DIY Solar Generator - Save Thousands by Building Your Own
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- čas přidán 26. 04. 2023
- DIY Solar Generator - Save Thousands by Building Your Own
Check out our follow up videos. building a better version:
• Build a Better Solar G...
Here are the components used in the follow up video
Here are the links to the components we used:
Battery: ipowerqueen.com/?ref=2o1mpvjk
Solar Panels: www.weizeus.com/?ref=BROCKMAG...
Inverter: amzn.to/3prRhwr
Check out more of our tractor videos here:
• John Deere 2038R and c...
Rockhill Farm is a daily equipment and rural living vlog. We mainly focus on tractors and working outdoors.
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Here are the components used in the follow up video
Here are the links to the components we used:
Battery: ipowerqueen.com/?ref=2o1mpvjk
Solar Panels: www.weizeus.com/?ref=BROCKMAGGARD
Inverter: amzn.to/3prRhwr
Check out our follow up videos. building a better version:
czcams.com/video/Gxh_2U_fSN0/video.html
Check out more of our tractor videos here:
czcams.com/play/PLmYnhJtNUq7c2n8UTJASTf9qJQXQ_ngFP.html
Rockhill Farm is a daily equipment and rural living vlog. We mainly focus on tractors and working outdoors.
I really appreciate you taking time to watch this video. If you enjoy this type of content Check out some of the following links to support our channel.
If you are interested in a rock Hill Farms T-shirt check out our merch store
rockhill-farm.creator-spring.com/listing/rockhill-farm-logo
Please subscribe to our channel here: czcams.com/users/Rockhillfarmandhomes
Follow on Facebook at
facebook.com/Rock-Hill-Farm-102050688356056/
You can now support the channel by buying us a coffee at the following link:
www.buymeacoffee.com/rockhillfarm
What LED light was that that wasn't showing any draw ? I want one lol
If you are in doubt, spring for the better inverter!
Just don't run motors pumps or charge lithium batteries, but for kettles most small electrical devices for camping will be fine, be running them for 2 years plus no problem.😊
And whatever you do--cherish the times you spend with your dad. These moments will come back to you in later years!! I know!!
That's the opposite of what happened
Some dads are pos
Love Dads shirt!! Praise Jesus Christ. And thank you for this
It's really cool working with your Dad. Love Dad's T shirt message.
We have used the czcams.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
There can be some issues with charging batteries in parallel. Ideally you should be using a balanced charger, and the batteries should be the same chemistry, capacity, and approximate condition. For periodic use, it's not going to make a big difference. But if you're using a DIY power station regularly, batteries will fail sooner when they're not properly balanced. Search for "charging 12v batteries in parallel", there's a bunch of articles on the topic.
Like when a tractor or diesel truck require 2 batteries. Same thing.
Your thinking series connection. Parallel requires no balancing
@@Mr.J345no, they are correct. Series is far more difficult of course, but parallel has specific wiring considerations to keep them at the same level of charge and discharge.
From what the "Power Queen" batteries (the ones used by these folks) product page shows, it looks like each LiFePO4 battery has its OWN BMS, so as long as the user is providing the correct voltage and power requirements, and an appropriate amount of charging, one shouldn't have to worry about balancing and so on.
However, when initially connecting the packs together, I would ensure they are very close in state of charge to each other to prevent high currents/sparks in the cables when first connecting them together...and when in use you may want to ensure each battery alone could handle the expected load because the BMS of a depleted battery pack may "shut off" one battery pack, leaving the other(s) to supply all the power (although ideally if there is an overload the remaining batteries' BMS controllers should also in theory disconnect those batteries due to potential overload.
Series charging is the thing that is difficult. For parallel charging, just make sure that the path to each battery is the same length. If you have a string of batteries in parallel in a row, connect to positive to the battery one end of the row, and the negative to the battery at the other end of the row. Make sure all the cables from the battery bank are the same length.
I like your video but i love your father`s t-shirt inscription: " We walk by faith not by sight "! Amen! Blessings from Greece !
Watching now. Love your Dad's walk by faith shirt. Preparing for the coming days!
