Solar Charging RYOBI 40V Batteries

[@CCxKiller13]

Ryobi needs to make this a standard accessory

[@giveme10feet]

Word!

[@alecruzcruz9047]

*100% best **Generater.Systems** I have used. A test for hurricane prep here in Louisiana: three AC units, 5000, 5000 & 8000, 3 fridges, 2 device power setups, 4 flat screens....AND I had 40% of the power meter to spare.*

[@djgusmc5620]

I've told the rep and the Home Depot store that they need to make Solar charging for their batteries a standard accessory.

[@basu9994]

You just put Ryobi back n the game 🎯 with this one thanks..

[@jimstand]

Thanks for taking the time to make this video. I too love Ryobi.

[@IM_A_BEAR_LOL]

Fantastic follow up to your last video. Hope the cheaper charge controller works out!

[@livefreeandtoolon]

Another good one! Thanks for sharing

[@rh3309]

Ryobi needs to hire or pay you a consulting fee. Can you test the dual 18v to 40v conversions on the power station?

[@EternityForest]

I think they should really focus a lot more on USB-C. Rather than one big generator, we could have a bunch of small linkable ones, mixing 18 and 40 freely as a self managed nano grid. If you really need massive power, they could have made that it's own thing, with a few KWh of LiFePo4 instead of the swappable 40v, but still linkable to the others with USB-C passthrough ports however you want. They could even just make solar panels that directly output USB-PD/PPS with a built in MPPT, so it all just works.

[@pr5991]

The ac adapter is also Mppt, you can just connect 3 panels in series directly to the ac adapter, it doesn’t care if it ac or dc as it is SMPS supply.

[@dondiego124]

nice video im in the Chicago land area i saw the snow so would that work out here with our sun?

[@jasonbroom7147]

So, 6ah @ 40v is 240wh. If you're able to put in an average of 60 watts, you're looking at a 4 hour charge time, per 6ah battery attached to the power station. This is due to the way the power station charges each battery sequentially, not in parallel. Also, the fact that it doesn't support pass-through charging means that you would really be limited in a grid-down situation, unless you had 6-8 batteries and were set up to charge them with the smaller individual chargers. Ryobi would be very wise to build and sell a solar charging option for the individual 40v batteries?

[@SerendipitySue]

check out my other video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpmvdqGhr7GdbJI

[@randymiller6596]

I knew if anybody could do it it would be Jim cuz you are awesome

[@gjaeigjiajeg]

Thanks for this. Exactly what I was curious about. Shame about the no-passthrough bit though.

[@SerendipitySue]

I now know how to do pass-thru kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZmmkKmHpaxmla8

[@IM_A_BEAR_LOL]

It seems like a glaring oversight that they left out pass-through charging, but I'm willing to give it a pass because you can hot swap the batteries. I'm very curious to know if internally the circuitry is there to allow for pass-through charging, but we are waiting on ryobi to release a follow up charger for an additional price that pulses some voltage or current a certain way to "activate" the pass-through charging circuitry. That would be a very "Ryobi" move on their part, considering this thing comes with an anemic 1.5ah charger, it definitely smells like an incoming upsell unless they want people to buy the external fast charger so much that they purposely crippled the charging of the unit that much.

[@SerendipitySue]

The Ryobi Product Manager did tell me that they are working on updates

[@IM_A_BEAR_LOL]

@@SerendipitySue I was able to charge via the inverter generator on an overcast day with a single 200w 12v panel without any "low voltage" error by stepping up the MPPT charger voltage to 44.5v. Other Ryobi 40v teardown information I have read stated this was the optimal charging voltage.

[@wheel1775]

This should be a standard option on this power station.

[@OTLB]

could the fast charger be used with 400 watt panel to charge all 4 spots quick?

[@byronmorris1594]

Thank you for sharing.

[@RonaldArenas-d3f]

After following the same setup / instructions, having 2 each 12v 100w panels in series with the MPPT set at 41.7V, and hooking it up to the 1800w Powerstation, I’m getting the same Voltage ERROR you had when you only had tried 1 Panel. Now I’m lost, any ideas of what I could do or check to fix this?

[@rizab660]

Did a simple (cheaper) DC step up (36 Volt) charged by the solar panels dont work?

[@EvanWharton]

Cool idea!

[@RonaldArenas-d3f]

Could it be because in the video you’re using the Genasun MPPT controller and not the less expensive Boost MPPT controller? :)

[@Roelbargas]

How did you connect the solar panels in series. Can you make a video or show a close up on how you did it. Thanks

[@SerendipitySue]

most solar panels have MC4 connectors. Just connect one of the male ones to the female ones.

[@JoeP88]

Nice video. I need to see the next one.

