EASIEST Off Grid Solar Power System Battery Bank

This is the easiest off-grid solar power system battery bank we could find. We are doing the biggest upgrade to our off-grid solar system we have ever done. We are installing 8 Battle Born Batteries two Victron charge controllers and a new Victron battery monitor. This is a super-easy way to convert from lead-acid batteries to LiFePO4 batteries.

OUR OFF-GRID SOLAR SYSTEM (Main Components)

TOOLS USED IN THIS VIDEO

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Martin and Julie Johnson
P.O. Box 2582
Sandpoint ID 83864
United States of America

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Thank you for watching our video and reading the description. You rock!

Hope you have a really great day and keepsm:)ling!

[fisherus]

I want to give you a little advice on safety on your solar system for two reasons. One is, you aren't aware of them and the second is those folks watching how you do certain things are probably going to be making the same mistakes. Never connect your positive wires last on DC current but, connect the "Negative" wires after placing a 1 ohm resister between your hot negative ( battery or power side) and the negative you will be attaching it to. Make sure you touch both leads on the resister to both negative wires or terminals and then immediately connect the two. This will keep from blowing up electronic components inside of your charger and inverter. I'm sure you heard the pop sound when you connected the positive side of your battery bank. Additionally, use shrink tube on all wire terminal connections. The cable terminals on your batteries look terrible and will corrode without using it. You have way too much bare copper on your terminals exposed. Finally, you should have a PV disconnect switch on the outside of your solar shed to turn off your system in case of fire.

[YDSTE]

For myself, someone who is just getting started in the world of solar/off-grid power/electrical systems, finding this video really helped me sort some things out. 100 Gold stars!

[Xyz]

It was nice to see how much power a generator provides versus the solar power setup. Many of us have used a generator and are planning a solar panel setup. Thanks for providing a reference point for what to expect.

[theshmucky]

I have watched so many videos that just confused me even more... thank you for finally explaining the basics to set up a decent solar powered system!

[coolmugs-ke]

really love how detailed and open he is, clean and slow explanation any one can learn from him even without prior experience

[viktorkosenko]

good day. My name is Victor and I'm from Ukraine. I want to say that I liked the improved system. I respect people who strive for sustainable independence

[kevkev]

This was awesome. I've been going down the rabbit hole off grid solar video binges as I'm planning on building a small 600W backup setup in my shed. We're in Central Texas and having gone through the freeze last year and a week without power, I want another power source as a 2nd backup along with the dual fuel generator. Y'all sold me on the Battle Born batteries. Those have some killer reviews and I love that they are American made. Here's to getting many years out of them. God bless.

[TheRetroStuffGuy]

Greetings from England! Very impressive setup! With extortionate energy bills now, this has given me food for thought, thank you!

[BrokeBeardedGuy]

I find the comment section hilarious. Some people have no idea the cost and putting in on grid installations. I think you're doing an amazing job love the video

[offgridbydesign]

Great upgrades. A couple of safety suggestions.
1. Add a disconnect switch at your panels.
2. Add a disconnect switch at your batteries (this will also prevent sparking in the future if you have to disconnect or you can use a resistor to drain the capacitor in the batteries before connecting)
3. Add a lighting suppressor to system.
4. Add a grounding rod at panels
5. add a grou d to your generator.
Great progress, keep it going.

[hanguyen-fdkc]

Martin, thanks for the clean, simplistic how-to blueprint! I've read lots of the comments of others (especially on safety and $$$), but I'll definitely be going back to this video as I get closer in...

[Dustindoesitall]

I enjoyed the video alot. The irony of being completely off grid and at the end pulling out the iphone with the fancy Bluetooth connected app was priceless. Poking all in good fun man this was great gave me alot of ideas for mine.

[QuantumBraced]

This is the most objective review I've ever seen, complete with wearing the merchandise of the company that sent all the stuff for free.

[jasontilley]

Your solar setup is nice and tidy. That's probably my biggest issue with most solar installs. Cheers.

[RyanJWassink]

Love it - I didn't notice anyone else mentioning strapping the batteries to the wall or putting a cover of some sort in front of the electric connections.

Knowing my luck I'd walk in there with a shovel or something, spin around, short it out, and zap myself. I'd then jump 2' high and knock those batteries off the wall. Personally (not that anyone asked) I'd probably a shelf out of OSB that would go between each battery and then some threaded standoffs so that you could put a sheet of plexiglass in front of everything as a guard. Attach with thumbscrews so that it would come off quickly. As a middle school teacher I'm always thinking about what a typical 7th grader would do - and unfortunately "zap himself" is the first thing that came to mind :-)

LOVE the video and the content! Just getting ready to start a solar cabin project.

[theological]

i really wish i understood this stuff better ..soon i will be homesteading and need tyo learn this stuff thank God for the internet and vids like this

[ChatGPT]

I love my Battleborn Batteries and recently added 4 to my existing 10 AGM deep cycles which are now serving as my backup. They do come delivered with only a 30% long term storage charge level so you should charge them before use. Also, don’t forget the cutoff switches and fuses. I have fuses at the solar cells plus a lower level DC circuit breaker to save the fuses and the hassle of changing them.

[johnstancliff]

Martin, you should add a cut-off switch to your battery array. that way, if you ever have to change them out, they won't spark when you make-break the connection.

[ckzckw]

This was really educational and so so helpful. You people in the USA are so lucky to be able to do this, I'm not yet on the property ladder here in good old Britain but the charge on those battle born batteries has me thinking of havin a set for downstairs and one for upstairs so I have a good charge up for our lovely rainy and mild weather. :) Im so here for when storage can be as advanced as mobile phones. I'm looking into the same for residential wind energy that would be perfect to hybridise for UK climate. Thanks again every thing was easy to understand the steps to set up.

[trojwarr]

You are an answer to my prayers!!! AWESOME VIDEO!!!