Lithium at 0.534 grams per cubic centimeter (roughly the volume of a smaller dice) may be half the mass of water, but a 5-kilowatt-hour battery still puts over 50 kg (100 lbs) on the scale.

There is no magic as to why battery packs are typically 5 kWh at most. Their weight is what two ordinary people can lift in hand installation.

The new PowerBloc cabinets are seven feet tall. Their stability and common sense dictate that heavy batteries load into the bottom of the cabinet.

The PowerBloc can installed by two people by hand. But why be an Olympic weight lifter if we can use a simple lift to raise batteries to the height where they are inserted into the shelves?

Handles, hand pockets, and finger holds provide a firm grip on YouSolar’s new batteries.

Still, batteries must be removed from shipping crates, moved onto dollies, or lifted onto the lift platform. We have handled a lot of batteries – too many. We have learned that nothing is more critical than secure and comfortable battery hold points.

You will be shocked to learn that all rack-mounted batteries that we have seen only come with handles in the front that dig into the hand and do not have designated hold points at the sides or the back of the battery.

However, safely handling batteries is one of the most important parts of installation. We cannot make the batteries lighter, but we can add hold points to provide a firm and comfortable grip.

1. We chose the width of the front handle to be a comfortable 15 mm.
2. We added two 2.6 cm deep side pockets at the sides of the battery to provide a second hold point.
3. Finally, we added an innovative fingertip hold underneath the battery that helps prevent a hand holding the battery from underneath from sliding off.

Different positions, depths, and widths of each hold point were considered. Solutions that may result in finger or hand entrapment were eliminated even if they provided a more secure grip. Manufacturability and cost were also critical.

When designing the PowerBloc form follows function. You can see it, and you can feel it.