EASIEST Off Grid Solar Power System Battery Bank

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  • čas přidán 9. 10. 2020
  • This is the easiest off-grid solar power system battery bank we could find. We are doing the biggest upgrade to our off-grid solar system we have ever done. We are installing 8 Battle Born Batteries two Victron charge controllers and a new Victron battery monitor. This is a super-easy way to convert from lead-acid batteries to LiFePO4 batteries.
    Battle Born Batteries are lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) and are great for RV, marine, or any off-grid situation. Check out Battle Born Batteries battlebornbatteries.com
    How to build our Solar Panel Mounts • How to Build the Ultim...
    OUR OFF-GRID SOLAR SYSTEM (Main Components)
    2000w Inverter amzn.to/3ciOI3s
    70A Charge controller amzn.to/34lsIT1
    50A Charge controller amzn.to/2SmySNn
    Smart Battery Monitor amzn.to/3k1j3I0
    Fuse Block amzn.to/341HQpN
    Solar Panels www.wholesalesolar.com/solar-...
    Batteries amzn.to/34mSKFP
    TOOLS USED IN THIS VIDEO
    Lug Crimper Tool amzn.to/2EUhwnZ
    Heavy Duty Cable Cutters amzn.to/2SlYhXi
    3-Pound Sledge Hammer amzn.to/3jso9No
    LET'S CONNECT :)
    ✩ Private Facebook Group - downtoearthhomesteaders.com/F...
    ✩ Website - downtoearthhomesteaders.com/
    ✩ Our Church - geni.us/Church
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    Martin and Julie Johnson
    P.O. Box 2582
    Sandpoint ID 83864
    United States of America
    Legal Info:
    This channel is owned and operated by Martin and Julie Johnson. Martin Johnson - Off Grid Living is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.
    NEW HERE?
    Thanks for stopping by our off grid cabin build channel. We recently moved from the city with all of its conveniences to the middle of the forest near Sandpoint, Idaho. On our channel, we are sharing our journey from grid life to an off-grid homesteading life. We are starting from scratch on bare land. I hope you will come and join us on this journey as we build our off grid cabin and establish our homestead. You can learn more about our story here • Why we Choose to Live ...
    Thank you for watching our video and reading the description. You rock!
    Hope you have a really great day and keepsm:)ling!
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Komentáře • 5K

  • @MartinJohnsonOffGridLiving
    @MartinJohnsonOffGridLiving  Před 3 lety +198

    ☀️ *NEWEST UPGRADES TO OUR SYSTEM SEPTEMBER 2021* czcams.com/video/MeaANzjzwf0/video.html

    • @JourneyOnLife
      @JourneyOnLife Před 3 lety +14

      This is seriously the BEST video on this topic I EVER saw : ) Great products. Super good simple explanation. Thank you. I am totally gonna start thinking about what I want to do for my house.

    • @DeepSnowRider
      @DeepSnowRider Před 3 lety +25

      Wish you listed how much this upgrade costed you.

    • @MartinJohnsonOffGridLiving
      @MartinJohnsonOffGridLiving  Před 3 lety +3

      Wow. Glad it was helpful.

    • @MartinJohnsonOffGridLiving
      @MartinJohnsonOffGridLiving  Před 3 lety +4

      The prices are in the links in the description.

    • @brandonlacour1277
      @brandonlacour1277 Před 3 lety +2

      what are you gonna do with all your old components and batteries?

  • @fisherus
    @fisherus Před 3 lety +716

    I want to give you a little advice on safety on your solar system for two reasons. One is, you aren't aware of them and the second is those folks watching how you do certain things are probably going to be making the same mistakes. Never connect your positive wires last on DC current but, connect the "Negative" wires after placing a 1 ohm resister between your hot negative ( battery or power side) and the negative you will be attaching it to. Make sure you touch both leads on the resister to both negative wires or terminals and then immediately connect the two. This will keep from blowing up electronic components inside of your charger and inverter. I'm sure you heard the pop sound when you connected the positive side of your battery bank. Additionally, use shrink tube on all wire terminal connections. The cable terminals on your batteries look terrible and will corrode without using it. You have way too much bare copper on your terminals exposed. Finally, you should have a PV disconnect switch on the outside of your solar shed to turn off your system in case of fire.

    • @gastongonzalez221
      @gastongonzalez221 Před 3 lety +28

      Great advice. It looks like there should be another fuse between the solar charge controller and main positive based on the amps the panels are pushing, right?

    • @kuhrd
      @kuhrd Před 3 lety +82

      Using a precharge resistor is a very good idea and with most inverters and charge controllers is a requirement.
      As far as whether you connect positive or negative last or first does not matter since everything around the batteries is wood and non-conductive at the 24v he is dealing with here. The only time it is a good idea to connect the negative last when making a connection or disconnecting it first when breaking a connection is if the chassis of whatever you are working on is grounded to the negative cable so that if you are using a wrench it won't matter if you short it to the chassis. If the chassis is positively grounded which is still common in old tractors and some vehicles in countries outside of North America then the positive would be the best connection to make or break the circuit.
      Regarding the cable terminals, these crimps will be just fine, and since these batteries are in a shed protected from the elements they won't really corrode since they are lithium rather than lead-acid. At the most, he could apply a bit of dielectric grease as a barrier but it is never a good idea to heat shrink battery cables unless you are using it as a barrier to prevent short and then you should use clear heat shrink so you can see the connection since most heat shrink will hold in moisture making corrosion more likely.
      Having a PV disconnect is also a very good idea at both the array and in the shed.