[@SerendipitySue]

there are 40+ videos : kzbin.info/www/bejne/inS6n5d5p8t7n5o

[@chadjazeera9960]

If Ryobi or Milwaukee just included this feature on their power stations in the first place it would almost be worth what they are asking. And by almost I mean not really. 😉🤷

[@EternityForest]

It's completely insane that this is still so hard. The coming soon ryi150c almost seems to get it right, but only has one PD port(No PD passthrough!). What we need are small solar generators that can daisy chain to share panels. 2x USB-C in, 2x normal C out, and a smart C out that shuts off or slows when the battery is below 80%. Chain via the smart outputs, add panels or wall chargers wherever you want, let the computers figure it all out. Maybe the inverter could be a completely separate product. If you really need 1800W of power, make a box with a standard large LiFePo4 and the same mini smart grid USB-C. Otherwise, make a smaller inverter powered directly from USB, now that it can handle 240W. Make it dual link and run from 2 separate solar generator modules!

[@RonaldArenas-d3f]

Just placed a meter between the adapter and the 1800W Powerstation, it’s reading 44V. Will adjust the MPPT to 42V and if still an ERROR, to 43.7V. This should resolve this issue! :)

[@SerendipitySue]

Also make sure the panels are getting enough sun to provide reasonable wattage

[@RonaldArenas-d3f]

Can multiple 40V Ryobi Chargers with the AC/DC Power Adapter be ganged (say 3), connected in parallel with an XT60 for Solar charging, then connected to a MPPT Controller to Solar charge multiple 40V Lithium batteries concurrently? If it can be done, how many 100W 12V Solar Panels would be needed, and the MPPT Settings?

[@NexGen-3D]

Ryobi needs to drop the price of this by around 80 to 90% then it will be worth buying, but only just, here they are selling it for $899 AUD with no batteries, one would have to be a mental idiot to buy it, for $799 AUD I can buy a Bluetti EB55 which comes with built in batteries with equal capacity to probably 3 of the Ryobi 40v's and can be charged by solar, vehicle or by mains, for $899 Ryobi should include 4 batteries and the means to charge it by solar or vehicle, and allow you to use the thing while its charging, I fail to see why it cost so much and they give you so little, I think I will design and print one that can hold 6 batteries, have solar MPPT, inverter, USB-C etc all built in and I will sell it online for half the price of theirs, I might take it further and slap in a nice digital amp and some speakers and make it a portable sound system as well.

[@jessewalker5418]

I love your idea is you should make a kid and sell them on eBay or KZbin that be great it’s hard to get stuff like that yeah, Hunt around the Internet,Or go to different stores I like where you’re going, good video be safe

[@timothyspatharos3755]

I'd buy one

[@hamburger512]

Selling children on ebay is illegal

[@mikewinkker4897]

Haha he ment a kit

[@kenszakacsi2310]

Do you make and sale those 3D adapter for the 40volt batteries and the 300w power station

[@SerendipitySue]

Sorry, I really don't have the means to make/sell/support them. I put the 3D models on the web for free. There are web services that will make 3D prints for you.

[@williamallen5369]

Thanks Chris! I was going to ask you, do you think it'd be possible to have a ryobi 40v battery adapter that could accept other brand of 40v batteries? Such as the dewalt flexvolt? Also, I just purchased the same ryobi power station. I'm a bit disappointed as you that at the least the unit could do would be to do a simultaneous charge instead of the sequential. Do you know of a workaround? Thank you again for the videos

[@SerendipitySue]

Yes, I think the pieces are available. I did a 40V battery adapter plate ( www.prusaprinters.org/prints/42031-ryobi-18v-to-40v-battery-adapter ). I've seen some dewalt adapters on Thingiverse ( www.thingiverse.com/thing:2435964 ). I'm looking into ways to do pass-thru charging with Ryobi 40V batteries

[@lily.3560]

Could this power a drying machine?

[@SerendipitySue]

a food dryer? how many watts?

[@OTLB]

could You use a 295watt fast charger with 2 200 solar panels ?

[@KillerRaptorr]

Buy their 3 battery backpack power 40volt attachment. This'll override their passthrough charging limiter on the 1800 system, But allowing you to likely charge the power pack and power at same time. Aka charge the power pack, run off 1 battery from the base station (or if you by 2. You can run 1 backpack off, and charge the other one if they don't also do charge/discharge at same time.) Sure it's 800$ for 2 packs. But you get 3optional batteries in 1 pack. So if you got 4 packs and each having 3 of their soon to come 12ah 40volts. This 1800watt generator will go up to 5.720kw of power with all 4 attached to the power generator via 3 12ah 40volt' in each pack connected to the 1800 generator. So then if 1 pack goes dead. Switch to charge, Then it'll run off the other packs. etc.

