It wasn't empty! - Which is a surprise......
Lithium LifePo4 12v Batteries - Time For An Upgrade?
- Thread starter Dellmassive
- Start date
mrdanielmh
Member
Thanks @Dellmassive I read your review about those, and it sounds perfect, my only problem is that my solar panel is more than the recommended 'Max. Solar Input Voltage : 25V' - I'm not sure what the impact of having a bigger voltage panel would be 
Infact I can't actually find many solar panels with less than 25v!
Infact I can't actually find many solar panels with less than 25v!
Last edited:
Ok, no problem....Thanks @Dellmassive I read your review about those, and it sounds perfect, my only problem is that my solar panel is more than the recommended 'Max. Solar Input Voltage : 25V' - I'm not sure what the impact of having a bigger voltage panel would be
Infact I can't actually find many solar panels with less than 25v!
What's the panel spec you have?..
Or what about keeping the EPEVER for MPPT and getting the above Renogy with LTD but leave the solar side off it.... which will leave you with a 50A DC-DC.
You could use a BMV712 to shut off the solar via a relay for LTD if that was an issue?
mrdanielmh
Member
Thanks for the response! The panel is 315w, vmpp: 33.7V impp: 9.36A voc: 40.6V - So that leaves me at a 30amp MPPT I think!
My concern was how to stop any charging (solar or alternator) when the temperature is low that it'd break my batteries!
I guess I have a couple of options;
1)
Sell EPEVER MPPT and buy a Victron 100/30 MPPT
Buy BMV-712 with temperature probe - this can tell the Victron MPPT to stop charging, right?
Buy Renogy unit and leverage their LTD for alternator charging!
2)
Buy BMV-712 with temperate probe - how would I setup this to stop the EPEVER from charing?
Buy Renogy unit and leverage their LTD for Alternator chargng!
My concern was how to stop any charging (solar or alternator) when the temperature is low that it'd break my batteries!
I guess I have a couple of options;
1)
Sell EPEVER MPPT and buy a Victron 100/30 MPPT
Buy BMV-712 with temperature probe - this can tell the Victron MPPT to stop charging, right?
Buy Renogy unit and leverage their LTD for alternator charging!
2)
Buy BMV-712 with temperate probe - how would I setup this to stop the EPEVER from charing?
Buy Renogy unit and leverage their LTD for Alternator chargng!
*********************************
1)
Sell EPEVER MPPT and buy a Victron 100/30 MPPT - Thats a great unit =] ( Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT Solar Charge Controller: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics )
Buy BMV-712 with temperature probe - this can tell the Victron MPPT to stop charging, right? ( correct - see setup here > Lithium Lifepo4 12v Batteries - - - Time For An Upgrade ? - - -)
Buy Renogy unit and leverage their LTD for alternator charging! - yes possible option
2)
Buy BMV-712 with temperate probe - how would I setup this to stop the EPEVER from charing? - set BMV712 alarm output to low temp alarm, use this to toggle a relay that will disconect the solar panel from the MPPT. (unless the epever has a separate disable input (I've not looked at the specs))
Buy Renogy unit and leverage their LTD for Alternator chargng! - yes possible.
another option is to keep/sell the solar panel and swapp out for 2x lower wattage units that could be run in parallel. . . . to keep the VOC lower.
though the higher VOC is favorable so you can keep the wire sizes smaller . . . . I've got 3x150w running in series on my shed . . . . which is a more efficient way of running them . . .
Solar Sheds & Other Non-t6 Solar Projects - How We Done It -
Solar Sheds & Other Non-T6 Solar Projects - How We Done It - @Pete C requested it, so here it is . . . . . Dell, What do the batteries in your shed power ? I too have a solar powered shed - perhaps we should have a separate thread for sheds :) Pete Lets Post here any NON - T6 related ECO...
*****************************************************
SOLAR:
Solar Pwm & Mppt Controllers - How I Done It -
.
Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It -
.
What Solar Panel & Controller ?
.
Solar Panel Cutting Hole In Roof !!!
.
300w Solar Club -- How I Done It --
.
