9 hours ago, Greglsh said:

@Pho3niX90 Nice, what do you get with that order of their BMS, please if you can take a picture of all that comes with that order. Would like to see if I could maybe build my own battery box.

I will definitely take some pics. I am not entirely sure what's packaged with the BMS, afaik it's the bluetooth module, screen, en battery wiring. But will confirm either Monday or Wednesday when I pickup. I will also be doing a DIY box myself.

The batteries luckily come with busbars

Cool, will wait for your picture to see what comes as part of the BMS, if it is everything except the actual metal case etc. Then it might be worth looking for a metal box, or maybe even building a box from shutterply or pine.

20 hours ago, Greglsh said:

Cool, will wait for your picture to see what comes as part of the BMS, if it is everything except the actual metal case etc. Then it might be worth looking for a metal box, or maybe even building a box from shutterply or pine.

You get the bms, Bluetooth screen and balance cable. 

Extras you will

Box, 50mm2 battery cable, lugs, fuse, breaker, 200A connection posts, and possibly some insulation material. 

You will need a way to compress the cells a little in the box to prevent cell swelling if you not using flexible busbars. Compress the cells right from the moment you start putting any charge into them. Even when top balancing. It's normally the first few cycles that will make them swell. 

9 minutes ago, Chris_S said:

You get the bms, Bluetooth screen and balance cable. 

Extras you will

Box, 50mm2 battery cable, lugs, fuse, breaker, 200A connection posts, and possibly some insulation material. 

Thanks @Chris_S are these available in SA and just asking where if you happen to know, would like to do a cost calculation on buying these vs the Apexium box.

On 2023/11/08 at 9:14 AM, Chris_S said:

Another option is to get a 4A Active balancer if you have no use for the power supply again. 

Put crocodile clips on the active balancer leads. Charge the whole pack up with the inverter to 100% and then leave the active balancer connected for an hour or two and you'll have a perfectly balanced pack. 

Can use the active balancer again for future maintenance. 

The active balancer option sound interesting.

Is there a particular model that one can get here in SA?

Are these things adjustable, or does it just pull all the cells up to equal the one with the highest voltage?

I'm liking this idea as is means I can clamp my cells and wire them in series, charge and top-balance and be done with it.  The 'traditional' method of putting in parallel and charging to 3.6 volts means, ill have to break-up the battery and rewire it again before commissioning it.

 

2 hours ago, Crankshaft said:

The active balancer option sound interesting.

Is there a particular model that one can get here in SA?

Are these things adjustable, or does it just pull all the cells up to equal the one with the highest voltage?

I'm liking this idea as is means I can clamp my cells and wire them in series, charge and top-balance and be done with it.  The 'traditional' method of putting in parallel and charging to 3.6 volts means, ill have to break-up the battery and rewire it again before commissioning it.

 

I haven't seen them sold in SA. 

Here's good info and links

https://off-grid-garage.com/battery-management-systems-bms/

On 2023/11/10 at 1:32 PM, Pho3niX90 said:

I have bit the bullet, and ordered 16 x LF304 cells with their bms. The diy box just seemed too pricey. I will go with something like this for storage https://www.geewiz.co.za/cabinet-wallbox/97506-12v-steel-battery-cabinet-with-wheels-4x-100ah-quad-batteries.html

If you don't mind, which way did you decide to pay, I am also looking at pulling the trigger on one of the batteries, and I can pay either by PAYPAL or FNB SWIFT, it looks cheaper to pay via FNB but not 100% sure.

7 hours ago, Greglsh said:

If you don't mind, which way did you decide to pay, I am also looking at pulling the trigger on one of the batteries, and I can pay either by PAYPAL or FNB SWIFT, it looks cheaper to pay via FNB but not 100% sure.

So I did 2 payments, I had dollars in one of my accounts. The second payment was just via paypal for a straight 1000$. My exchange rate was R19.41, no other fees.

So I paid badically 400 in exchange fees. 

The forex route also has its charges from what I remember, and there are 2 ways to go, depending on hoe patient you are.

Buy peoples paypal balance from them from Carbonite, at -10C the rate, you will have the full amount in a week.

Alternatively, open a wise account, cost are low, and high intrest rates. This is always my goto and then carbonite (since I am impatient).

Open account here: https://wise.com/, you get issues a virtual card immediately, and can order a physical one as well if you prefer. You will have any bank, in any currency.

Edited November 13, 20232 yr by Pho3niX90

12 hours ago, Greglsh said:

If you don't mind, which way did you decide to pay, I am also looking at pulling the trigger on one of the batteries, and I can pay either by PAYPAL or FNB SWIFT, it looks cheaper to pay via FNB but not 100% sure.

PayPal fees are stupid. 

SWIFT takes a few days. 

Best option is ask Candice if you can pay on alibaba. You can use your bank card for a small fee. 

On 2023/11/11 at 9:57 PM, Pho3niX90 said:

I will definitely take some pics. I am not entirely sure what's packaged with the BMS, afaik it's the bluetooth module, screen, en battery wiring. But will confirm either Monday or Wednesday when I pickup. I will also be doing a DIY box myself.

The batteries luckily come with busbars

 

These are from my order a week or so ago. 16 x 280AH + BMS

Haven't started playing with anything because i still need a Bench PSU or battery balancer. Got my 3x Victron 5kw & 250/100 mppt. (using 2x 5kw & 1 mppt for now). However still missing some BOM, and the solar combiners are only arriving in the new year from Aliexpress.

Bench PSU also coming from Aliexpress, January sometime if lucky. Don't know too much about these things so will wait for the hardware first.

In the meantime I'll build the battery holder with some nice fans & compression Also got some fire retardant ePLA to 3D print a casing for it.

