JaiCee
Member
Is that offer done now? I've been looking at the Renogy smart battery but missed your post.
Lithium LifePo4 12v Batteries - Time For An Upgrade?
- Thread starter Dellmassive
- Start date
Yeah think it was a one day special
The battery is still £399 but no extras at the moment, just keep an eye on the product as they are always switching things and putting offers on
uk.renogy.com
The battery is still £399 but no extras at the moment, just keep an eye on the product as they are always switching things and putting offers on
12V 100Ah Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
The Renogy Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery enables auto-balance among parallel-connections and provides more flexibility for battery connection thanks to its RJ45 communication ports. If you're searching for a deep cycle battery for caravan, cabin, or marine use, then this lightweight...
uk.renogy.com
JaiCee
Member
Oh well, I need it quick as our leisure battery is well and truly done. The one display would have been nice but hardly essential when you can use the app.Yeah think it was a one day special
The battery is still £399 but no extras at the moment, just keep an eye on the product as they are always switching things and putting offers on
12V 100Ah Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
The Renogy Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery enables auto-balance among parallel-connections and provides more flexibility for battery connection thanks to its RJ45 communication ports. If you're searching for a deep cycle battery for caravan, cabin, or marine use, then this lightweight...
Well I finally plucked up the courage to upgrade my leisure system to LifePo4 and installed the Renogy 100Ah Smart Battery along with a Renogy BT2 adapter and Ctek D250SE (the Victron Bluesmart IP65 that I already have fitted is already lithium compatible). Many thanks for the advice and reassurance of people on here (with the usual special shout out to @Dellmassive). I know that some on here (including Lee) have their reservations about the Ctek charger but after much thought, I decided that I could put up with any of it’s potential shortcomings in exchange for the relative simplicity of fitting a more or less straight swap for the existing Ctek D250SA which was incompatible with the new battery. I say more or less because the only difference in the wiring was that a skinny black cable gets put on to the positive terminal on the battery rather than an earth when using Lithium. All other cables locations/fixings and even position of fixing screw holes were exactly the same as the old one whereas installing, say, a Renogy charger would have meant moving the 240V consumer unit and Victron charger within a limited space.
For an idiot like me, it was quite a daunting task at first but I think everything seems to be working OK in as much as the battery charges from the Victron Bluesmart IP65 when on EHU (at 5-6A), the Ctek kicks in and charges when the engine is started (at 20A) and the 160W solar panel on the roof delivers a charge on the rare occasions lately that the sun appears (via the Ctek built in MPPT – 6A seen but it might do more!).
For an idiot like me, it was quite a daunting task at first but I think everything seems to be working OK in as much as the battery charges from the Victron Bluesmart IP65 when on EHU (at 5-6A), the Ctek kicks in and charges when the engine is started (at 20A) and the 160W solar panel on the roof delivers a charge on the rare occasions lately that the sun appears (via the Ctek built in MPPT – 6A seen but it might do more!).
Glad your sorted. Post some pics if you can.
@Dellmassive. Wilco on the pics tomorrow.
After going out for a drive earlier, mainly to test the Ctek, I did notice that it gets a bit hot after working for a while – not too hot that you can’t leave your hand on it but quite very warm all the same. Providing ventilation of any kind in it’s enclosed cupboard would be very difficult but I’m wondering whether a heat sink of some kind might help. That said, I’m aware that both the charger and battery have built in safety measures to prevent overheating so maybe I'm overreacting!
After going out for a drive earlier, mainly to test the Ctek, I did notice that it gets a bit hot after working for a while – not too hot that you can’t leave your hand on it but quite very warm all the same. Providing ventilation of any kind in it’s enclosed cupboard would be very difficult but I’m wondering whether a heat sink of some kind might help. That said, I’m aware that both the charger and battery have built in safety measures to prevent overheating so maybe I'm overreacting!
Come the revolution, comrades, we'll all go LiFePO4.
