PowerBoost inspired hybrid house

[fwunder]

So the dogbone-with-ground-cut trick doesn't work here? Any idea what specifically trips it in that case, and whether that's unique to Victron or would also apply to e.g. Gen Input on an EG4?

Yes, a dogbone without ground would work. I was referring to using a grounded feed to the Quattro from the Powerboost will not. Interestingly, it appears using the EG4 chargverter does not require any modification.

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[Mszczewski]

Yes, a dogbone without ground would work. I was referring to using a grounded feed to the Quattro from the Powerboost will not. Interestingly, it appears using the EG4 chargverter does not require any modification.

Are there any updates on the install/build progress?

 

[fwunder]

Are there any updates on the install/build progress?

Thanks for asking. I built out cement board wall for inverters and other equipment. Been waiting on local electrician to install ( permitted ) sub-panel and interlock. Should be any day now. Final proposed equipment layout below.

 

[ESG406]

I really enjoyed reading all these posts. They bring back some very fond memories of motorhoming travels and my wife and I living off-grid in our Prevost coach from late 1980s through mid 2000s. If anyone wants to see how my alternative energy system worked back then, it is documented on our webpage http://rvtechstop.com . There is a page about our system and several articles about alternative energy on the "articles" page. You might also be entertained by the Powerpoint about Miss Maxi, an H345 Prevost coach I cut apart to create a full-body slide.

 

[gb7FRz26]

Thanks for asking. I built out cement board wall for inverters and other equipment. ....

Those EG4 ChargeVerters are a game changer. Maybe make yourself an L14-30R to regular 120v 15A (NEMA 5-15P I guess technically) dogbone and if you ever need to feed the ChargeVerter from a 120v generator, you've already got the adapter - they'll work off 120VAC at half the output but you can tune it down to 25A (@56V) or whatever max the gen supports. Flexible!

 

[MomaxLand]

Yes, a dogbone without ground would work. I was referring to using a grounded feed to the Quattro from the Powerboost will not. Interestingly, it appears using the EG4 chargverter does not require any modification.

Awesome, thanks. I've been considering a very similar setup, but in semi-portable form: an EG4 12000XP inverter + their indoor wallmount battery attached to a 1000lb-rated handtruck. Main use is to power workshop shed, charged with small solar array. But can (carefully) wheel it to garage and have it power house via 50A inlet, charged by Powerboost, at least when HVAC is needed. If HVAC not needed, then will run house directly off Powerboost.

 

[gb7FRz26]

....their indoor wallmount battery attached to a 1000lb-rated handtruck

Somebody's been watching Will Prose on YouTube, heh. I love these mega-UPS kits people are making.

 

[fwunder]

Those EG4 ChargeVerters are a game changer. Maybe make yourself an L14-30R to regular 120v 15A (NEMA 5-15P I guess technically) dogbone and if you ever need to feed the ChargeVerter from a 120v generator, you've already got the adapter - they'll work off 120VAC at half the output but you can tune it down to 25A (@56V) or whatever max the gen supports. Flexible!

Yes! I have two other generators besides the the Powerboost. The Chargeverter really provides a lot of flexibility, including "dirty" power. Should be and probably will be built into future inverters.

I am real curious to see how fast the Powerboost will charge my battery bank. I am guessing less than three hours to charge my ~15kWh battery bank and about 3 days running my critical circuits from battery bank. Will be fun!

 

[Kodiak]

Yes! I have two other generators besides the the Powerboost. The Chargeverter really provides a lot of flexibility, including "dirty" power. Should be and probably will be built into future inverters.

I am real curious to see how fast the Powerboost will charge my battery bank. I am guessing less than three hours to charge my ~15kWh battery bank and about 3 days running my critical circuits from battery bank. Will be fun!

A good experiment for you, if you have the time and are looking for optimalization data, would be to charge the 15kw pack from empty to full on full charge from the PB. That would probably have the PB running full time. Then try it with a charge of under 3.5kw so that the truck can cycle with the on-off feature.

Although it will take more time to fully charge, the on-off cycling may prove the most cost effective way (less gas) of charging. Maybe not but it would be nice to see as the on-off cycling for the PPOB is a gas saving extremely efficient way of using the PPOB.

 

[fwunder]

A good experiment for you, if you have the time and are looking for optimalization data, would be to charge the 15kw pack from empty to full on full charge from the PB. That would probably have the PB running full time. Then try it with a charge of under 3.5kw so that the truck can cycle with the on-off feature.

Although it will take more time to fully charge, the on-off cycling may prove the most cost effective way (less gas) of charging. Maybe not but it would be nice to see as the on-off cycling for the PPOB is a gas saving extremely efficient way of using the PPOB.

It will be interesting. Going by Ford specs, the ProPower will put out 7.2 kW for ~32 hours with a full 30 gallon tank. So that's 230.4 kWh available or ~0.13 gal/kWh, right?** I will have ~15 kWh battery bank, so a full charge will, theoretically, consume ~2 gallons. If I get three days using 2 gallons of gas running my critical circuits, I will be thrilled!

** I did a bunch of tests last year running my AC and heat in my travel trailer and measured ~0.2 gal/kWh at much less than 7.2 kW.

 

[fwunder]

This is the latest revision of the plan for any who may be interested. Yes, I know it's a lot of blue. I like blue.

 

[Kodiak]

It will be interesting. Going by Ford specs, the ProPower will put out 7.2 kW for ~32 hours with a full 30 gallon tank. So that's 230.4 kWh available or ~0.13 gal/kWh, right?** I will have ~15 kWh battery bank, so a full charge will, theoretically, consume ~2 gallons. If I get three days using 2 gallons of gas running my critical circuits, I will be thrilled!

** I did a bunch of tests last year running my AC and heat in my travel trailer and measured ~0.2 gal/kWh at much less than 7.2 kW.

Yes I saw that and saw the same or similar results from others too. I think the key is to keep it at <3200w or so to keep that cycling feature. That what will keep the gas consumption to .2 - .25 gal per hour.

If that holds true then you could run that PPOB full blast for a 2 hour charge for 2 gallons or a 5 hour charge for just over a gallon.

 

[Davexxxx]

If that holds true then you could run that PPOB full blast for a 2 hour charge for 2 gallons or a 5 hour charge for just over a gallon.

That matches exactly with my experience.

We ran the camper AC for 12hrs. on ~3.5ga.

 

[Gros Ventre]

That matches exactly with my experience.

We ran the camper AC for 12hrs. on ~3.5ga.

From this you would have about 4 days of fuel in the tank. When I had to go on a generator, in order to stretch fuel I had to run it 2 hours in the morning, 1 hour around noon and 3 hours in the evening. across 10 days. From this I infer one might make a full tank go nearly a month.

 

[fwunder]

While I wait for my pallet of toys to arrive via FedEx Freight ( tomorrow ), Current Connected just posted this video which explains why there is no ground fault error when using the PB and EG4 ChargeVerter to charge off-grid battery bank.

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