    • @aqpham84
      @aqpham84 Před 3 lety +13

      Are you saying he should connect both negative leads to the resistor to complete the circuit then bypass the resistor by connecting the negative leads together? Just asking to learn.

    • @kuhrd
      @kuhrd Před 3 lety +37

      @@aqpham84 Yes the resistor bridges the connection first and allows the capacitors in the charge controllers and inverter to charge up and equalize to the battery bank voltage more slowly which also dramatically reduces or in most cases eliminates the spark when you make the final connection. You can also buy DC isolation switches that have the precharge resistor built-in which is the preferred method since an isolation switch is a code requirement in the USA IIRC even if off-grid and just makes common sense in any semi-permanent install.

    • @johnb4183
      @johnb4183 Před 3 lety +36

      Craig Fisher Where are those batteries going to be after a moderate earthquake ?

  • @BIZIMBIZIM254
    @BIZIMBIZIM254 Před 3 lety +25

    really love how detailed and open he is, clean and slow explanation any one can learn from him even without prior experience

  • @kevkev5935
    @kevkev5935 Před rokem +2

    This was awesome. I've been going down the rabbit hole off grid solar video binges as I'm planning on building a small 600W backup setup in my shed. We're in Central Texas and having gone through the freeze last year and a week without power, I want another power source as a 2nd backup along with the dual fuel generator. Y'all sold me on the Battle Born batteries. Those have some killer reviews and I love that they are American made. Here's to getting many years out of them. God bless.

  • @Xyz12391
    @Xyz12391 Před rokem +10

    It was nice to see how much power a generator provides versus the solar power setup. Many of us have used a generator and are planning a solar panel setup. Thanks for providing a reference point for what to expect.

  • @mrziggy9067
    @mrziggy9067 Před 3 lety +18

    Martin, thanks for the clean, simplistic how-to blueprint! I've read lots of the comments of others (especially on safety and $$$), but I'll definitely be going back to this video as I get closer in...

  • @viktorkosenko2461
    @viktorkosenko2461 Před 3 lety +19

    good day. My name is Victor and I'm from Ukraine. I want to say that I liked the improved system. I respect people who strive for sustainable independence

    • @worldpresidentkongjakjaide1609
      @worldpresidentkongjakjaide1609 Před 3 lety +1

      Agree. Let's help everyone becomes sustainable independence. (I do it by living naturally and self-reliantly in my private 0.4-acre arable land, which is a size that each of all 8 billion humans can own if all arable land on earth is shared equally.)

    • @lobsterDan22
      @lobsterDan22 Před 2 lety

      What do you suggest? I am building a off grid house currently.

  • @theshmucky2956
    @theshmucky2956 Před 2 lety +3

    I have watched so many videos that just confused me even more... thank you for finally explaining the basics to set up a decent solar powered system!

  • @ckzckw
    @ckzckw Před 2 lety +4

    This was really educational and so so helpful. You people in the USA are so lucky to be able to do this, I'm not yet on the property ladder here in good old Britain but the charge on those battle born batteries has me thinking of havin a set for downstairs and one for upstairs so I have a good charge up for our lovely rainy and mild weather. :) Im so here for when storage can be as advanced as mobile phones. I'm looking into the same for residential wind energy that would be perfect to hybridise for UK climate. Thanks again every thing was easy to understand the steps to set up.

  • @mr.smiley4263
    @mr.smiley4263 Před 3 lety +10

    Looks good! Glad you got a sponsor to help you with your projects.

  • @YDSTE
    @YDSTE Před 3 lety +88

    For myself, someone who is just getting started in the world of solar/off-grid power/electrical systems, finding this video really helped me sort some things out. 100 Gold stars!

    • @skeeterburke
      @skeeterburke Před 3 lety +1

      are you a fan of Cheap RV Living like me? I think his name is Bob? great channel. Subbed to this one, I'm always looking for good ideas

    • @JJHDZ68
      @JJHDZ68 Před 3 lety

      💯❌💯 👍👍 same here!

    • @nancyst.john-smith3891
      @nancyst.john-smith3891 Před 3 lety

      Look for Will Prowse’s Book, “Mobile Solar Power”. I bought the Kindle version for putting solar in my van. It’s very straight forward and a good reference for understanding what it all means and calculating your needs. Another Bob Wells Cheaprvliving channel nugget of knowledge. He has had Will Prowse on his channel.

    • @starkenterprises2371
      @starkenterprises2371 Před rokem

      Bear in mind there were several mistakes in this build. Some worse than others. Read comments for list of improvements.

  • @rudetoy8264
    @rudetoy8264 Před 2 lety

    Got educated from cool uninstall sequence of the olds, and love the new setup. Kudos for straight forward and to-the-point on brand new unit install.

  • @t3angling575
    @t3angling575 Před 2 lety

    This is an awesome video. I am currently building portable solar power boxes for friends and family for camping, kayaking, bad weather, etc. They are 12v systems running on 12ah batteries. I want to now take on the project of running my refrigerators and freezer, all my pool equipment, and a couple of other appliances, so as to reduce my monthly electric bill. Great video, very informative, and confidence building. Thanks.

  • @geradbruce7496
    @geradbruce7496 Před 3 lety +14

    Thanks, people trying to help you is helping everyone else.

