What size battery to power my HiFi ?

[chrisc]

Gerlach's installation puts mine to shame

First thing it is all neatly laid out with cable-trays, all cables neatly dressed and the batteries in steel cabinets in what looks like his garage.  Then he has remote access to the data generated by the charge controller

I have space constraints since my DB is in the room under the stairs and this space is already shared with 2 alarm panels, the geyser controller and irrigation controller, outside chairs and tables and junk

The larger white box under the main DB is a separate DB for the inverter, with its own earth-leakage, fuses.  Under this is the changeover switch.  Then there are transformers for the alarm, irrigation and low-voltage lights on the stairs.  Top left is a 12 volt to 5 volt converter for the 5 volt devices (network switch, IP phone adaptor, display adaptor for the CCTV).

Too many gadgets perhaps?

[Curlycat]

Cool setup Chris. Function over form.
One can never have too many gadgets.

[Gerlach]

@Curlycat  Here some photos of the BlueNova units inside. They use Winston prismatic cells ( LiFeYPO4 ). Before the moved over to there own in house bms they used the UK brand 123Smart Bms.

[Gerlach]

Too many gadgets perhaps?

Hahahahah!! never!! You can always add more.  I added a Monitor system on the Mppt's so that I can check the max amps and watts my array is making and consumption, and a Long 2 meter LED strip to give light. So far I nearly made 3 MW of power in the 11 months the system is running.  Jip, system is standing in the garage, but i need to decommission next year close to June/July. We bought a bigger house and not leaving the system with my house while renting it out.









The max output my 2.9kw array can make on a cold sunny day.

[Curlycat]

Thank you @Gerlach those pictures are great. Much more circuitry inside than I thought it would have. Makes my small system look like Mikey Mouse. I am using a Daly BMS with 4 Lifepo cells for a small 12V system with an inverter charger on a plankie supplying the essentials such as TV, PC, fibre, router, sound and a couple of lights.

Here is a picture of my setup. I have added a fuse since the pic was taken. I want to build a box with proper terminals including a DC breaker. Just a pity those DC breakers are expensive. The fuse will do for now at least.

[Gerlach]

@Curlycat Looking good. Small an practical. I had the opportunity with a Invite to Solar MD in Cape Town. Massive setup and really nice to see what they doing. There new batteries don't use bolts, the get laser welded.

[Bernard]

Okaaaaay. The little chip amp arrived yesterday and I've just put the bits together. Being Chinese it feels pretty solid. Even came with it's own screwdriver. I just plugged a 9 volt wall wart into it and it fired up. It can use between 5v and 24v. I used the MM to test the power cord before plugging it in. Decide the check the speaker terminals. The one reads 0.00v and the other 0.04v. Do I need to be concerned before hooking up the B&WS ! The phone paired immediately via Bluetooth.

Sent from my telephone.

[Bernard]

Today I bought some speaker cord and hooked up the B&W 330i speakers to the chip amp. Still using the 9 volt wall wart until I can get a plug for the solar battery. FLACs streaming from a flash drive on my phone via Bluetooth.

Absolutely no problem with the sound quality. I'm blown away considering the price I paid for this.

Now looking for smallish bookshelf speakers to use in the tent when I'm camping.

Still can't believe it.

Wolla ...... how do we convince them ? lol

[Bernard]

One solution creates another problem. lol

With loadshedding again, I've been using the chip amp, flash drive on mobile and floorstanders.
All good and well. but is there a way to use a USB flash drive which is plugged into an OTG cable into the phone ...... and still be able to charge the phone somehow ?

IE...have a charge cable and OTG cable plugged into some kind of adaptor which is plugged into the phone ?