Lithium - I like to worry now and again

[Drive Wayne]

With the warmer sunnier weather pretty much with us, even with only a 'poxy 180 watt' panel on the van roof, the lithium LB is kept at close to 100% SOC all the time.
Is that a bad thing? The fridge is coming on half a dozen times a day and the LB gives life to the Cerbo and assorted monitoring gear and Ablemail keeps the SB at 12.3v when the van isn't being driven.
So, it's not as if the LB is bored, it has stuff to do!
Should I worry about it being 'held' at 100%? Should I use something else to drain the LB? An electrical bucket?
Having ironed out my various van anxieties over time, I feel I need something to stress about.
Coming up camping season, it will be used well over the next 7 months, even if it isn't sunny the Victron B2B will take it back to 100% quite quickly after a good drive, even when set at 50% capacity to keep things cool.
D.I.R.M?
Thoughts please gentlefolk!

 

[Dellmassive]

That's fine mine are mostly 100% most of the time.

It's good practice to run them flat every now and again.... Maybe every 3 or 6months...then a full 100% charge. That keeps the BMS calibration in check.

Some people will say keeping them in the 20-80% is best for longevity..... But thats practically impossible in a campervan. And most lithiums will last 10years doing a full discharge every day.

So don't worry and keep.on Trucking.........

....

As a side note,

If you are planning on leaving the battery untouched for for three months plus..... Then discharge them down to around 60%..... But a top up charge will be needed every 3mnths as the internal BMS self consumes power and the SOC reading will drift out.

Running them flat and leaving them flat is defo 100% no no and must not be done.

Only a full drain down and and full recharge within 24hrs.

 

[Martinf]

Hi Wayne, just worry about whether the T6 Meets will be sunny enough to keep up with all that battery use
Martin

 

[Drive Wayne]

Hi Wayne, just worry about whether the T6 Meets will be sunny enough to keep up with all that battery use
Martin

I think it was Busfest last year I went down to 25%! It was so grey! My wife's face I mean obviously! Ooh she was rough! Kraken induced roughness...

 

[M4rc]

That's fine mine are mostly 100% most of the time.

It's good practice to run them flat every now and again.... Maybe every 3 or 6months...then a full 100% charge. That keeps the BMS calibration in check.

Some people will say keeping them in the 20-80% is best for longevity..... But thats practically impossible in a campervan. And most lithiums will last 10years doing a full discharge every day.

So don't worry and keep.on Trucking.........

....

As a side note,

If you are planning on leaving the battery untouched for for three months plus..... Then discharge them down to around 60%..... But a top up charge will be needed every 3mnths as the internal BMS self consumes power and the SOC reading will drift out.

Running them flat and leaving them flat is defo 100% no no and must not be done.

Only a full drain down and and full recharge within 24hrs.

I have a Fogstar 105. I’ve not fully used it yest as I’m part way through converting. It can drain from 100% to flat while it’s just sat on drive is this normal?

 

[TeeCeeJay]

It can drain from 100% to flat while it’s just sat on drive is this normal?

I'm not an expert, but I'm going to go with No.

The people who can answer your question @Dellmassive will want to know what is plugged in, how is it charging, how are you measuring it, how long is it sitting unused for etc.

 

[Drive Wayne]

I have a Fogstar 105. I’ve not fully used it yest as I’m part way through converting. It can drain from 100% to flat while it’s just sat on drive is this normal?

If you left it for ages with the fridge on maybe! Otherwise something isn't right!

 

[M4rc]

I'm not an expert, but I'm going to go with No.

The people who can answer your question @Dellmassive will want to know what is plugged in, how is it charging, how are you measuring it, how long is it sitting unused for etc.

It’s getting charged from alternator when driving. I can go a week or more without running it. There’s only my internal lights running off it as havent finished converting yet.
I check the app to see batter info.
It can be full charged one day then a few days latter totally flat

 

[TeeCeeJay]

Yeah, something not right with that.
App should show how much getting used every hour? LiFePo4 battery should last ages without any load pulling.

 

[Drive Wayne]

I have a Fogstar 105. I’ve not fully used it yest as I’m part way through converting. It can drain from 100% to flat while it’s just sat on drive is this normal?

Are you talking about your starter battery? Or your leisure battery? The starter can go flat quite quickly...

 

[JumpShip]

There you go Wayne , you've already stopped stressing about your battery and moved on to stressing about M4rc's.
Good job the boys here are able to distract you ...you see how we look after you. .

Now Kraken , I've just bought another bottle of black cherry.

 

[M4rc]

Are you talking about your starter battery? Or your leisure battery? The starter can go flat quite quickly...

Sorry it’s my leisure battery. I have sterling battery to battery charger.

 

[M4rc]

If you left it for ages with the fridge on maybe! Otherwise something isn't right!

Yes I think something isn’t right.
I have the Bluetooth app so can monitor it.
When fully charged I wouldn’t have through not driving for a week would fully drain it.

 

[Dellmassive]

Sorry it’s my leisure battery. I have sterling battery to battery charger.

Something will be draining the battery down .

Post some pics of the app, when the vans parked. That will shows you the rate of power being drained.

A 1A draw will run 105Ah flat after 4days

2A - 2days

 

[Dellmassive]

That's fine mine are mostly 100% most of the time.

It's good practice to run them flat every now and again.... Maybe every 3 or 6months...then a full 100% charge. That keeps the BMS calibration in check.

Some people will say keeping them in the 20-80% is best for longevity..... But thats practically impossible in a campervan. And most lithiums will last 10years doing a full discharge every day.

So don't worry and keep.on Trucking.........

....

As a side note,

If you are planning on leaving the battery untouched for for three months plus..... Then discharge them down to around 60%..... But a top up charge will be needed every 3mnths as the internal BMS self consumes power and the SOC reading will drift out.

Running them flat and leaving them flat is defo 100% no no and must not be done.

Only a full drain down and and full recharge within 24hrs.

check these levels out. . .

 

[M4rc]

Something will be draining the battery down .

Post some pics of the app, when the vans parked. That will shows you the rate of power being drained.

A 1A draw will run 105Ah flat after 4days

2A - 2days

not showing any discharge. Strange, I don’t have anything running off it other than my interior lights which are obviously off when it’s parked.
I thought it could be the temperature as when I first noticed it happening it was very cold.

 

[Dellmassive]

not showing any discharge. Strange, I don’t have anything running off it other than my interior lights which are obviously off when it’s parked.
I thought it could be the temperature as when I first noticed it happening it was very cold.

View attachment 280876

Post another pic in 5hrs to see if anything has changed.

 

[Dellmassive]

Only one cycle logged as well.

So you need to make sure the battery is fully charged to 100% before you start testing.....

 

[M4rc]

Only one cycle logged as well.

So you need to make sure the battery is fully charged to 100% before you start testing.....

Yes I noticed it on has one discharge too which is strange as it is fully discharged itself 4 times. I have charged it back to 100% each time.
I’ll see how it goes.

 

[Dellmassive]

What size is your charger? In Amps?

I'd connect that to a mains charger for a good 24hrs charge.... To reset the internal BMS to 100%