Thank you so much, for someone who has never camped and all of this is new, thank you so much for the simplicity.
This is a very helpful video. Great job, guys! Thanks for sharing. Take care 👍
Even with Bluetti's 2048Wh AC200 on sale for like $1150 ish for prime day, which is actually incredible and hard to pass up, it's just extremely important to me to be able to easily replace broken parts. If something breaks in that thing, you might be out $1150.
Howdy Brock and Keith! Really cool how-to video. Shows what can be done on a budget. A couple homesteaders I follow made something similar. I'd like to make one eventually... be a lot quieter and lighter than toting a generator around the property where I might be needing power for a short time. Thanks for sharing 🤠
That works. Something to keep in mind though is that unlike LiIon those lead acid batteries don't like deep cycling. But if you only use the top 10-20% of capacity, it's a great way to go.
If you use marine batteries or golf cart batteries they are made for deep discharge and are only a little more than regular car batteries or use gel cell but those are expensive
Yeah. Those will help.
My recommendation is to go Lifepo4 if the budget allows for it, as they will most definitely pay for themselves in the long term.
On the other hand Lifepo4 isn't as forgiving to high temperatures, which cuts into their cycle life. So if things might get hot where the battery is stored and used, Lifepo4 might not be the way to go. YMMW.
You also need to use the right "float" charge when they are not being actively used or mainline charged after being used. The right float charge varies not only on the battery technology, but can vary depending on manufacturer. Not using the right float charge will significantly reduce the lifespan of a battery.
Note: I've seen UPS units by highly respected UPS manufacturers that use MUCH too high float charges on their "gel-cell" batteries, which seriously reduces their battery life from what could be well over 5 years to less than 3 years.
edit to add: Of course, they are happy to sell you replacement battery(ies) at usually quite high cost (sometimes using proprietary connectors to try to force one to buy only their replacement pack(s)).
*Thank you for sharing this valuable information in the video. I would like to add that used batteries can often be found in major cities for around $40, and Walmart also offers some batteries priced at $86. Overall, this is an excellent idea for DIY enthusiasts who, like myself, enjoy building projects.*
Thanks for sharing
dont forget lowes has good stuff decent marine deka lead
I did that ! Powered my in attached garage with 2 I00 watt solar panels via 2 Deep cycle boat batteries & 4000 watt inverter.
EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT !
That was a great video guys.
I'm going to do this. Wow!! We need this in Florida
Good basic how to, but...1 LiFePO4 100 amp hour battery has more capacity than 2 lead acid, weighs 20 to 25 pounds and will last ten years. The cost is around $300. The max output of 1 would be 1200 watts, so you need two to run 1200 to 2400 watts. If you are starting from scratch and have to buy new batteries, I strongly suggest buying a LiFePO4. You can tip them over and not worry about spilling acid, you can safely use them and store them inside your house, you can run them down all the way and maintain most of the voltage until the very end, and they are so much easier to tote around.
Awesome information! Thanks for the killer video! It’s definitely worth saving time and money
Thanks
Lots of money but for someone like me that is worried about anything electrical it dubs the job for me great job on the video just wish I could do my own 😊
Rock - Great video, very useful. I too can not justify (regardless of whether I can afford it or not) spending 3K for something I would only use occasionally. Are the high-end units nice, of course. Do they make financial sense for ME, not. For the record, I put in a Kohler 20Kw whole house generator with automatic transfer for switch for like 5K a few years ago. Looking at that comparison alone should give a good sense of value. However, I do give the manufacturing world credit for being able to teach the Gen Z'ers that they actually need this... Smile. Thanks for bringing us all alone. Great Video !!!
yo dope video!!!! shout out to your dad for his knowledge and experience!!!! So cool!!!!!!
For my tractors I use Grover technology. 12 V. Capacitors where I don't need a battery to start my tractor. Victron charge controllers with solar panels do really nicely with inverters and batteries Good video
This is much simpler and I can just go ahead and upgrade my car battery early and use that to build my backup battery. Thank you very much to you and to your Dad!
