Solar PV battery options

DrPhilG

Pack them all up lads, Facebook has spoken.

unkel

What ***** sent you that?

A 20kWh LiFePo4 pack is a helluva lot safer than your mobile phone battery.

championc

There are a few agenda pushers. As someone suggested, it should be renamed to be an INSTALLERS forum rather than an OWNERS forum

bullit_dodger

harderthanf

It does raise a question that I am having a bit of a struggle with at the moment. I am gearing up for a DIY install myself. However, my wife is asking some questions, like this, that I don't have the answer to. For example, what is the home insurance stance? As of yet I am a bit reluctant to contact them to ask (but I think it needs doing).

Some of the photos I've shown her has scared the bejaysus out her though. You can understand how they look when the "off the shelf" batteries are presented better and to her "safer" as she has no real experience of batteries.

I know lifepo4 cells are safer than ion but combustion is not unheard of. I will have them in the garage or in a specially built unit outside (near the consumer panel).

mp3guy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118909139#Comment_118909139

My favourite part is the installers' posts crying about push back against their 20% mark up prices 😂

championc

For what other DIY stuff do you do and advise the insurance company ? When you do a diy repair on a car, do you tell your car insurance about it ?

For most important thing for me was to install safety disconnects - breakers / fuses / knob shutoffs

championc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118910376#Comment_118910376

It gets [conveniently] totally forgotten about the fact that the installers get the pre-grant figure

harderthanf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118910867#Comment_118910867

Technically yeah, if you modify your car you need to tell them or it won't be insured. I am not sure the comparison of repairing a car and building a battery pack from scratch is comparable.

I am just playing devil's advocate here. Finances permitting I will DIY build. I have many 18650 12V packs all over the place, for many years and never even considered home insurance, and they're much more volatile!!

However, if some lad on some Facebook site says "that doesn't look safe your insurance won't cover" shouldn't we take that with as much credence a someone else saying "sure why wouldn't it be insured", if you know what I mean?

I suppose what I am trying to say is that, for me, there needs to be some consideration given to the DIY saftey process. Not saying it's 100% safe and not saying 100% not safe!!

harderthanf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118910884#Comment_118910884

That's a good point and one I hadn't considered either!!

puntypower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118907042#Comment_118907042

Can you rent these out or do people generally buy them? Or anyone in the Clare/Limerick area have one I could borrow in a few weeks?

championc

I didn't mean modding a car. I meant something like replacing brake pads or fixing something

championc

Actually, are people who get systems professionally installed, telling their insurance company ? Just because a "professional" has installed it, I would only see an installer taking responsibility for the kit installed, and not taking responsibility for your roof structure .......

harderthanf

My renewal is up next month so I will mention it to them.

Again, while I might agree with the logic in what you're saying it still doesn't prove that it is (or isn't) covered. The only real way to know this is to run it buy the house insurance.

harderthanf

For the laugh (wasn't really that funny to be honest) I called my home insurance company and asked. Pretty sure the lad I talked to hadn't a clue but he (eventually) said the panels are covered under building insurance. I specifically asked about internal components like batteries and he said "ah yeah, all of that is covered"

In one sense I should be covered now as that call was recorded. In another sense, this lad had no idea what I was on about but that is most likely not my problem now.

Alfagtamini

Hi All, finally ready to take the plunge and order the cells. Currently €2400 for 32 CALB 200A packs from PWOD.

How is this in comparison to anyone who ordered recently?

I have a Solis 6kW hybrid Inverter with 18x 330W Jinko panels.

2 X 2.4kWh pylontech batteries (which I'll be removing and selling)

What BMS have people found the most successful to date with the Solis inverter ?

Thanks

DrPhilG

I think Seplos is the only game in town now that Zeva have stopped production. Although I believe they made their spec and designs available for anyone who wanted to make their own.

mp3guy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118911726#Comment_118911726

I had two insurance companies quoting me for my renewal earlier this year, and one of them even sent someone out to look at everything (outbuildings etc...). Not an eye batted at the PV or batteries, just add it to the rebuild cost.

munsterfan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118911544#Comment_118911544

I picked one up on Amazon, e80 or so. Should be done with top balancing in a week or two and am generally down home in Limerick every few weeks. DM me closed to when you need.

John mac

my insurance is up the end of the month and will be making sure they know about pannels ,, if the roof comes off with the next storm im covered .. . :)

i got 16 batteries a couple of weeks ago , came to €1192.75 also bought a seplos €199

Alfagtamini

Thanks for the replies.

Anyone got a link to a seplos bms ? Struggling to find one near €200.

Alfagtamini

Likewise, I'm Limerick based and can lend you my bench PSU

John mac

i got mine from here . was mentioned earlier in the thread .

Minerals Official Store

Alfagtamini

Thanks, was just replying to say I found it :) ordered

puntypower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118912631#Comment_118912631

Cheers thanks I will my cells are on the way

championc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118912466#Comment_118912466

And there is a specific Seplos BMS thread, to help anyone unsure or needing help with wiring or settings

Alfagtamini

Thanks for that. Alot of great information in that thread.

SlowBlowin

We had a pretty bad lightning strike some years ago and the home insurance paid out for 3 x Morningstar MPPT60 charge controllers, as well as a lot of other electrical items related to my RE system. They asked me to get a "Technician's or supplier's report of how the items were damaged and quotes for replacement", I just gave them the replacement costs.

THE ALM

Have bitten the bullet and ordered 10x 5kWh rack mount batteries from China, will see how that goes in the coming weeks.

Not as cheap as the diy route but working out several hundred euro cheaper than anything I have priced here.

Looking at quotes the prices seem to be on the rise.

Won't be needing the 10 so will have some spare for those not wanting to go the diy route and can pm me for details.

SD_DRACULA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118931026#Comment_118931026

Should be going down in reality, the EU approved the 0-5% VAT across the block the other day but if it applies to installers only means nothing to the consumer, installers will pocket that.