I used FNB SWIFT (took 7 days to clear and a couple of calls & paper work from the bank)

Edited November 14, 20232 yr by jeeva

Here is also the doc for the 280AH that Candice sent me

EVE LF280K.pdf

On 2023/11/08 at 8:27 PM, Greglsh said:

Saw this as well , how does this look?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005952107700.html?algo_exp_id=b8b1eb3f-ab88-49a7-b504-87a03dcd5ec1-8

Don't know to much about these devices so really appreciate all the advice here.

I had one of those.  Did not work very well, and eventually died.  Replaced it with one of these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005233850655.html

Only marginally more expensive, and has bluetooth monitoring (but only 1A balance current).

1 hour ago, jeeva said:

 

These are from my order a week or so ago. 16 x 280AH + BMS

Haven't started playing with anything because i still need a Bench PSU or battery balancer. Got my 3x Victron 5kw & 250/100 mppt. (using 2x 5kw & 1 mppt for now). However still missing some BOM, and the solar combiners are only arriving in the new year from Aliexpress.

Bench PSU also coming from Aliexpress, January sometime if lucky. Don't know too much about these things so will wait for the hardware first.

In the meantime I'll build the battery holder with some nice fans & compression Also got some fire retardant ePLA to 3D print a casing for it.

I used FNB SWIFT (took 7 days to clear and a couple of calls & paper work from the bank)

Thanks for this. I have received info that the apex 48200, is actually the seplos v2

My experience with Apexium have been bad.

So I have been given excuses since I paid on Friday, why I cannot collect. First, they said they need to wait for the money, before they can release, which mind you, paypal to paypal is instant. 

I was told today is the day, I arranged accordingly to be in the area so that I can collect as soon as I receive the reference, I was eventually told the cells I ordered were sold out by another sales person, and offered the 280 as an alternative.

Since I did not want the drive to be for nothing, I agreed on the alternative. This was around 8:30 this morning. 

9:40, I was told I short paid, when in actual fact they are trying to upsell me the DIY box now, when I refused, I was told a refund will be done. As the complete boxes are all they have.

I am very frustrated, now let's see how long this refund will actually take.

This international payment story seems like sophisticated tax avoidance tbh. They should have a local legal entity you should be able to pay in ZAR and that's that.

15 minutes ago, Pho3niX90 said:

My experience with Apexium have been bad.

So I have been given excuses since I paid on Friday, why I cannot collect. First, they said they need to wait for the money, before they can release, which mind you, paypal to paypal is instant. 

I was told today is the day, I arranged accordingly to be in the area so that I can collect as soon as I receive the reference, I was eventually told the cells I ordered were sold out by another sales person, and offered the 280 as an alternative.

Since I did not want the drive to be for nothing, I agreed on the alternative. This was around 8:30 this morning. 

9:40, I was told I short paid, when in actual fact they are trying to upsell me the DIY box now, when I refused, I was told a refund will be done. As the complete boxes are all they have.

I am very frustrated, now let's see how long this refund will actually take.

Not good. Why don't you just take the cells and organise your own bms? 

1 hour ago, Chris_S said:

Not good. Why don't you just take the cells and organise your own bms? 

It was the cells that were not available, but it seems like I can fetch again. Will update tomorrow if I get the goods.

2 hours ago, Pho3niX90 said:

My experience with Apexium have been bad.

So I have been given excuses since I paid on Friday, why I cannot collect. First, they said they need to wait for the money, before they can release, which mind you, paypal to paypal is instant. 

I was told today is the day, I arranged accordingly to be in the area so that I can collect as soon as I receive the reference, I was eventually told the cells I ordered were sold out by another sales person, and offered the 280 as an alternative.

Since I did not want the drive to be for nothing, I agreed on the alternative. This was around 8:30 this morning. 

9:40, I was told I short paid, when in actual fact they are trying to upsell me the DIY box now, when I refused, I was told a refund will be done. As the complete boxes are all they have.

I am very frustrated, now let's see how long this refund will actually take.

The cells do sell out quickly. There is a shipment coming in soon. 

Edited November 15, 20232 yr by Dv8

2 hours ago, madness_za said:

This international payment story seems like sophisticated tax avoidance tbh. They should have a local legal entity you should be able to pay in ZAR and that's that.

They said this will be coming in the new year. They are busy with company registration , banking, getting someone local.

Remember it is currently going through the Buffalo Warehouse which is a China-state based entity to promote exports.

3 hours ago, Pho3niX90 said:

It was the cells that were not available, but it seems like I can fetch again. Will update tomorrow if I get the goods.

Pity you've had a run around. Did you manage to pickup your cells?

So it seems there was a misunderstanding around the 280cells, when I was asked if I want the box, I took it as box of 4 cells, and it was meant as the diy box. The misunderstanding was cleared, and will pickup the cells in the morning.

As I unserstand it, the 304 cells will be available again Friday, but due to my holiday schedule I will have to go with the 280s.

11 hours ago, Pho3niX90 said:

So it seems there was a misunderstanding around the 280cells, when I was asked if I want the box, I took it as box of 4 cells, and it was meant as the diy box. The misunderstanding was cleared, and will pickup the cells in the morning.

As I unserstand it, the 304 cells will be available again Friday, but due to my holiday schedule I will have to go with the 280s.

I would personally wait for the 304Ah

2 hours ago, Chris_S said:

I would personally wait for the 304Ah

Unfortunately I couldn't, even though I wanted to. I am going on leave for a week now, and then again the entire December. The gels I have currently doesn't have the best life. Sometimes, my impatience gets the better of me.

I will be doing a second battery in the new year. 

All in all, pickup was done this morning, all went smoothly, as Candice made everything a breeze

Candice is amazing. Always sorts things out.