Problems with LiTime batteries

I’m not seeing “battery start synchronized”?
I do not have my system here to check if I see the setting. Section 4.1 manual
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For a converter once charge current drops near zero and the voltage rises to the advertised output voltage, the output voltage will drop to ~13.6V but a charger more than likely goes into a high impedance state or open circuit state. I’ve not really characterized what my charger does like I did with my converter. Maybe that’s a new investigation I will do since the brand of battery I bought ships the customer a free charger upon request so I requested one. Hopefully I’ll get to that tomorrow and if so I’ll post my results
 
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The battery was a Paoweric. I’m not sure of the brand of the free charger they sent me. I let them know it wasn’t working. Maybe they’ll send me another one
 
@dryfly I hope that after the two BT batteries were looking better that you would have positive results with your third battery. Of course, you had the new shunt to deal with, which likely needed some wiring, switch?, connectors?,...

How are things going now with your LiTime 100Ah TM battery?
 
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The converter or charger will only try to get to 14.4V but will only go as high as it can until it hits the max current output. In other words based on the max current of the converter or charger, it may or may not get to 14.4V. As the battery voltage increases due to charging the converter or charger will final reach 14.4 V but at that point the battery will be charged and it will drop down to 13..6V. The output of the converter will only reach 14.4V once the battery is consuming less current than the converter or charger can supply. With no load, the converter output should be at least 13.6V for a lithium converter or charger. See voltage graph from my converter for reference (tap the picture to see the entire charge cycle)
Yes. This exactly. Especially with lower amperage chargers, less opportunity to see upper end charging voltages because they are amperage restricted.
Don't know if it is useful information to you @dryfly , but with my 20a LiTime charger I do see over 14 volts nearing the end of the charging cycle before indicating charged. For how long? I don't remember. All three batteries are non bluetooth, 100ah batteries and after resting for a while sit around 13.5vdc.
 
Don't know if it is useful information to you @dryfly , but with my 20a LiTime charger I do see over 14 volts nearing the end of the charging cycle before indicating charged. For how long? I don't remember. All three batteries are non bluetooth, 100ah batteries and after resting for a while sit around 13.5vdc.

I'm still testing. I did see 14.1v nearing the end of the charge cycle with my 200watts of solar. Resting voltage was 13.4v. I think everything is going to be acceptable with this battery.

I got a different 20a charger and I will charge with it today. Still trying to get a handle on the exact amp/hr capacity of the battery, but I know I'm getting over 85. For my purposes I can live with that.
 
@dryfly You deserve a lot of credit for being so diligent with all the testing of not only batteries but charging methods.

Without battery BT or some indication of what is stopping the charging, assuming you are not seeing 14.4-14.6V, it could be a challenge to know if batteries are turning off charging too early. I have no experience to help there.

Above may not be relevant, but if it is, if you borrow an adjustable power supply, it can be set to 14.4-14.6V and run until battery BMS reduces voltage, which would indicate that BMS thinks it has equalized cells and is fully charged. At this point, this maybe an overkill. The cells must equalize for good life. I could not find if LiTime will equalize below 14.4V.

Added: I do not know if/when standalone chargers will drop voltage. I believe solar and converters should though--possibly depending on the products. These are possibly time based and not real state of charge.
 
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To Tim's equalization comments, it is why I went with a PowerMax converter. Your charging voltages and type of charging (stages) is settable. I can force 14.6v if I choose. Rather than hoping Power Dynamics or WFCO's algorithms work as advertised.
 
@TimtheToolMan

Well, I don't know about being diligent. It's more just being interested in how stuff works. I've got a 30 amp DC supply that might adjust up to 14.6, but honestly at this time I can see the battery is going to do what I need.

@Scott'n'Wendy

Interesting on the charging options of the PowerMax. My battery will not be going in my trailer or else I'd be looking strongly at that brand. I had a PowerMax in my previous 5th wheel but went with a Progressive Dynamics this time.
 
I'm still testing. I did see 14.1v nearing the end of the charge cycle with my 200watts of solar. Resting voltage was 13.4v. I think everything is going to be acceptable with this battery.

I got a different 20a charger and I will charge with it today. Still trying to get a handle on the exact amp/hr capacity of the battery, but I know I'm getting over 85. For my purposes I can live with that.
Sounds like you're satisfied with getting to about 85% of capacity, if that's the case that's fine. I'm curious what you are seeing with the Bluetooth app on the battery. Can you see the voltage of the individual cells? If so, what is it saying? I'm just curious at this point.
 
Sounds like you're satisfied with getting to about 85% of capacity, if that's the case that's fine. I'm curious what you are seeing with the Bluetooth app on the battery. Can you see the voltage of the individual cells? If so, what is it saying? I'm just curious at this point.
LiTime app does not show voltages of individual cells. The BT does not have any settings and show SOC, Power, Current, Voltage (total), Ah Capacity, Temperature, Cycle Times (number of cycles), serial number and Firmware Version.
 
Sounds like you're satisfied with getting to about 85% of capacity, if that's the case that's fine. I'm curious what you are seeing with the Bluetooth app on the battery. Can you see the voltage of the individual cells? If so, what is it saying? I'm just curious at this point.
This battery does not have BT capability. And, as Tim says, individual cell info not available on LiTime batteries that do.
 
This battery does not have BT capability. And, as Tim says, individual cell info not available on LiTime batteries that do.
Sorry, it's a bit confusing. I forgot we're talking about different batteries that you have vs your neighbor. With a new battery, you should get at least the rated capacity and almost always it will be a bit higher than rated if it's a good/reputable battery (or cells if DIYing). The only way you can really know for sure on your battery would be to get it to a full charge which will be 14.2V - 14.4V for bulk stage, then it should charge at a constant rate (what we think of as absorption for lead acid, but absorption is really applied to lithium) until it reaches 14.6V. At that point the voltage will decrease until the BMS stops accepting a charge. Getting it to full charge also balances the cells.

Bottom line is that you can either run it the way you are now and accept that it may not be utilizing its full capacity, and cells may get out of balance over time. I ran a 206AH SOK battery for 1.5 years on the OEM converter/charger in our RV which did not have a lithium setting. I was still happy with the performance of the battery over that period. The other option is to utilize a DC supply or charger that you know can get it up to 14.6V and then confirm the capacity. Then you at least know if you are getting the capacity you paid for to start with.
 
Well, I don't know about being diligent. It's more just being interested in how stuff works.
That is what makes my life interesting. I know stuff works but I am interested in how it all happens. Just because someone say's something is not a good enough reason for me to believe.
 

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