₦airaland Forum

Evening house, please is it ok to combine a 16kwh and 5kwh batteries on a 6kva inverter? I just upgraded to 16kwh and want to add the 5kwh battery in order to have a larger bank. They are both 48v.
Thanks, as always.

bassdow:
@jFrankNorfleet, forgot to add you could turn a standing fan to Ceiling / wall fan.

At home, got more FANs than I need and a few that were occupying Space with not so good stands, I removed the stands and today 2 of them are wall Fans.

SheyBi if I hang am upSide down for Ceiling, e don turn Ceiling Fan ?

Be Creative, DIY + Improvisation is bae

What about turning AC fan to DC fan?

Unfaized:
Can't remember the last time I used gas sha. I hear say gas don cost 🥱

I am yet to even install solar panels but I don't buy gas again, I charge with grid for now and we normally have light for at least 5hrs almost everyday

chadbasin:
Evening house, please is it ok to combine a 16kwh and 5kwh batteries on a 6kva inverter? I just upgraded to 16kwh and want to add the 5kwh battery in order to have a larger bank. They are both 48v.
Thanks, as always.

These are some responses from an online forum:

Combining different Ah batteries in same bank

Is there any issue with combining a 460 Ah LiFePO battery with a 300 Ah LiFePO battery in the same house bank? They are both Epoch batteries with the same charging requirements.

leecea 03-02-2025 07:19
Re: Combining different Ah batteries in same bank

I Googled your thread title and found info on the Battle Born batteries and Newpowa websites that said "no" to this. Perhaps there are ways to do it but the simple answer seems to be no.

B28_Majic 03-02-2025 13:47
Re: Combining different Ah batteries in same bank

Quote:
Originally Posted by BozSail (Post 3969571)
Is there any issue with combining a 460 Ah LiFePO battery with a 300 Ah LiFePO battery in the same house bank? They are both Epoch batteries with the same charging requirements.
Do not mix two different capacity batteries, even if they are the same brand. The cycle counts of the batteries also need to be similar. If you have a 300ah Epoch for example and have had it installed on your boat for 2 years, I would not recommend adding a new 300ah epoch to that bank. If it's just a few months old (I typically say up to a year) then you are ok.

BozSail 03-02-2025 14:03
Re: Combining different Ah batteries in same bank

Thanks for the responses... much appreciated.

wholybee 03-02-2025 14:31
Re: Combining different Ah batteries in same bank

There is nothing wrong with mixing different capacity batteries of LiFePO4. Brand doesn't even matter. It mattered with Lead-Acid because one battery will work a bit harder than the other, leading to an early failure. On a battery that only is going to last a few years, that is a problem. But on LFP, how hard a battery works plays little into how long the battery will last, which will be decades anyway.
Cycle count doesn't matter either, at least withing reason-5 years or so apart would be fine.

What you are reading that says not to do this is old lead-acid rules and thinking being applied to new technology.

s/v Jedi 03-02-2025 15:10
Re: Combining different Ah batteries in same bank

Like Warren writes, the uneven use doesn’t matter much.

However you should only count on maximum power output of the karger battery, without adding the smaller battery. For example if the bugger ine can do 200A max and the smaller 100A max then combined I would only count on 200A, not 300A. If the batteries are the same then you can add as they share the load equally.

For capacity you still get full capacity of both summed.

B28_Majic 03-02-2025 15:37
Re: Combining different Ah batteries in same bank

Quote:
Originally Posted by s/v Jedi (Post 3969818)
Like Warren writes, the uneven use doesn’t matter much.

However you should only count on maximum power output of the karger battery, without adding the smaller battery. For example if the bugger ine can do 200A max and the smaller 100A max then combined I would only count on 200A, not 300A. If the batteries are the same then you can add as they share the load equally.