[@Charlesdavid2009]

Wonder how long it took or takes to go 0-100

[@dmo848]

Really neat

[@enispilavdzic8933]

I lost my charger, and ryobi does not sell charge cables separately. Do you know if the connector that plugs into the inverter is also the same as the cheap 40v charger, or just the wall plug part?

[@SerendipitySue]

not sure

[@enispilavdzic8933]

@@SerendipitySue I got another charger and unfortunately its not the same plug. In your video you said the charger is the same but I guess you meant just the wall part, I can't find that connector anywhere to plug power into the powerstation, if anyone on here finds the name or know where I can get one please let me know because I really want to build this solar charger. Thanks!

[@maxt6620]

In theory, could the output of the solar charge controller be spliced in parallel to the battery terminals inside the generator thus giving power to the generator or charging the batteries depending on the load?

[@SerendipitySue]

You have to handle the situation of when the batteries have different charge levels

[@enispilavdzic8933]

That won’t work because a very large current supply would be needed to mimic one of those 40v batteries. Actually this is probably why Ryobi did not add pass thru charging, in order to do pass thru charging the charging system would need to be able to support a much higher current

[@jonathanyokley]

Have you done this with the 3-port 40v ryobi charger? Not turning it to an inverter, just turning it into a solar charger?

[@SerendipitySue]

I haven't reverse engineered charging 40V batteries yet. So you have to rely on the little Ryobi chargers. You could run more than one at a time off solar if you had a big enough array

[@lily.3560]

Clothes Dryer, like washer and dryer. 😂

[@nickym2356]

Can't you use a USB solar charger?

[@jonathanyokley]

how long does it take to charge with the two 100watt pannels? Would adding more pannels charge faster?

[@SerendipitySue]

since we currently have to use the Ryobi 40V charger, the charging time is limited by the charger's 1.5A at 42V (63W). More panels would help on an overcast day

[@Iinustechtips]

do you have an updated link for the mppt charge controller? the one in the description says "error page not found"

[@SerendipitySue]

OK found it on Amazon, but it is more expensive. Updated the link. Thanks for letting me know!

[@Iinustechtips]

@@SerendipitySue Thanks! Do you know what the maximum input wattage is for the 1800w power station?

[@SerendipitySue]

@@Iinustechtips the charger that comes with it is only 53W (see 1:24 mark in movie). I should have hooked it up to a power supply and checked what the max was, but unfortunately didn't. I returned he unit because I was disappointed with it.

[@Iinustechtips]

@@SerendipitySue Yeah the 1800w ryobi power station is disappointing, especially for the price that they are asking. I like the 300w unit a lot more!

[@19frog68]

Did you decide to keep the unit?

[@SerendipitySue]

I returned it

[@grandmofftarkin4762]

Can you use a 40v 12.0 Ah batteries

[@SerendipitySue]

I don't have any to test

[@mikewinkker4897]

Great experiment a lot of hunters and off grossers could use this info and even a more powerful experiment say a full blown hobo tech pushing the limit type thing .

[@dlbet4110]

Nice

[@noahbianchi1920]

Did you ever try this same set up with the cheaper part? Did it work?

[@SerendipitySue]

yes, kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpmvdqGhr7GdbJI

[@rogerpedrosa1854]

Cool👍

[@Lilman3000]

yes. this is keeping me from buying the ryobi. i have the batterys but solar charging is #1 wanted accessorie

[@ericl3272]

Still lame that you can't use it while charging

[@truesimplicity]

It doesn't make sense to Rube Goldberg a solution, when a Bluetti 2000 running watts will charge at 800watts with panels and a Pecron with 3000 running watts will charge at 1200w with panels worth if panels and 550w+ atts charging plugged in to the grid... Ryobi just isn't there Yet, at all for $1200 with 4 batteries giving you only 800watts... Spend the money on a real System this coming from a 43 tool RYOBI tool owner of 18v one plus 13 batteries and 40v with 9 batteries. I appreciate the hack but 20 hrs to charge is not useful.

[@SolarizeYourLife]

I hate it when they program it to shut output off when charging, it is the same damn thing when charging usb battery packs, so inconvenient...when you have them in backpack and solar panels...

[@davidmiller4425]

Sure you probably can use solar , but at 3 and a half hours per battery, = 14 hours of solar power charging, I don't see it possible, the batteries get charged independently, so solar don't seem like a viable solution

[@SerendipitySue]

The Ryobi Product manager contacted me for my input. I suggested they add pass-thru AND parallel charging. Since you only get a limited number of solar hours, you want to dump in as much power as possible. The current serial charging is not conducive to that. It would also be nice if they support higher wattage charging. I sent them a huge list of ideas :-O

[@averageguy1261]

@@SerendipitySue Wow, what an honor!

[@IPASAustralia]

Excellent info. Thanks for posting!