts together . Place wrench on lower nut . Do not over tighten . Or you can use a piece of leather or plastic with your channel locks .
For future reference on thread engagement, the first 3 threads take up 75% of the load.
Maybe, but tell that to the aluminum posts that wouldn't tighten and felt like they were pulling out :)
@@LithiumSolar no doubt aluminum is soft, more engagement the better, and a threaded stud is always the preferred solution. Just providing a datapoint if you need to make a judgement call in the future. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@@LithiumSolar as mentioned in other comments, the washers aren't needed with the short screws.
Yes Akb LiFePo4 🔋 ⚡ 👍
About the output of the BMS - there is a penalty of high amp chargers - it is convenient but you degrade the battery at the expense of fast charging. The lithium particles gets trapped in the anode plate material at greater rate when the charging amperage are higher. The is the problem with all types of chemically based batteries. The lower the charge, the less heat and stress on the plates or materials. Heat (while charging) also degrades the battery.
Man, I wish I knew about this company a few months ago. Making a 24V one out of a large milk create.
Ah, milk crate batteries are pretty neat too. I've wanted to do one for a while now but a few others have already done so and it's difficult to be original sometimes as we're all after the same components lol.
@@LithiumSolar it would be ok to make incremental improvements, or focus on different applications.
wonder if this battery can jump start a car or truck. also you should have tried max amp draw to really test the bms.
I put helicoils in all my batteries before i even use them now because i know the threads will strip at the required torque. experience! a helicoil kit from amazon is inexpensive and i always use studs tightened down to the bottom of the threads and the flange nuts
I've heard of people using helicoils to repair the damaged threads, and it sounds like an interesting idea. I've also heard some of those resulted in melted terminals (fire risk) and don't want to go there myself. If I damage one, I'd rather recycle it and buy a new cell to be safe.
So you drill andtap the battery before you strip it? How deep do you go and did you make a bottoming helicoil tap?
@@k20nutz I drilled the same depth about 6 mm and ground the tap so that it just had a slight lead. Used my drill press to ensure it was plumb to start the threads. 40 years as a toolmaker gave my all kind of skills I never thuoght I would use in retirement lol.
@@LithiumSolar explain why the terminal woud melt.a helicoil is steel just like the screw or stud you put in the battery. ?
@@davidkettell5726 I can't imagine not using my tool and die experience outside of work. It's the handiest tool I have.
I know a really good mechanics trick to get those bolts through the cover from underneath
I just need the battery box as I have a different BMS. Does anyone have a part number for the case?
Any comments on this vs amperetime products?
Don't forget the SOK has a 7 year manufacturer's warranty and a US based repair center.
This is true! There are many factors to consider aside from price, but unfortunately, price is all people seem to focus on these days.
As most of these companies will be out of business in 5 - 10 yrs (statistically speaking) their warranty's are pretty much useless, factor in the stability of LiFePO4 and a warranty is not necessary past 30 days. I certainly would not pay the $500 - $600 warranty from Battleborn.
What's SOK?
Iv re tapped alot of licence plate holes , could you not re tap the battery post if stripped? Not sure cuz its aluminium..
How tall are the eve cells in inches?
The cells are butted together. I would think that they should have a thin plastic spacer between the cells.
That topic still seems up for debate. Some manufacturer's are using spacers, others are not.
1. Will the cells eventually bulge and put stress on connectors?
2. Regarding the vent, is there gas discharge involved, or another purpose?
3. What gear is needed for top balancing?
4. So total kit out the door with cells is over $1061 if I heard correct... how do you get $295/kWh? $1061/(12V × 280Ah) = .316 ... I'm likely miscalculating. It also seems more expensive than some other prebuilt batteries on Amazon... Are the cells and other hardware higher quality?
THANK YOU SO SO VERY MUCH for all that you do!
21:00 $176 (with bms $310) $200/cell seems like a lot to me, you can buy a conventional 100Ah deep cell for under $100.
4, I get 3360 or 3.4kwh for about $1000
Did I miss the temperature sensor installation? Or is it missing low temperature charging cutoff?
The temp sensor came attached to the BMS and is pre-programmed for 0C low temp charging cutoff. You can place it where you want. You can see the black wire on the right of the BMS at 12:39. It's also covered on page 13 of the instruction manual.
That was one of my questions too
Ok so dumb question , I'm afraid , Why have we moved from measuring the out put in Amp hours vs the olxd Watt hours ?
I test batteries in amp hours because reporting watt hours is inaccurate due to not taking into account losses in the cabling, circuit breakers, BMS, etc.
They need to add a set screw Allen key placement at the end of them positive and negative bolts so you can thigh them from the top instead of sticking a Allen key into the box. Just my opinion 🤷♂️
It's a pity we can't get them here I SOUTH AFRICA
The pricing is very confusing from this video. Going to to their website presents many options and the complete battery kit with all suggested options is expensive.
Start with the v1 kit and add in only the items you want. Also, don't forget the discount code in the video description :)
@@LithiumSolarOf course, the fact that they are completely out of stock of batteries makes the kit more affordable!
Put the cables on the lid first
I wish the cells were in stock..
I watched this whole video thinking I could purchase this battery for $300 and at the end ...
