Solar-Powered Battery Bank

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Scott Cooper
6 years ago
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1 Solar-Powered Battery Bank 1 Page

2 D I S C L A I M E R O F L I A B I L I T Y A N D W A R R A N T Y This publication describes the author s opinions regarding the subject matter herein. The author and publisher are not rendering advice or services pertaining to specific individuals or situations. For specific advice, or if expert assistance is required, the services of a qualified professional should be obtained. The author and publisher assume no responsibility whatsoever for the use of the information in this publication or for decisions made or actions taken based, in whole or in part, on the information in this publication. The author and publisher make no warranties, express or implied, regarding the information. Without limiting the foregoing, the author and publisher specifically disclaim and will not be responsible for any liability, loss, or risk incurred directly, indirectly or incidentally as a consequence of the use or misuse of any advice or information presented herein. Use this publication and information with good judgment and do the best you can in your particular situation. You agree to indemnify and hold the author and publisher, and their respective officers, directors, agents, employees, contractors and suppliers, harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys fees, related to your use or misuse of this publication or the information contained therein. You further agree that you will cooperate fully in the defense of any such claims. Notice: As the purchaser of this electronic document you are permitted to store it and print it for your own personal use only. Otherwise, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and publisher. It is illegal to make a copy of all or part of this publication for someone else, even if you do not charge for the copy. If you have purchased this book from anywhere other than OffGrid-Independence.net, including ebay, please report it to david@offgrid-independence.net immediately. C O P Y R I G H T Those who have received or purchased the guide are neither authorized nor permitted to transmit copies of this guide to anyone without written permission. Giving away copies to people who haven t paid for them is illegal under international copyright laws and will submit you to possible legal action. Therefore, the utilization of this file is limited to personal use only. T E R M S A N D D I S C L A I M E R By using, viewing, and interacting with this guide or the OffGrid-Independence.net website, you agree to all terms of engagement, thus assuming complete responsibility for your own actions. The authors and publishers will not be held liable or claim accountability for any loss or injuries. Use, view, and interact with these resources at your own risk. All products from OffGrid-Independence.net and its related companies are strictly for informational purposes only. While all at-tempts have been made to verify the accuracy of information provided on our website and within the publications, neither the authors nor the publishers are responsible for assuming liability for possible inaccuracies. The authors and publishers disclaim any responsibility for the inaccuracy of the content, including but not limited to errors or omissions. Loss of property, injury to self or others, and even death could occur as a direct or indirect consequence of the use and application of any content found herein.

3 Table Of Contents Introduction... 3 Supplies for a Solar-Powered Battery Bank... 4 Ready, Set, Build Your Solar-Powered Battery Bank Page

4 Introduction You really can t go wrong with a solar-powered battery bank. The sun is always there, and even though it is not always shining, it shines often enough in most locations to warrant building a solar-powered battery bank that can provide you with free stored energy as needed. Think of the solar-powered battery bank as your rainy-day backup for energy! Building a solar-powered battery bank won t empty your wallet or put you in a time crunch. If you ve got the funds for some basic equipment and about an hour to invest, you re good to go. Follow these easy step-by-step instructions for an affordable, reliable energy source. As with all do-it-yourself projects, it s critical for you to follow all safety precautions when building your solar-powered battery bank. Working with lead-acid batteries requires caution and careful actions to avoid having an accident. Always lean on the side of safety wear tight fitting goggles with side shields that seal around your eyes. Wear rubber safety gloves that come up to 3 Page

5 your elbows. Avoid loose fitting shirt sleeves and clothing that can dangle into battery fluids or become entangled while you are working. And most importantly, never smoke or have open flames in the area where you are working on the batteries, and make sure the work area is well-ventilated. With this do-ityourself project, you are on your own for safety. Don t take risks be safe. Supplies for a Solar-Powered Battery Bank Power inverter Two 12-volt automotive batteries One set of automotive battery cables Charge controller Recommended solar panels: six, 1-amp/15-watt panels for a 90-watt solar array Wire cutter/stripper 4 Page

