Lithium LifePo4 12v Batteries - Time For An Upgrade?

Oh hang on, have I misunderstood this? Does this apply to a BMV 712 with the VictronConnect app or is it only with some central VictronConnect controller of some sort?

It will apply to the app. The feature did appear a few beta releases ago but got rolled back due to some issues. I haven't tried this beta release yet.
 
Dell, as you know these lithium batteries are great, i have had my 240ah for over 3 and half years but it appears I've dropped a cell on mine.

BMS cuts out when under high load using the inverter, need to pull it apart to confirm, but as it runs fine without a high load, it'll stay in the van until i build my new battery.

I really should of done this from day one, i got 8 Eve 304a Grade A Cells (from a reputable seller) on the way along with 2 x 200amp BMS with low temp disconnect, bluetooth and heating pad integration, although i won't be needing that option

604Ah will be over the top, but i don't have to worry about conserving power when using the induction cooker and leaving the hot water on all the time.

Just waiting on the boat from China now
 
Hi @Bryn23 any thoughts on why your lithium battery is failing.
Is it just bad luck or due to high discharge currents or any reason you can think of.
Just curious.
 
Hi Mick, I’m assuming and hoping that a cell is unbalanced, so it trips the bms as a low voltage disconnect on the problem cell When under high load.

it might be able to be saved, once I replace it with the new battery, I’ll pull it apart, top balance the individual cells and load test them to see if that is the issue.

It may just be a loose connection inside the battery that is causing some resistance issues on the cell.

could be a bms issue as well, but I won’t know until I crack it open and do some diagnostics, which I don’t want to do until I’ve replaced it with the bigger pack As it’s currently usable by not using the inverter

But I’m pretty sure I can recondition this battery, but as I wanted more capacity, it’s ideal to use matched resistance and batched cells, I had/wanted to go down the path of new cells

‘’keep in mind, the bms in my current battery doesn’t have the ability to show me the cell voltages vis Bluetooth or Uart, so I’m in the blind until I pull it apart.
 
Dell, as you know these lithium batteries are great, i have had my 240ah for over 3 and half years but it appears I've dropped a cell on mine.

BMS cuts out when under high load using the inverter, need to pull it apart to confirm, but as it runs fine without a high load, it'll stay in the van until i build my new battery.

I really should of done this from day one, i got 8 Eve 304a Grade A Cells (from a reputable seller) on the way along with 2 x 200amp BMS with low temp disconnect, bluetooth and heating pad integration, although i won't be needing that option

604Ah will be over the top, but i don't have to worry about conserving power when using the induction cooker and leaving the hot water on all the time.

Just waiting on the boat from China now
As a matter of interest; When you make these up where are they going to live in the vehicle?
604Ah of cells is going to be physically massive if assembles in a single battery and I wondered if you were planning on making a bank of batteries in bespoke sizes to conveniently loose in awkward spaces around the vehicle?
 
The 304ah cells are 208mm high x 71.5 wide x 175mm long, so my battery will be 350mm wide x 290mm deep, its not that large compared my current battery is 520mm x 262mm x 220mm.

I have to design an new enclosure, ill most likely Tig some 1.6mm steel up into a battery box with rubber isolation

The box will just go in under the RIB seat and replace the existing battery.
 
The 304ah cells are 208mm high x 71.5 wide x 175mm long, so my battery will be 350mm wide x 290mm deep, its not that large compared my current battery is 520mm x 262mm x 220mm.

I have to design an new enclosure, ill most likely Tig some 1.6mm steel up into a battery box with rubber isolation

The box will just go in under the RIB seat and replace the existing battery.
Watching this with interest.
 
Hi Mick, I’m assuming and hoping that a cell is unbalanced, so it trips the bms as a low voltage disconnect on the problem cell When under high load.

it might be able to be saved, once I replace it with the new battery, I’ll pull it apart, top balance the individual cells and load test them to see if that is the issue.

It may just be a loose connection inside the battery that is causing some resistance issues on the cell.

could be a bms issue as well, but I won’t know until I crack it open and do some diagnostics, which I don’t want to do until I’ve replaced it with the bigger pack As it’s currently usable by not using the inverter

But I’m pretty sure I can recondition this battery, but as I wanted more capacity, it’s ideal to use matched resistance and batched cells, I had/wanted to go down the path of new cells

‘’keep in mind, the bms in my current battery doesn’t have the ability to show me the cell voltages vis Bluetooth or Uart, so I’m in the blind until I pull it apart.
I would be interested in the outcome of this, please do take some pics of whats going on inside
 
For those that are interested, this is what the inside looks like of a 240ah lithium battery in a case.

There are 12 cells, connected to a 200ah BMS, it appears to be a Daly BMS, i didn't rip it completely out to see how its is wired as i wanted to test it to see how much AH it had after 3 and half years.

I charged it with the EBC-A20 charger/load tester, it only charges at 5 amp, so it took a few days :rofl:, but on the bright side, it appears the Passive cell balancing had a chance to do its job, as the BMS didn't activate during the load test after the charge was completed.

