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I think I'll chronicle my solar upgrade here. Recapping: I have a bus conversion with 3000W of solar on the roof, an 8000W PowerJack (v10.3+) inverter that has generally served me well, but would overheat under some circumstances. Worth every penny, would buy again, etc but Genetry Inverters both being true-to-rating and having enhanced/smart cooling functionality made the choice to upgrade very easy.
Additionally I am moving away from a pair of Tesla batteries to a 43kWh LFP bank and want to be able to charge the bank to 80% in one day of full sun, so I am also doubling up on solar panels from 3000W to 6000W. A tricky proposition, as my roof is currently full:
The idea is to build a slide-out system capable of accommodating another 8 to 10 panels, which I am working on today.
Well, in the middle of this effort, UPS pulled up to deliver a package. I thought it was some 100% fruit juice ice popsicles I ordered a week ago, turns out it's the beast I pre-ordered back in October!
So now I have some choices to make! My current inverter lives in a box under the bus.
This box is where I plan to locate the new battery bank, (well insulating it and installing climate control) but I'm not sure I want the inverter there or not.
Also, it would be pretty easy to swap out the PJ for this GS inverter as it is on the current Tesla bank, which voltage range is 40v-48v... It would be good to test this thing prior to the new bank arriving.
I need to get this metal painted, after which I can post an unboxing!
Thank you Sean and Sid!
What kind of bus you got? Is it a old school bus convert?
What kind of bus you got? Is it a old school bus convert?
It's a 1999 International with a Rear Engine. International still makes this chassis so it's not "old school" per say.
Thanks <a contenteditable="false" data-ipshover="" data-ipshover-target="/profile/19-kazetsukai/?do=hovercard" data-mentionid="19" href="/profile/19-kazetsukai/" rel="">@kazetsukai, we hope it works very well for you. Sorry it took SO long to get...we are probably making all the "startup" mistakes that can be made, but thank you for your patience.
Sorry it took SO long to get...we are probably making all the "startup" mistakes that can be made, but thank you for your patience.
To diverge briefly on this topic, @sid-genetry-solar @sean-genetry-solar:
Mistakes were going to be made no matter who it was, and seldom does anyone get to choose which mistakes are made. I judge based on how mistakes are addressed... Throughout this entire process Genetry Solar has been transparent, open, and accessible, enough for an A++ rating in my book.
I don't need an apology, this is what I signed up for. I wish you guys the best.
Finally, I got it to load :P.
Yeah, I got a 1988 International 24 foot box truck. uns like a champ even after a year of not starting it, put a batty to it and fired right up and moved it to another spot.
I would love to find a empty bus like that you got. where do I look to buy one used and still running of course lol.
I would love to find a empty bus like that you got. where do I look to buy one used and still running of course lol.
The forums I frequent over at https://www.skoolie.net/forums/ has a classifieds section, and there's also govdeals.org, etc. Lots of places to find them, although pre-emissions diesels are getting harder to find (2007+ are frowned upon because the emissions equiipment often causes engines to blow up).
I've been thinking of starting a business to help with conversions.
Well, I rebuilt the whole box inside the box truck new wall instulation wireing and all that, so a bus wouldn't be much diff, other then dealing with all those dang windows, which would be easy to get rid of by taking them out get a sheet a metal and rivet it in then seal it of course before riveting. I would probley wrap the dang thing would be cheapier then painting lol.
@adminCurious how the GS inverter's doing for you?
So yesterday, the rest of my batteries finally arrived. We started assembly immediately:
Custom aluminum bus bars spanning six cells to make both the series and parallel connections in one swoop. Pretty sure these will perform well, if not I'll have some nickel plated copper ones made later on.
You can see my masking-tape covered torque wrench at the bottom of the photo above, taking every precaution with assembling these. 48 cells in 16S3P.
Behind, inbetween, and in front of these cells I'll be placing some RV heat pads:
They have a built-in thermostat, but I'll also add my own themostat to drive both these and a warning light in the cabin. This is my safeguard against freezing.
Yesterday I got through about half the cells.