  • @whatsnext8825
    @whatsnext8825 Před 3 lety +13

    Just wanted to take the time to say I've watched a few of your vids and really respect what you folks are doing. Looking forward to seeing more vids of your progression of both the build and the channel. Trying to get my feet wet myself with my channel. Im starting to be more active with my channel and have a shop build going also. Also I'm off grid and will be doing a solar set up. Definitely have appreciated your vids on solar...always good to learn! Keep at it...looking forward to your progress!

  • @saucy2ubud
    @saucy2ubud Před 2 lety

    I have seen your progression from the very beginning - awesome work on all your videos

  • @Dustindoesitall
    @Dustindoesitall Před rokem

    I enjoyed the video alot. The irony of being completely off grid and at the end pulling out the iphone with the fancy Bluetooth connected app was priceless. Poking all in good fun man this was great gave me alot of ideas for mine.

  • @Wrensspeedshop
    @Wrensspeedshop Před 2 lety +8

    I like your in depth descriptions of each of the products as well as what they are supposed to do and what they are doing. Keep up the great work!

  • @BrokeBeardedGuy
    @BrokeBeardedGuy Před 3 lety +15

    I find the comment section hilarious. Some people have no idea the cost and putting in on grid installations. I think you're doing an amazing job love the video

    • @TimYorty
      @TimYorty Před 3 lety +2

      true - you need to remember you're building a small power generating station. You get what you pay for.

  • @mgpadi
    @mgpadi Před rokem

    One of the best videos I've seen on battery banks and solar systems. Thanks for your time.

  • @chrissartain4430
    @chrissartain4430 Před 2 lety +1

    1st time I have seen your site, I'm happy because I understood everything. Very good explanation on each step, Thank you!

  • @henryboyoutdoors4869
    @henryboyoutdoors4869 Před 3 lety +84

    I like the organized layout and installation. Nice clear pictures that we all are enjoying and are learning from watching your videos. Appreciate your work and glad you taking action and getting these components up and working on plywood....AND I dont mind which plywood you use! Thanks for your videos.

    • @matiavicentigulu6748
      @matiavicentigulu6748 Před 3 lety

      Hello , I'm Matthew from Uganda East Africa. I work with poor and needy orphans. We are out of food and have gone 2 days minus eating anything, I hope you can imagine and understand how it feels going even a single day without food, I'm kindly requesting for your help to get food, let me hope to hear from you soon.

    • @matiavicentigulu6748
      @matiavicentigulu6748 Před 3 lety

      Hello , I'm Matthew from Uganda East Africa. I work with poor and needy orphans. We are out of food and have gone 2 days minus eating anything, I hope you can imagine and understand how it feels going even a single day without food, I'm kindly requesting for your help to get food, let me hope to hear from you soon.

    • @VideoByPatrick
      @VideoByPatrick Před 3 lety

      I liked the info; negative side for shunt with it's companion low current monitor and hot side for fuse.

    • @silentbullet2023
      @silentbullet2023 Před 2 lety +4

      @@matiavicentigulu6748 Hello Mathew, I can show you a beehive design to keep bees without even knowing anything about bees. You can harvest 12 kilos of honey per year which would end hunger if every family utilizes this beehive idea. You’ll need mud or clay to build the hives. After the second year families can even sell or store the honey. Honey also has great therepeutic benefits. Wish you great luck with your endeavours.

  • @jimmyjones9798
    @jimmyjones9798 Před 3 lety +8

    Got yourself a new sub. I have just started looking into solar power energy and your videos are really informative. Cheers

  • @silversponge4259
    @silversponge4259 Před 2 lety

    Your are living my dream life. Currently in the city and ready to get away from the craziness and be self sustainable. Congratulations to you and yours. I'm jealous!!

  • @TheRetroStuffGuy
    @TheRetroStuffGuy Před rokem +3

    Greetings from England! Very impressive setup! With extortionate energy bills now, this has given me food for thought, thank you!

    • @user-qo3uv7hw5k
      @user-qo3uv7hw5k Před měsícem

      what about the extortionate cost of lithium batteries?!

  • @greengooseman
    @greengooseman Před 3 lety +6

    As much as I would have hated the labels being upside downon the batteries, the negative cable for the shunt would have been much closer. Love your videos. Keep them coming.

  • @michaelthomas4346
    @michaelthomas4346 Před 3 lety +3

    Great job! That's an absolutely huge upgrade. You would be lucky to get 30% of the lead acid.

  • @pierrefenelus3792
    @pierrefenelus3792 Před rokem

    Hey Martin,
    I am a beginner. i watched for the first time yours videos. This is very helpful.
    Thank you

  • @artboymoy
    @artboymoy Před rokem +1

    Great seeing your set up. Wish I had the knowledge and skills to add battery storage to my solar system.

  • @donnawells2533
    @donnawells2533 Před 3 lety +21

    You did an A1 job on this video. The camera quality was excellent, great job.

  • @jasontilley4644
    @jasontilley4644 Před 3 lety +39

    Your solar setup is nice and tidy. That's probably my biggest issue with most solar installs. Cheers.

    • @hwangeva1464
      @hwangeva1464 Před 2 lety

      but i did not see the solar panel set up yet

    • @tonysmith26
      @tonysmith26 Před 2 lety +3

      That’s far from tidy with zero mechanical protection of cables and all cables devoid of support.