I was expecting the cells to show some loss of capacity, but to my surprise it had 240ah at 11.37 volts, i decided to end the test there as there would have only been 1-2% capacity left.

So I put it back in the van and did some more intense load testing at 90ah with the inverter, it seems that the battery cell that was causing an issue is now balanced and not tripping the BMS, so happy days

The only thing i didn't like with the the way the BMS is wired, is the 8AWG positive wire that is installed, It should have a more mm2 to carry 200Ah load, i'll install a larger cable when i take it out again.

I'll do some more load testing tomorrow to double check, but i'm glad that i managed to sort that issue out, there is a lot more life left in this battery.

But i can't wait until my new cells arrive so i can build my new bigger pack.

IMG_1003.jpg
IMG_0999.jpg
 
Here’s a useful link for cable requirements.
Cheers,

‘I’ve got a formula at the workshop to work out loads/wire length for resistance, all my wiring is done that way.

Guessing just causes issues.
 
But what about my DC-DC charger? - how do i stop that from charging my batterys when cold? . . . . Well the BMV has a latching relay on the back of the display.
This can be set to do many things, but in out case we are setting it to be a LTD (this is a separate setting/adjustment to the mppt and works independently).

We set the alarm relay to open at below 4degC and to close again above 6degC (you can set whatever limits) we can now use this relay to interrupt the turn on signal for our DC-DC charger.
in our case its a Redarc BCDC charger that requires a ignition/run feed to start working. . . . . so if its to cold the BMV will keep the BCDC off untill the temp rises (by disabling the ignition feed to the dc-dc). (DC-DC LTD Done!)
Hello Dellmassive, if I am burden you on it... I have a similar setup...smart712 bmv, two victron smartmppts, 200ah lifepo battleborns) smart sense tempsensor and Redarc bcdc40d. well the mppt are set to shut off at 40degrees and they work great... but the Redarc is a different story. the redarc is setup for lithium and I have the blue wire not connected, im no longer using the built in solar mppt either...My question is how exactly did you connect the redarc to your BMV712? If I understand correctly you basically connected a trigger wire to the BMV relay...but which wire is that? And how to plug into the relay? thanks for your time I know the thread is old hopefully your still around
 
.
Sodium-Ion cells hit the market.

The next version of Lithium?


...

By Bluetti.



.

Screenshot_20211224-145113_Chrome.jpg

.
 
Hello Dellmassive, if I am burden you on it... I have a similar setup...smart712 bmv, two victron smartmppts, 200ah lifepo battleborns) smart sense tempsensor and Redarc bcdc40d. well the mppt are set to shut off at 40degrees and they work great... but the Redarc is a different story. the redarc is setup for lithium and I have the blue wire not connected, im no longer using the built in solar mppt either...My question is how exactly did you connect the redarc to your BMV712? If I understand correctly you basically connected a trigger wire to the BMV relay...but which wire is that? And how to plug into the relay? thanks for your time I know the thread is old hopefully your still around
I used the BMV712 low temp alarm mode to trigger a high power relay to disconnect the starter battery feed to the DC-DC charger. ( Or disconnect the leisure battery output side )

I'll update with a schematics later.....
 
I used the BMV712 low temp alarm mode to trigger a high power relay to disconnect the starter battery feed to the DC-DC charger. ( Or disconnect the leisure battery output side )

I'll update with a schematics later.....
@mrbaddy

have a look here:



1642181223590.png

quote from post:

The solar on the roof charges the battery via the MTTP.
The power in/out is monitored via the BMV
you can add your DC-DC as per below.

Now the cleaver bit, you create a VE-Direct bluetooth network via the Victron app, this enables the BMV to report the battery bank voltage and temp to the MPPT wireless via bluetooth..


The solar MPPT has its own setting in the lithium profile that you can now set the LTD point . . . say 5degC, so at that point the MPPT will stop charging the battery. (Solar MPPT LTD done!)


But what about my DC-DC charger? - how do i stop that from charging my batterys when cold? . . . . Well the BMV has a latching relay on the back of the display.
This can be set to do many things, but in out case we are setting it to be a LTD (this is a separate setting/adjustment to the mppt and works independently).

We set the alarm relay to open at below 4degC and to close again above 6degC (you can set whatever limits) we can now use this relay to interrupt the turn on signal for our DC-DC charger.
in our case its a Redarc BCDC charger that requires a ignition/run feed to start working. . . . . so if its to cold the BMV will keep the BCDC off untill the temp rises (by disabling the ignition feed to the dc-dc). (DC-DC LTD Done!)

No external cheap temp PCB`s, no external SCR or contractors, nothing get disconnected and no messing about . . . . . . . just a BMV (with temp), MTTP, DCDC


Now, as for a LBD, thats easy, just buy a victron battery protect unit and set it to 11.5v disconnect then wire between the loads and +v battery terminal - but ill show that a different day.


More detailed look into things below . . . . . . .
 
Back
Top