12 Volt Solar System in a Garden Shed

12 Volt Solar System in a Garden Shed
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This video was made and produced in Austria.

[@SurvivalLilly]

Check out Will Prowse's Book here: amzn.to/4aVVObX

[@goingagainstthegrain]

Will is great! We watch him all the time. 👍

[@ED4action]

good job, it really looks nice. i suggest people use an old micorwave oven to store/charge li/on batteries in outside in a dry area, or an old metal mail box. also, the "ideal" and most effecient charge voltage for a lead/acid battery is 14.6 volts. it's the same for vehicle charging systems. if a solar inverter is set for 12 volts, and not the 14.6 volts, the life of the batteries will likely be decreased.. alot. you might want to research this topic before buying any equipment.

[@TheFreedomBay]

I guess your last lesson is to cash in while you can 😘

[@solarindependentutilitysystems]

He questioned me many years ago lol Would you like a copy of my book Lilly ? Solar Independent Utility Systems Manual Will is awesome

[@solarindependentutilitysystems]

@@goingagainstthegrain I bought a copy just to see See if I missed anything He went more into math I kept more to easy to understand ways of utilizing both dc as well as Ac So dc power shed for the garden I love it!!! Add Dc water pumping with rain catch both talked about in my book Not will btw But he’s very talented and rich Again would you like a free copy of my book Solar Independent Utility Systems Manual Censorship is bad for me So if you like you could share it Best wishes Lilly Your great !

[@bandwidthpiggy9378]

As always Lilly's proving shes one of the smartest in the prepping YT community. Every little detail looks like she did her homework, chose what applies best for her situation, and didn't get sucked into any of the salesman traps in this scene. Only question I have is now that you have it running and youve identified the panels are the weak point, 😏 are you eying the 400W panels Will Prowess switched everything to?

[@SurvivalLilly]

Thanks. I think I have to buy at least 460 Watts, because the angle of the roof is so bad

[@bandwidthpiggy9378]

@@SurvivalLilly If you havent already seen his latest video on the best panel for 2024, it was pretty good. I typically like to buy models a few years old to avoid the new panel premium but it definitely caught my eye when he said he had replaced every other model with the one he was showing.

[@kevinward7498]

I've been off grid for around 6 years on two systems I built myself, really like it. I'm using sets of two 6 volt sealed lead acid Mighty Max batteries. If you don't run them down so far they're supposed to last 10 years. Looks like you're using 6 volt too. 👍 I've had great luck with the Make Sky Blue charge controllers. I like cheap pure sine wave inverters, although I have to replace the cooling fans in them after a year. I upgrade with some ball bearing fans off eBay. So far I've only had to replace once. I think you should leave your solar panel alone and just add another one somewhere. I've got four different groups of solar panels now, three different groups for my primary system. The other system runs a 6000 BTU air conditioner, a small refrigerator, an incubator, and other things at times. The primary system runs everything else including a toaster oven, freezer, refrigerator, food dehydrator,...I give them quite a workout but I've had no problems in over a year. The biggest danger with these systems seems to be weak connections, especially at the fuses. I gave up on fuse holders, now I use huge blade fuses and solder the wires directly to the fuses. My strategy is to not try to store much power but to be able to produce a lot of power when the Sun's shining and that's when I do a lot of cooking, vacuuming, food dehydrating, air conditioning,.... A benefit to such a system is that even on most cloudy and rainy days I still produce enough power to get by without using my generator, but can't use the high power items like the AC, toaster oven,... I actually use two toaster ovens at the same time often, one on each power system. I really like splitting things up and keeping the power systems smaller in size. If one goes down I can get by with the other. However I found these cheap systems are more reliable than the power grid and with two of them I doubt I ever have another complete power outage unless I get EMP'ed. Anyway nice job you did.

[@nishamartin4793]

Hey girl, The utility of your videos plus its commentary are consistently applicable, cool and useful. Which makes your videos awesome and Life saving to your millions of viewers. So thank you Chick. ✌️

[@solarindependentutilitysystems]

Yes she gets it ! Refreshing for me Trying to show 12 v Solar systems in my book for years and all other applications like ax running water etc

[@petezahrbock]

Excellent video 📹 Lilly!! Proud of you!!

[@Theaveragenerd2000]

Just a little tip, dont disconnect or reconnect DC while under load. IE, turn off the solar panel before changing from micro inverter and charge controller. Otherwise, you damage the connector every time you change over. This is more important when you get a bigger panel/system, or when you connect to batteries.