  • @joevasquez1776
    @joevasquez1776 Před 2 lety

    I never thought of that bending the cable tip you shared! That's great tip.

  • @amberlybaez2602
    @amberlybaez2602 Před 2 lety

    That’s a nice set up. I will build my own for a music production studio!!! Love it. Thank you sir. Much respect

  • @HippieHillHomestead
    @HippieHillHomestead Před 3 lety +55

    Nice system. Just a few safety concerns but I see other people have already mentioned them. Thanks for sharing.

  • @omadeitz3340
    @omadeitz3340 Před 3 lety +4

    You just saved us. We needed batteries for our rv home now we are just going g with. Battle born.

  • @Angor6495
    @Angor6495 Před rokem +1

    love seeing, how great his symbiosis with these electronics suppliers works out :)

  • @craigbooth5414
    @craigbooth5414 Před 2 lety +2

    That spark always gets me. I have to psych myself up to connect it

    • @user-uu8uk5oo4o
      @user-uu8uk5oo4o Před 2 měsíci

      I've always told people if you know it's not turned on or hooked up and make sure you're working something that's not hot or hooked up and don't guess at it you're okay and shouldn't be nervous. I've designed systems all of my life and that's a long time

  • @johnstancliff7328
    @johnstancliff7328 Před 3 lety +19

    Martin, you should add a cut-off switch to your battery array. that way, if you ever have to change them out, they won't spark when you make-break the connection.

    • @luisderivas6005
      @luisderivas6005 Před 3 lety +5

      Yep, that's what Sally Safety says at 8:35. Also, Martin should do himself a favor and place shelves between each row on batteries. If a batt on the bottom row goes kaput, its going to be fun balancing 90lbs of batteries to pull it out.

    • @billssolarpowerandgardenin1016
      @billssolarpowerandgardenin1016 Před 3 lety +4

      @@luisderivas6005 I don’t like the inverter buried where it can’t get air straight thru.

    • @orange11squares
      @orange11squares Před 3 lety +2

      if one battery goes bad then all you have to do is remove the connection between that battery and the one along it connected in series with it. The current wont flow on 2 series batteries (one good and one bad) and you have 6 left.
      Shelves on each row is a good idea.

  • @offgridbydesign3826
    @offgridbydesign3826 Před 3 lety +72

    Great upgrades. A couple of safety suggestions.
    1. Add a disconnect switch at your panels.
    2. Add a disconnect switch at your batteries (this will also prevent sparking in the future if you have to disconnect or you can use a resistor to drain the capacitor in the batteries before connecting)
    3. Add a lighting suppressor to system.
    4. Add a grounding rod at panels
    5. add a grou d to your generator.
    Great progress, keep it going.

    • @falcons5683
      @falcons5683 Před 3 lety +4

      Quit using the term "bad boy".

    • @sosteve9113
      @sosteve9113 Před 3 lety

      Good advice

    • @Nutzernameungueltig4
      @Nutzernameungueltig4 Před 3 lety +7

      ...Don't use flammable plates to mount electric components on...

    • @ThePunkin04
      @ThePunkin04 Před 2 lety +2

      Why didn’t he heat shrink the cables

    • @Skashoon
      @Skashoon Před 2 lety +1

      With all the money you’ve put into this, is it EMF protected?

  • @inannashu689
    @inannashu689 Před 2 lety +2

    Looks like a great easy system to set up and maintain,good for you.

  • @OntdraadSpeldInnen
    @OntdraadSpeldInnen Před 11 měsíci +1

    It is always so funny, using short thick cables and using long distance thin cables. You waste a lot of power using long distance thin cables.

  • @Joakimny
    @Joakimny Před 2 lety +70

    Just a tip, to avoid sparks, connect positive first, then the negative. When disconnecting take off the Negative first. The same goes for anything on DC power, otherwise 2 thumbs up.

    • @Hefek
      @Hefek Před 2 lety +6

      The "positive first" rule applies to conecting and disconecting booster cables when jump starting the car. To avoid sparks NEAR THE BATTERY, you connect the negative clamp to car body or engine block and remember to always make and break connection at this (far from battery) point. This is to avoid ignition of hydrogen / oxygen mixture gassed out by battery when charged at high rate.

    • @hwangeva1464
      @hwangeva1464 Před 2 lety

      Sounds good suggetion

    • @tonysmith26
      @tonysmith26 Před 2 lety +4

      Or perhaps use proper circuit isolation? 🙄

    • @BEASTmodeontheRoad
      @BEASTmodeontheRoad Před 2 lety

      @@Hefek its always think positive when working with power

    • @harrywynne2839
      @harrywynne2839 Před rokem

      Use a graphite carpenter pencil lead to charge the capacitors, takes a second, then there wont be any sparking.

  • @matthewpoltorak8956
    @matthewpoltorak8956 Před 3 lety +10

    @Martin Johnson Awesome video, made even better by the fact you're a member of the Demolitia! @DemolitionRanch

  • @canadacitypreppers
    @canadacitypreppers Před 2 lety

    I got tons of sunlight during summer , a ton of batteries is what we need .. awesome!

  • @user-hg2tk3xj9y
    @user-hg2tk3xj9y Před 5 měsíci

    I wish where I lived this would fly, that was such a good rundown even I have very little confusion, so simply done

  • @garrymetts2644
    @garrymetts2644 Před 3 lety +34

    I'm impressed. Looks like your doing a great job on everything.