Oh, and never confuse ignorance with a lack of intellect - the former can be overcome; the latter... well... not so much.
Heatsink won't really help as the case is abs plastic.
Air ventilation is much more important..... So if its in a sealed cupboard, you need to add lower and upper door vents. Or other ventilation.
Hot temps will kill electronics, so the cooler you keep everything the longer it will last.
@Dellmassive Here you go. As I mentioned before, the electrical stuff is all in a cupboard over the wheel arch (with other cupboards on bothe sides and on top!) and space is pretty restricted. The pictures in order are RH side (with Victron Bluesmart, 240V Consumer Unit and Ctek D250SE), LH side (with BT2 and all the 12V stuff inc. diesel heater), the overall installation from above and closer in on the Renogy battery I kept the black and red plastic terminal covers from the old lead battery and the blocks of wood are there simply to take up the space left over from taking out the old battery which was bigger. I'll post again in a short while on the potential heat / ventilation problems.
@Dellmassive . OK, here we go again. I've taken some more pictures which will hopefully illustrate how potentially difficult it would be to ventilate the cupboard with the electrics in. As mentioned above the cupboard in question is a 'black hole' built around the wheel arch with other cupboards on either side and over the top (the electrics cupboard is accessed by a hatch) and the R&R bed in front. That arrangement is what's always been there since the camper conversion was done 4 years ago. I've been giving it some more thought and I think I've now talked myself into relaxing a bit and leaving as is (but that's only my very amateur opinion based on limited knowledge of the subject). I say that on the basis that the van is not a daily driver and is plugged into the EHU almost all the time that it's parked up at home (and therefore the leisure battery is almost always kept fully charged by the Victron). We very rarely camp 'off grid' and almost always use sites with EHU. On that basis, the Ctek charger is really not kicking in very often to charge the leisure battery when we're on the move or, if it is, it's not for long as all it's doing is a quick top up rather than a longer charge. Also, on the occasions that the roof mounted 160W solar panel is charging via the Ctek built in MPPT, it should only generate about 8A max which would hopefully not overtax the Ctek too much. Anyway, where are the pics - feel free to burst my balloon (the red arrows are all self-explanatory). In order they're of top cupboard, cupboard open, hatch cover, the black hole with hatch cover off.
@Ayjay. All in all, that looks like a pretty good job done there. I am a long long way from being knowledgeable in this subject but common sense makes me think that you would probably be OK without adding any additional cooling or ventilation. In any case that looks like it might be very difficult to do looking at the constraints imposed by the location of the equipment. If as you say, the Ctek DC/DC charger is only called upon now and then and even then not for long periods, I would be tempted to try it for a while and see. Also remember that you have been using a similar set already for a few years without any issue until the old battery finally packed up. As I said before, I'm a layman in this stuff though and you would be better listening to the experts as and when the comments come in.
Just cut some holes and fit a vent ove the top.
One low down under the seat to let Air in.
And one higher up to let the warm air out...
If the vents are large enough natural warm air convection will help keep it all cool.
But before you cut any holes.... Id drop a BT temp sensor in there on top of the ctek to monitor how hot it get in there.
If it stays cool, then ok.
If it runs hot then cut vents in..
I've run the temp sensors as part of my fridge project...
One low down under the seat to let Air in.
And one higher up to let the warm air out...
If the vents are large enough natural warm air convection will help keep it all cool.
But before you cut any holes.... Id drop a BT temp sensor in there on top of the ctek to monitor how hot it get in there.
If it stays cool, then ok.
If it runs hot then cut vents in..
I've run the temp sensors as part of my fridge project...
See temp sensors here --->
www.t6forum.com
.
Fridges & Cold Beer -- How I Done It --
Anybody come across this company - Alternate - seem to be German based but they are selling the Mobicool MCF's at a good price. £261 for MCF32 and £281 for MCF40 https://www.alternate.co.uk/Mobicool/MCF32-Cooler/html/product/1628128?
