DIY 12v Power Station

Burt Gummer

Burt Gummer

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I looked at power stations online for a long time. A long time. After doing some research I discovered that while I will sacrifice some weight, that I can have a LOT more power reserve for my dollar if I do it myself. I’ve got a few 100w panels, one of them being lightweight and flexible. A couple of my panels I ordered from Home Depot a couple years ago when they were having a sale, and they came with charge controllers and 300w inverters. My main use will be charging phones and running my cpap machine. Cause let’s face it, everyone is nicer the next day when they’ve rested well. Started my build today. Waiting on some stainless mounting screws to get here tomorrow from Amazon before I can hard mount all of the components. It’s gonna have a 100AH deep cycle battery. It will have a shore power plug that’s hooked to a 10amp charger so I can plug a drop cord into it at home and charge it. It’s also going to have a 12v plug that will go to a solar charge controller so I can hook a panel to it to charge during the day wherever I may be. Going to have 2 115v plugs ran to an inverter. Probably only ever use one at a time but may as well while you’re doing it, right? Will also have a 12v plug in, and 2 USB plugs for phone or whatever charging cables. Hope to use it the first time for a couple nights at @Chdamn bbq this year. That will be a good first test. I did some chin scratching today and cut a few holes. I’ll post more pics when I get stuff mounted and hooked up.

Flexible panel
IMG_5462.jpeg

Testing the charge controller to make sure it works

IMG_5463.jpeg

12v cigarette lighter style plug and usb plugs with power switch
IMG_5464.jpeg

Left side top is 12v solar charge plug. Left bottom is shore power plug. Right side top and bottom are 115v receptacles
IMG_5465.jpeg
 
Burt Gummer said:
I looked at power stations online for a long time. A long time. After doing some research I discovered that while I will sacrifice some weight, that I can have a MORE more power reserve for my dollar if I do it myself. I’ve got a few 100w panels, one of them being lightweight and flexible. A couple of my panels I ordered from Home Depot a couple years ago when they were having a sale, and they came with charge controllers and 300w inverters. My main use will be charging phones and running my cpap machine. Cause let’s face it, everyone is nicer the next day when they’ve rested well. Started my build today. Waiting on some stainless mounting screws to get here tomorrow from Amazon before I can hard mount all of the components. It’s gonna have a 100AH deep cycle battery. It will have a shore power plug that’s hooked to a 10amp charger so I can plug a drop cord into it at home and charge it. It’s also going to have a 12v plug that will go to a solar charge controller so I can hook a panel to it to charge during the day wherever I may be. Going to have 2 115v plugs ran to an inverter. Probably only ever use one at a time but may as well while you’re doing it, right? Will also have a 12v plug in, and 2 USB plugs for phone or whatever charging cables. Hope to use it the first time for a couple nights at @Chdamn bbq this year. That will be a good first test. I did some chin scratching today and cut a few holes. I’ll post more pics when I get stuff mounted and hooked up.

Flexible panel
View attachment 765479

Testing the charge controller to make sure it works

View attachment 765480

12v cigarette lighter style plug and usb plugs with power switch
View attachment 765481

Left side top is 12v solar charge plug. Left bottom is shore power plug. Right side top and bottom are 115v receptacles
View attachment 765482
Click to expand...
Will it charge my EV?
 
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@Burt Gummer
Update?
What size inverter are you using? Or are you using multiple?
If you don't mind sharing, where and how much was the battery?

I spent last night in the recliner after loosing power a second time & no CPAP, I'm done with that crap.
I have a couple of inverters laying about, time to put something together...
 
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Oneofsix said:
@Burt Gummer
Update?
What size inverter are you using? Or are you using multiple?
If you don't mind sharing, where and how much was the battery?

I spent last night in the recliner after loosing power a second time & no CPAP, I'm done with that crap.
I have a couple of inverters laying about, time to put something together...
Click to expand...
Right now I’m gonna be using a 300w inverter. Just big enough to run my cpap. I got the battery from Amazon. Here’s a link to that. I’ve mounted most everything in the box. Need to cut and attach wires. Gonna try to do that tomorrow


 
Burt Gummer said:
Right now I’m gonna be using a 300w inverter. Just big enough to run my cpap. I got the battery from Amazon. Here’s a link to that. I’ve mounted most everything in the box. Need to cut and attach wires. Gonna try to do that tomorrow


Click to expand...

Any particular reason you went with the gel over a lifepo4 battery?
 
Johnny said:
Any particular reason you went with the gel over a lifepo4 battery?
Click to expand...
Yeah. The biggest reason, is I’m stupid and wasn’t paying attention. I was searching lifep04 batteries and this was in the mix and there was a coupon. Dummies love coupons. I realized that after it got here and you can’t return them. I’m gonna use it til it takes a shit though
 
Burt Gummer said:
Yeah. The biggest reason, is I’m stupid and wasn’t paying attention. I was searching lifep04 batteries and this was in the mix and there was a coupon. Dummies love coupons. I realized that after it got here and you can’t return them. I’m gonna use it til it takes a shit though
Click to expand...

