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To: george76

I’m designing a switching charger for LiFePO4 batteries.

If you control both the maximum charge level and the minimum discharge level they can last longer than you can.

You also need to use sensors to limit the max rate of charge and discharge... don’t go to extremes with either.

And monitor cell temps, too cold, 0C, or lower or too hot and they are done for.

I have an idea for a preconfigured, small solar power system
where the battery pak, the pure-sine wave inverter and the charge controller are buried at the panel array location in a vertical cylinder and kept at reasonable temps both in hot summer and cold winter. Accessible for repair by unscrewing the cap of the cylinder and pulling out the gear.

The inverter might need to be in an oil bath to keep cool enough if it is stressed... this is a technique used to cool computer equipment in some situations and does very well.

The only thing coming back to the home would be a buried underground feeder line of adequate gauge to handle the amperage. Communications with the equipment from a small control box inside the home would be by data-over-power sent through the feeder line... an easily accomplished thing.

Most home solar setups have a rats nest of wiring inside the home that is a fire hazard as they are often built by amateurs... that stuff is best left far away from the dwelling...


38 posted on 12/21/2021 1:49:13 PM PST by Bobalu (Figure out what you like, learn enough to be dangerous, and then start fiddling around)
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To: Bobalu
If you control both the maximum charge level and the minimum discharge level they can last longer than you can.

You also need to use sensors to limit the max rate of charge and discharge... don’t go to extremes with either.

And monitor cell temps, too cold, 0C, or lower or too hot and they are done for.

Kewl.

How is your charger different from the chargers/battery monitors on Tesla and other manufacturers' cars?

117 posted on 12/21/2021 5:06:11 PM PST by Ol' Dan Tucker (For 'tis the sport to have the engineer hoist with his own petard., -- Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 4)
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