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Convert Leaf battery to solar battery?

  • 10-10-2018 12:25pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭


    Just wondering does anyone know can you convert cell from a Leaf battery into a solar battery? not the full battery but sections out of it?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 790 ✭✭✭conor_mc


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    Just wondering does anyone know can you convert cell from a Leaf battery into a solar battery? not the full battery but sections out of it?

    Not quite the answer to your question Shef, but check out new episode of Fully Charged today on PowerVault, a startup using second life cells from Renault for home storage.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 790 ✭✭✭conor_mc


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    Just wondering does anyone know can you convert cell from a Leaf battery into a solar battery? not the full battery but sections out of it?

    Also, I recall an article about a year ago, I think on Cleantechnica, where some Norwegian dude pulled the modules from a crashed Leaf and stuck them in a server rack his employer was binning! Cost him about 3k for an 18-odd KWh battery!


  • Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    463528.jpg

    19kWh New.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan



    19kWh New.


    Is that a 19kWh battery new?


  • Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    It's 14 x 6volts, you can bolt together. but you can get much bigger forklift batteries for similar money.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 790 ✭✭✭conor_mc


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    Is that a 19kWh battery new?

    No, it’s 14 leisure batteries, as used in campervans, etc. That’s a fairly big price differential with Li-ion, but presumably comes with some hefty caveats in space, safety, care, etc.


  • Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Traction motive battery for high torque electric motors found in golf carts & access MEWPs.
    They are safer; they don't spontaneously combust and then keep reigniting under thermal-runaway conditions.

    Leisure batteries are muck.

    My 6volts are 4 years old and good as new in daily use.
    62% SOC today. 15Watt solar incoming powering this post.


  • Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    462450.jpg

    45kWh Monoblock Traction Battery.
    Tubular Plate Construction.
    With low maintenance Watering and recombination kit and anti stratification device.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    I got offered 5kWh of Leaf batteries for 500 quid..... :-) I am just wondering how I would then hook up to Solar PV.....


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,480 ✭✭✭wexie


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    Just wondering does anyone know can you convert cell from a Leaf battery into a solar battery? not the full battery but sections out of it?

    Of course you can, it's a battery, it stores electricity. Whether or not it's worth it will probably depend on how much you'd end up paying for them and what you'd need to charge them properly.

    Friend of mine lives very remote in South Africa and his whole solar array is setup from old submarine batteries. (and no he won't tell anyone how he got to be in possession of submarine batteries but knowing him I'm going to guess there was some wheeling and dealing involved)

    interesting article here :

    https://www.automotiveworld.com/articles/plug-cars-plug-homes-ev-batteries-get-second-life/


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  • Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Submarine batteries are the same as sealed forklift batteries and old telecoms outposts & UPS.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    Thanks for all the replies but I am even more confused now :-)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,480 ✭✭✭wexie


    Submarine batteries are the same as sealed forklift batteries and old telecoms outposts & UPS.

    Really? I'd have thought they'd somehow be more exotic.

    Although I guess it kinda makes sense, if I was in a pressurized tube under water I'd prefer old and reliable over exotic too


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭dathi


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    I got offered 5kWh of Leaf batteries for 500 quid..... :-) I am just wondering how I would then hook up to Solar PV.....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLNzF3EpTQk

    couple of guys on you tube doing it


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    dathi wrote: »
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLNzF3EpTQk

    couple of guys on you tube doing it


    Jesus if the Garda walked into the shed and seen that you would have the whole county closed down and the bomb squad in :p:p:p:p:p:p


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,834 ✭✭✭air


    I've been using leaf modules for about 4 years now. They're very easy to work with.
    I wouldn't recommend an installation like the one in that video, the parallel packs have no fusing which is very poor practice.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 790 ✭✭✭conor_mc


    air wrote: »
    I've been using leaf modules for about 4 years now. They're very easy to work with.
    I wouldn't recommend an installation like the one in that video, the parallel packs have no fusing which is very poor practice.

    Can I ask if you’re an electrician/greentech professional? Or is this doable as a relative novice DIY’er? (With electrician’s help of course!)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,834 ✭✭✭air


    It's probably not within the DIY range to be honest unless you are electrically competent at the very least.
    Working with batteries of any description is potentially dangerous, especially once you start combining them in series and parallel strings.
    I'm an engineer and work in the area.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    air wrote: »
    It's probably not within the DIY range to be honest unless you are electrically competent at the very least.
    Working with batteries of any description is potentially dangerous, especially once you start combining them in series and parallel strings.
    I'm an engineer and work in the area.


    Im not, at most I can build a home computer and put the components together...I think a step too far


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