During my treadmill workout - and of course, earning multiple crypto tokens, I did some online shopping and ordered the components for my next project: DIY Small Backup Power System.
The system's main job will be powering small appliances and charging various personal devices during the annoyingly frequent "brownouts" (Grid-wide, electrical shutdowns) plaguing most countries in Asia.
[Can you say, "Poorly maintained, outdated and overloaded infrastructure?"]
Anyway, back on topic: Home Backup Power System.
The design is simple, easy to assemble, inexpensive and requires only 3 components:
- 12V 100Ah LifePo4 battery (built-in BMS)
- 10A LifePO4 Smart Charger
- DC to AC Pure Sine Inverter
System Capacity: 1,200 Wh (~1,045 Wh nominal); max continuous draw (load) is 500W, max peak burst load is 2000W - both are dictated by the specs of the Inverter.
Safety Note:
A 12V circuit cannot sustain a 2000W continuous load without resulting in some serious, oftentimes irreparable damage - mostly due to the 200 Amps' worth of heat that comes with a 2000W draw.
Better to go with a 24V system instead; same 2000W load becomes 100 Amps (less heat, thinner wires and well within system tolerances).
My Project's Total Cost: $250 - $265 (USD); at least half the price AND over double the capacity of pre-built consumer power stations.
Note: I decided to buy a standard-size 12V LifePO4 battery (similar to the size of a lead-acid car battery) instead of making one from multiple LifePO4 cells (e.g., 32650s, S168s, Prismatics, etc.).
That way, I'm avoiding the hassles of procuring additional components, performing pre-operational load balancing, wiring or bus-bar connecting the cells, attaching/testing the BMS and sizing a "rattle-free" enclosure.
Besides...
After doing the numbers, I found out that building a DIY 12V 100Ah LifePo4 battery vs. buying one outright yields little, if any, cost reductions.
Submitted FYI.
May you and yours be well and loving life today.
In Lak'ech,
JaiChai