JFYI Car batteries don't live very long as a power source that will be deep cycled like this! These things KILL starter batteries!
Car batteries aren't ideal as they are not designed to deep cycle. Their plates are positioned to allow high cranking amps for a starter motor then rely on the alternator replenishing the power.
Buy marine or camping deep cycle. Better still buy LFP which is half the weight and can get the full amp hours out of them.
Lead acid batteries of 100Ah only have 50 usable amps before getting down to 12v. After that if not recharged immediately they degrade rapidly.
when you connect the inverter you should always connect to positive on one battery and negative on the other one (this will draw and charge evenly from both batteries and prevent you damaging 1 battery or both)
As Americans, I like the way Americans think. Your the greatest !
I love Keith's Shirt. That is far more powerful than either inverters.
Amen 🙏🏽
You can usually purchase used solar panels from your local solar farm as they replace them yearly and at that point your getting a commercial grade solar panel for next to nothing
Don't recommend for electronics due to the modified square wave output. But for most tools and lights it will work fine!
@trentbishop7793 Just like the name implies, the voltage varies from + to negative 60 times a second. lights transformers, and most motors don't care, but it can play hell on some electronics. Google sine wave vs. square wave and you will see what I mean! Hope this helps.
Aka dirty electricity
Got my 305 lipo4 set for about 500 dollars. Also make sure you are getting pure sine wave inverter. The modified ones can burn up some electrics. I am making a 305 ah (about 4kwh) with pv and 2000watt for a little over 1000.
Just made a long ass comment about how cheap it is to put together a 4kwh battery with prismatic cells. Can't believe more people dont know.
where?
@@yelowfruit Battery Hookup has 20S CATL modules made with uncycled 280Ah cells. They are 2 years old but will give full capacity and after a few cycles should give your typical 285Ah+ of new cells. I'd guess IR is probably a tad higher than normal but for an ESS its perfect. I think it comes out to $85 a cell which is dirt cheap for Grade A CATL cells (ok these might be considered high quality Grade B since they are NOS)
Downside is you have to buy 2 20S modules to get that price. If you buy 4 20S modules that means you can cut the bus bars on the 4 batteries you don't use for the 16S 48V system (best voltage to use as its most common) and then string together the 4 sets of 4 to create a 5th battery . Someone here on CZcams has a great video on doing it.
Yes, its several thousand dollars but each 16S battery is 14kwh....so four modules would give you 70kwh which is more than enough to run a house for days including AC and hot showers.
305Ah cells, a 2000W inverter and how much PV for under $1k?
I know you get those cells from 18650 Battery Store for about $120 if you don't mind high quality Grade B but shipping is going to be another $150. The cheapest 2000W pure sine wave inverter is $175 and even if you use used solar panels 2kw of solar will run you a couple hundred dollars. Then you need a charge controller and thats another $100 minimum.
We built a better version here
Build a Better Solar Generator for 1/2 the Price!
czcams.com/video/Gxh_2U_fSN0/video.html
THis is, by far, the best DIY solar system video I have ever seen on the internet. Nice work you guys!
I LOVE your shirt! ✝
Thanks...Just caught this one.
You did a great job.
Now I'm near 70 and just started my U-Tube. "Tinkering Geezer".
You fellows made it look PROFESIONAL.
WOW
Best of luck to you and making videos. Feel free to reach out if I can help in anyway.
II will subscribe
Very good information.
Great job of breaking it down it is the best video on the subject I've ever seen
Thanks. We did a follow up with some better components
Build a Better Solar Generator for 1/2 the Price!
czcams.com/video/Gxh_2U_fSN0/video.html
Great video! The inverter in the name brand generator is probably a pure sine wave witch is better and more expensive. Something to keep in mind for your electronics. I have been thinking about getting one but I can’t justify the cost. Great video on a cheaper option. Any power is better than no power
Hello good morning to you
Both the 2000W and 3000W Renogy inverters pointed to by Brock/Keith claim "Renogy 2000W *_Pure Sine Wave_* Inverter 12V DC to 120V AC"
"Renogy 3000W *_Pure Sine Wave_* Inverter 12V DC to 120V AC"
That was helpful, practical and simple; THANKS
Thanks
Great help may the Lord bless
Good Idea Brock. That inverter has a cooling fan, do not run with the lid closed unless you add ventilation.
