diy solar

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  • Post in thread: DIY Bus Bars from copper bar

    kromc5, Nice work! A question. You have some pics showing complete systems using the single stud style terminals, and the start of a system using the twin hole style. I can get my cells in either style -- do you have any thoughts on the differences? I note that you only used 1 hole of the...
  • Post in thread: I've been thinking of drilling my 100W hard panel frames for airflow and lightness

    It's not a safety concern. I shattered a rigid panel on our boat, and while the glass rained down for weeks (months?), none of the pieces were sharp and none were over the size of a peanut. So, it is potentially a financial risk (who wants to buy a new panel!), but no safety risk. But, on the...
  • Post in thread: DIY Bus Bars from copper bar

    I think your thoughts are theoretically correct, and in a high-C use, maybe significant. In my case, my load on 3P 300A cells will be 95% 5 to 30A (or .1C if one cell picked up ALL the load), max normal load about 100A for under 20 minutes, and theortical max load of about 200A (toaster AND...
  • Post in thread: DIY Bus Bars from copper bar

    That brings up something I've been wondering about. On sailboats, with salt water, we use a lot of aluminum, and then stick in SS fasteners. It is a disaster, an adhesion suitable for space age connections. I've been wondering about SS fasteners in those terminals, but thinking maybe inside...
  • Post in thread: DIY Bus Bars from copper bar

    Amazon can help with fasteners! M6x30 delivered in no time flat: https://a.co/d/iRKaYhV Or 20mm in pretty colors: https://a.co/d/5etPjuy I think those colors are only anodizing, which is just aluminum oxide with dye added. So they are essentially "just aluminum." but if you want studs to top...
  • Post in thread: Smaller bifacial panels

    I have a sailboat, and am about to upgrade the existing panels (an accident has shattered my existing, so a chance to redesign). A simple replacement with identical panels will get me about 600W. I'd like to get over that. For starters, consider money to not be an issue (of course it is, but...
  • Post in thread: DIY Bus Bars from copper bar

    I realize this is a fairly old thread. But it is very close to my question, and the best I can find on the forum. Rather than starting a new, nearly identical thread, I'll post here. I'm preparing to do a 3P4S build of 304Ah Eve with the new 2xM6 studs. Bus bars in general, and especially...
  • Post in thread: Best vendor for ~300Ah cells? And some related questions

    I have a 43' sailboat, currently with 800Ah of AGM. Over the last 3 summers, I've been aware that they aren't long for this world. Yesterday, I used a heat gun with the inverter, and in under 5 min I had a "low voltage alarm" -- and my batteries were at 100% SOC when I started. Not sure the...
  • Post in thread: Smaller bifacial panels

    This would address the ability of the solar panel itself to be supported, and may work. But it still leaves the solar array unsupported -- the end of my structural arch is only 26" from the forward end of the solar panels (and consists of two tubes only about 8" apart). There is a welded 1"...
  • Post in thread: BMS choices -- contactor based

    I'm trying to settle on a BMS. My power needs are fairly high, potentially over 300A both charge and discharge. Also, since it is going on a boat, I have to be aware of ABYC (building code for boats) requirements. Also, since it's on a boat, I have space and power constraints. So, that said...
  • Post in thread: DIY Bus Bars from copper bar

    This is my suspicion as well. It may be one of those things we realize is theoretically possible, and then make designing it out a "at all costs" kind of thing -- even though it never actually happens. I'm not terribly worried about them getting out of line vertically. Newton mostly takes...
  • Post in thread: Best vendor for ~300Ah cells? And some related questions

    Already new questions! For my space, an ideal arrangement would be 3 wide sets, one after another (3P4S), which would put 3 terminals side by side. Then each "interconnect" would be 3 connections wide (12 holes) and 2 deep (from first set of cells to second). This would in a theoretical world...
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