  • @ChatGPT1111
    @ChatGPT1111 Před 3 lety +6

    I love my Battleborn Batteries and recently added 4 to my existing 10 AGM deep cycles which are now serving as my backup. They do come delivered with only a 30% long term storage charge level so you should charge them before use. Also, don’t forget the cutoff switches and fuses. I have fuses at the solar cells plus a lower level DC circuit breaker to save the fuses and the hassle of changing them.

    • @kimmer6
      @kimmer6 Před 3 lety +1

      I have 2100 AH in cell tower AGM batteries and a new set of 1600 AH in LiFeP04 batteries. Each has different charging requirements and both banks are isolated. I don't know how you switch your banks but my major improvement was to add a Blue Sea marine rotary selector switch that is sealed and spark less. The switch is rated 500 Amps continuous and you can select Bank 1 or Bank 2 or run them combined or switch the batteries off.
      The switch was $70 on eBay. You can tell the thing was built for serious Amps as the connection studs on the back are 1/2''-13. The smaller switches have 3/8 inch studs. I leave it on Bank 2, the AGM's, and its float charger. The lithium cells get a charge about once a month from their own charger when I run the Onan diesel gen set for 20 minutes. That $70 switch was dirt cheap in the scheme of things. It switches banks or disconnects in half a second. It might fit your situation. A hydraulic terminal crimper gets a lot of use here, too.

  • @rjlinnovations1516
    @rjlinnovations1516 Před 2 lety +1

    Much appreciated for sharing your knowledge to us. I learned something with your excellent tutorial

  • @WindwalkerHomestead
    @WindwalkerHomestead Před 10 měsíci

    Nice looking setup. Battle Born. Simple, plug and play. You technically don't even have to have a lithium setting on your controller to use them. Ane...made right here!

  • @johnrossman6679
    @johnrossman6679 Před 3 lety +3

    I would have used some electrical tape on the exposed portions of the copper wire. But I am impressed and happy that it works. :)

  • @marvelaturraz5405
    @marvelaturraz5405 Před 3 lety +13

    "Bam!!" This guy's excited! So nice to see such enthusiasm over batteries!

    • @amishjim
      @amishjim Před 3 lety +1

      Yea, one could say that he's charged up.

    • @mysilentprayersalways1913
      @mysilentprayersalways1913 Před 3 lety

      I have solar, so when the power goes out I will have light and heat. Winter in Iowa makes for cold bones with no power.

  • @brenathedadal9929
    @brenathedadal9929 Před 17 dny

    Satu mekanisme sistem tenaga Surya yg besar. Saya sangat menyukai video video anda, semoga diwaktu masa depan saya bisa membangun sistem ini untuk rumah keluarga besar kami...

  • @user-fp7zh9ek9i
    @user-fp7zh9ek9i Před 7 měsíci

    i quit all the news..al the movies i-m watching only your channel..God bless you..wonderful family..greatings from Romania

  • @JonathanBaileyn2u
    @JonathanBaileyn2u Před 3 lety +8

    Good honest man, looking out for us fine folks. Thank you so much for all your time, effort, and vigilance.

  • @northidahodreaming5657
    @northidahodreaming5657 Před 3 lety +4

    Excellent video...very well produced and staged...you deserve more subscribers.
    I have six 24 volt Simpliphi lithium iron phosphate batteries (867 Amp hours at 24 volts) in my off grid system having upgraded from AGM batteries one year ago.
    My homestead is 18 miles from you, just north of Naples Idaho.

  • @theological7150
    @theological7150 Před rokem

    i really wish i understood this stuff better ..soon i will be homesteading and need tyo learn this stuff thank God for the internet and vids like this

  • @mutebijonathan1460
    @mutebijonathan1460 Před 2 lety

    Thank you for teaching and getting what I want because am studying electrical installation and system maintenance as my course and am pursuing a national certificate.

  • @jansmit4628
    @jansmit4628 Před 2 lety +6

    Nice detail on positive and negative wire lengths to the 8 batteries which insures minimal wire impedance differences. Shrink tubing would finish each crimpconnection a little nicer and minimize short circuit accidents.

    • @martinestorm3772
      @martinestorm3772 Před 2 lety

      Exactly what I was thinking aswell! 😄

    • @starkenterprises2371
      @starkenterprises2371 Před rokem +1

      A little grease under that shrink wrap as well. Many little things wrong in this set up, too many to list, read comments. Hope all goes well.

  • @mfla1477
    @mfla1477 Před 3 lety +4

    You have a great video going , very informative. I like the fellow who commented on using the resistor poor to making final connection. What I would like if for safety glasses be worn when making final connections. Eye protection cannot be overstated. Especially when living off the grid. Thanks Mike

  • @radioactivelight
    @radioactivelight Před rokem

    Awesome job
    Nice wire management
    I love your attention to detail
    Carry on

  • @nikolajvincenzo6678
    @nikolajvincenzo6678 Před 2 lety

    I'm so much gonna do this one day.
    Loved the vid, thanks man.

  • @danielsundberg1977
    @danielsundberg1977 Před 3 lety +73

    You should have an isolation switch/breaker on your positive lead, have it off when connecting leads and you will get no sparks!