New subscriber. Good stuff. Thx!
👍Thank you neighbor, this video is really helpful could be a life saver 👍
My neighbor?
🤣Not literally friend, a way of melting divides among us. Besides your sharing such important information seems very neighborly. A good thing. Thank you @@RockhillfarmYT
very good option for dig. thank you
So educational and helpful! Appreciate you guys!!
Im looking into making something like this using 2 H.F. batteries 35A/H ea. and a solar panel, controller, inverter and case for running a cpap machine independently while camping. This video was exactly what I was looking for. I think the 100W panel will recharge batteries just fine if im getting 6hrs sleep using the machine.
I use a CPAP and I used to take an RV battery and inverter with me when I went tent camping (I have a camper now, with its own battery). An RV battery will take a deeper discharge than a standard car battery.
Not a bad price point considering how much folks probably already have laying around. I could build one today with all the stuff sitting in my little shop.
Awesome 😎
Using Standard batteries with a large inverter will destroy the battery in no time, they aren't designed to push out the large current for a long time like a Lipo4 battery can
EXACTLY. Automotive starting batteries are designed to put out a large amount of current for
a short time, e.g. 30 seconds. They don't do well when deep cycled.
Love your dad's shirt. Solid verse. Old man tech is solid and somehow we lost that smarts.
Good job sir
Made one years ago, tool box with a truck battery in it. Everything wired through a low voltage cut off so I didn't over drain the lead acid battery.
After taking it camping about 3 times I was tired of lugging the damn thing around 😂
I would think that you would still have to open the lid so the inverter can stay cool running it's fan. You don't want it overheating!
Or you could cut a vent hole
Hi, I apologize for my manners for being too rude to leave a
comment on your comment box without your consent. You always
share great posts here,
I have a small one set up on a shop that isn't located near my house I use it for lights and fire up the generator on the occasion that I need more it keeps me from spending a fortune on wiring and paying a monthly minimum on a building I don't use much.
As a 42 year Master Electrician I can validate this set up!!!!!!!! 100% spot on iv'e been doing it this way for years and years......
I currently have a 1500 Watt power inverter and a huge deep cycle marine battery with the Harbor Freight 100 Watt solar charging system....... It comes with the charge controller and the system works like a charm!!!!!!
I can run my fridge and internet and some lights no problem.....
No way I was going to spend a couple grand on something like you said I can build from the things I have available to me in my shop....
Great job guys!!!! Very useful and practical set up that will last years and years!!!!!!!
Can you use the electric appliances while this is charging? I'm new to this stuff.
@@babyreps365 Absolutely but you cannot go over whatever wattage your inverter is.... And really you want to stay at around 50% max load so it will work longer and not strain the system..... 75% is ok but I try and stay at 50% or less
Thank you for the positive comment
I am happy to find your comment as I am old and know nothing about solar usage in any way. My husband uses a cpap at night that uses about 350w and I use oxygen at night only. I would use my portable oxygen machine in a grid down situation and it uses about 350w. Between the two of us it would be 700-800w. We would use this maybe 8-10 hours at night. How many 100w solar panels would we need and about how long would it take to charge them on an average sun day in order to use it the next night. Would this homemade generator work for our needs. Are there tweaks to make to the generator. I sure hope you see my question and answer it. Thanks.
Love the bible verse on your dads t-shirt 👕 🙏
thumbs up for your dad's t-shirt. More precious than your excellent DIY.
Just sub due to your dads shirt. First time viewer less than 2min in
That was interesting!
this is what im going to do once i finish my house. reuse my current system from this old camper and use my craftsman tool box the wife got me years ago.
good video
Thank you for this!
Make sure you are getting an inverter that is pure sine wave if you are plugging in sensitive electronics. I am not sure if Harbor freight is making pure sine wave inverters yet, maybe.
