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lewmt
Junior Nomad
Posts: 79
Registered: 4-12-2017
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Solar - Buyer Beware
Putting solar on my RV. I looked into a few options and decided on buying an integrated system from Dakota Lithium. Horrible choice! I should have
dug deeper into more reviews before throwing my $$ down.
Received the 200 amp hour system including panels, inverter, lithium battery, & charge controller. No overall installation instructions - just
minimal info on each component. Looked on their website for better details - nothing. So I called and got a recording that said tech questions must
be emailed...ok so I did. About 5 questions with all the pertinent information about my purchase & what I'm installing it into. 4 days go by -
no reply. I re-email. It's now been over 10 days and I've heard nothing. I don't know about you but typically if I ask a technical question of some
expert - I usually get an answer that leads to further questions or clarification. So - at this rate maybe they'll get my answers to me in ....
Idunno 3 years? It's not like I've asked for a refund or demanded unusual requests from them .... I mean lithium is notorious for catastrophic fires
so correct installation and sequencing seems like a pretty valid thing to want to get right.
Since I know a lot of Baja travelers find solar useful in Baja & for traveling vehicles I thought I'd give fair warning - NOT - to deal with this
company. I'm gathering lots of youtube info but nothing specific to the components I purchased so I'll get it installed - but I find it amazing a
company can sell an "integrated system" and be so horrible about customer service and information afterwards. Hope this is helpful
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RFClark
Super Nomad
Posts: 2462
Registered: 8-27-2015
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Mood: Delighted with 2024 and looking forward to 2025
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Did you get your money back or do you still need help installing your stuff?
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18429
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Quote: Originally posted by lewmt  | Putting solar on my RV. I looked into a few options and decided on buying an integrated system from Dakota Lithium. Horrible choice! I should have
dug deeper into more reviews before throwing my $$ down.
Received the 200 amp hour system including panels, inverter, lithium battery, & charge controller. No overall installation instructions - just
minimal info on each component. Looked on their website for better details - nothing. So I called and got a recording that said tech questions must
be emailed...ok so I did. About 5 questions with all the pertinent information about my purchase & what I'm installing it into. 4 days go by -
no reply. I re-email. It's now been over 10 days and I've heard nothing. I don't know about you but typically if I ask a technical question of some
expert - I usually get an answer that leads to further questions or clarification. So - at this rate maybe they'll get my answers to me in ....
Idunno 3 years? It's not like I've asked for a refund or demanded unusual requests from them .... I mean lithium is notorious for catastrophic fires
so correct installation and sequencing seems like a pretty valid thing to want to get right.
Since I know a lot of Baja travelers find solar useful in Baja & for traveling vehicles I thought I'd give fair warning - NOT - to deal with this
company. I'm gathering lots of youtube info but nothing specific to the components I purchased so I'll get it installed - but I find it amazing a
company can sell an "integrated system" and be so horrible about customer service and information afterwards. Hope this is helpful
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If you are not a DIY type, then take the equipment to an RV shop and have them install it for you.
The components are simple to wire up, probably biggest headache is brackets/mounting of the panel on roof so it won’t blow off when driving down the
highway, and running the wiring inside and through walls, etc.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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lewmt
Junior Nomad
Posts: 79
Registered: 4-12-2017
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My point wasn't to request help but to warn others that Dakota Lithium is a really crappy company. Supposed 11 yes warranty but based on -0- response
to simple questions and other reviews I doubt their warranty means didly squat. I'm dialed on the DIY. Buy Battle Born or someone else if you're
buying solar for off-grid or RV.
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RFClark
Super Nomad
Posts: 2462
Registered: 8-27-2015
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Mood: Delighted with 2024 and looking forward to 2025
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I would never buy from them. They’re too expensive.
Here’s a link to batteries that are $359 each and they have great service. I own 14 of them. I’ve used 6 for over 6 months with no problem. They
run 24/7.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094NN5KWY/
[Edited on 8-20-2022 by BajaNomad]
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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1496
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
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I agree, Battle born are expensive but are also really good quality.
