[RE-wrenches] LiFePO4; WAS Availability of Powerwall Batteries

Sat Jan 23 11:44:39 PST 2016

August,

To be sure, there is a fragility in using LFP batteries if the integrator does not understand the pitfalls….and there are many. In November a lithium battery and solar “dealer” emailed me for help. He had damaged an $8000 battery bank and wanted to know how to get it working again. After I told him a few things to NOT do, I then offered my expertise for a $250 consulting fee. No response.  I could tell of other cases where the unlearned have ruined their DIY installation or people have bought a LI-ion battery from dealers that won’t provide support. The stories are too many. 

I’ve been on the bleeding edge for 2 years now and I’m still discovering mistakes I made in the early application of our battery. Fortunately I am able to make the changes to hardware and software to keep the battery safe from humans. Lead is SO much more forgiving than Li-ion when it is not done right. 

We are up to 4-5 installations per month plus out the door sale of about 5 systems per month. I receive email inquiries daily about our LFMP batteries. I have high hopes for products from the likes of Tesla. As I have said in the past, Lithium battery technology IS the future for RE storage…lead, your years are numbered. 

Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar Power Systems

On Jan 22, 2016, at 5:35 PM, August Goers <august at luminalt.com> wrote:

Larry,

To get back to your previous response to me – I’m fully onboard with the benefits of lithium batteries. For now, they seem like the clear successor to lead acid technology. However, I’m still concerned about the ability of these smaller “integrators” to assemble cells and electronics together and make a robust package. There may very well be good ones out there, I just don’t know. Tesla’s product is still brand new and who knows how that is going to go.  

Best,

August

From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>] On Behalf Of Starlight Solar Power Systems
Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 2:46 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] LiFePO4; WAS Availability of Powerwall Batteries

Hi Allan,

I would like to challenge the use of the term "locally manufactured". Mccune Solar Works does not manufacture lithium batteries. They purchase battery cells from China and package other third party components like EMS and relays to make a lithium battery  system. Very similar to what we do except our LFMP battery package EMS and CPU is designed by the manufacturer exclusively for GBS batteries. Perhaps a better term would be LFP battery dealer or integrator.

Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar Power Systems

On Jan 22, 2016, at 12:30 PM, Allan Sindelar <allan at sindelarsolar.com <mailto:allan at sindelarsolar.com>> wrote:

Wrenches,
A longtime off grid friend of mine, with whom both I and Positive Energy have collaborated on difficult installations over the years, just purchased a 24V 230AH, 120 lb. LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery bank that is locally manufactured in Albuquerque. It's still too small and too expensive to run his entire home, so he has devised a battery switching system and is keeping his older FLAs in operation while he tests these and affords more strings. So far he's quite pleased with the performance, but there's not yet a track record for his set.

So I want to pass on this low-key manufacturer: Chuck McCune, McCune Industries, http://www.mccunesolarworks.com <http://www.mccunesolarworks.com/>, (866) 622-8630. I believe that a legal Non-Disclosure Agreement is necessary to get the real info.

Contact me off list if you'd like to speak with my friend with the new set. I believe that he has set up as a regional dealer. 
Allan

Allan Sindelar
allan at sindelarsolar.com <mailto:allan at sindelarsolar.com>
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
505 780-2738 cell

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