Ideas to mount leaf cells..

slimf

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Joined
Sep 26, 2017
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226
Hi Everyone.

I'm in need of ideas to mount Nissan Leaf modules.

My original plan was to use a rack case - See photo of work to date. My original plan was 14S (7 Modules in series) and6P. The new powerwall will be 14P. (I got more modules)

image_vzuzll.jpg

However, after obtaining some new modules it will be tobig for a single rack cabinet. I would also like to think in the future I can obtain more modules, so the idea of stacking in a rack cabinet as I originally did (see picture)doesn't appeal to me as its a massive PITA to disassemble and reassemble to add new modules. Not to mention the mess of bus bars.

Therefore I would like to mount them 7 modules wide and 14 high.. Doing this will allow me to easily add 7 modules at a time to the top of the stack if / whenever new modules become available.

7 modules wide on factory mounts is 1680mm wide, 40mm deep and @ 14 P around 500mm high. It will weight a shit ton, so Bunnings shelving seems out of the question, especially if it grows in the future.

Has anyone got any ideas / pictures etc?
 
So basically you need a flat shelf about 1680mm wide?
And you want enclosure(s) vs open?
Maybe make a solid base on the floor & put 4x eg 12RU (or taller?) racks side by side? You have one rack already...
In each rack, build stacks like you have now but each stack is per your plan, ie all in parallel.
1st rack would have stack 1 + 2, 2nd rack stacks 3 & 4, 3rd rack stacks 5 + 6, last rack would have 1 stack + some space....
You might put robust shelves & split the stacks for any maintenance access?
 
I would like it enclosed. I suppose 4 Racks side by side would work thou Id prefer all 7 stacks side by side so I can run copper bus bars between them, so an enclosed shelf of some sort. I may need to knock something together.
 
You could still easily cut eg 32 mm holes, use common conduit fittings to insulate & loop a heavy duty short cable with lugs between them?
Might be good not to have things too rigid anyway (thermal movement?)
Just looking at the rack you have, it looks like a good fit...

Or what about industrial racking, eg for pallets? Maybe make doors/walls, etc from sheet metal? Probably overkill !?!
Reuse/recycle fridge cabinets?
Those "Brown Built" steel office cabinets? (with floor reinforcing)
 
Leaf cells need to be under compression, that is why they come with compression plates from factory. Unsure how many you can stack on top of each other.
 
Thanks Sean - That looks like 16S ? What made you go 16 rather than 14 ?

Im now looking through Multiplus II 48V manual to find min/max battery voltages.. Appears to be 66V.

Hmmm.. maybe I should go 16S rather than 14S ? 14x 4.15v (the highest per cell I was planning on going) = 66.4v - close enough

What do you recken?
 
MPII max charge voltage is 64v, as per the MPPTs, perfect for a 16S system that's very kind to your cells.
 
Well, Ive been busy making a cupboard for the leaf modules. It should hold ~200 modules or more if I decide to go 16S.

First I built a shelf that fits the standard 4 module leaf mount:

image_yccugv.jpg


Then did a bit of a load test with 50 modules in milk crates. This is only half what it will need to support when full (on the one shelf), but I think it will be fine.

image_cwkvfj.jpg


Then I built the frame around it.

image_mljeod.jpg


Next steps are to clad the outside with plywood, add some plywood doors, paint and then place into the correct location in my shed and start adding modules.
 
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