I did also ,and when i went to there website I got a very big surprise LOL I've got four more years $960 a month child support so I guess in four yesrs I will be able to purchase one and a fishing boat ( living the dream)
Yes, for most applications viewers will want conventional deep cell batteries
Very nice kit. But fully build battery prices are dropping to the same as buying a kit and battery.
I don't disagree there...
Shouldnt there be a small gap between the batteries ? To compensate for expantion which could lead to friction causing abration between the cells.
Some lithium cell manufacturers recommend compression of the battery pack. It is said to reduce damaging expansion cycles and increase recharge cycles
@@wallacegrommet9343 thanks
👍👍
You can retap the threads, i.e. not ruined
I would never do that. Too much of a fire risk, just buy a new battery...
OOO NICE
you will have much more success with the studs if you use jamb nuts to tighten. but good video
I’m new to all of this type of battery setup, if the batteries are 280ah could they be put into parallel to give out 560ah?
This kit is designed to build a 12V battery. Yes, you can connect the batteries into other configurations but you won't have the proper BMS or other parts to assemble it completely.
Nice video, i think it would be bether if you add some light when you make your videos
I did not see any mention of temperature cutout. Is there a place on the BMS to plug in a temp sensor?
It has a temp sensor and is pre-programmed for 0C charge cutoff. This can be changed, if desired.
@@LithiumSolar , Hmm...I did not see you attach a wire (temp sensor) to one of the batteries or tape it to the side of opne of the batteries. Is it on the BMS board it self? If so, I think it's been proven that a board mounted, since it doesn't touch one of the battery cells..is not as accurate. Please advise...and thanks
@@douglasmontgomery6315 You can see the two black wires coming off the right side of the BMS at 12:40. Page 13 of the manufacturer's instructions www.sunfunkits.com/MediaStorage/Product/Documents/Document/1_20210924150120163.pdf includes mounting recommendations.
@@LithiumSolar , thanks sir !
Sana all may free send hahaha
Why the ballancer? That bms is supposed to do that and if it does it would do a much better job that that little one.
newbie here, but the kit and cell cost more than already build battery, am I missing something?
Unfortunately they ship only within US. Anybody any idea about an equivalent kit to order in Europe / Germany? Or via Aliexpress a similar kit (and quality) like case, BMS, ideally wires and such? ✌
Shouldn't the buss bar go below the plastic bit?
I was thinking the same, I think there's a space below the cell terminals.
This kid looks very good but when I went to Sun fun kits and looked at it to get all the parts appeared to cost over $1,000? If that is incorrect I would be happy to purchase one but I could not find 100ah battery kit for the price you were quoting. Please let me know where you got it. Thanks
I was interested in a smaller kit myself. I just emailed the company hopefully they respond.
Can you connect 4 batteries in seriesl for 48 v? Or do you have to have a bms for 48V?
I have 4- 12v lipo4 batteries wired in series. They each have their own BMS. They work fine at 48v.
The manufacturer states that you can connect up to 4 of these batteries in series for 48V. Each battery has their own BMS though, so you would need to manually balance the 4 batteries to the same state of charge first, before connecting in series.
Thanks for the video, where can I buy a box like the one you have?
Is it possible to link?
There are links to the products used here in the description of the video.
@@LithiumSolar yes thank you so much.
How does the BMS attach to the plastic mount?
It's a "press fit". At least on mine it is such a tight fit that getting it out is a pain.
The add on balancer is one of those active balancers. Why do you and sunfun call it a passive/resistance balancer?
Wow, that does appear to be an active balancer. I have no idea why they're selling it as resistive/passive then... Good catch.
I just used my own active balancer (oddly enough I have the same model) to top balance the cells and removed it when doing the final assembly. The BMS does have resistive balancing and is keeping the cells well balanced.
@@john_in_phoenix Absolutely, the active balancers can top balance without the user to even think twice about it.
Hi, Its a passive, we have an active balancer but the one in the video is resistance based.
@@sfkenergy From the manufacture's website which is labeled on the balancer... "2-17S inductance Active Balancer with LED."
The charge limit is for the BMS not for the battery. JBD 150A wont accept charge over 50% of its capacity.
Where do you see that mentioned? All of the JBD BMS I've ever used can charge and discharge at 100% of their rating. That's one of the big reasons I stopped using Daly.
No, that model BMS is rated for 150 amps charge, and comes defaulted to 160 amps over current. I had no problems charging at 80 amps, but I used the same model JBD that I had previously purchased.
What about low temp cut off?
Yes, the JBD BMS sold with this kit has low-temp protection.
Hi, I follow your posts because they are very interesting. Thank you.
I am writing to you why I should buy a lifepo4 battery for my experimental aircraft with a engine of 200hp power, and a 50A alternator.
I saw the EarthX company that makes a lot of aviation batteries, they are light, small, but I don't know if they are also reliable.
Do you know them?
Can you recommend me a good, light and safe aviation battery?
Thanks, ..... a warm greeting.
Alex from Italy, .... ciao.
did not see if the bms had low temp and hi temp cutoff?
Yes, it has both
Do you have a link to that other BMS app not the sun fun one
Search for "Xiaoxiang BMS" in the Apple store. It's free but think I had to pay $5 to unlock the ability to change settings.
Ok thanks i guess it just looks different on the Apple app
Will are you buying all of the stock ugh
Are you concerned about the cell frames rubbing together and shorting out over time?
I had a lot of concerns, but that wasn't one of them...