    • @wendyking9759
      @wendyking9759 Před 3 lety +1

      Jm. Thanx

    • @MrSummitville
      @MrSummitville Před 3 lety +10

      @@wendyking9759 NO! You will still get a very high inrush current, when using a switch. The spark is not the problem, the spark is the symptom of the problem = high inrush current Battle Born suggests using an Inrush Limiter.

    • @bryanminugh9680
      @bryanminugh9680 Před 3 lety +5

      The center straps (between the left and right batteries) are meant to have a fuse link, for fire prevention as the cells bridge internally at the end of their useable life.

    • @martin1500
      @martin1500 Před 2 lety +1

      @@bryanminugh9680 where can I find resources on such detailed information like this. I want to build my system right

    • @patmccormack8135
      @patmccormack8135 Před 2 lety

      @@martin1500 Me too..

  • @spaceflan5629
    @spaceflan5629 Před 3 lety +6

    Everything looks great here, great explanations thanks for the vid. I would say though the VMAXTANKS lithium batteries have worked much better for me.

  • @bldlightpainting
    @bldlightpainting Před rokem

    Reminds me of the Alternative Energy System I designed and installed in our first homestead in Alaska over 20 years ago, of course with lead acid batteries and no bluetooth.

  • @ronbinkc4625
    @ronbinkc4625 Před 2 lety

    Excellent show. Thanks from KC, MO

  • @noneya3504
    @noneya3504 Před 3 lety +36

    Again, very nice setup. Just one step I would have taken. Your short negative wires have wire exposed between the lug and the coating. Always a good practice to use heat shrink or electrical tape to wrap the gap so there is no copper wire visible. Just for safety.

    • @patmccormack8135
      @patmccormack8135 Před 2 lety

      The Sigmaform heatshrink has meltable glue on the inside. Stops it sliding and acts to stop moisture.

    • @101markharris
      @101markharris Před rokem

      What about the bare lugs ?

  • @dreamingcode
    @dreamingcode Před 3 lety +8

    I'm a complete novice when it comes to solar energy but I want to learn. This was a great video but I feel is for someone who already knows what he's doing.

  • @demianingerman7097
    @demianingerman7097 Před 2 lety

    Super great video. Excellent descriptions of install and components.

  • @jackass3517
    @jackass3517 Před rokem

    Thank you for this video, I learned a lot again. Also very nice system setup.

  • @seymourscagnetti1413
    @seymourscagnetti1413 Před 3 lety +3

    I'M A HUGE "HOGAN'S HEROES" FAN. YOUR ELECTRIFIED FENCE LOOLS LIKE "STALAG 13". (BONUS TIP: COL. KLINK AND SGT. SCHULTZ STARTED WWII). CHEERS!

  • @peterevenhuis2663
    @peterevenhuis2663 Před 3 lety +51

    you forget your safety, you need a battery disconnect circuit breaker that works as a fuse and you avoid the spark. Same for the solar panels but a circuit breaker to disconnect from inside the plugs are not designed to disconnect under load.

    • @todddunn945
      @todddunn945 Před 3 lety +4

      Yup, I was just going to post the same thing. Also he can't use just any breakers/switches between the panels and he charge controllers because of the high DC voltages involved. On the big array he needs components rated for 100 VDC and he needs components rated for 75 VDC on the smaller array based on how it appears to be wired (series parallel). I also think the wires from the charge controllers to the shunt and batteries are undersized. That 70 output Victron controller needs #4 wire and the 50 amp controller needs #6.

    • @tonysmith26
      @tonysmith26 Před 2 lety

      Yep. This ⬆️⬆️⬆️

  • @trojwarr1933
    @trojwarr1933 Před 2 lety

    You are an answer to my prayers!!! AWESOME VIDEO!!!

  • @RyanJWassink
    @RyanJWassink Před 2 lety +1

    Love it - I didn't notice anyone else mentioning strapping the batteries to the wall or putting a cover of some sort in front of the electric connections.
    Knowing my luck I'd walk in there with a shovel or something, spin around, short it out, and zap myself. I'd then jump 2' high and knock those batteries off the wall. Personally (not that anyone asked) I'd probably a shelf out of OSB that would go between each battery and then some threaded standoffs so that you could put a sheet of plexiglass in front of everything as a guard. Attach with thumbscrews so that it would come off quickly. As a middle school teacher I'm always thinking about what a typical 7th grader would do - and unfortunately "zap himself" is the first thing that came to mind :-)
    LOVE the video and the content! Just getting ready to start a solar cabin project.

  • @bigoz1734
    @bigoz1734 Před 2 lety +20

    Always disconnect or recconect the negative side. Don't connect an active positive wire to a system.
    Also you need to secure or strap those batteries back so they're secure to the wall or ledge

  • @QuantumBraced
    @QuantumBraced Před 3 lety +13

    This is the most objective review I've ever seen, complete with wearing the merchandise of the company that sent all the stuff for free.

    • @kungfooed5999
      @kungfooed5999 Před 3 lety +5

      Honestly if they gave me that amount of free stuff, I would proudly display their gear as well lol.

    • @kungfooed5999
      @kungfooed5999 Před 3 lety +2

      1k a piece for the batteries :o

    • @christopher5194
      @christopher5194 Před 3 lety +1

      @@kungfooed5999 Yep, $11,000 for the system not including the solar panel frames and the 2/0 wiring (usually $1.75 per foot).