*****************************************************
Victron Smart Battery Protect (100A with Bluetooth) for £65.15 using promo code JONOPROMO at Onboard Energy
https://www.onboardenergydirect.co.uk/shop/Victron-Smart-Battery-Protect-BP-100-Amp
The 65A version is only £49.98 with the same sitewide code.
https://www.onboardenergydirect.co.uk/shop/Victron-Smart-Battery-Protect-BP-100-Amp
The 65A version is only £49.98 with the same sitewide code.
mrdanielmh
Member
*********************************
1)
Sell EPEVER MPPT and buy a Victron 100/30 MPPT - Thats a great unit =] ( Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT Solar Charge Controller: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics )
Buy BMV-712 with temperature probe - this can tell the Victron MPPT to stop charging, right? ( correct - see setup here > Lithium Lifepo4 12v Batteries - - - Time For An Upgrade ? - - -)
Buy Renogy unit and leverage their LTD for alternator charging! - yes possible option
2)
Buy BMV-712 with temperate probe - how would I setup this to stop the EPEVER from charing? - set BMV712 alarm output to low temp alarm, use this to toggle a relay that will disconect the solar panel from the MPPT. (unless the epever has a separate disable input (I've not looked at the specs))
Buy Renogy unit and leverage their LTD for Alternator chargng! - yes possible.
another option is to keep/sell the solar panel and swapp out for 2x lower wattage units that could be run in parallel. . . . to keep the VOC lower.
though the higher VOC is favorable so you can keep the wire sizes smaller . . . . I've got 3x150w running in series on my shed . . . . which is a more efficient way of running them . . .
Solar Sheds & Other Non-t6 Solar Projects - How We Done It -
Solar Sheds & Other Non-T6 Solar Projects - How We Done It - @Pete C requested it, so here it is . . . . . Dell, What do the batteries in your shed power ? I too have a solar powered shed - perhaps we should have a separate thread for sheds :) Pete Lets Post here any NON - T6 related ECO...www.t6forum.com
*****************************************************
SOLAR:
Solar Pwm & Mppt Controllers - How I Done It -
.
Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It -
.
What Solar Panel & Controller ?
.
Solar Panel Cutting Hole In Roof !!!
.
300w Solar Club -- How I Done It --
.
*****************************************************
Now that is an interesting idea, if i could get about 300w at less than 25v i could use the single renogy. However would my amps be more than 25?
For example something like this Renogy 100W 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel for sale online | eBay plus the renogy dc2dc and mppt would be fine? Does the renogy unit have an app like victron BTW, i quite like that!
Generally in the south UK I've been getting these results from solar in summer (VOC not listed as its panel and configuration specific)
Here's a quote from one of my solar threads....
###################
Just remember W = V*A
and as a general rule a good 100W panel will give you up to 6A charge with good sun.
25w = 1.5A
50W = 3A
100w = 6A
200w = 12A
300w = 18A
################
And that also LTD is important to extend the life of Lifepo4 batteries as fast charging them at below 0degc can damage the chemistry... BUT through testing I have rarely found that the internal van temp has dropped below 0degC for any length of time. (London area) . . . .
So the point being do your really NEED and fully auto LTD or will a Victron Smart Protect/isolator switch suffice?...... ie, just switch off the isolator for an hour while the van warms up.
Or are you travelling the Alps etc or in the far north and require LTD.
The Victron kit is the best for Monitoring.
Renogy has added a bluetooth dongle but I think it's only for a few of the larger MPPT chargers, they don't do anything for the dc-dc side..... the 50A dc-dc/mppt I'm currently running does have a rs485 bus on it but I've not seen any software that works with it...
Regards to MAX VOC this is manufacturers specific.
You can "over panel" some mppt chargers and they will just use up to the max and you loose the rest........ however some units can be damaged by a VOC overvolt.
Victron smart MPPTs monitor the panel VOC and will detect any over voltage and generate an alarm.....
One thing I'm looking at is to run parallel mppt chargers from a single solar bank..... ie running the one 300w panel into 2smaller MPPTs....... there is not a lot of talk about it, so I'll be testing the idea out more in summer......
Here's a quote from one of my solar threads....
###################
Just remember W = V*A
and as a general rule a good 100W panel will give you up to 6A charge with good sun.
25w = 1.5A
50W = 3A
100w = 6A
200w = 12A
300w = 18A
################
And that also LTD is important to extend the life of Lifepo4 batteries as fast charging them at below 0degc can damage the chemistry... BUT through testing I have rarely found that the internal van temp has dropped below 0degC for any length of time. (London area) . . . .
So the point being do your really NEED and fully auto LTD or will a Victron Smart Protect/isolator switch suffice?...... ie, just switch off the isolator for an hour while the van warms up.
Or are you travelling the Alps etc or in the far north and require LTD.