[@miken7629]

Nice job. From that system it is real easy to add a distributed system, basically using that system to charge batteries at different locations closer to the gear they are intended to operate. If you run an outdoor extension cord from your inverter to a battery charger inside home, you can charge isolated & dedicated batteries inside to run dedicated equipment like a refrigerator. These inside batteries can be any type since your battery charger would be designed for that type of battery (ex: Lithium). I use this technique because outdoor extension cords running 220v are much cheaper than running heavy duty 12v high amp cables to batteries far away.

[@chrisdelong2932]

Lilly, You can use an infrared thermometer, to check the wires on the batteries for temperature variations. Place the thermistor on the hottest point, usually the positive (red wire) will be the one carrying the highest current and the temperature would be the highest in that area. Hope this helps. Thanks for the very interesting video! See you again very soon. Auf Wiedersehen.

[@AuthorDamonAlan]

I built one of these a few years ago as a portable unit for bugging out. Two 2x3 sheets of plywood hold the electronics and stand like a wet floor sign. Two 250W solar panels with a wood stand and one deep cycle battery. Enough power for lights, a laptop, and cell phone charging. I also happen to use a CPAP machine, this will power it all night in addition to the rest. Great for camping too!

[@horstszibulski19]

Nice setup! Look for a big industrial 2-pole switch for the solar panel, better than wrangling the xc connectors all the time. Or even a priority solenoid which let you choose what's more important, feeding the grid or the batteries, depending on state of charge or consumption in the house... So many possibilities, thanks for showing! 👍👍👍

[@aussiepatriotprepper5206]

Wow that's very impressive Lilly ❤ you are so blessed with having not only beauty and talent but also a genius brain, thank you for sharing,I look forward to your next adventure ❤😊

[@GUNMETALGUYUSA]

Nice Setup Lilly 🤠👍🏽

[@milliealford8968]

Lilly my dad when I was younger, told me never to leave batteries on cement, that it would drain them. Don't know if true, but you might want to check. Love your videos.

[@stevemorris3710]

Not true today, anyhow the batteries appear to be resting upon a board.

[@SurvivalLilly]

I have the batteries sitting on a slab of granite, and that sits on top of cement stones 🤓

[@alanotto9746]

That looks nice. My advice is when you close those gaps use metal vents to let air circulate. The batteries will vent some hydrogen and oxygen. It should not be allowed to build up.

[@stevemorris3710]

AGM batteries do not vent Brown's Gas, they recombine it.

[@zeb781]

Sorry ,I forgot to tell you close the gaps with a screen so the cabinet can vent mainly in the summer!!

[@soaringbob]

Great job! Now get that gazebo or patio built using many more PV panels for roofing.

[@rolandpinette9946]

Nice design. Neat installation. Well done, Lilly.

[@07LUTE70]

You can line your shed with a product called reflectix it's shiny on both sides sandwiching a sheet of carbon . This stuff will keep it cool in summer and warm in the winter even without a heat source and it's relatively cheap. Sold by the roll easy to install with carpet tape. You can buy in the big box stores or on line. A little goes a long way. This is a good tip for your solar station. Great job by the way. Good luck to you ...

[@cameronalexander359]

Well done Lilly!!!

[@the-eye-is-watching]

A very nice setup. Two 12v 100Ah batteries have a capacity of 2,4Kw, To lengthen the life span of Lead acid batteries they should not be discharged more than 50% so your have 1.2Kw available.. Assuming your freezer and fridge combined are 250W the total running time of 5 hours.

[@SurvivalLilly]

Freezer has 55watts and fridge runs with 85 watts. As I mentioned in the video i have a second solar station in the basement plus multiple power stations. And I own two cars which I could use to recharge the batteries as well.

[@raktoda707]

Nice clean professional work.Marks it's great teaching tool as we can follow each component,each route of power in power out....power stored ,used sold back to power company.Thank you for a really neat presentation.Greatvyovsee your well behaved dog...so curious,checking to see if her "bug out trailer" is still there and ready...nice idea.

[@paulr9562]

If you build a wedge shape to mount the panel and block the sides you can angle it and resist wind.

[@calvinteeter2514]

Good job. I like the amount of room you have provided. Easy to service.