They have one
Wow nice power
Add 12V ports and then you can also charge from your vehicle and easily use 12V accessories. USB ports are a useful as well.
The inverter has usb ports the 12 volt is a great idea
I have thought about doing this for my corn burner stove. I would make a quick disconnect for the inverter, so I could use it on my truck for "portable" power when needed. "My truck" is a 1995 E350 with 7.3 diesel and has a HUGE alternator( it was a cab chassis with an ambulance box on back when new). I'm not sure of the amperge output, but I imagine it's pretty healthy.
In a power outage I rigged one up to run my parents pellet stove so they would have heat
During a power outage I set one up to run my parents pellet stove so they would still have heat
Pure Sine Wave Power inverters are the new big thing. ...but great video.
I agree this video we used what was readily available in our area or in this case we already had.
I subscribed because of this video for my pop up camerer that I live in
I have both set ups. A Bluetti 200Max generator then my own set up. Renogy solar charge controller. 2 agm batteries and a 3k watt power inverter from harbor freight. The Inverter is not pure sine wave and I’m scared to plug anything into it,,specially small items like charging laptop and phone. Since I have the Bluetti my homemade set up I’d only for emergency use. Don’t want all that weight and used up space in my cargo trailer that is off grid. 😊 Thanx for the rolling battery cart idea.
A long way from ideal I put an old Car Battery I had in an old Cooler I had then mounted an Inverter I had to the lid of the Cooler,...Ran my Internet Router/Gateway for 8 hours with more to spare :)
Thank you so much
LOVE THE SHIRT!!!
The loose end of that positive flailing around made me nervous LOL! I use a 3 inch piece of heat shrink tubing, tape one end closed and slip it on the end of the cables I am working with. No chance of touching the wrong power post. I have a few made up ahead of time so when I need to connect or disconnect the cables, I slip the appropriately colored tubing on the loose end.
User's Comment: "This solar generator looks amazing! I've been looking for a reliable and powerful portable power station for my camping trips. Definitely going to check out this Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series!"Your Reply: "I completely agree! The Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series is a fantastic choice for your camping adventures. With its massive capacity, waterproof design, and fast recharging capabilities, you can rely on it to keep your devices and appliances running for extended periods. I highly recommend giving it a try!"
thanks, great job
Brock the diy version needs battery terminal insulators and the box needs to be ventilated as charging batteries release hydrogen sulfide gas! Don’t use in an unventilated space!
Making that box extremely flammable no lighters or open flame should be used around it. Ventilation is a must for sure even a little exhaust fan may be useful.
@diannaday2180 I didn’t cut any holes in it for cords…
It can only be used with the lid open
You can buy reconditioned batteries at auto salvage yards. for $50 or $40 with core. Good as new. 😊
I like the concept of "doin' it cheap" but you haven't really come close to the capacity of that more expensive unit. Almost apples to oranges. I like apples. I like oranges. But I kinda think you did a little more blending than is honest. For running a few LED lights or even a bit larger load for just a minute or two, those two lead acid batteries might handle it. If you need to run a refrigerator and freezer overnight, I have a feeling I know which one will hold up. There are reasons why things cost as much as they do and it's not all "corporate profits". Building it yourself can save a little money in most cases. If you're honest about capacities, though, maybe not as much as you'd like.
Nice video. In Australia your dad would be known as a bush mechanic. Just gets it done!
Just make sure the inverter has pure sine wave or you could fry your electronics, PC, TV, ect.
LIFEPO4 batteries like what are used in nicer commercially-available power stations are safe for indoor use, charging/discharging lead-acid batteries can release gas - might not want hydrogen gas in your home - Also something to keep in mind when in a box like that when housing certain types of batteries that can produce gasses. If kept in a sufficiently vented garage or shed or something, deep-cycle lead acid batteries are a great choice with a MPPT controller.
This good
I think we may be missing the point i have thrown one of these together ina few minutes during a power outage out of things i had and that exact geniverse with pannels list for 3700 it is an amazingly powerful product we aren't really saying something put together on the cheap is better but it ain't bad for the price
this is excellent. thanks fellas
Thanks
I like this set up. I think I'll add a regulator from the inverter to the battery too. Right?