BMS is beefy as heck:
Using some runs of "PVC wood" to act as barriers between the bus bars (prevent accidents), a platform for a protective cover. I cut channels in these barriers for the BMS balance leads:
Today hopefully I can finish up assembling the bank. After that I have to top balance the cells- I'm going to do this by charging the bank at once up to a modest voltage (3.4V per cell, 54.4V bank), then increasing the target bank voltage by .2V until I reach 3.55V for every cell. Any stragglers I'll charge individually with a bench power supply to bring them up. If I have peaking cells, I'll use the bench supply to hit the lowest ones until they are caught up. Top balancing them all in parallel would take far too long from factory SoC with my power supply.
After a top balance, I'll remove my Tesla packs and install the shiny new GS inverter, finally!
Lower half of the battery bank balance lead bars installed:
Yesterday we finished base assembly:
Now I have some cleanup to do in the electrical cabinet, reorg/moving stuff.
That used to be rather neat- incrementalism is to blame. The hanging positive leads go nowhere at the moment- they were to the PJ inverter but will be used now instead to go to the new batteries. Also intend to vacate the lower section today, for the GS inverter:
4
Tesla packs on the right, NAS/landslide of electrical goodies that never belonged there on the left. New home for the GS inverter.
Lots of work ahead of me today....
@sid-genetry-solar @sean-genetry-solar
So, some unfortunate news- seems the front output terminals of my 6kW GS inverter were busted in shipping. Could you send another matching terminal block?
2 hours ago, kazetsukai said:<a contenteditable="false" data-ipshover="" data-ipshover-target="/profile/2-sid-genetry-solar/?do=hovercard" data-mentionid="2" href="/profile/2-sid-genetry-solar/" rel="">@Sid Genetry Solar <a contenteditable="false" data-ipshover="" data-ipshover-target="/profile/1-sean-genetry-solar/?do=hovercard" data-mentionid="1" href="/profile/1-sean-genetry-solar/" rel="">@Sean Genetry Solar
So, some unfortunate news- seems the front output terminals of my 6kW GS inverter were busted in shipping. Could you send another matching terminal block?
//content.invisioncic.com/g308908/monthly_2021_06/562469532_output_busted_01_25.thumb.jpg.5e28a8a401aec816bca469d4d0e86375.jpg
//content.invisioncic.com/g308908/monthly_2021_06/899878355_output_busted_02_25.thumb.jpg.37a190c0f661287b1e515e08386241b0.jpg
Wow, how that happen? the cover should have prevented the terminal from busting, unless the cover was bent like heck. I can't see, so don't know what it looks like. Thats UPS for you, drop mine off and bent the heck out of it and cause a wire to get loose to fry it under a load.
6 hours ago, kazetsukai said:<a contenteditable="false" data-ipshover="" data-ipshover-target="/profile/2-sid-genetry-solar/?do=hovercard" data-mentionid="2" href="/profile/2-sid-genetry-solar/" rel="">@Sid Genetry Solar <a contenteditable="false" data-ipshover="" data-ipshover-target="/profile/1-sean-genetry-solar/?do=hovercard" data-mentionid="1" href="/profile/1-sean-genetry-solar/" rel="">@Sean Genetry Solar
So, some unfortunate news- seems the front output terminals of my 6kW GS inverter were busted in shipping. Could you send another matching terminal block?
<a class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image" data-fileext="jpg" data-fileid="492" href="/monthly_2021_06/865759441_output_busted_01_25.jpg.fe2fc45d62c35b7231bde93b45138919.jpg" rel=""><img alt="562469532_output_busted_01_25.thumb.jpg.5e28a8a401aec816bca469d4d0e86375.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" data-fileid="492" data-ratio="75.00" style="height:auto;" width="1000" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g308908/monthly_2021_06/562469532_output_busted_01_25.thumb.jpg.5e28a8a401aec816bca469d4d0e86375.jpg" src="/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><a class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image" data-fileext="jpg" data-fileid="493" href="/monthly_2021_06/2032151809_output_busted_02_25.jpg.68b8065482edeeb29914914397f1d849.jpg" rel=""><img alt="899878355_output_busted_02_25.thumb.jpg.37a190c0f661287b1e515e08386241b0.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" data-fileid="493" data-ratio="75.00" style="height:auto;" width="1000" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g308908/monthly_2021_06/899878355_output_busted_02_25.thumb.jpg.37a190c0f661287b1e515e08386241b0.jpg" src="/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />
Sorry for the damage; turns out we're actually out of stock of these right now, so we'll order some more in and get a replacement one off to you ASAP.
Will PM you also.