BattleBorn response to continually charging LiFePO4s

[markandkim]

Thanks for helping me decide on whether or not to use LI batteries. Still watching and learning.

[ajg617]

Thanks for helping me decide on whether or not to use LI batteries. Still watching and learning.

Despite my use case questions, I'm still glad I went with LFPs because we really didn't know how we were going to use the RV. Turns out, we like to stay at Harvest Host locations. This past season about 15% of the time but I could see that increasing to include some dry camping. There were a couple of consecutive dry camp mornings where our SOC was between 25-40% the last morning with cloudy days in between which didn't let solar recover much. Even at 25%, it was enough to get the generator started for slides and jacks.

In addition I don't have to check fluid levels, vent, and saved some weight in the front of the RV. I would make the same choice again - not necessarily BattleBorn since there seem to be a larger variety of quality LFPs available - but they were the easiest and offered one stop shopping for batteries, charge controller, and BMV coming out of supply chain issues.

[ajg617]

I sent the below email to Dragonfly and yesterday received the response in red that follows:

If I understand correctly, I am plugged into shore power 100% of the time and this is not good for LiFePO4s. Since everything DC is shut off except for thing like the C02 monitor, minimal discharge occurs every night and this is detrimental to the lifespan of the BattleBorns. Can you confirm?

If you leave your system plugged in 100% of the time and don’t take a day or two out of the month to discharge the batteries, you will cause damage to them. (as I stated in the last email)

I would recommend checking out the manual for your battery as it explains how best to take care of the battery as well.

Needless to say, there is nothing in any documentation that states damage will occur if continually connected to shore power with out one or two discharges per month. VERY DISAPPOINTING RESPONSE AND THIS WAS NEVER MADE CLEAR AT TIME OF PURCHASE IF TRUE.

[xrated]

I sent the below email to Dragonfly and yesterday received the response in red that follows:

If I understand correctly, I am plugged into shore power 100% of the time and this is not good for LiFePO4s. Since everything DC is shut off except for thing like the C02 monitor, minimal discharge occurs every night and this is detrimental to the lifespan of the BattleBorns. Can you confirm?

If you leave your system plugged in 100% of the time and don’t take a day or two out of the month to discharge the batteries, you will cause damage to them. (as I stated in the last email)

I would recommend checking out the manual for your battery as it explains how best to take care of the battery as well.

Needless to say, there is nothing in any documentation that states damage will occur if continually connected to shore power with out one or two discharges per month. VERY DISAPPOINTING RESPONSE AND THIS WAS NEVER MADE CLEAR AT TIME OF PURCHASE IF TRUE.

The key to LFP battery usage is....USAGE.....or store it at some state of partial discharge with a SOC at 40% to 70%. So if you are plugged into the shore power most/all the time when camping and you are using LFP batteries, there's absolutely nothing wrong with shutting off the 120VAC breaker that feeds the converter/charger, forcing the battery or batteries as the sole source for the camper's 12VDC needs. You obviously stay connected to shore power while doing this, so that you still have 120VAC for microwaves, televisions, A/C units, etc, etc. In this scenario, the battery is forced to become the 12VDC supply for everything that needs 12VDC. This exercises the battery instead of it sitting at full SOC for days/weeks/months on end. Obviously you need a method to determine SOC so that you don't run it too low, and that is where something like the Victron BMS 712 or some brand of Smart Shunt to monitor SOC of the battery. When the battery gets to some level of discharge and you feel like it needs to be charged up again, it's just a matter of flipping the 120VAC breaker back on and the converter/charger will go to work charging the battery back up.....then start the whole process over again. And actually, you might be a bit surprised on how much 12VDC power you use, even when camping and hooked up to shore power....with the converter/charger turned off. Overhead lights, 12VDC control power for both the fridge and water heater, the thermostat(s), awnings in/out, etc

[ajg617]

The key to LFP battery usage is....USAGE.....And actually, you might be a bit surprised on how much 12VDC power you use, even when camping and hooked up to shore power....with the converter/charger turned off. Overhead lights, 12VDC control power for both the fridge and water heater, the thermostat(s), awnings in/out, etc

I know I'm drawing them down - every travel day the residential fridge pulls from the batteries and every 2nd or 3rd travel day we are dry camping. This winter, the heat blankets are drawing the batteries down so they are being used. I'm just very surprised at the "damage" statement which is not at all documented in their marketing literature or user guide.