For capacity you still get full capacity of both summed.
Looks like I stand corrected. On my setups, I have always kept same age and same capacity batteries in battery banks. I would think that same brand matters, not so much for life of batteries but due to different BMS fighting each other with different cutout points and protections.

s/v Jedi 03-02-2025 18:42
Re: Combining different Ah batteries in same bank

Quote:
Originally Posted by B28_Majic (Post 3969823)
Looks like I stand corrected. On my setups, I have always kept same age and same capacity batteries in battery banks. I would think that same brand matters, not so much for life of batteries but due to different BMS fighting each other with different cutout points and protections.
I have tested wildly different batteries in parallel last year during a 6 month period and everything was fine. BMS’s don’t fight each ither, they are inky concerned with the cells they manage, not with other batteries.

Of course there’s BMS’s that communicate with other batteries but I am against all such systems for use on boats. KISS.


Is it ideal? No. Is it recommended? No. Will it work? Yes. I have a friend currently running a 7.2kwh battery with 2.4kwh in parallel. It's been weeks now, so far no issue.

Unfaized:
If I may ask, why did you want to communicate your battery though?

In my opinion I think inverter to battery communication is one very needless feature, especially for small systems. In complex systems involving multiple batteries/inverters yes its understandable.

If you think otherwise please educate us.

Just wanted to experiment sha

cutefy:
That should be the battery terminal.

1. First look for a way to connect the CC with appropriate DC cable size (Positive to positive, Negative to Negative).

2. Then connect the inverter to the battery terminal P to P, N to N.

Or you can do number 1. Then turn on the CC and configure it to match your battery voltage before you move on to number 2.

You should be fine.

.
The thing be say u can't connect directly to the battery terminal unless unseal the batteries cables close to the terminal and tap from there

bassdow:
Still believe if you had connected the battery first to the charge controller, before the solar panels, the battery would have dropped down the voltage coming from the solar panels to the battery's nominal voltage. We not there with you BUT if you had connected the Solar panels first, or you connected the battery first BUT did not turn it ON (a lot of these Lithium batteries do have a power switch), then it's high voltage from the solar panels that damaged your inverter.

You alone knows which you actually did BUT if it was properly done, there shouldn't be any issue

.
I did that boss before switching on the Pv breaker. The system I was using b4 trying to upgrade to lithium is a Diy set up. On a normal anything electrical na me the do myself so positive negative no b issue for me. Meanwhile I go replace the inverter with same inverter,while I shop for hybrid, itel 4kwh on my mind, although am also shopping for used hybrid inverter.Godwilling in a month time I suppose done settle

mjblinks:
I have panels I want to sell, I just upgraded and it less than 6 months.

Post the panel picture and the sticker here now

I have a similar result. I have 4 PCs of 535 jinko bifacial panels and the max I have gotten is 1.3kw. my installer said it's normal.

fuckboys:
this is very poor.

Valentinooo:
I was at the shop yesterday, though it was cloudy but I was able to take small video at peak sunlight. Generation was hovering between 4.29 to 4.31kw

I can't upload the video here, but here is a sc

cc:
Paschal007
Gshems

This is damn crazy!!! I have never seen people generate this much on PV, this is over 90% of the total PV energy

Valentinooo:
I was at the shop yesterday, though it was cloudy but I was able to take small video at peak sunlight. Generation was hovering between 4.29 to 4.31kw

I can't upload the video here, but here is a sc

cc:
Paschal007
Gshems

Please which brands of panels are they?

ajabani4allah:
This is damn crazy!!! I have never seen people generate this much on PV, this is over 90% of the total PV energy

I dey see above 95% here wella o.

Take for instance at 10:45am
See what I am generating from my home set up: string 1 = (4x615w), string 2 = (4x620w) and (4x625w) all Bifacial jinko panels on a carport.

Now imagine what I will generate around 12:30pm to 1:30pm

If you get money, just do solar carport. Na the best. All my panels are flat. No tilting at all.

chadbasin:
Please which brands of panels are they?

Jinko Bifacial

bassdow:
Funny enough, never used Gas. Last I used Kerosine Stove was over 8 years ago. Even while Gas was supper cheap, continued with Kerosine and when people talk, I told them Gas would still get expensive the moment it becomes very popular among people, and except they were willing to dash me Gas cylinder, I would contnue with ma stove which is what I did till I switched to induction cooker.