  • @n3uro42
    @n3uro42 Před 2 lety +7

    As a techie, when I got into RC cars, batteries was something I really delved into. Lithium polymer batteries were a HUGE boost over the Nickel Metal Hybrid batteries commonly used as they hold voltage until somewhere around 20% capacity. In contrast to NiMh batteries which start dropping voltage immediately.
    Lipo batteries are volatile. While they are super lightweight and hold voltage amazingly, they should be charged in special lipo sacks and preferably not in your house. Because after about 500 charge discharge cycles, they poof. And lithium fires are not good. Impacts can reduce that number of cycles, and in RC cars impacts happen a lot.
    Enter LiFe batteries. Lower voltage per cell than Lipo or increased weight per watt, (about twice as heavy as lipo) but in most ways as stable as nimh and even chargeable the same. (Lipo batteries individual cells in a battery need to be charged at same rate, so cells have to be monitored while charging to make sure that no one cell goes over 4.2V) Which means extra energy cost in charging and increased charge discharge cycles every time you plug in.
    Hope that helps someone google for more information on their battery mediums :)

  • @offthegrid6276
    @offthegrid6276 Před rokem +4

    Just a little advise, always protect your battery string with a inline fuse connected at the positive battery terminal of your battery string to where it feeds your equipment, lacking that fuse at the battery terminal, you can have one heck of a explosion should there be downstream fault, ahead of your system fuse.
    Always protect at the source, then another downstream to protect equipment.
    Also the wiring for the batteries is terminated with terminals, not connectors, terminals terminate a connection to a device, connectors splice conductors to each other.

  • @mccmike
    @mccmike Před 3 lety +5

    I'm impressed at the simplicity of a great working system. The only thing I would have added is a disconnect to the panels so you don't have to shut the power off from the panels in an emergency.

  • @Tessmage_Tessera
    @Tessmage_Tessera Před 3 lety +87

    Battle Born makes great batteries. What they don't make are great prices.

    • @trulyshocking
      @trulyshocking Před 3 lety +15

      $900 per battery is insane, it better to pay per kilowatt

    • @billssolarpowerandgardenin1016
      @billssolarpowerandgardenin1016 Před 3 lety +6

      I like individual cells myself. DIY piece it together!

    • @mrtdiver
      @mrtdiver Před 3 lety +2

      @@billssolarpowerandgardenin1016 - I hear you. The lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP) are safer than Li-ion, which is probably what your talking about.
      If you short a Li-ion cell it will vent and can start a fire. So LFP batteries are good in that way.

    • @billssolarpowerandgardenin1016
      @billssolarpowerandgardenin1016 Před 3 lety +2

      @@mrtdiver I have the big 200ah 3.2v lfp’s at our off grid overseas.

    • @abelardoduarte4082
      @abelardoduarte4082 Před 3 lety +7

      @@trulyshocking HA! $949.00 No way Jose.... too much.

  • @joseortiz5965
    @joseortiz5965 Před 2 lety

    Awesome. Thanks for making this so easy to understand.

  • @sustainableinvesting5892
    @sustainableinvesting5892 Před 2 lety +2

    Well done, an inspiring project!

  • @pixiedust1329
    @pixiedust1329 Před 3 lety +16

    Just a thought you might want to but a safety strap to hold the batteries in place as a safety precaution. Its just a thought all in all it looks great...

    • @allan80supra
      @allan80supra Před 3 lety +5

      THIS, or at least a 2x4 in front of each row, also as others have mentioned a circuit breaker on your solar panels, a battery disconnect switch and a pre-charge switch with a resistor inline for the inverter.

    • @MrGUYSTYLAZ
      @MrGUYSTYLAZ Před 3 lety +5

      I was thinking this exact same thing as soon as I saw him stack them above head height without any straps, you certainly wouldn't want one or more of those falling on your head or foot.

    • @denisw398
      @denisw398 Před 3 lety +2

      Good observation I would add since batteries are not really intended to stack on their sides at least use some spacers at the front to compensate for the width of the battery clamp downs at the back. Will also improve airflow when they are heating due to high draw rates or for the battery warmer below in Winter!

  • @moto-rambler
    @moto-rambler Před 3 lety +5

    Appreciate the upload. My home has been off-grid since the mid 90's. Pretty much seen it all. I'd take your old FLA batteries over those Battle Born units every day of the week. I look forward to your battery updates a year or two from today.

  • @chris-vn6sw
    @chris-vn6sw Před 2 lety

    Came across the video by chance. Great run through 👏👏

  • @eng.knowledgeseeker
    @eng.knowledgeseeker Před 2 lety

    I like your enthusiasm bro keep up the good work nice job.

  • @cleversolarpower
    @cleversolarpower Před 2 lety +6

    Great instructional video Martin. I would recommend using a proper hydraulic crimper for these 2/0 wires with nickel-plated copper against corrosion and shrink wrap.

    • @btwbrand
      @btwbrand Před 2 lety

      The wires are in a building. They aren't at risk of damage unless you spill something nasty on them.
      These battery don't vent acid gases that can cause damage.
      Hammer crimped is fine for this application.
      There are always better ways to do anything but there are limits to what is reasonable.

    • @cleversolarpower
      @cleversolarpower Před 2 lety +1

      @@btwbrand I'm not saying that Martin should re-do it. I'm making people aware that a hammer crimper is not the right tool for such big wires.