The Victron kit is the best for Monitoring.
Renogy has added a bluetooth dongle but I think it's only for a few of the larger MPPT chargers, they don't do anything for the dc-dc side..... the 50A dc-dc/mppt I'm currently running does have a rs485 bus on it but I've not seen any software that works with it...
Regards to MAX VOC this is manufacturers specific.
You can "over panel" some mppt chargers and they will just use up to the max and you loose the rest........ however some units can be damaged by a VOC overvolt.
Victron smart MPPTs monitor the panel VOC and will detect any over voltage and generate an alarm.....
One thing I'm looking at is to run parallel mppt chargers from a single solar bank..... ie running the one 300w panel into 2smaller MPPTs....... there is not a lot of talk about it, so I'll be testing the idea out more in summer......
mrdanielmh
Member
To be honest, i just thought it was the sensible thing to do but in practice how often does it get to that temperature, rarely by the sounds of it! Maybe some sensibly places isolatots and it could be a manual job!
Can you connect multiple victron baytery protects to a singke phone app?
Can you connect multiple victron baytery protects to a singke phone app?
What about a full victron setup with your existing panel?
Orion 12/12/30 dc charger?
100/30 mppt?
BMV712?
Maybe add in a smart protect?
That should give you everything you need plus more?
Orion 12/12/30 dc charger?
100/30 mppt?
BMV712?
Maybe add in a smart protect?
That should give you everything you need plus more?
Yes and the app if free .
They provide demo files in the app so you see what's what and have a play...
Go download it...
....
They provide demo files in the app so you see what's what and have a play...
Go download it...
....
mrdanielmh
Member
I think that might be the route to go down, i only wish the orion had support to pickup temperature information from the bmv712
Do you have any recommendations for distributors in the uk?
Solar panel > 100/30 mppt
Car battery > 12 12 30 orion
> valence lithium battery pack
> battery protect to shut off load if needed and bmv712 with temperature to montior power and a bm2!
Hows that sound? Other than expensive
Do you have any recommendations for distributors in the uk?
Solar panel > 100/30 mppt
Car battery > 12 12 30 orion
> valence lithium battery pack
> battery protect to shut off load if needed and bmv712 with temperature to montior power and a bm2!
Hows that sound? Other than expensive
Martyn @travelvolts stocks kit.
Have a word with him
www.travelvolts.net
.
Have a word with him
Electrics | Travelvolts
Welcome to Travelvolts, the UKs premiere supplier of custom electrics for camper vans and work vehicles.
www.travelvolts.net
.
mrdanielmh
Member
Thanks @Dellmassive - I'll drop @travelvolts a message!
I threw this diagram together, do you think it makes sense and looks OK?
I threw this diagram together, do you think it makes sense and looks OK?
@mrdanielmh
yep looks good,
I dont have much faith in those thermal trip switches when pushing high amps tho, I've used them and they get hot. (i use MIDI fuses now)
id put a fuse on the EHU charger next to the battery. (to protect the outgoing battery cable)
yep looks good,
I dont have much faith in those thermal trip switches when pushing high amps tho, I've used them and they get hot. (i use MIDI fuses now)
id put a fuse on the EHU charger next to the battery. (to protect the outgoing battery cable)
mrdanielmh
Member
Thank you @Dellmassive - noted and updated!
I have just placed an order with @travelvolts - very excited to get working on it!!
I have just placed an order with @travelvolts - very excited to get working on it!!
great news . . . . =]
can you please add your schematic over here (with a PDF download) for other to see/
Diagrams, Schematics & Wires -- How I Done It --
Diagrams, Schematics & Wires -- How I Done It -- ************************************************** Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread ************************************************** Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --...
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I have an arduino solution working for this. I got the modbus data map from renogy and I can show all the data on a small OLED display. I plan to fit it in the blank panel behind the overhead cab light switches. The hardware cost is peanuts, although the larger (more readable) display I ordered from China could take any amount of time to arrive, so I can't finish the job yet. If anyone wants the code, just ask.
awesome, can you start a new thread for this project.?
ill be well interested to see your work. tag me in.
im currently running the Renogy MTTP/DC-DC 50A
New post just put up.......................
www.t6forum.com
Renogy DCC50S Display
There is currently no display available for this renogy B2B. So if anyone is interested, I've made one........... The RS485 port is Modbus RTU and Renogy gave me a datasheet showing where all the data lives Arduino boards have serial comms built in, and just need a RS485 module adding and then a...
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