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  • Alibaba suppliers

    Has anyone on this forum dealt with one or more Alibaba solar suppliers of equipment, and if so, what has been your experience?

  • #2
    Yes, Express is very expensive because there are few planes flying. Sea freight takes long time to get through US customs. That adds 15 days to 30-35 day transit times.
    Can't beat buying Grade A LFP cells for $125 per kWh.
    9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Ampster View Post
      Can't beat buying Grade A LFP cells for $125 per kWh.
      Where are you seeing those prices for lithium batteries?

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      • #4
        Why would you buy Chi-com junk from your enemy?
        MSEE, PE

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Sunking View Post
          Why would you buy Chi-com junk from your enemy?
          Because China is the only place where any decent priced Lithium batteries are manufactured except for Sparks Nevada Tesla Gigafactory. I could buy used Tesla modules but I would have to parallel them to get the capacity I want. The cost for used Tesla modules is $200 per kWh and I would have to buy 3 BMSs and lots of contactors and other devices to safely monitor them in a parallel group of packs. My BMS vendor has a whole white paper on that subject but for a finished cost in excess of $250 per kWh for that solution I chose to take my chances with a well known trusted vendor in China. I have had conversations with people from Finland to New Zealand that have tested those particular cells and I am comfortable with that choice.

          I have plenty of issues with the Chinese government, but I find the Chinese people easy to deal with if I make an effort to understand them.
          9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Sunking View Post
            Why would you buy Chi-com junk from your enemy?
            Every house is filled with "junk" produced in China. But I don't hold stereotypes.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by CanadianOffGrid View Post

              Every house is filled with "junk" produced in China. But I don't hold stereotypes.
              When I attended global educational conferences years ago I always enjoyed the perspective which my Canadian colleagues had on US politics. I am glad to see statistically you have flattened the C19 curve and have fewer deaths per capita than the US.
              9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Ampster View Post
                Can't beat buying Grade A LFP cells for $125 per kWh.
                Now that is some funny stuff, I don't care who you are. You actually believe you bought Grade A Lithium Cells from Chi-Com government. Since when did South Korea (LG) and Japan (Panasonic) surrender to China?

                They didn't, you bought counterfeits and over paid.

                MSEE, PE

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                • #9
                  Yes, I should have said I bought counterfeit generic cells. But wait, I never heard of EVE who they say was the manufacturer so why does counterfeit matter. I don't even care if they are Grade A or B because none of that matters. They are simply generic cells from China at less than$125 per kWh.

                  I bought 280 Ahr cells that have been tested by users that I trust. They confirm that those cells contain at least 280 Ahrs of capacity. I paid less than $125 per kWhr of capacity and if I only use 75% of their capacity I should easily get 5 years out of them. At that point their capacity may be 70 or 80% and I will probably sell them like I plan on selling my used Nissan Leaf modules. This is a hobby to me and I lead a modest life style.

                  9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by CanadianOffGrid View Post

                    Where are you seeing those prices for lithium batteries?
                    Sorry to be so late in responding, I got distracted by background noise. I found several referrals to Alibaba sellers on another forum. Those users capacity tested the cells and were happy with the results. One of those vendors is Xuba. If you Google Xuba you will probably find some threads discussing that vendor and others. I use the same handle on several forums.
                    Last edited by Ampster; 06-10-2020, 02:33 AM.
                    9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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                    • #11
                      I also bought the 280 ah set of 17 cells from Xuba and they all came in within 1 thousands of a volt of each other and in perfect shape. I have been running them and testing for about 2 weeks. My Victron BMV-700 shows great capacity though I have yet to run them all the way down and likely wont till there is a power outage and I am forced by my the wife to keep the power on.

                      I am constantly running them on an Outback Power GS4048 with solar charging them during the day. I am playing with settings and found a 7.5% increase in efficiency by lowering the house voltage to 220VAC from 250VAC. It is like getting a bigger battery pack for free with just changing a setting.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by NewBostonConst View Post
                        I also bought the 280 ah set of 17 cells from Xuba and they all came in within 1 thousands of a volt of each other and in perfect shape.
                        I assume you are running 17 to get an extra 900 Watthours of storage? I have ordered 36 and am thinking of running 34 of them in my Outback Skybox. The extra two are insurance in case a cell goes bad. Any issues with being close to 60 volts? Are you using a BMS?
                        I am constantly running them on an Outback Power GS4048 with solar charging them during the day. I am playing with settings and found a 7.5% increase in efficiency by lowering the house voltage to 220VAC from 250VAC. It islike getting a bigger battery pack for free with just changing a setting.
                        I presume there is a setting deep inside my outback to lower the voltage? I would also imagine it is only possible when off the grid? I wonder if it would interfere with the AC coupling?
                        9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Ampster View Post
                          I assume you are running 17 to get an extra 900 Watthours of storage? I have ordered 36 and am thinking of running 34 of them in my Outback Skybox. The extra two are insurance in case a cell goes bad. Any issues with being close to 60 volts? Are you using a BMS?

                          I presume there is a setting deep inside my outback to lower the voltage? I would also imagine it is only possible when off the grid? I wonder if it would interfere with the AC coupling?
                          I have ran it at both 16s and 17s. The GS4048 is supposed to be good for 62VDC charging but after adding the last cell it isn't charging as high as I wanted (56 point something volts if I remember right). At 16s is worked perfect. I am still getting more capacity on the 17s and not charging the battery as high so not as hard on the battery also...so that might be a good thing. I bought 17 to have a spare if one was bad but they were so good I stuck it in the pack.

                          I have an active 5 amp BMS but haven't hooked it up yet. They all hold within 0.002 of a volt all the time so might just sit back and watch the bank.

                          Changing the AC voltage is very easy, through the Mate3 it is in the inverter menu right next to all the battery charge parameters. It changes the output value at the exact same time you change it on the screen. You have to log in but that is all.

                          I have the updated firmware for the AC coupling. The micro inverters are good down to I think 208 VAC so it still works and charges the batteries at the lower voltage.

                          https://youtu.be/Wz7rJV0DMok

                          Your comment has got me thinking, the pole is at 250vac and critical loads is at 220vac. I will turn back on the grid to the inverter when I get home to see if it acts any different, I have been off grid on my critical loads since I got the batteries in. I am guessing nothing. When the grid is on the AC just goes straight through the unit and when the power goes out the relay opens and the inverter kicks in.

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                          • #14
                            Good to hear someone else has had good luck with these. Also nice to know they stay balanced. I use my BMS for information and don't often turn on the cell balancing. If one cell becomes a runner that is why i also have a couple of spares. The cost of the spare was included in my $125 per kWh number because the actual delivered price was lower for all the cells I ordered.
                            Last edited by Ampster; 06-11-2020, 09:56 AM.
                            9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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                            • #15
                              I just found out that the ship my cells were on arrived in LA Harbor. Now the unknown time until they make their way through customs and to my doorstep.
                              9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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