6 Ready, Set, Build Your Solar-Powered Battery Bank Step 1: Setting up a solar array is the first thing you ll need to do. The instructions in this guide are for a configuration of six 15-watt/1-amp panels. This will give you a total of 90 watts of power. Bundle the solar panel cables together and plug the connectors into the solar panels. Step 2: Run the cables to the extension cord wire. The six positive (red) cables and six negative (black) cables should be bundled together and then bundled tightly with the extension cord wire. To bundle the cables and extension cord wire, make sure the cord is NOT plugged in; then split the extension cord wire and strip the ends with the wire 5 Page

7 cutter/stripper. Then attach the ends of those wires to the solar cables. Cover the connection so it is protected from rain, snow, moisture, etc. You can purchase cable ramps or covers, or wrap it with all-weather cable tape. Even if you live in an area that does not get harsh or wet weather, make sure you cover the connection. Step 3: Use the two 12-volt automotive batteries to set up the battery bank. Set up the batteries side-by-side and close to the inverter and charge converter. If you ve forgotten how to set up the battery bank, use the step-by-step instructions in this report as your guide. 6 Page

8 Step 4: The solar array will constantly draw power from the sun when the sun is shining during daylight hours. However, the batteries will not constantly need to be charged, unless you are draining them constantly with frequent use or with appliances or devices that have heavy energy demands. To allow the charge converter to manage the flow of charge to the batteries from the solar panel array in order to prevent the batteries from being overcharged, run the extension cord wire from the solar panels into the house and plug it into the charge converter. In some cases, the extension cord wire may be in the upper right corner of the charger converter; in other cases, you may need to screw it in the extension cord wire. 7 Page

9 Step 5: Now, identify your lead battery the first battery in the battery bank series. Run the output wires from the charge converter to the lead battery in the battery bank. Connect the red output wire to the positive terminal on the battery. Connect the black output wire to the negative terminal on the same battery. Step 6: Now, you need to connect the two 12-volt batteries. This will give you double the potential power. To connect the batteries, attach the red positive battery cable from the positive terminal of the lead battery to the positive terminal of the second battery. Now, connect the negative terminal of the lead battery to the negative terminal of the second battery. 8 Page

10 Step 7: You ve done a fantastic job of creating your solar-powered battery bank. Now, any time you need stored energy from the battery s bank, simply turn on your inverter, which will convert the battery power from DC to AC. AC is the requirement for most appliances and electronics. Connect the inverter clamps to the lead battery in the battery bank. Clamp the positive (red) clamp to the positive post on the lead batter, and the negative (black) clamp to the negative post on the lead battery. Use the socket on the inverter to plug in your appliance or electronics that you want to charge. Then, turn on the inverter switch. If you determine that you need more power than your current solar-powered battery bank is providing for your needs, you can expand the battery bank by following the steps to add more batteries. Just be sure that you always maintain your lead battery in the setup as the battery to which the inverter clamps are attached, and then connect additional batteries to the lead 9 Page

11 battery with automotive battery cables: positive to positive and negative to negative terminals. Your solar-powered battery bank is simple, and you may want to keep it that way without precisely monitoring the output. But, if it s important to you to monitor your battery output, you can add a volt meter to your setup. Monitoring with a volt meter can provide you with the reassurance of knowing exactly where you stand with energy. This can be particularly comforting if you are off-grid or out in the wilderness camping and must rely on your solar-powered battery bank for important energy needs. Congratulations! In building your solar-powered battery bank, you ve taken a giant step toward self-sufficiency. It s good to know that you can quickly and easily build a solar-powered battery bank on a small scale or large scale to power up small appliances or a whole house if needed. 10 Page

Do-It-Yourself Battery Pack

Do-It-Yourself Battery Pack 1 Page D I S C L A I M E R O F L I A B I L I T Y A N D W A R R A N T Y This publication describes the author s opinions regarding the subject matter herein. The author and publisher