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#41 craig333

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 02:11 AM

Yeah, he has a lot of interesting youtube videos. They've been discussed here before.


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#42 Redfish

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 03:57 AM

I'm surprised that the problem of not being able to charge a LIPO4 battery when it's temperature falls below 32 deg or so has barely been mentioned here (except for Zirdu, post #20). I too am interested in making the switch for all of the other reasons noted here.

 

I'm installing a Victron monitor with a temp sensor and will be paying close attention to battery temps next year. I live in my camper for 4-5 months in the spring/summer/fall in MT/WY and I'm guessing that my battery temps are regularly below freezing in early spring and late fall (e.g., West Yellowstone ave daily temp in April is 29 deg, May 38 deg, October 34 deg and Nov 22 deg). From what I've read, lithium batteries cool and warm very slowly, so I'm assuming battery temps will be similar to the ave weekly temp.

 

The rear corner battery compartment in my Fleet is without a doubt the coldest part of the camper. The camper isn't heated during much of the day and night, in part because I'm out doing stuff or moving and also to conserve amp hours. Once the heat is off, my camper quickly reverts to outside ambient temp.  

 

I could probably get by with just one 100 ah lithium battery, but not if they have be heated internally or with a heat blanket. I don't think rerouting furnace heat through the battery compartment would do very much, but I could be wrong.

 

How do those of you have lithium batteries deal with the cold weather charging challenge? Or is this less of a problem than I think?


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#43 Happyjax

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 01:26 PM

I just got my Battleborn 100AH battery:) No camper to put it in yet but the questions above are all swirling through my head.

 

One thought I had......and it hurt......lol was to carry a small propane heater to keep the battery compartment warm when very cold temps were a problem.

 

Making sure some of your camper heat makes its way into the batter compartment would be good also.

 

Insulating the battery area and supplementing the heat should let you charge up when the temps are below freezing.....

 

I also have my backup Renogy 50 AH portable that I can keep in the cab of the truck when I am driving and charge it for use later....

 

It is the only downfall to LifeP04 I can see...once you get past the purchase price:)


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#44 smlobx

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 02:39 PM

If operating in colder climates is a concern you could get a battery blanket like this (or make one for yourself)

 

https://www.amazon.c...B0076DTCBW?th=1

 


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#45 rando

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Posted 14 December 2019 - 03:33 PM

While the specifics of the temperature issue depend on where and how you use your camper.  It is true that LiFePO4 batteries don't like to be charged below ~0C, particularly at higher charge rates.   But in general if you are using the camper, and the batteries are inside, you will feel the cold before the batteries do.  If you manage to keep water liquid in the camper, you should have no issue with the batteries.

 

Secondly most drop in batteries (think Battleborn) and BMS have a low temperature charge cut off that will stop the batteries from being charged below their minimum temperature threshold while still allowing them to discharge.   For Battleborn the low temperature charge cut off kicks in around -5C. 

 

I use a lithium battery in Colorado, and my experience has been that there has never been an issue with the battery while using the camper even in the winter. I insulated the outside wall of my battery box, and open the interior lid on the battery box if it is super cold out.  I have seen that when the camper is parked in the driveway that sometimes the thermal cutoff will stop it from solar charging for a couple of days during a very cold snap.   But even on below freezing days, if there is enough sun for solar charging, there is usually enough sun to get the camper well above freezing inside by about mid day, which gives at least a couple of hours of charge.   Also for low charge rates (< 0.1C or so) the temperature issue is much less severe.   As my solar system only puts out 5A or so (0.03C) in the winter I could easily turn the temperature limit off and still be fine.

 

 

 

 

I'm surprised that the problem of not being able to charge a LIPO4 battery when it's temperature falls below 32 deg or so has barely been mentioned here (except for Zirdu, post #20). I too am interested in making the switch for all of the other reasons noted here.

 

I'm installing a Victron monitor with a temp sensor and will be paying close attention to battery temps next year. I live in my camper for 4-5 months in the spring/summer/fall in MT/WY and I'm guessing that my battery temps are regularly below freezing in early spring and late fall (e.g., West Yellowstone ave daily temp in April is 29 deg, May 38 deg, October 34 deg and Nov 22 deg). From what I've read, lithium batteries cool and warm very slowly, so I'm assuming battery temps will be similar to the ave weekly temp.

 

The rear corner battery compartment in my Fleet is without a doubt the coldest part of the camper. The camper isn't heated during much of the day and night, in part because I'm out doing stuff or moving and also to conserve amp hours. Once the heat is off, my camper quickly reverts to outside ambient temp.  

 

I could probably get by with just one 100 ah lithium battery, but not if they have be heated internally or with a heat blanket. I don't think rerouting furnace heat through the battery compartment would do very much, but I could be wrong.

 

How do those of you have lithium batteries deal with the cold weather charging challenge? Or is this less of a problem than I think?


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