Dala's solar-powered workshop (+DIY powerwall coming)

[Dala]

Okay finally getting started on constructing a powerwall! Gonna make this one a real step-by-step incase someone wants to copy the setup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr7vzq8PW70

[Dala]

The BMS is mounted and operational! Feels so good, now to continue with the inverter:
https://youtu.be/tjZsCgUr2wQ

[Dala]

The Victron Inverter is IN! In this video, I test it out before mounting stuff permanently. Now I just need to add the safety stuff, fuses, contactors, precharge, CAN comm, etc. But that's for next week

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCo0QkNMqrs

[denwood]

Dala, I can't thank you enough for posting up your journey. Your excitement is infectious as you step through the process

Please keep the videos coming as you connect up to the grid!

My question is on the cell clamping. On three of your cells, you're using the OEM, very stiff cast aluminium end caps. I'm assuming they are stiff like this to resist deformation in the body, which in turn would allow the cells to expand. On the other packs in your setup, you're using a different setup which does not look nearly as stiff. So expansion won't happen at the corners, but can it still occur in the middle of the cell packs?

[Dala]

My question is on the cell clamping. On three of your cells, you're using the OEM, very stiff cast aluminium end caps. I'm assuming they are stiff like this to resist deformation in the body, which in turn would allow the cells to expand. On the other packs in your setup, you're using a different setup which does not look nearly as stiff. So expansion won't happen at the corners, but can it still occur in the middle of the cell packs?

Cell expansion is more of a phenomenon at really high and really low SOC. So by staying out of the extremes, it doesn't matter as much. The other slimmer compression plates are actually from a LEAF battery pack.

[denwood]

Makes sense...thanks for the clarification.

How is the project going?

[Dala]

Today I turned on a LEAF pack connected directly to the grid. This was a separate side project to get 30kWh of storage at my main garage.



More info on the project here: https://github.com/dalathegreat/BYD-Bat ... -For-Gen24

This is a gamechanger for how easy it is to re-use old LEAF packs as-is for stationary storage.

[denwood]

Simply awesome... I suspect a lot of LEAF packs will end up used exactly in this manner Is this something you might sell as a plug and play solution?

[Dala]

Simply awesome... I suspect a lot of LEAF packs will end up used exactly in this manner Is this something you might sell as a plug and play solution?

Even better, if you follow that link you see that it all is open source, with instructions on how to get it working on 15$ hardware!

[Marktm]

MIght be the best "battery recycle" program - If you can work with Tesla on something similar?
Quick calc on purely SWAG estimate:
- 4 million Teslas on road in US by end of 2022 - all available for "spent" use by 20XX - 2030??
- Average remaining energy for grid support (or off grid) - 35 kWh from 65% to 15% on average "spent" 70 kWh batteries
- 4 million X 35 kWh = 140 billion Watt-hours (just to make it look ridiculously big )

Do your own math

PS, hopefully by 2030, Tesla, et.al., will figure out how to recycle highly Li rich spent batteries. Guess we'll see.