[@MarbleDove-1984]

You built that? Awesome!! I learned alot about doing this from ppl like off grid DIY Solar with Will Prowse. This is awesome. You will have hiccups, just work them out and keep building, keep reading up on this. Very impressive.

[@1o1s1s1i1e]

Great system and outstanding construction Lilly! I have a small 30 watt 12 volt solar system to use as a backup in case of a power outage for the furnace in winter and the freeze/fridge. I am impressed with even a small system and it has two USB jacks. The world is coming unglued and the government here in the U.S. is insane so it is good to be ready. Take care.

[@MannyFontes1968]

Very nice Lilly and your connections look very clean and tidy...

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

Expertly done.

[@chu_bakka]

Very nice work and a very pretty dog.

[@johnsteinholm7968]

Lilly, with regard to the potential for battery fires, consider covering your battery charging shelf with a sheet of drywall. I don't know what you call drywall in Europe, when I was a kid I called it sheetrock, but it's about a half inch (15mm?) of gypsum sandwiched between two layers of paper, designed for interior walls. It is much more fire resistant than plywood. You don't need to replace the plywood shelf you already have, just cover it with a layer of the gypsum board. At the very least it should buy you more time to put out a fire before it spreads to your other equipment. You might also want to have a few buckets of sand on hand to smother a battery fire, just make sure you keep neighborhood cats from using the sand while you're away. : )

[@horstszibulski19]

Needs to be the green surface stuff that's meant to be used in moist areas like in bathrooms, nice idea! 👍👍

[@westwonic]

In UK we call it Plasterboard.

[@williamwadejr5302]

Very nice Lilly!

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

Looks nice! Thanks, Lilly.

[@budmartin3344]

Great setup. @ 6:30 you need to factor in the inverter efficiency, 85 ~90% is typical, so to produce 1000W of AC output power, the DC inout power will be 1000W/0.85 = 1176W, 1176W/12V = 98A, add 20% (25% is typical) = about 120A fuse, the cable also has to be able to handle the current so the fuse will blow before the cable catches on fire.

[@larrylezon1590]

Nice solar system! Thanks for sharing!

[@pstoneking3418]

Nice little solar system. Good video.

[@MaxStax1]

Nice! I love Lilly 😆 She's So smart and likeable. ❤❤ she gets two hearts.

[@cubanmama4564]

I have a solar system in my greenhouse with a fan and a battery. I love this system.

[@markmeyer9571]

Nice clean build 👏👏👏👍

[@owenmorse3136]

Well done Lilly you come from a country not known for sun power but for winter sports like down hill skiing and weight training your doing pretty well for yourself.

[@swenschroder6230]

Echt mal, hast du richtig was gutes gebaut. Alle Achtung 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@DanielRobinsonDanielSun]

Wow it looks great. Amazing setup Lilly well done.

[@stevemorris3710]

Great job. Well done!

[@tekpic04]

Thank you, Lilly for presenting us an informative video. I have an interest in doing a similar project and two factors I would add to the Solar panel system/shed are these, insulation to the shed as they do in the home, because come winter time, the coldness cannot knock out electric 's. The second would be to install EMP protection kit in case of emergency. That's all thanks.

[@suzannedundon4275]

Hey! Great job, Lilly!

[@74dartman13]

Looks nice! I think you did a great job!👍😊

[@stevenjohns7017]

Looks great Lilly.

[@stuartpowell449]

You can mount a mirror or mirrors to angle the sun light onto the panel. It will get light even while flat to the roof.

[@peronnikbeijer213]

You look really proud, good for you

[@edporter9355]

Great job Lilly ! Built one in my bsmt but solar isn't practical here in the Northern latitudes as it is overcast too many days in the winter months so I charge my batteries with a wood burning steam engine that runs an alternator that has ample voltage to ram the volts into the battery bank.