Very good.
Never hook loads cables both to the same battery in a parallel configuration.
Same with chargers, always spread to opposite ends of the battery bank.
outstanding
Enjoyed the video. When all the high tech lithium batteries with their circuits no longer work, i will still be using the lead acid batteries. I love the low cost, wide availability of lead acid batteries. Also, how many structures have burned down from EV vehicles. Why do airlines worry over lithium batteries. I would wear the "hillbilly" comnent as a badge of honor. Folks that can drop $3k on a solar generator, good on you. I would rather own something less efficient that i can build, work on, replace parts from the shop stock pile, etc.
Hi, I apologize for my manners for being too rude to leave a
comment on your comment box without your consent. You always
share great posts here
You really should consider putting fuses on the output of the battery.
I built one of these about 20 years ago. I wish I could send you pictures. I made it on a battery box.
A good video guys but a few things you do or omit are not necessarily good advice.
You cabled the two batteries together in parallel good but, the inverter and any solar controller should always go to positive of battery A and negative of battery B so both batteries draw equally.
Fuses are required on all positive cables to protect the cables.
Cable sizes need to be as short as possible and the guage needs to reflect power draw. For example that 1500W inverter is going to draw 125A with 250A start up surge so that needs 00AWG cable and 300A fuse.
Pairing batteries should only be done after ensuring their condition SOH is virtually identical.
I appreciate what you are trying to do but if you factor in the real cable cost, fuse cost, cable connectors etcetera your budget will be a lot higher.
Mount the inverter on top of the box, not inside as it will get hot. Most have suggestions of gaps required.
I have a 200AH LFP battery and 2000W inverter (240v here in Australia) and am going to build my own battery box. These aren't generators BTW as they merely convert 12V DC to 110v or in my case 240v AC supply.
I like your plastic trolley box!
Please accept my comments as constructive criticism not meant to sound nasty.
Be safe guys.
Shalom
A 50ah LiFePo4 is now less than $200 now and will out last the 2 lead/acid batteries you have. Nice build anyway. Greetings from Jamaica.
Cool Power Station
Get a lifepo4 (lithium iron phosphate) battery, good for 3k cycles, much lighter too. About $120 for a 30ah unit
Brock, are you familiar with Missouri wind and solar? It’s a privately owned solar off grid type store in Seymore, Missouri. I purchased all my solar off grid equipment there for my cabin. It’s a large store that you can actually look at quality equipment before purchasing. The windmills maybe your thing also.
I was not familiar with that. Thanks for sharing.
I have seen there videos
I haven’t watched the whole video yet, so forgive me if you cover this, but using trickle charge 6volt golf cart batteries wired in 12v sequential order is a great solution to the storage component here.
You are right and even if you are using new lighter LiFePo4 batteries that cost is less than 1/3 of those ridigilously prized plastic boxes! Just hope some of those are not made with low grade batteries and they are junk after 3-5 years!
Here’s a Cost effective idea: how about using street rental escooter Li-ion battery packs?they’re practically free😊
Put some referral link is the description, I’d rather give you a % when I buy another inverter or battery. You can put what you would buy if money was endless, and what you would do if you had zero funds. Everyone wins by your experience, thanks! ❤
I will say this. There's a reason for spending the money on the LiPO4 (Lithium-Ion Phosphate) batteries instead of car batteries. When you use a lead-acid battery, the voltage drops almost immediately. When you use the Lithium-Ion battery, it' maintains the voltage until it's about 80% depleated--then starts dropping. Also, the minimum voltages are different. You can run a Li-Ion battery down to a lower voltage before it damages the battery.
Awesome video!!.. I was just thinking about getting a solar generator because my generator so loud. My RV have panels on top and a whole system that charges itself and I got thinking to myself with everything I have I probably have everything I need I have two inverters a bunch of marine batteries ect. Even have like five extra panels.. I figured that's all that those things were. . Thanks for breaking it down I was overcomplicating it
yea those inverters