external battery enclosure

[Oldgreybeard]

However my son bought 3/4" marine ply for bird boxes and things, I used some for solid beehive floors. It weighs a ton... and he is really upset that it is delaminating a decade later. Even my beehive floors (which usually stay dry) are coming apart. Very annoying.
A

I can relate to that. I bought a sheet of (very expensive) "marine" plywood and that too delaminated after a couple of years outside. The contrast with the durability of the 1" thick proper marine ply that I used to make new sole boards for my boat around 30 years ago is pretty stark. I have a strong suspicion that there is a lot of fake "marine" plywood around now, that doesn't use either decent timber or proper WBP adhesives.

[kla456]

The battery needs to be very close to the inverter. So moving both to the attic would be the first choice. I’ve seen plenty of installs where the batteries/inverter are housed in an outdoor lean-to enclosure. However the charge rate of the batteries drops when they get too cold so outdoors would really only be if there was no other choice.

I would reconsider the external box idea, in favour of an attic location as Stinsy says, and try to keep them inside the house envelope for multiple reasons.

If not, UK company PureDrive manufacture both AC and hybrid inverters and batteries ready-packaged in neat cabinets that can be mounted externally.
https://puredrive-energy.co.uk

Regarding bespoke boxes, think that the property could go for sale in a few years and how will prospective buyers rate the installation?

Another consideration is that 3 x Pylontechs weighs 100kg. If this forum advice is followed, then further batteries will be likely later.

Of course weight can also be a problem in the attic and the weight of very heavy items should be distributed over a wall or partition that can take the load to ground level.

[openspaceman]

Firstly the proposed installer's own survey has said the loft is not suitable to house the inverter and battery because there is no brick wall close enough to the eave to mount the equipment. Not wishing to lose place in the queue for installation we will continue with the idea of a cabinet attached to the external.

Since kla456 pointed out the puredrive battery I have been in phone contact with their sales people, it does not look like stocks are currently available. They will not sell to the proposed installer or the client currently, citing their installers are especially trained but are willing to have someone call me back with a 15minute sales pitch, date to be notified.

I am not against using their installer subject to cost and timing.

[openspaceman]

This morning I received my quote from puredrive's nominated installer, just shy of £10k for a 10kw(sic) battery (and possibly inverter I think though I had made it clear I wanted it on the DC side of the propose hybrid inverter, not ac coupled).

So about double the price of 3 pylontech 3000s.

[Andy]

I'm building a block shed with 100mm Kingspan fully enclosing everything. The inverter will be there as well. The use of this charging/discharging batteries will be more or less proportional to the temperature outside as I'm running a heat pump. I'm hoping that the inefficiency will be enough to keep the place warm. If it isn't I've a 400watt cable buried in the concrete floor to help boost things. My calculations show I shouldn't need too much. We shall see

[Oldgreybeard]

Big problem I have in my, pretty poorly insulated, outbuilding that houses our batteries and inverter is overheating. It's in an area to north of the house that never gets sun, but gets incredibly hot. I had to add a fan, some ducting and a thermostatic switch, as without it temperatures were heading north of 70 deg C. The inverter chucks out an incredible amount of heat when charging the battery, way more that I would have thought.

[openspaceman]

In my daughter's case the inverter will be indoors and only the battery outside.

[ALAN/ALAN D]

Have you thought about the inverter fan noise. Mine started life in the house.
Then a new plastic shed was ordered the next day.

[openspaceman]

Not considered that but it will be in a utility cupboard.

Our solarmax is in the loft but the noise is no worse than this desktop pc and the tinnitus drowns that out.

[ALAN/ALAN D]

Fully understand. Tinnitus. Got the same.
It was Lady of the House Bashing Head ( My Head ) because of noise that Led Towards Plastic Shed.