[@horstszibulski19]

I really would like to see that sytem in action, sounds like a great idea! 👍🚂💡

[@stevemorris3710]

@@horstszibulski19 Me too! Please make a video 🙂

[@edporter9355]

@@stevemorris3710 ...I'm not good at making videos but the guy I got my boiler/steam engine from is in the State of Washington, USA. i am pasting his you tube site to this comment and hope it doesn't get cut out. if you build the basic battery system like Survival Lilly did with it's inverter that regulates the input power to the batteries then the boiler system simply replaces the solar panels for the power source . when using an alternator , be sure to use heavy welding cables as leads to your batteries so that the amps and voltage doesn't drop. run those cables from your batteries as well to an accessible set of jumper terminals to connect the leads from the alternator to.www.youtube.com/@rossbendixen

[@TheRowie75]

Sehr Nice Lilly!! 🙏

[@athensprep-1151]

Good morning Lilly, the inverter has an ip20 i guess so you have to protect it from dust , debris or some kind of insects , i have seen system catch fire from insects ..... i have a similar victron inverter but it is inside a bedroom so there is no problem with anything to go and short circuit something sensitive, MPPT is totally fine, i see you have correct cables size on mm^2. your 100A fuse if you ever use 1000W (83A) of power for some time will overheat and cause problems , never use a fuse that works on limits , if you want to make your battery connection perfect the cables that are connected to them must be at the exact same length from each battery what i mean is the two possitives must have the same cable route connected to inverter and MPPT and the two negatives must be the same length to so you have an exact symmetrical connection. Of course you have done a good job but i give you some little tips for improvement 😉

[@Desizgirl3]

Great job!

[@zeb781]

Hello Lilly ,Very nice and neat job ! I did a very similar job in a homemade off grid camper!!

[@83kaszas]

It is awsome! as you have said:) solar systems,big or smol,all super cool! i love getting powah from the sun:)

[@FlyerPatty29]

You did a good job.

[@schonsospaet22]

🎀 Hallo Lilly, ich war zu Tränen gerührt, wie ich dein Naked Survival gesehen habe: Du bist großartig!! 🎀 Hello Lilly, I got really emotional watching you in the naked survival episode: You are great!! 💪💪

[@clownbooface2624]

A better position for the temp sensor is on the side of the casing between the two batteries, a piece of duct tape can secure it. That is where heat could possibly be generated under charging

[@adventuresinblackduck9539]

Nice build. I’m jealous. A few great ideas.

[@scruples671]

Good job. Very well done. That was the same brand solar controller I used on my first solar system. Your system should last you for a long time. There is no instances of LiFePO battery's going into thermo run away but your Lithium Ion E-bike battery's are notorious for going into thermo run away if it wasn't properly built.

[@jym225]

You are awesome. Thanks. 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@JamesBrowneye]

Wow, amazing job. Very impressive. ❤

[@gowest5145]

Good job!

[@ishure8849]

G'day Lilly, good job.

[@AugieAg47]

Great job

[@jodiebenoit9934]

😊 great

[@peted6769]

Great set up you got going on, you provided me with inspiration to do the same kind of set up (I have a cat).

[@nanocofocclo440]

Will has a great channel. NIce set up Lilly

[@lindabohl2454]

Lilly you are an amazing women!💕😇🙏🏻🕊🧂 California here. Thanks!

[@1wolfpup]

Looks nice

[@lionkypgaming]

Beautiful

[@bio-techlarry9602]

Hi Lilly, very nice system ya have built there. Lots of room for expansion. The door is a very good idea to keep poking fingers out. Yes, keep the mice out, they love to eat on the new enviro friendly wire insulation. Thanks for the video. 🙂

[@markgeorge9063]

Hi, I'm trying to show you my mobile Unit, I'm making. 3 deep cycle 12 v marine, two 100 watt detachable Solar panels. Three inverters, doubles as stick welder. Pulls like wagon and on other end,goes up ramps & stairs like hand truck. I like your setup. You may want to make yourself a mobile Unit too. Our dear leader's are manifesting worst case survival scenario imaginable. Cheerio !

[@raytribble8075]

I have a 16 foot cargo trailer that I have 600 watts total of solar panels on top. It powers my fridge/freezer all my internal and external LED light and with my 2000 watt pure syne inverter… I can even run a full size vacuum. I run 3 200ah LiPo batteries. You should consider just buying another 250 watt panel (same specifications as the one you have) and technically you would get 500 watts in full direct sun plus or minus. Your set up is spot on. Awesome job.

[@donb6474]

Hello Lilly. They sell fire proof bags if you are really worried. Nice show.

[@graywind4326]

Excellent

[@mikeautry2271]

Great job........