.
One possibility for ventilation would be to use a multi tool to cut a hole in the panel behind the ctek leaving just enough panel remaining for the ctek to hide the hole. Then on the other side of said panel screw a small metal vent cover and that should give the rear of the ctek the available air volume of the adjacent cupboard to dissipate the heat and still not look a mess.
Something like this attached with 4 screws in the adjacent cupboard.
www.screwfix.com
Something like this attached with 4 screws in the adjacent cupboard.
Map Vent Fixed Louvre Vent Matt-Anthracite 229mm x 76mm - Screwfix
Order online at Screwfix.com. Suitable for fresh air ventilation and warm air systems. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.
Last edited by a moderator:
@Dellmassive. Thanks as always. I actually ordered a couple of bluetooth thermometers earlier today with the idea of doing some testing. I went for a model that takes a CR2032 battery which are cheap and I've got loads of them. I actually had three of those little round ones (branded 'Oria') but when the batteries ran out and I went to buy new ones and realised that they cost almost as much as the actual thermometer did in the first place. On your suggestion for ventilation. I'd already thought about the low and higher air holes but the main problem with it is that the sides of the RnR bed are solid so the whole thing has got the removed before the holes could be cut and that pushes it into the 'far too difficult' category (but I recognise that it might be the very last resort!).
@Bigsidavies. Thanks for the suggestion but the problem is that the cupboard next door gets full of stuff when we go away for any length of time (which we do for 5/6 weeks at least twice a year).
@Bigsidavies. Thanks for the suggestion but the problem is that the cupboard next door gets full of stuff when we go away for any length of time (which we do for 5/6 weeks at least twice a year).
Last edited:
Hope it's OK to jump on this thread.......
I have looked at the Renogy Lithium batteries til I am goggle eyed...was originally looking at the 200ah until @Dellmassive recommended the Smart 100ah.
Is 100ah plenty do you think for say 3 days camping using fridge, lights, phones, TV- or would I be better with the 200ah but not smart?
Also have just looked at Renogy on Trust pilot and they are getting some shocking reviews recently anyone had trouble with them?
Thanks a lot
I have looked at the Renogy Lithium batteries til I am goggle eyed...was originally looking at the 200ah until @Dellmassive recommended the Smart 100ah.
Is 100ah plenty do you think for say 3 days camping using fridge, lights, phones, TV- or would I be better with the 200ah but not smart?
Also have just looked at Renogy on Trust pilot and they are getting some shocking reviews recently anyone had trouble with them?
Thanks a lot
id say the more Ah the better.
if you can fit 200Ah, then defo do it. ( a standard T6 seat base will take any of the 3x 100Ah Renogy battery offerings )
i havent had the 200Ah, so not sure where it fits.
100Ah will be ok for a weekend provided you have a way to recharge - ie dc-dc , solar etc.
+++++++++++
as for Renogy i think they are great.
the few issues I've have been promptly resolved with either technical support or replacements.
sure they china based - so they normally reply over night, so expect a few days to get a resolution.
the kit is good quality and reliable,
I've had all the Renogy lithium's, and have now sold them all on, only due to upgrading to 230ah size Roamer batterys.
.
if you can fit 200Ah, then defo do it. ( a standard T6 seat base will take any of the 3x 100Ah Renogy battery offerings )
i havent had the 200Ah, so not sure where it fits.
100Ah will be ok for a weekend provided you have a way to recharge - ie dc-dc , solar etc.
+++++++++++
as for Renogy i think they are great.
the few issues I've have been promptly resolved with either technical support or replacements.
sure they china based - so they normally reply over night, so expect a few days to get a resolution.
the kit is good quality and reliable,
I've had all the Renogy lithium's, and have now sold them all on, only due to upgrading to 230ah size Roamer batterys.
.
Similar threads