Not gonna lie, I saw the coupon and was about to click it.
 
I saw that the LiPo was almost 2/3 less in weight... but it's a little more money.
I'll shop more later.
 
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Thread-jack? I have a 100 watt solar panel like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LY02BOA

All I want is to charge a lead-acid lawnmower battery in my shed. I’ll use the battery to run some 12 volt lights in the shed from time to time.

And maybe swap it into my lawnmower if the one in the mower dies.

I had a cheap controller and all it got me was a bulged dead battery and a dead controller.

What do I need to buy to put between my panel and a battery?
 
Me. said:
Thread-jack? I have a 100 watt solar panel like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LY02BOA

All I want is to charge a lead-acid lawnmower battery in my shed. I’ll use the battery to run some 12 volt lights in the shed from time to time.

And maybe swap it into my lawnmower if the one in the mower dies.

I had a cheap controller and all it got me was a bulged dead battery and a dead controller.

What do I need to buy to put between my panel and a battery?
Click to expand...
A cheap charge controller. The controller shuts off the charge when the battery is 100%. Like this

IMG_5567.jpeg
 
Got battery in, charge controller hooked up. Kill switch wired. Need to run a couple wires and mount the inverter and it’ll be done

IMG_5567.jpeg
IMG_5568.jpeg
IMG_5569.jpeg
 
elmostump said:
Looks like a bomb to me😬
Click to expand...
Let’s hope it’s not. I need to tidy up the wiring with some zip ties to make it look less like that
 
Burt Gummer said:
Let’s hope it’s not. I need to tidy up the wiring with some zip ties to make it look less like that
Click to expand...
Have you tried writing "definitely not a bomb" on the box? Or maybe just put an ACME sticker on it.
 
heavydoc said:
Have you tried writing "definitely not a bomb" on the box? Or maybe just put an ACME sticker on it.
Click to expand...
An acme sticker is a good idea
 
Me. said:
What do I need to buy to put between my panel and a battery?
Click to expand...
If the charge controller has LEDs indicating the charge level of the battery, that is a good sign that it knows how to shut off the charge, or drop it to a maintenance level.
 
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Burt Gummer said:
A cheap charge controller. The controller shuts off the charge when the battery is 100%. Like this
Click to expand...

MacEntyre said:
If the charge controller has LEDs indicating the charge level of the battery, that is a good sign that it knows how to shut off the charge, or drop it to a maintenance level.
Click to expand...
I ordered this:
1713269369733.png


@Burt Gummer the tender you have strapped to the top, is that the home A/C charger for when you're not using solar to charge?

1713269508988.png
 
My experience with the charge controllers shown in the Amazon reference (three of them) is that they're affordable and crappy. They're made by the millions and brand labeled in many ways, but identical inside. Taking them apart is educational . As I recall there's a TO220 package voltage regulator that is heat sinked but only with casual pressure against the tin case. While it's better than no heat sink, it's only marginally better than no heat sink but not assembled like an actual heat sink is (which is attached to the sink material with a nut and bolt and thermally conductive pads). The rest of the assembly is of similar Chinesium quality.

It may be OK (or not) to use for a weekend outing but if I was assembling a serious solar installation I'd get a real charge controller . There's a reason these things cost $9.
 
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Me. said:
@JohnFreeman do you have an alternate controller you recommend?
Click to expand...
I'm using a 20A Renogy controller that came with the solar panel I bought to play with. So far so good.

One of these universal wiring connecter kits is super handy. The 2 different battery packs I have use different charging plugs. This one has both I need and extras.
 
Me. said:
@JohnFreeman do you have an alternate controller you recommend?
Click to expand...


I only needed a low power charge controller (under 10A) and I used a semi-diy MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) sub-module I purchased online and hard wired into my application. It has worked well for my purposes (hobby radio stuff). MPPT is a very high efficiency control technology, and worth looking for.
Those $9 units may work for a while, but when you look inside, you'll know why it cost $9 in quantities of one.

Renogy (mentioned by Carolinatic) seems a solid choice and they offer MPPT tech controllers. Make sure that your battery technolgy is supported too. Renogy has been around a while.
 
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Wired the AC charger to it this afternoon and plugged up a drop cord to the shore power plug on the outside of the box.
The charge controller showed 14 volts into the battery, which was an added bonus. I left and went to mow. When I returned the battery had been topped off and the charger had went into maintenance mode, and the charge controller showed 13 volts. Seems like it’s gonna work well. Now if it’ll just run my cpap machine for a couple nights. When I get home tomorrow I have to wire the hot side of the battery to a bus block, and then wire up the inverter. Then I’ll be ready to rock
 
It’s alive! Finished mounting the inverter this evening and got it the mounting hardware tightened up. It didn’t explode when I turned it on. I’ll be testing it tomorrow night. @Johnny is gonna critique it for me. Even got my sticker on it @elmostump



IMG_5596.jpeg
 
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