[RE-wrenches] Switching to LiFePO4

[Nick Lucchese]

Just installed my first Rubix Stack'd 24v batteries yesterday. Max
recommended discharge to 20% is 25.5 vdc but the inverter LBCO is
conveniently 24.0 so not really necessary to add the aux cutoff trick on
legacy Outback systems. Will see how they do over time but in general Zonna
has been a very reliable partner.

Nick

On Tue, Sep 17, 2024 at 8:19 AM David Palumbo via RE-wrenches <
re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:

> Wrenches,
>
> I have a nice little rental house here in my off-grid neighborhood that
> after 40 years is ready to transition to LiFePO4 batteries.
> I have no experience with any lithium home power storage batteries. I'm
> looking for advice, so I can avoid mistakes as a rental house with battery
> problems is quite the pain in the ass. The last tenant was my daughter so
> life with older lead acids wasn't a huge issue, but now I want something I
> won't have to enter the house to monitor and operate. I'll bullet what I
> think I know and my questions.
>
>    - The house has four 11-year-old Trojan Industrial IND 17-6 for 925 AH
>    @ 24V that are amply sized for the houses loads.
>    - It has a newer TriMetric meter that I was supposed to be able to set
>    up for web access using their WIFI module, but I have had no success with
>    being able to monitor battery state of charge remotely.
>    - I really need something that will give me battery state of charge
>    information without entering the house.
>    - The system has a single OutBack VFX3624. PV array is 2.5kW.
>    - System also has a Iota 40A charger so charging with my 6 KW genset
>    is typically in the 100Amp range with the OutBack and Iota.
>    - We are in northern Vermont, so we rack up significant generator (NOT
>    auto-start) run time in the winter months.
>    -  I'm looking at Eclipse LiFePO4 24V 200AH. Three of these will give
>    me 600AH @ 24V which is 65% of the rated Amp Hrs of the Trojan Industrials
>    now in use. Is this enough?
>    - My battery box can easily handle up to four of the Eclipse 24V 200AH
>    batteries. I see that Backwoods recommends that only three of the Eclipse
>    are connected with battery cables. If I opted for four (for 800AH) I would
>    need to use a busbar.
>    - Are there other distributors of Eclipse batteries other than
>    Backwoods Solar that I should consider? I haven't used my dealer account
>    with them for a number of years and I'm not sure that I'll get a good price
>    from them.
>    - What is the lead time for getting these batteries shipped out?
>    - Are there other LiFePO4 batteries I should consider?
>    - Is 600AH of LiFePO4's enough to replace 925AH of LA's?
>
> Dave Palumbo
> Retired from running Independent Power, but active in off-grid solar.
> Hyde Park, VT
> 802-371-8678 voice or text.
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