Me no sabi do followFollow. Same with people who can barely afford not to go broke with salary delay of 1-month rushing to own starTime and goTv decoders. Some even had more than 1 sef and guess what, wasn't long before lots of them turned to decor.

so does the induction cooker work well with solar and you have never used gas right

Valentinooo:
I dey see above 95% here wella o.

Take for instance at 10:45am
See what I am generating from my home set up: string 1 = (4x615w), string 2 = (4x620w) and (4x625w) all Bifacial jinko panels on a carport.

Now imagine what I will generate around 12:30pm to 1:30pm

If you get money, just do solar carport. Na the best. All my panels are flat. No tilting at all.

Pls can you take the picture of the carport and send and which part of the country are you in?

Una Don make induction cooker add price

chadbasin:
Evening house, please is it ok to combine a 16kwh and 5kwh batteries on a 6kva inverter? I just upgraded to 16kwh and want to add the 5kwh battery in order to have a larger bank. They are both 48v.
Thanks, as always.

for me, it's a NO irrespective of the battery chemistry.

What I could do instead is use them separately by installing a switch to switch between them. Connect the Negatives together, then put a switch between the positive so you switch between them during charging and usage.

ajabani4allah:
What about turning AC fan to DC fan?

if you got the time and expertise

Valentinooo:
I dey see above 95% here wella o.

Take for instance at 10:45am
See what I am generating from my home set up: string 1 = (4x615w), string 2 = (4x620w) and (4x625w) all Bifacial jinko panels on a carport.

Now imagine what I will generate around 12:30pm to 1:30pm

If you get money, just do solar carport. Na the best. All my panels are flat. No tilting at all.

if you come get Money, but the place no be your own nko ?

Paschal007:
This is highly impressive. I have
2 x 550w jinko
2 x 575 ja solar
Max I get is 1.5kw
Normal 1.3kw

I always felt it should generate more. When I add the extra 2 590w, it might get to 2.1kw. Not good enough I suppose

I have 550x4 and I generate mostly 1.3-1.4kw max on a good day. Can I add 3 more 615w panels? I have 4.2kva 24v inverter. Is it too much for it?

Bruteality1:
I have 550x4 and I generate mostly 1.3-1.4kw max on a good day. Can I add 3 more 615w panels? I have 4.2kva 24v inverter. Is it too much for it?

we can't know if it's too much without knowing capacity of your external charge controller / hybrid inverter.

Sharing with us clear picture of the sticker would go a long way.

Also wouldn't suggest blindly increasing your solar panels except you sure your current consumption exceeds what's been generated. You don't wanna generate 3kw and end up barely consuming 30% of it.

As for the combination therapy abi Concoction, na una sabi

bassdow:
for me, it's a NO irrespective of the battery chemistry.

What I could do instead is use them separately by installing a switch to switch between them. Connect the Negatives together, then put a switch between the positive so you switch between them during charging and usage.

dude it’s not true, for LFP batteries it’s perfectly okay, let him use a combiner box.

Bruteality1:
I have 550x4 and I generate mostly 1.3-1.4kw max on a good day. Can I add 3 more 615w panels? I have 4.2kva 24v inverter. Is it too much for it?

If connected in series, the 615w panels will operate as 550w panels. If you can afford it, get a separate charge controller or just assume you're using 7 550w panels. I think fouani have 585w panels now.

But before that, you can share your inverter's specification.

ajabani4allah:
Pls can you take the picture of the carport and send and which part of the country are you in?

Ibadan.

@Bassdow
I made the carport in such a way that it is detachable.

When I was still using 4 panels, I erected it at the side of the building, when I noticed towards 4pm the building was shading it, I uprooted it and moved it to the front, before adding two more stands.

Landlords will even prefer this to placing panels on their roof.

