battery Framework

plongson
plongson Solar Expert Posts: 115 ✭✭
What are you folks using for a support to keep your batteries off the ground? I'm new here and will be asking lots of questions.

The plan is for a new install, off grid system, 48v, 6-185 w panels and 16-400 to 450 ah batteries That I don't want just sitting on the ground. Is there a supplier of are you fabricating something and getting it powder-coated.
3500w solar, 800AH with Rolls Surrette, Magnum inverter, Midnite charge controller, Kubota 21kW diesel genset...private well...and just recently connected to city power for additional options...nice to have options 

Comments

  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework

    Welcome to the Forum,

    There are companies that make battery racks, and boxes/cabinets.

    Seems that you might want to build a shed for the batteries and power system, or at least a plastic Garden Shed like thing. In the US, these are common at Big Box reatilers. Have seen these plastic enclosures as a part of the Travel Trailer power system, and generally they seem adequate. This is about the minimum level of enclosure. And the inexpensive plastic enclosures are probably flammable, so one needs to use good wiring practices, and circuit breakers to protect each circuit.

    Just MHO, Vic
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework
    plongson wrote: »
    What are you folks using for a support to keep your batteries off the ground? I'm new here and will be asking lots of questions.

    The plan is for a new install, off grid system, 48v, 6-185 w panels and 16-400 to 450 ah batteries That I don't want just sitting on the ground. Is there a supplier of are you fabricating something and getting it powder-coated.

    Volunteering some advice here before you ask the question too late: those panels won't do a good job of recharging that much battery. At a charging Voltage of 57.6 and typical 77% panel efficiency they might support 148 to 296 Amp hours at best. If the batteries you mention are 6 Volts, configured in two parallel strings of eight each for 450 Amp hours total (like using "golf cart" batteries - about 225 Amp hours) they would want around 3366 Watts of array for proper charging. Better you find out now before you ruin your very first set of batteries from under-charging.

    Always a good read, Battery FAQ's: http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm

    BTW, mine are supported by 12" diameter logs holding up 2" thick planks. This is called "overkill" or "sitting inside the cabin". :p
  • plongson
    plongson Solar Expert Posts: 115 ✭✭
    Re: battery Framework

    THANKS Cariboo.. I have been reading here a lot and the projected number of panels didn't seem to be enough. I put this out for bid on a new OG home scheduled to break ground in about two weeks. The bids I got back were absolutely ridiculous with everything marked up 100%! I got a bid back from NAWS here and I going to make the purchase for the whole package in about two weeks.

    THAT SAID...I've been on a small solar system on this site or about 3 years, but I built it and understand the concept, but I'm having trouble sizing it for home that will use an unknown amount of power.

    It's two story and about 2400 sq.ft. I have a 24Kw Kubota diesel genset for family get-together's but with me and the wife...we're VERY energy frugal.

    I'm thinking 48v, xantrax stuff, 450Ah batteries giving 900Ah of power. How much panel will I need for March through October at 37.7 lat? I'm planning on a Zomeworks 168sq.ft. UTRF-168-2 tracker.

    I wonder if I should go with fewer batteries and rely on the genset more???

    I've got lots of reading ahead of me...LOL

    THANKS WAY IN ADVANCE FOLKS!!!!
    3500w solar, 800AH with Rolls Surrette, Magnum inverter, Midnite charge controller, Kubota 21kW diesel genset...private well...and just recently connected to city power for additional options...nice to have options 
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework

    24kw for family get togethers!!!! yikes. they must be power hogs as some here wouldn't use that amount of power in an entire day and i doubt your relations will either, but it could be used to power things while the generators bulk charges the batteries for later use if need be. still overkill.

    anyway, give us some kind of idea of the loads you will be running and if you can estimate the length of time those loads will need to be run.

    as to something for the batteries you can go with the commercial battery boxes or make something up with strong wood so as to resemble shelving. remember batteries weigh allot!!! if it's inspected they would most likely want the commercial stuff and a means to vent hydrogen gas in the case of standard fla batteries. agms normally don't gas and are more suited for indoor uses among other benefits, but they cost more.

    we can try to give you a rough ballpark on what is needed, but we could be wrong too and if so you must be able to expand upon the system to accommodate the extra power.

    a quick question for you might be if anything in that new og house will need 240vac? may not matter if your loads are large enough to warrant such an inverter capable of 240vac, but it poses a minimum requirement to be worked around with 240vac items to be powered.
  • The Only Sarge
    The Only Sarge Solar Expert Posts: 164 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework

    2X4's bolted together.
  • The Only Sarge
    The Only Sarge Solar Expert Posts: 164 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework

    And welcome to the forum by the way...If you stick around they will tell you that you do not have enough panels for your batteries......oh wait....never mind:-)
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework
    2X4's bolted together.

    that's about what i did with a battery box long ago and it held up to 3 type 31 batteries inside, but if i used the top as well it would've held 6. i did use, i think, 2 x 6s (rechecked as i used 2x8s) on the bottom and top shelf to better carry the load with less of a gap. talk about heavy as the battery box weighed quite a bit before the batteries went in so be very sure the flooring beneath the battery box is rated for all of that weight. concrete slabs or basement floors should be fine without worrying of weight loads.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework
    And welcome to the forum by the way...If you stick around they will tell you that you do not have enough panels for your batteries......oh wait....never mind:-)

    Hey! Are you "getting at me"? :p

    I'm thinking about just putting it in my sig to save time: "You do not have enough panels for your batteries." ;)
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework
    Hey! Are you "getting at me"? :p

    I'm thinking about just putting it in my sig to save time: "You do not have enough panels for your batteries." ;)

    not a bad idea or to maybe put the recommended charge rate ranges down there, but i suspect most won't read it anyway.:p
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework
    niel wrote: »
    not a bad idea or to maybe put the recommended charge rate ranges down there, but i suspect most won't read it anyway.:p

    You mean like that whole FAQ section that's just loaded with good info?
    People always want the shortcut to the answer. :roll:
  • plongson
    plongson Solar Expert Posts: 115 ✭✭
    Re: battery Framework

    neil: 24kw for family get togethers!!!! yikes. LOL...I got a large wife and family ;) NOT

    I have a small orchard of apples, pears and cherries, a 240v1ph pump for irrigation and the water is down about 260 feet. I also got this genset several years ago brand new for a screaming deal using a corporate discount with a company I worked for. It's overkill but you can power Grand Central!! LOL
    3500w solar, 800AH with Rolls Surrette, Magnum inverter, Midnite charge controller, Kubota 21kW diesel genset...private well...and just recently connected to city power for additional options...nice to have options 
  • The Only Sarge
    The Only Sarge Solar Expert Posts: 164 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework
    Hey! Are you "getting at me"? :p

    I'm thinking about just putting it in my sig to save time: "You do not have enough panels for your batteries." ;)


    LOL....you did not get the memo? I have it right here somewhere.....

    Here it is....
    Today is July 19, 2011. Temps will be in the low One Hundreds. Five bonus points if you screw with Canadian folks on a solar forum today.

    I want my bonus points man! I did my job.....:blush:

    Seriously I bet a majority of folks have more battery than PV. I did.
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: battery Framework

    maybe the memo is where the man card went?:confused::p