First Powerwall Build

EP3R-T

EP3R-T

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Jun 17, 2018
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18
I'll go ahead a start a build thread even though there isn't a whole lot to add to it yet. I'll update this as I progress andonce ournew house is built I'll document the install process. Initially, I had decided on running a 7s system, but now am weighing the option of14s. I do know that I will be running a Batrium system but I'm going to wait until its a bit closer to install time for all of that. I'm open to suggestions, tips, hell even criticism is welcome as I have never started a lithium project this big before.

So far, all I have is my first bank of 7 60p packs assembled only one of which is fused and bus framed.

image_ftqmvo.jpg


I had originally thought I would use XT connectors for each pack, but I came across some decommissioned lithium jump starter packs for free, so I'm robbingthe EC5 connectorswith the 10 gauge silicone wire already solderedinstead.

image_mlkofn.jpg
 
EC5's are a good conector. Nice and tight and they can carry quite a bit of current
 
image_yorbhf.jpg
I have EC5 connectors on my 4s120p pack. If I did it all over again I would have just used crimp ring lugs. The EC5s are great and all but they are a P.I.T.A. to work with and take too much time to make them work.
 
Looks great, although those connectors look a bit brittle and easily breakable to me.

Very nice and tidy though.

What gauge copper did you use for the bus bars?
 
The bus bars are 1/8 solid copper. Im not planning on running these packs under any kind of extreme load. Im thinking an upper limit of 2kW. That divided by 7 packsand then by 2 bars each should keep the max currentat 40ish amps. As for the connectors, Im not totally sold on them either, but they were free.
 
EP3R-T said:
I'll go ahead a start a build thread even though there isn't a whole lot to add to it yet. I'll update this as I progress andonce ournew house is built I'll document the install process. Initially, I had decided on running a 7s system, but now am weighing the option of14s. I do know that I will be running a Batrium system but I'm going to wait until its a bit closer to install time for all of that. I'm open to suggestions, tips, hell even criticism is welcome as I have never started a lithium project this big before.

So far, all I have is my first bank of 7 60p packs assembled only one of which is fused and bus framed.

image_ftqmvo.jpg


I had originally thought I would use XT connectors for each pack, but I came across some decommissioned lithium jump starter packs for free, so I'm robbingthe EC5 connectorswith the 10 gauge silicone wire already solderedinstead.

image_mlkofn.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Mickrobb said:
Is 10 gauge wire the same as 10 awg wire ?
Click to expand...

mike said:
Mickrobb said:
Is 10 gauge wire the same as 10 awg wire ?
Click to expand...

Yes. AWG = American Wire Gauge.
Click to expand...

Technically AWG isnt the only wire gauge, Im 25 and when I was learning electronics as a teen I could indeed find things that used other gauge systems, e.g. at RadioShack (in the US). The reason I mention my age though is that in my lifetime it seems that AWG has become predominant, especially since the British SWG was abandoned for the direct metric measurement system.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_gauge
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Gauge_Chart.pdf
 
Small update - 7s60p turned into 7s120p. Still waiting on the new house to be built so I can put this thing into service. All cells are still 25r, HE2 or HE4s for a rough capacity of 7.5kWh.


image_xuyfiz.jpg
 
75 Thousand Kilo Watt Hours? Sounds a bit high to me
 
no worries. I was just thinking you had some great cell capacity lol
 
Hi, I appreciate the update as I've been following your progress. I'm looking to build a very similar design to this but I'm a little way off yet (still processing cells!). Please can you post close ups of one of your packs, as I'm still trying to get my head around how best to wire it up? Cheers!
 
When I get home today I'll post upwhat mynew 120p pack looks like. The bus frame is larger, but out of practicalityI ditched using EC5 connectorsfor individualpacks. I'm still up in the air on how I'm going to connect the packs together while maintaining modularity.


image_pjxczx.jpg
 
Aah, great, thanks. I think the best way I've seen is to have a wider piece of copper at the end of the bus bars with a hole in it, then use a 10awg cable with a ring connector at either end and bolt it through the holes to connect packs
 
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