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Topic: EV Batteries for home and Off-Grid Energy Systems (Read 57 times) previous topic - next topic

EV Batteries for home and Off-Grid Energy Systems

It looks like used EV Batteries could be a good option for home and Off-Grid Energy Systems. That is good news because the batteries for storage are one of the biggest expenses of a DIY home energy system.

https://www.naturalnews.com/2026-05-22-used-ev-batteries-path-offgrid-energy-independence.html

Not only that, but because there are millions of aging EV vehicles on the road, the supply of used EV batteries will continue to increase and most likely they will get cheaper too.

Ed
 

Re: EV Batteries for home and Off-Grid Energy Systems

Reply #1 –
Agree.
There are already many examples of EV battery pack reuse in DIY solar/RE and auto conversion projects. The auto conversions especially are interesting for the "Frankenstein" vehicles that can result.

Some packs like the chevy Volt and older Leaf were easy to subdivide, to fit the new uses. Not sure if later, higher voltage packs like 400V Teslas and 800V Hyundais are as easy to split.

Try searching for aftermarket sellers of used battery packs, there may be plenty in the US and EU already.
6.5 kW PV solar array + 12k Sol-Ark Inverter
10ft (3m) diameter custom-built wind turbine

Re: EV Batteries for home and Off-Grid Energy Systems

Reply #2 –
What do do with them when they get to about 10 years old and fail from simple aging.?

I am having to cycle out many tool batteries because the cells leak and die.

Tesla cars are cheap because he is tracking you and selling your personal habits to data brokers.
https://theoffroading.com/does-tesla-sell-driving-data/

Lithium battery technology is not closed cycle any more than fission nuclear power plant fuel rods are.

and from Bing: "Practical takeaway
If you use a lithium battery pack under moderate conditions (shallow discharges, moderate temperatures, regular partial charging), expect 8–12 years of service life for many industrial and commercial packs. For consumer devices, expect 2–10 years depending on usage intensity. Always check the manufacturer’s cycle life rating at your intended depth of discharge to estimate real-world performance."

and https://scienceinsights.org/why-cant-lithium-batteries-be-recycled/ only about 5% of spent lithium batteries are properly reused instead of just being buried somewhere.

Re: EV Batteries for home and Off-Grid Energy Systems

Reply #3 –
Quote from: dnix71 – on
... only about 5% of spent lithium batteries are properly reused instead of just being buried somewhere.

I think Ed's point is that this IS a way to reuse them, rather then throwing the material away.
6.5 kW PV solar array + 12k Sol-Ark Inverter
10ft (3m) diameter custom-built wind turbine

Re: EV Batteries for home and Off-Grid Energy Systems

Reply #4 –
I fix and reuse what I can, but it has become cheaper and safer to buy third party replacements for tools than to attempt to build a pack from aging mismatched cells.

I built a 29v lithium pack for a Neuton Mower. Neuton went out of business and the only two battery packs they made were nicad and sla. Black and Decker had a 24v sla mower many many years ago and they didn't age well. 29v is a liitle higher than the 24v nominal the mower was designed to use, but it runs long and cuts well and the motor controller can handle 32v.

I made the pack from cells salvaged from a rental scooter, but the charger was hand selected from my pile because it's open circuit is exactly the finish charge and it trickle charges. I don't have the skill to build a custom pack balance circuit board. I am very careful with it because a 4p7s brick of commercial NCR's is a potential bomb. The guy I got the spares from had another scooter explode inside his home at 2:30 am. It woke him up and all he could do was open the door and toss the whole scooter outside and watch it burn.