[@SashaTips]

Vídeo ótimo Lilly. Ganhou uma inscrita do Brasil! Nós mulheres no universo do sobrevivencialismo: adoroo!!!! :)

[@danielbast352]

Nice. I knew you could. It’ll get bigger, just how it goes

[@rgmprepper]

Nice system 👍

[@ericwitt4586]

Well done girl Lilly your so smart 😎Eric

[@jmp814]

Hey Lilly, (RE: Upgrades) Perhaps do a follow-up video after you've made all the changes you mentioned. Consider adding; • a smoke detector & remote warning system. • controlled ventilation that can be closed remotely, creating an air tight seal, to extinguish fires. Cheers, JMP.

[@Theoppositeofchaos]

Impressive 🎉

[@DodgyFPV]

look into repurposing that small panel with an mppt boost converter to charge the e-bike battery

[@user-jt9oi6ke3h]

bellissimo video

[@KaptainUflg]

I recommend 24 V system. The main advantage is less current flow with the same power (higher safety) as well as more versatile design for powering different devices.

[@samirrzlani2257]

Happy Ramadan Kareem 🇲🇦🇹🇭🇺🇸

[@davidclarke6658]

My lithium batteries say discharge down to -20 Celsius and charging down to 0 Celsius. My area goes down to about +1-+2 Celsius lowest in winter. I read to use Lead Acid (AGM) in very cold environments.

[@ClickinChicken]

Really Kewl. Ure showing how it's done. Anyone can dooo it. (practicing my Lilly accent). you do have to study it (Radio Shack parts and stuff) and plan. But it's really fun/rewarding. Get into the detaaails of it. I have mines medium/high, it's 12 volt as well! I promote this for people. It's safer than wind turbine, my opinion. Put on/off simple switches for your controller and panels, it comes in handy in the future (weather-sun)...

[@flycow69]

I like your set up what I will personally add to it just a wireless or wired camera with solar hook up giving a wide 270 degree of your power shack with a very small LED light for night viewing and have it connected to your phone and by the way by installing a carbon monoxide battery operated detector the sound of it should be picked up by the camera sensor and it will alert you of any fire in your solar power shack . You should care about the investment you made in that power bank even if your house is separated from your power bank.

[@DHGo-ex7ns]

One word of concern. The wires coming into the shed are through a grommet that does not prevent water from dripping into the shed and electronics. Your system looks extremely well constructed and well thought out. You probably know more that almost all home owners who have solar system on their roof. I'm glad you decided not to use Lithium batteries in your house. Question, how much will you be saving in the future and what was your initial cost for parts, not counting your labor?

[@stevemorris3710]

Look like IP rated TRS glands to me.

[@youWILLknowiffi123]

*excellent*

[@pierreaucoin2480]

All the monitors and shunts and breakers and fuses. Seems like overkill. But if that’s what it takes to make you feel safe, go for it .

[@BriankSmith181]

I plan on building a charging box for my lipo batteries out of concrete backer board,ill be living in my van soon and need a safe charging station.

[@certaindeaf8315]

Staple wire mesh over those cabinet "holes".. ventilation is important.

[@michaeljohnson_ok]

Seems your panel is just fine. Since other outside factors are causing lower watts than you want, buy another one. You should be able to run it in series into that charge controller, 24v in, and your controller should still output to a 12v battery properly. You won’t need a bigger fuse that way.

[@michaeljohnson_ok]

The only problem I see is the marine style breaker above the battery. Those type breakers are very unreliable and can have some serious problems. I would hope to convince you to change it out for literally anything else.

[@maddogtannen1966]

Great video .. You do a great job Lilly .. How long will your grounding rod be ?. Thanks ..

[@xmike13]

super, the only thing I would have done is, to build it with a 24V system

[@jodiebenoit9934]

Like it. 😊

[@Jimmyfisher121]

I take it Lilly that they sponsored you as that little set up is a heck of a lot of cash, most of us would not be able to afford that nice little set up, but I am glad you have it the solar set up is so handy, but I will say security I hope that you have very good insurance also, hope you never need it for real.

[@SurvivalLilly]

No sponsorship in this video. I paid for all of the parts myself. Cost around 850 Euros which is not the world...

[@robertpaulis439]

Lilly...you don't need to replace the present panel. Connect the two or install the next one and run it through a separate inexpensive controller and utilize both panels!

[@SurvivalLilly]

I only got space for one panel on this roof

[@robertpaulis439]

@@SurvivalLilly Sorry, my error.

[@mrlautomotive712]

Good set up Lily. I’d fit that shunt as close to the battery as possible.

[@stevemorris3710]

No value in that.