camelot-forum.co.uk

Thinking ahead for my 2000 or 3000 Pylontechs, maybe up to 10 of them...

This is to go at one side in our high-ceiling enclosed front porch, no fire load apart from the aluminium ladders which have lived there up to now.
It will hang off the floor joists of the room above (bolts or coach bolts through or into the BIG timbers) so the joints will all be in tension, which is why I fancy a simple fully-bolted framework.
I have seen reference to batteries on shelves in racks, but why? Would it not be possible to just bolt Dexion-type angle to the side droppers and sit the batteries on the ledges each side? Mock-up, having raided the grand-kids inheritance (not to scale):

I would clad the non-wall side and put a door of some sort on the front, probably a ventilation mesh underneath and across the front top above the door too.
The Pylontech leaflet shows them stacked using their bespoke brackets (max 4,) or somehow using (just?) the front rack-type mountings. A skeletal rack with no shelves seems simpler...
A

Probably easier to just get rack strip and then mounting brackets on each battery corner.

Will Prowse had a look at racks.

Thanks for that @Stan, the prefabricated racking might be good for someone if you had floorspace available, but I haven't!

@Swwills Those mounting brackets look useful, and answer my question about how much support a battery needs... I think I might only use them on alternate batteries though (or 2 out of 3) as I have a feeling that a deep stack of batteries hanging will put a rotational stress on the droppers. I don't think my frame will need diagonals but I will definitely have a few horizontal braces, so they might as well double up as supports.

OGB thanks for the drawing, as mine will be boxed in and has to support all the load in tension I think I will stick with bolted steel!
Thanks again all
A

Unistrut frame?

AGT wrote: ↑Sat Nov 12, 2022 10:29 amUnistrut frame?

Maybe, but (although the channel might resist torsion better) a) it https://www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk/prod ... m-pre-galv only has holes in 1 face and b) at £8 per metre costs quite a bit more than https://expresswirerope.com/punched-ang ... 9mEALw_wcB which is £7.65 for 1.5 m and £4.60 each for 10.
I would only use bolted joints as anything else depends on friction.
A

Alternatively just find a used server cab..if you are flexible with pickup then deals to be had.

Swwils wrote: ↑Sat Nov 12, 2022 1:13 pm Alternatively just find a used server cab..if you are flexible with pickup then deals to be had.

Some server cabinets only seem to be 350mm deep and the pylontech 3000s are about 450mm front to back including handles.

I much want to increase my storage with 3 3000s so will need a cabinet but I guess I will need a separate inverter as they won't parallel with my growatt system.

openspaceman wrote: ↑Sun Nov 13, 2022 4:07 pm I much want to increase my storage with 3 3000s so will need a cabinet but I guess I will need a separate inverter as they won't parallel with my growatt system.

You not thought about getting some of the 16S batteries from China like @dlw got, and about half the price of Pylontech with no need to build your own. Would be a better match with your existing battery.
https://camelot-forum.co.uk/phpBB3/view ... 666#p20666

nowty wrote: ↑Sun Nov 13, 2022 4:26 pm

You not thought about getting some of the 16S batteries from China like @dlw got, and about half the price of Pylontech with no need to build your own. Would be a better match with your existing battery.
https://camelot-forum.co.uk/phpBB3/view ... 666#p20666

Not really, I think the pylontech stuff is more standard and catholic to which equipment it works with and my confidence is a bit dented, a classic case of a bit of knowledge...

The Growatt manual cautions against paralleling a new battery onto one with over 300 cycles.

Having been beguiled by Joeboy's direct battery charging idea and then your warning that the growatt inverter might not react well to having the battery charged directly and then my supplier advising against it I am having a rethink.

I may just connect my new panels via a new hybrid inverter but first make a g99 application to ukpowernetworks for the extra power. Plan is to mount the panels next weekend when a couple of mates will help.

Even yet the LA planning department may scupper the installation, though the work of building the mounting has been ongoing for 2 months now, with no communication.

Eon have invited me to participate in the energy shift scheme so the only way I can see to benefit is to start charging my growatt between 16:00 and 20:00 to establish a high peak usage and then charge it in the early morning during each event