Lithium Battery Brands?

[Eleven99]

So is there anything wrong with leaving my new Li Batt hooked up to my solar all winter long? It has low temp protection...and we get lots of sun here.

A couple of concerns.......for me. 1) How or where is your battery installed? 2) is your battery protected especially from the cold (ie; inside your unit, covered or protected).

It should be just fine with solar installed in the unit (minus issues above). I would take an additional step in shutting off all draw from the battery. The great thing about LifePO versus lead, they do not need to be constantly charged even at a float rate.

I just pulled my battery at 80% charge from the trailer. We are storing the trailer for the winter. My battery is packed in the original shipped box and stored in my garage. I will usually check it with a meter every 30 days or so to make sure that it still has some charge. Most BMS' will draw energy from your battery, so a full discharge can happen if you do not keep an eye on it.

Even in your suggested situation, I would just keep an eye on it while the trailer is in storage. Here is a simple graph that I use to know the state of voltage of my battery. I am old and suffer from CRS, so I need references to help me.

Good luck!

I would

 

[Grandesigner]

^Thanks. The battery is in the front compartment of the unit, so some protection but no heating, just insulation. I guess I don't really know my state of charge as it has never been disconnected since installation. I use my renogy app to monitor the voltage...

 

[dryfly]

So is there anything wrong with leaving my new Li Batt hooked up to my solar all winter long? It has low temp protection...and we get lots of sun here.

I'm still wondering why lithium batteries can be "maintained" (100% state of charge) for longer periods of non-use with a charger or solar power while it is recommended that batteries removed from the RV be store at 50% state of charge?

 

[Grandesigner]

According to Will P., doing so balances out the cells, which is pretty important for longevity...

 

[dryfly]

According to Will P., doing so balances out the cells, which is pretty important for longevity...

I'm aware of that, but doesn't answer my question.

 

[Eleven99]

I'm still wondering why lithium batteries can be "maintained" (100% state of charge) for longer periods of non-use with a charger or solar power while it is recommended that batteries removed from the RV be store at 50% state of charge?

I don't really think that your LiPo battery will be actually maintained at 100% on your rig even with solar....why? Because your rig will be drawing energy from your battery (items by law) plus your BMS.

As for the 100% versus the 50%, this will depend on your battery maker. My battery maker states that my battery has a cycle life of 4,000 cycles at 100% discharge and 15,000 cycles at 60% discharge. So, given this information my battery will have a longer cycle life if I keep it at 60% depth of discharge. I checked the website and learned that there is a newer version with Bluetooth monitoring at a bit lower price than I paid....might have to add another battery just for grins.

 

[dryfly]

I don't really think that your LiPo battery will be actually maintained at 100% on your rig even with solar....why? Because your rig will be drawing energy from your battery (items by law) plus your BMS.

...

You may be right, but it seems like it's been said that the items that continue to draw current while in storage i.e. propane detector, radio, etc. only draw 1-2 amps max. I would think the charger or solar system would replenish that quickly, resulting in close to a 100% SOC. So, that's not anywhere near the manufacturer's recommendations that say store the battery at 40 - 50% SOC. I'm just trying to figure this out....................

 

[ldb20151]

LiTime is the favorite here, but what are other cheaper brand options that are dependable?

I know this thread is a bit old, but I just finished converting my 320G to LifePO4 in March and thought my experience with EPOCH batteries might be helpful. They were recommended by a fellow RV'r and I'm very pleased so far. I use these to run my coach when boondocking and support both a large inverter and run the generator starter motor. No problems with either role -- something most LifePO4 batteries don't handle well due to their BMS.

My system includes 3, 200 watt solar panels, Victron Controller and 3 Deep Cycle + Cranking capable 120 Ahr LifePO4 batteries made by EPOCH. I've been extremely happy with their batteries. They seem to be competing with Battle Bourn at lower price point and offer a wide variety of batteries up to about 400 Ahr. It appears all of their LifePO4 batteries include built-in bluetooth and BMS plus heated cases that will kick in as needed when cold outside. They have an 11-year warranty, which is great. They should last as long as I'll be using this trailer. Their customer service is US based however they can be slow responding if you need help. But they filled my orders within a week. They also make the best parallel bus bar available if you want to parallel several batteries -- I highly recommend it. Its beefy, easy to mount and has a sturdy insulating cover over the terminals. I couldn't find anything like it on Amzn. Hope someone finds this useful.

Epoch Batteries

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