I built my own LifePo4 batteries and am very happy with them for less than half the price of Battle born.
Off grid, 12-190 watt evergreen solar panels on solar trackers, 2-3648 stacked Outback inverters, 610ah LiFePo4 48v battery bank, FM 60 and MX60
Outback charge controllers, X-240 Outback transformer for 240v from inverters, 6500 watt Kubota diesel generator.
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JZ
Select Nomad
Posts: 10637
Registered: 10-3-2003
Member Is Online
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What all do you power with those batteries?
[Edited on 8-20-2022 by BajaNomad]
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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Mood: Full Time Residents
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jz ...only good for your pick up truck////too small///200ah min for a house application
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18429
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Susan,
Most house applications use multiple batteries!
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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Mood: Full Time Residents
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very good goat... but 100ah is too small...its a golf cart battery....
its actually 4 three v batteries connected together to make 12v
the part that connects the 4 batteries together fails when over loaded
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RFClark
Super Nomad
Posts: 2462
Registered: 8-27-2015
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Mood: Delighted with 2024 and looking forward to 2025
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B&S,
I use those batteries in 48V arrays. You can build a 16 battery array 20KW per 16. We ran the house we sold off of 8KW plus 8KW more stand by with a
generator back up. We only used either when we ran the AC at night.
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7084
Registered: 8-5-2011
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My fragile, aching back says two 100ah batteries wired in parallel are better than one 200ah. Plus it provides some redundancy. I use two instead of
one in my small 12-volt RV solar system. I move the batteries at least 6 times a year.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18429
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan | very good goat... but 100ah is too small...its a golf cart battery....
its actually 4 three v batteries connected together to make 12v
the part that connects the 4 batteries together fails when over loaded
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Susy,
Look at the tesla car batteries and power walls. These large batteries are made up of many, many small batteries. Size does not matter! 
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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RFClark
Super Nomad
Posts: 2462
Registered: 8-27-2015
Member Is Offline
Mood: Delighted with 2024 and looking forward to 2025
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Goat,
B&S still use lead acid batteries and think 220VAC is the work of the Devil. You’ll have to excuse them!
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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Mood: Full Time Residents
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220v saves NO POWER
this is an urban myth
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BajaTed
Senior Nomad
Posts: 859
Registered: 5-2-2010
Location: Bajamar
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BUT:
When running for the same long period, the efficiency of a 120-volt air conditioner and a 220-volt air conditioner are about the same, and the power
used is about the same.
If placed improperly, both types of equipment will not work properly-120V; air conditioners are ineffective and will consume too much power when
placed in a room that is too large for them, while 220V air conditioners placed in a smaller room will reduce efficiency.
Es Todo Bueno
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64864
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Ted, which is it?
A: "the efficiency of a 120-volt air conditioner and a 220-volt air conditioner are about the same, and the power used is about the same."
B: "120V; air conditioners are ineffective and will consume too much power when placed in a room that is too large for them, while 220V air
conditioners placed in a smaller room will reduce efficiency."
Will a 120 volt be fine in a smaller room?
Will a 220 volt be fine in a larger room?
Why is a 220 volt not efficient in a smaller room?
Thank you and sorry if my mind is a bit muddled at trying to understand this. I appreciate your time to answer.
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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Mood: Full Time Residents
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12,000 btu for 400 sq feet
voltage doesnt matter
btu s matter
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Don Pisto
Banned
Posts: 1282
Registered: 8-1-2018
Location: El Pescador
Member Is Offline
Mood: weary like everyone else
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we took a different approach, we only used ac at night and could care less about cooling the entire room as long as cool air blew on the bed. for us
a small window unit running on a 2000 watt generator in eco mode kept us quite happy.
[Edited on 8-18-2022 by Don Pisto]
there's only two things in life but I forget what they are........
John Hiatt
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RFClark
Super Nomad
Posts: 2462
Registered: 8-27-2015
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Mood: Delighted with 2024 and looking forward to 2025
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B&S
Based on your philosophy that higher voltages don’t increase efficiency, why are most inverters now 48V rather than 12V?
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