I built a rack for mine using aluminium extrusion, the industrial stuff that comes with a range of brackets and fixings. I used 2020, but would have been better using 3030, just to give it a bit more stiffness. Not the cheapest solution, but you can literally buy a bolt together kit, that needs no cutting, and can be assembled a bit like Meccano.
A supplier I've used a couple of times for this stuff is this one: https://www.matara.com/products/aluminium-extrusion/
You can just give them a cutting list, plus all the brackets, fasteners, end caps etc you need and they will accurately cut every bit of extrusion to the exact length, with pretty clean cut edges.
Suitable Battery Racks and what do others do
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Oldgreybeard
- Posts: 1873
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2021 3:42 pm
- Location: North East Dorset
Re: Suitable Battery Racks and what do others do
25 off 250W Perlight solar panels, installed 2014, with a 6kW PowerOne inverter, about 6,000kWh/year generated
6 off Pylontech US3000C batteries, with a Sofar ME3000SP inverter
6 off Pylontech US3000C batteries, with a Sofar ME3000SP inverter
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SafetyThird
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2022 11:32 am
- Location: North Devon
Re: Suitable Battery Racks and what do others do
I've installed my pylontech batteries on wall mounts but essentially they're sitting on a bench, the wall mounts are just to secure them from falling but, given their weight, they're not likely to do that.
I'm ordering two more this week and those will be on a heavier duty wall mount as they'll be hanging in the space above the left pair in the photo, that bracket will support more than the weight needed and the wall is 2' thick stone and will be mounted with expansion bolts. The ones currently supporting the installed batteries isn't rated to support two pylontechs hanging off it but is fine just to keep them secured against the wall.
In the spring we're having an extension put on the front of the house, part of that will be a storage room and the batteries and inverter will go in there. I'll be picking up a used rack mount cabinet at some point and the batteries will go in that when the time comes.
I'm ordering two more this week and those will be on a heavier duty wall mount as they'll be hanging in the space above the left pair in the photo, that bracket will support more than the weight needed and the wall is 2' thick stone and will be mounted with expansion bolts. The ones currently supporting the installed batteries isn't rated to support two pylontechs hanging off it but is fine just to keep them secured against the wall.
In the spring we're having an extension put on the front of the house, part of that will be a storage room and the batteries and inverter will go in there. I'll be picking up a used rack mount cabinet at some point and the batteries will go in that when the time comes.
6kw PV (24 x REC Solar AS REC 250PE)
Clausius 5-25kw GSHP
Luxpower Squirrel Pod
Pylontech 21kwh
Eddi Diverter
250l hot water tank with 2 immersions
2 x Woodwarm stoves
7 acres of old coppice woodland
Ripple Kirk Hill 3.8kw
Ripple Derril Water 3.963 kW
Clausius 5-25kw GSHP
Luxpower Squirrel Pod
Pylontech 21kwh
Eddi Diverter
250l hot water tank with 2 immersions
2 x Woodwarm stoves
7 acres of old coppice woodland
Ripple Kirk Hill 3.8kw
Ripple Derril Water 3.963 kW
Re: Suitable Battery Racks and what do others do
I like this idea to help others and I am impressed with the diy nature of many here. We decided that floorspace in garage was important so we mounted the batteries up at ceiling height.
We started with a large thick engineered board bolted to the wall. As a rule I double up on the load carrying capacity of the mounting bolts. So in the pylontechs case, at least 300kgs of bolt carrying capacity for the 150kg load. Build off of the flat anchored board, bracing as you need and then tie the front back
to the roof.
I used the same design for the upcoming LF280K units and you can see the design better since we are in pre battery mode. Never heard so much as a creak from the Pylontechs and they have been up there for years.
We started with a large thick engineered board bolted to the wall. As a rule I double up on the load carrying capacity of the mounting bolts. So in the pylontechs case, at least 300kgs of bolt carrying capacity for the 150kg load. Build off of the flat anchored board, bracing as you need and then tie the front back
to the roof. I used the same design for the upcoming LF280K units and you can see the design better since we are in pre battery mode. Never heard so much as a creak from the Pylontechs and they have been up there for years.
15kW PV SE, VI, HM, EN
42kWh LFPO4 storage
7kW ASHP
200ltr HWT.
73kWh HI5
Deep insulation, air leak ct'd home
WBSx2
Low energy bulbs
Veg patches & fruit trees
42kWh LFPO4 storage
7kW ASHP
200ltr HWT.
73kWh HI5
Deep insulation, air leak ct'd home
WBSx2
Low energy bulbs
Veg patches & fruit trees
Re: Suitable Battery Racks and what do others do
Not if you saw it !
It all depends on where you are putting the batteries as to what you make/ buy. If they are in the house and on show then a nice professional rack would seem ideal and probably meet with the approval of your other half. For four Plontechs (3000C) that's typically £600 to £900 quid or there abouts from the prices I was seeing.
Because my install was external in a Battery building, I ended up using particle board with cold rolled stainless steel slotted angle screwed in at heights to accommodate the batteries plus an air gap of around 25mm from the next battery in the stack, it has the advantage for me that if I can ever afford another battery, I could add another pair of brackets and just load it in. It is best described as functional but thus far its doing the job and with the addition of some insulation behind the mounting frames and a small 20W tube heater the whole set up is working as planned.
Moxi
Re: Suitable Battery Racks and what do others do
Here is a picture of my pylon tech rack ready to receive the batteries. I'm hoping it will be stable enough to wheel around. I'll be bolting it to the wall for safety. It will hold 8 US5000. Its been made from offcuts from the shed project. The shelving wood is recovered from the builders merchants. They are the slivers holding the beams apart on their racks. Free ! 
Re: Suitable Battery Racks and what do others do
Looks very nice indeed!Andy wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 6:37 pm Here is a picture of my pylon tech rack ready to receive the batteries. I'm hoping it will be stable enough to wheel around. I'll be bolting it to the wall for safety. It will hold 8 US5000. Its been made from offcuts from the shed project. The shelving wood is recovered from the builders merchants. They are the slivers holding the beams apart on their racks. Free !
Ensure you fill it from the bottom, you don't want it to be top-heavy!
How much weight are those wheels rated for?
12x 340W JA Solar panels (4.08kWp)
3x 380W JA Solar panels (1.14kWp)
5x 2.4kWh Pylontech batteries (12kWh)
LuxPower inverter/charger
(Artist formally known as ******, well it should be obvious enough to those for whom such things are important.)
3x 380W JA Solar panels (1.14kWp)
5x 2.4kWh Pylontech batteries (12kWh)
LuxPower inverter/charger
(Artist formally known as ******, well it should be obvious enough to those for whom such things are important.)
Re: Suitable Battery Racks and what do others do
Yeah, thanks for checking. It won't take much to tip it when loaded which is why I'll fit some brackets on the side to screw it in to the wall. I don't want to risk a moment of inattention causing an issue. I imagine trying to remove a battery in the future could do that.
The wheels are rated for 115kg each so with 320kg + about 20kg for the rack I think it should be ok. One problem I noted is that if I am wheeling the rack forwards then the wheel is placed back from the centre and there for moving the CofG closer to the front. I shall be checking carefully to see if that is a problem.