[RE-wrenches] Best Battery

[Ray]

My favorite right now is Simpliphi: company has been around since 2002, 
and as the name implies, they are simple to install.  There is no 
external monitoring or comm, just an output breaker on each battery that 
can be reset if the internal BMS ever shuts down for any reason.  We've 
done several sets in new systems, and as battery replacements with older 
Outback equipment.  Simpliphi provides a nice programming cheat sheet 
for all the brands of inverters and charge controllers.

For smaller systems, the LiFe Blue batteries are great.  They have the 
best monitoring (simple blue tooth to a free phone app) and they are the 
only Li+ battery that has a solution for cold weather charging that I'm 
aware of.  Other battery companies have just given us the shoulder shrug 
and tell us to install the battery in a conditioned space.  Not a good 
answer for many off grid systems in the mountains.

I'm not a huge fan of Blue Planet; if their battery is over discharged, 
it requires a 48 v dark start.  I also did not find their enclosure to 
be NEC code compliant to connect conduit to. We had to modify it to 
allow a 2" KO. Cable routing and connections internally are also 
awkward. Its just a computer rack cabinet repurposed for batteries, but 
it does have pretty blue Lights (which we disconnected at the customer's 
request)  Finally the comm system is based on the E-gage, which was 
never designed for off grid and depends on a constant router and 
internet connection to monitor.  That is another deal killer for some 
remote projects.  Internet connectivity is great when available, just 
the monitoring can't be dependent on that connection.  Their tech 
support was good though.

Beware that Schneider inverters LBCO can't be programmed over 48v, which 
is a deal killer for most Li+ batteries.  We currently have a system 
that we are adding a relay to shut off AC output, that will be triggered 
by the charge controller.  That is just an amazingly kludgy solution for 
a really dumb problem: not allowing higher settings of the LBCO.  Until 
Schneider releases a firmware update, they are not even being considered 
for future projects.

Ray Walters
Remote Solar
303 505-8760

On 8/9/20 5:30 PM, Jerry Shafer wrote:
> I have outback FX systems operating for years now, the lab l had used 
> FX's and midnite systems, it does need to be 48 volts nominal.
> Jerry
>
> On Sun, Aug 9, 2020, 4:13 PM Kirk Herander <vtsolar at icloud.com 
> <mailto:vtsolar at icloud.com>> wrote:
>
>     For some reason (that I never got an answer to from Outback or
>     Blue Planet) older FX inverters are not compatible with Blue Ion
>     LFP batteries. The newer FXR series are.
>     Considering one only needs to change slightly charge voltages,
>     duration, etc. to meet BI recommendations, it's a mystery why
>     Outback states that older FX inverters are not compatible.
>     Outback  states this in a tech note about using LI batteries.
>>
>>     On 8/9/2020 5:40:39 PM, drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org
>>     <mailto:drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org>
>>     <drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org
>>     <mailto:drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org>> wrote:
>>
>>     P.S. The system consists of an old Outback FX inverter and an
>>     MX60, with
>>     a 2600 W array.
>>
>>     ---
>>
>>
>>     On 2020-08-09 13:12, drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org
>>     <mailto:drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org> wrote:
>>     > Hello Wrenches,
>>     >
>>     > What is the best Li-Ion battery to use with an off grid system?
>>     >
>>     > Thanks,
>>     >
>>     > Drake
>>     > Athens Electric
>>     >
>>     > --
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