12 Volt or 24 Volt?

[Kappy]

This may have been covered somewhere, I couldn't find anything so why not start a fresh.

Looks as though I'm about a major upgrade on my Bus electrics.
I have 600 watts of solar panels.

2000 watt 24 volt MSW inventor that is going out the door.

My house light are 12-24 v led, my fridge is a 210 litre 12-24 volt Fridge/freezer.

I believe 12 volt stuff is more affordable is this true.

Is a 12 volt battery bank better than a 24 Volt bank.

Probably 400aH/12V Litium is cheaper than 400aH/24V litium, AGM likewise??????

I feel 12V invertors are cheaper than 24 V inverots.

Your thoughts please, and if you don't mind, I quite knew at all this so appreciate if the language is a little less techo.

[T1 Terry]

12v will give you fewer nightmares, the cost saving on cabling is very little and more than exceeded by the premium price for 24v stuff. In days gone by the aim to higher voltage storage was to reduce losses in cabling and high current electronic bits in chargers and inverters, twice the voltage equals half the current (amps) but these days high current electronic stuff is very common and far more efficient than in the past.
24v to 12v battery to battery chargers are about the same cost as 12v DC to DC chargers and far cheaper than 24v to 24v DC to DC chargers.

The downsides, some of the cheaper Taiwanese inverter chargers do not have the inverter linking ability, this means either multiple circuit each with its own inverter or expensive Victron Multiplus inverter/chargers that can be linked to increase the total output. There was a Taiwanese manufacturer sold through JayCar that had linkable 12v inverter/chargers, but JayCar no longer carry their products.

Some time in the future we hope to have inverters made for us that can do the linking thing and use low loss transformers, but that could be 12 mths away before they are on the market, but in the mean time we are in talks with a factory that make the well known W7 3000/9000w inverter/chargers with the low loss transformers.... but more on that when I have one to test and report the findings.

My suggestion, go 12v, far easier to manage and easier to get quality equipment at a reasonable price

T1 Terry

[Kappy]

Thanks Terry
Yes I think the way is 12 Volt.

Nothing really to change appart from Invertor, noticed this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5000W-20000W ... 1526841386.

I was adding the Victron meter in any event.

Just gotta consider AGM or Lithium as its gonna be 12 V I think 400aH may do the job, thoughts.

I have 600 watts of panel Suntech STP200-18-Ub-1 (200W) Solar Panel, these appear to be 26 Volt do I need to change these.

[Kappy]

Batteries tested yesterday.
supposed to be 555 CCA
1@ 550 CCA
2@ 480 CCA
1@ 185 CCA

Batteries maybe toast

[BruceS]

For house battery use you can disregard the CCA and just worry about the AHrs.
CCA is useful for starting a bulldozer engine ......... short but heavy draw.
House batteries are more for less heavy draw but for a much longer time & can draw down much lower with minimal damage to the battery.
Do you have a make & 'model' number of those batteries?

[bagmaker]

you are basically starting again Kappy, lithium lithium lithium.
You dont need to change the panels but need a regulator to suit

[Kappy]

you are basically starting again Kappy, lithium lithium lithium.
You dont need to change the panels but need a regulator to suit

So I need a different controller from the Steca I already have?

Says its a 12/24 volt.
I have to admit I'm a little nervy at what I see is the cost of lithium compared to good quality AGM's.

I can get quality AGM with an unconditional replacement warranty for 12 months with a further 2 years for under $1000.

Still am confused about what lithium to jump at,
https://www.ev-power.eu/en/By-Brand-Man ... param=calb
I stumbled across these, I think Dapope has this type.???????

All the others I see start at over a grand each.

Still need to digest as much info as possible.

Had the batteries tested by another independent today and 3 are toast one passed.

Maybe CCA his not applicable for house batteries but it makes sense to me when they failed overnight with really little draw.

[dapope]

I have the winston cells Kappy, They have the best of the power output and reliability at the moment. I got them via EVWorks. My 8 200ah cells were about 2500. I already had a pl40.
I had a suitable charger and small inverter, but cooked them at the first hookup. I had already bought an 3000 w inverter charger combo. Subsequently, I added solar, and upgraded the pl40 to a pl60.
The way we use the batteries, i reckon I would be on my second set of lead acid.
Everything runs better on the lithium, fridge stays colder, tv doesnt drop sound etc etc and we can run whatever applience we need. Maybe only one at a time, but we can do it...we would never go back, unless we had a pushbutton generator, and cheap petrol......

[Kappy]

I have the winston cells Kappy, They have the best of the power output and reliability at the moment. I got them via EVWorks. My 8 200ah cells were about 2500. I already had a pl40.
I had a suitable charger and small inverter, but cooked them at the first hookup. I had already bought an 3000 w inverter charger combo. Subsequently, I added solar, and upgraded the pl40 to a pl60.
The way we use the batteries, i reckon I would be on my second set of lead acid.
Everything runs better on the lithium, fridge stays colder, tv doesnt drop sound etc etc and we can run whatever applience we need. Maybe only one at a time, but we can do it...we would never go back, unless we had a pushbutton generator, and cheap petrol......

A liitle confused is that 8 each at 200ah

[bob r]

Yes Kappy you will need 8 3volt cells my big battery is 400 amphr in 200 amphr cells two 3volt twice make"6 volt by two to make 12 volt...
I hope that makes sense.

Bob