ifePO4 batteries in outside shed.

[Stinsy]

As does a small heater and frost ‘stat.

Trace heating tape can be got with a thermostat plus some have resistance which increases more than normal with temperature, limiting the power consumed. I used it on the water supply to some portacabin offices successfully.

I've seen those. Intended it be run in gutters/downpipes to remove ice buildup. I've never had a reason to use it myself. Could be a good option to heat the batteries directly...

[Mr Gus]

I've got one of these for beer making, sits under a reflective foil, on an insulated pad, when you tent it, works well enough.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/H ... b649190074

There are also brew belts for heat contact to your fermenting brew tub, but would likely try a large heated dog pad first & foremost, silicone sealed to a piece of insulation board & slid into snug contact.

[AlBargey]

Can you get a heat pad under the batteries and programme it to come on from a relay output on your inverter?

[jonc_uk]

I did have a search recently for any insurance recommendations or best practice. This is primarily aimed at commercial, and came from Chubb Hong Kong, but it makes an interesting read:

https://www.chubb.com/hk-en/articles/en ... letin.html

If any of these recommendations start to make their way to the domestic market, most of us will need a re-think of our battery storage locations!

2-hour fire protection anyone? Externally-accessible room? If external enclosure, 20 feet from the nearest building?

[Mr Gus]

To me, if outside & attached a 2 hr firebreak makes sense, not wanted, but building from the ground up yes, i can see that sort of build regs requirement, build it like a wbs install only on steroids.

Until someone writes up & dispenses wisdom as to risks amongst different chemistry to govt wonks & mp's then expect it to be treated as petrol soaked wood by politicians & anti's.


Slap it up.

https://www.jameshardie.com/product-sup ... oc=refresh

https://www.neutronfire.com/products/

25 yr anticipated working life required
https://breakfire.co.uk/legislation-for-firestopping/

[Andy]

I've built mine outside in a concrete block shed. I have since learnt that in extreme heat they have a tendency to explosively disintegrate so hopefully that never happens. I insulated it with some left over celotex is its surrounded by 100mm of insulation. To be honest I wish I hadn't bothered with that bit. I'd have been better off with the space and also there would have been less stuff to burn. I then had to put in metal studs and cement boards to hold the inverters/mppt etc. I also put in 400w of heat tape in the concrete to act as underfloor heating so I can try and keep it above freezing if there was ever a power cut. It was using about 2kWh a day at -5ºC before everything got turned on.

The space is so small 2m x 1.4m x 2m (wxdxh) that with the charging discharging happening constantly during the day/night it happily maintains 15-20 degrees. In fact right now it's too hot. I have two fans made by ac infinity that exhaust through 150mm ducts. I have two because if one breaks in the summer then it'd get to 100's of degrees C if nothing throttled. The ac infinity are controlled and have PWM so they just tickle over at the moment but can ramp up to move a serious amount of air. They seem much better made than the typical ones from Screwfix. The Uk distributor I used where super helpful.

There is then a metal security door as the only entrance.The whole shed is also raised so extreme water events can never affect it. Also any vents in/out are insect proof to stop creatures nesting in the sensitive equipment.

[John_S]

I did have a search recently for any insurance recommendations or best practice. This is primarily aimed at commercial, and came from Chubb Hong Kong, but it makes an interesting read:

https://www.chubb.com/hk-en/articles/en ... letin.html

If any of these recommendations start to make their way to the domestic market, most of us will need a re-think of our battery storage locations!

2-hour fire protection anyone? Externally-accessible room? If external enclosure, 20 feet from the nearest building?

The Chubb HK article is specific to Li-ion batteries, used in EVs, which use a different chemistry to LiFePo4 batteries used in home storage systems, eg PylonTech. (NB not sure about the fire risk of Tesla PowerWall batteries which use Lithium Nickel Manganese Oxide batteries).

LiFePo4 batteries are much safer and AFAIK do not burn exothermically.

[Stinsy]

I did have a search recently for any insurance recommendations or best practice. This is primarily aimed at commercial, and came from Chubb Hong Kong, but it makes an interesting read:

https://www.chubb.com/hk-en/articles/en ... letin.html

If any of these recommendations start to make their way to the domestic market, most of us will need a re-think of our battery storage locations!

2-hour fire protection anyone? Externally-accessible room? If external enclosure, 20 feet from the nearest building?

Doesn’t apply to the LiFePO4 batteries we talk about on here because they cannot burn (unlike laptop/phone batteries).

[ALAN/ALAN D]

Not got a Shed battery problem any more.

Quote" Hello friend, your package was notified to be detained by the customs, please apply for a refund, we will agree, thank you, wish you a happy life "

Looks like the Customs want to build a Battery system.

[Colin Deng]

Not got a Shed battery problem any more.

Quote" Hello friend, your package was notified to be detained by the customs, please apply for a refund, we will agree, thank you, wish you a happy life "

Looks like the Customs want to build a Battery system.

It will be ok where you want to put the battery
The Lifepo4 battery will not get fire
It will be safe

Hope this help