✅ Checklist📄 Solar briefing🔋 Leaf side project

Side project: reusing the 2013 Nissan Leaf battery

Prepared October 10, 2026. This is a separate hobby project and has nothing to do with the NB Power net-metering application. Please keep it off that application and out of the house's grid-tied system. Treat it as an interesting experiment, for example an off-grid shed or workshop setup.

How to read the flags:

• ✅ = confirmed from a source (link given)
• ⚠️ = an estimate or not verified

What the battery is ✅

Source: U.S. Department of Energy test sheet, https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/01/f19/fact2013nissanleaf.pdf

• Size: 24 kWh rated, about 365 V nominal.
• Layout: 192 cells, wired 96 in series and 2 in parallel.
• Modules: 48 modules, each with 4 cells (2S2P) at about 7.4 V. Source: Orion BMS note, https://www.orionbms.com/manuals/pdf/nissan_leaf_modules.pdf
• Real output when new: the DOE measured only about 18.5–19.2 kWh actually coming out of the pack in driving tests.
• Chemistry and cooling: ⚠️ commonly reported as manganese-based lithium-ion, not LFP. There's no active cooling.

How much capacity is left? ⚠️ (estimate only)

• A 13-year-old pack is plausibly at around 50–70% state of health. That's roughly 12–17 kWh of nominal capacity, and less that you can safely use.
• Measure it rather than guess. Plug an OBD-II dongle into the car and use the LeafSpy app to read state of health and the voltage of each cell pair. Big differences between cell pairs are a warning sign.

Ways to reuse it

1. Keep the pack whole.
   • It runs at about 365 V. Very few home inverters accept that.
   • The car's own battery management system (BMS) only works inside the car.
2. Take the modules out and rebuild them into a lower-voltage bank.
   • DIYers often wire 7 modules in series to get about 52 V nominal, which suits "48 V" equipment. ⚠️ This is a DIY-community practice, not a manufacturer spec.
   • You'd need an aftermarket BMS. Orion BMS 2 supports Leaf modules. MSRP runs from US$820 (24 cells) to US$950 (48 cells), not including harnesses or the current sensor: https://www.orionbms.com/products/orion-bms-standard/
   • You'd also need contactors, DC fuses, a disconnect, a proper enclosure, module compression, and a way for the BMS to talk to the inverter or charger.
   • Orion's own warning: "Reclaimed cells always carry risk."

Safety

• High-voltage DC (about 365 V) can kill. Taking the pack apart is a job for someone trained on EV high-voltage systems.
• Old cells can fail unevenly.
• Keep the project away from living and sleeping areas. Install a smoke alarm, and keep a fire plan.

Code, inspection and insurance ⚠️

• The 2024 Canadian Electrical Code requires home battery systems to be certified. It also limits where they can go and how big they can be.
  • Source: Ontario's interpretation of the same national code, https://esasafe.com/assets/files/esasafe/pdf/Electrical_Safety_Products/Bulletins/64-08-3.pdf . New Brunswick's inspectors may read it differently.
• A home-built Leaf bank has no certification, so expect it to fail inspection if it's wired into the house.
• Call your insurer before building anything. An uncertified battery could put a fire claim at risk. That's our caution; we haven't confirmed any insurer's policy.

Is it worth it compared with a new certified battery?

Bottom line:

• It's a fun, educational off-grid project.
• It's a poor choice for the house's backup battery.
• Another option is to sell the car or pack and put the money toward a certified battery.