    • @cleversolarpower
      @cleversolarpower Před 2 lety

      @Kevin There is a video where a guy cuts open a hammer crimp vs a hydraulic crimp.. Hydraulic is much better, but hammer can be used too. You can check by cutting one upen.

  • @thelostarchivesserialvault5353

    Just a thought...Why not spray foam insulate the shed? If you mount a small solar panel on the shed roof you can use it to power a small heater fan in the shed. With a shed that small and IF the shed is sealed and insulated then it will easily keep that shed warm in the coldest temps. Have you considered installing a wi-fi cam in the shed? Also, so you don't have to go out to the panels to disconnect power there, you should consider installing a disconnect inside the shed. Would make your life easier for maintenance.

    • @MrSummitville
      @MrSummitville Před 3 lety

      Solar Heat might be even more efficient vs Solar Panel. Snow coverage is an issue

  • @braddahjon9617
    @braddahjon9617 Před rokem

    this is a sweet set up. made me want to just buy everything and build one for emergency situations. we get a lot of hurricanes here in hawaii. but the price tag was pretty steep.

  • @danford4986
    @danford4986 Před 2 měsíci

    One thing he got right, although he didn't state it explicitly is his wiring the battery. He correctly connected the wires to OPPOSITE ends of the battery bank. Connecting to the same end of the bank will result in uneven battery wear. You got it right Martin.

  • @RogerSayers
    @RogerSayers Před 3 lety +8

    Awesome set up... wish I could afford a system like you have.

    • @commiesnzombies
      @commiesnzombies Před 2 lety +8

      those batteries alone are like 800.00 each, i will just stick to my scrapyard frankenstein solar set up

    • @stiaininbeglan3844
      @stiaininbeglan3844 Před 2 lety

      What you do is start small. Do the set up you need for 1 or 2 panels, and don't expect to be running it right away unless you can afford each part of the setup from the start, and you start with cheaper options that work. Work your way up using savings. If you can power one or two things you use every day, then you can gradually power your entire house. If your usual power bill from the grid is say, $200 a month, and you've managed to take your entire house off the grid power, that's $200 extra every month, $2400 in a year, and then you'll be able to afford an upgrade or two. And if you can build your system to the point where you're selling extra power back to the power company, that's even more extra money each month.
      But the only way to never get there is to never start.

  • @andrewsides1215
    @andrewsides1215 Před 3 lety +18

    I loved you on Cash Cab.

  • @aligarcia3792
    @aligarcia3792 Před rokem

    Very good input. I can understand and visualize what is going on. Keep going strong

  • @bobwallace7487
    @bobwallace7487 Před rokem

    This is a couple years old, but I’m glad I watched. I’m going to build a home in Costa Rica. Thinking about solar, but not sure if we will be able to operate a couple of ac splits. We get lots of sun, perhaps it is an exercise in MORE POWER!
    Anyway, I will get expert advice before I proceed. Thank you for the info.

  • @daddouuuu
    @daddouuuu Před 2 lety +57

    Amazing setup! To avoid sparks you can have a ON/OFF switch right after the batteries. It's also a great safety thing to have in case you need to disconnect quickly the power from the batteries to your system.

    • @hwangeva1464
      @hwangeva1464 Před 2 lety +2

      Sounds very useful suggestion,

    • @louiscirillo55
      @louiscirillo55 Před 2 lety

      I was going to say the same thing... a master disconnect is a great safety feature

    • @450kman
      @450kman Před 2 lety +1

      Cheap resistor

    • @user-nd4oq4fx9v
      @user-nd4oq4fx9v Před 2 lety +2

      And use a resistor e.g a 25W 30ohm for the 12V system thats a dollar or two on the -ve end for few seconds to charge up the capacitors. This will avoid the sudden surge that causes the spark. Saw it off Will Prowse videos.

    • @TheJessicaRoper
      @TheJessicaRoper Před 2 lety

      Thanks for the advice! We are totally adding this to our system bc shutting it off to add on and whatnot is lengthy ATM.

  • @ANTHONY-et4yy
    @ANTHONY-et4yy Před 3 lety +3

    Wow, I was installing all this victron stuff on a yatch. Same time you made this vid

  • @normanjacques4092
    @normanjacques4092 Před 2 lety

    Thanks for dumbing it down for people like me when it comes to electricity 😁

  • @morpheus8867
    @morpheus8867 Před 2 lety

    GREEEEAT WORK!!
    If you're have some money, then, this system is the right for you to be electricity independent!!

  • @jessyjohnson6220
    @jessyjohnson6220 Před 2 lety +5

    If I'm installing all of this electrical I would think putting more fireproof around everything would be more essential

  • @abbasalaidaroos7108
    @abbasalaidaroos7108 Před 3 lety +9

    I congratulate you, my friend, for this beautiful, wonderful and creative work. Greetings to all of you, my beloved.🌹🌹🌷🌷👍👌🇾🇪🇾🇪🇾🇪🇾🇪

    • @winkyledford1669
      @winkyledford1669 Před 3 lety

      the payments for all that plus panels is 300 dollars a month or pay cash 30 thousand dollars cash you lose. how much money out of pocket won't tell us

    • @squarebodyranch146
      @squarebodyranch146 Před 3 lety

      @@winkyledford1669 I just bought a system similar to this with two less panels and one less charge controller for $5k

  • @falcoxd101
    @falcoxd101 Před 4 měsíci

    I love this man. thank you for sharing.