Historically, inverters (electronic circuits that take DC power and convert it to AC to simulate the power line) were pretty awful in the waveshapes they produced. But that was like in the 70's, 80's and 90's. Most today that are pure shine will be fine with modern electronics.
Modern electronics that can efficiently switch at many times the power line frequency can produce a output voltage that is pretty close to a sine, meaning it has little harmonic content. This eliminates the issues with square wave and modified sine outputs, since the power line itself is ideally a sine. It is still a bit more expensive to produce inverters with sine wave outputs, but the extra cost is no longer that much and is getting steadily lower. Today, sine wave output inverters are common.
So really, I think the concerns are outdated at best, IMO. And I know others might not agree. But I feel to dismiss an inverter completely is to ignore the modern needs of a lot of people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lewster
For example, I've been asked when I think lithium battery prices will drop. After reading a report from China about the biggest manufacturers there........seems that most are still operating at a loss! No price drops in the forseeable future.
I do hope that Elon Musk and his Gigafactory will bring the new lithiums more into the mainstream.
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They technically are mainstream if you think about all the uses in other platforms. Modern electronics and hybrid vehicles.
Also, people waiting for the prices to come down don't understand what they are paying for. And don't understand that the prices are already appropriate and AFFORDABLE.
Let's take AMSolar, you look at the 400aH kit. It's
3,299.00 and you think "That's a lot of money compared to me buying some Trojans."
But you're looking at it in a wrong way. Completely wrong.
You are not just buying 4 batteries that you are going to slap in your RV.
In order to use the lithiums properly, you are also buying the Battery Management System, Sense boards and a few other pieces you need to have safe usable system. And they put it all in a kit, and mounted half of it to a board so you can install it right out of the box!!! Trojan isn't doing that for you.
When I priced the Sinopoly cells from a supplier in Canada they were $153 US. And you need 16 of them to make a 400aH bank so that's $2448.00 - then you have to factor in the BMS (this ranges from $200 to $500) and sense boards (these range from $40 to $80), and solenoid ($150), wires, switches.... All of that adds up.
Actually AMSolar's pricing is very FAIR. It's almost at cost on my math, so I imagine or hope they have a deal to buy in bulk so they can make some money.
When you factor that into the pricing, and then also consider the advantages of why it's better, then the price becomes understandable. They are not coming down. Do not expect them to be cheaper.
$153 per cell is cheap. Let's not forget, that my 400aH of batteries is equal to 360aH of usable power. 400aH of AGM's is equal to only 200aH so you would need 600aH to get close to mine. If you price based on that, you are half way to the cost of the Lithium cells. Start considering the advantages.
People justify the added expense of AGM all the time, even though it weighs more and has less power than a wet cell counterpart. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Honestly, I think we are at the lowest they are going to be for now. Probably see prices rise as interest rates and inflation rise.
So like Lew said, you might end up missing the boat.
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