An Austrian engineer, Christoph Konheisner, has introduced MySol 3.5k, a concept for a modular home battery that can be assembled with ease, like stacking building blocks. While many media outlets present it as a groundbreaking innovation, the truth is a bit different. Let’s break it down.

What Is a BMS and Why Does It Matter?

A Battery Management System (BMS) is the brain behind any modern battery. It ensures safe operation by balancing the charge between individual cells, preventing overheating, and optimizing performance. Without a BMS, your DIY battery could be inefficient—or worse, a fire hazard.

Can a DIY Battery Make You Energy Independent?

The promise of full energy autonomy is exciting: no more electricity bills, no dependence on the grid. But let’s be clear—a battery alone doesn’t generate electricity. It stores energy from an external source, typically solar panels. In a solar setup, the battery stores as much energy as possible when sunlight is abundant and distributes it on demand, ensuring power availability 24/7. This allows for continuous energy use, whether during the day or at night.

Advantages of Building Your Own Home Battery

Commercial home batteries are expensive, often running into thousands of dollars. A DIY battery built with recycled lithium cells is a low-cost alternative that makes energy storage accessible to more people, especially in developing countries. Another huge advantage? Repairability. A store-bought battery often becomes useless when a few cells degrade. In a DIY setup, you can easily replace faulty cells and significantly extend the battery’s lifespan.

The Reality: Nothing New Under the Sun

Tech media love to label everything as a “revolution,” but this idea has been around for years. Countless tutorials on YouTube already show how to build your own home battery using an old laptop or electric bike batteries. What Konheisner has done is package the idea nicely—but it’s far from new.

Want to Build Your Own Battery? Here’s How to Start

If you’re serious about making a DIY home battery, here’s the good news: it’s entirely possible and doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You’ll need a BMS, which you can buy cheaply online or salvage from an old e-bike battery. Battery cells are often recoverable from discarded electronics. For the case, you can 3D print it, build it from wood, or repurpose an old battery enclosure.

Since materials vary, there’s no universal guide. The best way to get started is by joining a Fab Lab or hopping onto NovaFuture’s Renewable Energy NovaFlow, where experienced DIYers can help. If you build one, we’d love to feature your work!

NovaFuture isn’t here to sell you a dream—we’re here to help you build it. 🔋⚡