battery bank in unheated shed.

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Skippy
Skippy Solar Expert Posts: 310 ✭✭
edited October 2019 in Solar Beginners Corner #1
So, I was just reading thru the threads, and one person left off with ....
" the house burned down because of the wrong equipment "
Not sure if that was a joke or not....

My question is, middle of winter -20 outside for a week with no sun, only clouds for 2 months - is it a good idea to have all the equipment out in the shed ?  insulate the battery box, and what does that do on a 40 degree day in the summer ?

Currently, I have everything in the house - batteries are vented to the outside, and every single connection has a fuse ( I have popped a couple in my time - so they do work ... 😀

Now that I am looking at overpaneling my CC, should it be outdoors  out of the house ?

Not to mention someone breaking into the shed - "JACKPOT !! "
2 - 255W + 4 - 285W PV - Tristar 60 amp MPPT CC / 3 - 110W PV -wired for 36V- 24V Sunsaver MPPT CC / midnite bat. monitor.
1 KW PSW inverter 24V / 2.5 KW MSW inverter-24V ~ 105 AHR battery.
3 ton GSHP.- 100 gallon warm water storage / house heat - radiant floor / rad
9 -220W PV - net meter - Enphase inverters and internet reporting system.
420 Gallon rain water system for laundry.***  6" Rocket Mass Heater with 10' bed for workshop heat.
Current project is drawing up plans for a below grade Hobbit / underground home.
Google "undergroundandlovinit" no spaces.
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,822 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    C or F?
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
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    A 40° summer day kinda implies C.  When I worked in the arctic, 40°F was a nice summer day.  Most other places it wouldn't be considered much of a summer day  :)

    At -20°C, freezing isn't likely unless bank is taken to a really low SOC.  Apparent capacity at that temp would be lower though, maybe about 2/3 of room temp rated capacity.  Batteries and electronics don't like heat.  40°C is too hot for me, and probably for the gear as well.

    With proper OCP, an enclosed and vented battery box, and assuming a secured (locked) location, I'd be okay with it in the house.  Hanging some fire rated (type X?) drywall on Z channel in the gear room wouldn't hurt.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,822 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
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    Sure - for those who use C. It isn't that hard to hit C or F. I see this literally all the time here. Its like we need a bot that pops up and says "Hey champ, we talking C or F here. It makes a difference."
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Skippy
    Skippy Solar Expert Posts: 310 ✭✭
    #5
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    Yup... can see it would be confusing ...
    But then in Canada it always is....
    gas is in liters - lumber is in feet - and temps are in both c and f.
    Lets just say its freakin cold .... and too darn hot. 😁😁.

    At the risk of having someone tell me I have the totally wrong fuses .... here is what I have throughout my system....

    they are D.C. rated....




    2 - 255W + 4 - 285W PV - Tristar 60 amp MPPT CC / 3 - 110W PV -wired for 36V- 24V Sunsaver MPPT CC / midnite bat. monitor.
    1 KW PSW inverter 24V / 2.5 KW MSW inverter-24V ~ 105 AHR battery.
    3 ton GSHP.- 100 gallon warm water storage / house heat - radiant floor / rad
    9 -220W PV - net meter - Enphase inverters and internet reporting system.
    420 Gallon rain water system for laundry.***  6" Rocket Mass Heater with 10' bed for workshop heat.
    Current project is drawing up plans for a below grade Hobbit / underground home.
    Google "undergroundandlovinit" no spaces.
    · Share on Twitter

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