Paschal007:
This is highly impressive. I have
2 x 550w jinko
2 x 575 ja solar
Max I get is 1.5kw
Normal 1.3kw

I always felt it should generate more. When I add the extra 2 590w, it might get to 2.1kw. Not good enough I suppose

Before you conclude that your solar panels are generating poorly, you need to understand that most good hybrid inverters are designed to harvest only the required energy per time. This energy per time is a function of the load on the inverter plus the energy required to charge the battery at that point in time. If your load on the inverter is not much and you set the battery charging amp to 20a or 30a, the hybrid inverter will pull only the energy that will do the job from the solar panels even when the panels are generating more energy. If you want to confirm the maximum energy that your solar panels can generate, increase your load at peak hours and also increase your battery charging amperage, then check again.
It’s important to mention that some fake hybrid inverters don’t give accurate energy generation. Also, Bifacial panels are capable of generating higher energies than their rated capacities when properly installed where the back can receive a reflection of sunlight.

Valentinooo:
Ibadan.

@Bassdow
I made the carport in such a way that it is detachable.

When I was still using 4 panels, I erected it at the side of the building, when I noticed towards 4pm the building was shading it, I uprooted it and moved it to the front, before adding two more stands.

Landlords will even prefer this to placing panels on their roof.

Hopefully a jealous tenant's car no go fail break someHow.

To me, Roof that are almost flat would give similar result. Na these sendDownTheRain roofs dey cause problem. Another is, if more air could flow underNeath the solar panels, they would heat up less

justasitis:
Before you conclude that your solar panels are generating poorly, you need to understand that most good hybrid inverters are designed to harvest only the required energy per time. This energy per time is a function of the load on the inverter plus the energy required to charge the battery at that point in time. If your load on the inverter is not much and you set the battery charging amp to 20a or 30a, the hybrid inverter will pull only the energy that will do the job from the solar panels even when the panels are generating more energy. If you want to confirm the maximum energy that your solar panels can generate, increase your load at peak hours and also increase your battery charging amperage, then check again.
It’s important to mention that some fake hybrid inverters don’t give accurate energy generation. Also, Bifacial panels are capable of generating higher energies than their rated capacities when properly installed where the back can receive a reflection of sunlight.

FInally una don dey AGREE with me.

unfortunately, where you don see them installed this way. Most times, those biFacial solar panels are meant for solar farms. carPorts fit try if properly done Ooo as a lot of carPorts are nothing but sheds.

Also what you said about hybrid inverters, is same with external charge controllers. I don talk am here before say those things only show what they are consuming. If you need to know how much you generating, you got to use the required tools.

Valentinooo:
Ibadan.

@Bassdow
I made the carport in such a way that it is detachable.

When I was still using 4 panels, I erected it at the side of the building, when I noticed towards 4pm the building was shading it, I uprooted it and moved it to the front, before adding two more stands.

Landlords will even prefer this to placing panels on their roof.

Seeing this picx, would say a Bi-Facial solar panel installed here would actually work even though result would be very low.

in fact what one needs here are good mono facial solar panels. They would work at much lower temperature hence give more output.

Love the way you used angle irons and braced them all. No room for sagging

justasitis:
Before you conclude that your solar panels are generating poorly, you need to understand that most good hybrid inverters are designed to harvest only the required energy per time. This energy per time is a function of the load on the inverter plus the energy required to charge the battery at that point in time. If your load on the inverter is not much and you set the battery charging amp to 20a or 30a, the hybrid inverter will pull only the energy that will do the job from the solar panels even when the panels are generating more energy. If you want to confirm the maximum energy that your solar panels can generate, increase your load at peak hours and also increase your battery charging amperage, then check again.
It’s important to mention that some fake hybrid inverters don’t give accurate energy generation. Also, Bifacial panels are capable of generating higher energies than their rated capacities when properly installed where the back can receive a reflection of sunlight.

100%
In all, bifacial panels are a great investment and value for money.

Valentinooo:
Ibadan.

@Bassdow
I made the carport in such a way that it is detachable.

When I was still using 4 panels, I erected it at the side of the building, when I noticed towards 4pm the building was shading it, I uprooted it and moved it to the front, before adding two more stands.

Landlords will even prefer this to placing panels on their roof.

Love this your car port. How much did it cost you in total to construct and how does it hold up against very strong winds?

fuckboys:
dude it’s not true, for LFP batteries it’s perfectly okay, let him use a combiner box.

Please explain @bolded

Pls any Installer within Aba? Pls I need a professional installer ooo.