Lithium LifePo4 12v Batteries - Time For An Upgrade?

[roadtripper]

I pointed you towards the CTEK as you wanted to retain the nearly new AGM battery, leave room for a sub woofer but wanted the future option of solar and lithium.

Also the thread from r00ps has a good walk through of a simple change from stock using a CTEK.

If you want to do solar now then there are other choices but you are going to use more space under the seats and need to do more wiring. You might want to consider moving to LiFePo to gain some space.

 

[waneos]

I pointed you towards the CTEK as you wanted to retain the nearly new AGM battery, leave room for a sub woofer but wanted the future option of solar and lithium.

Also the thread from r00ps has a good walk through of a simple change from stock using a CTEK.

If you want to do solar now then there are other choices but you are going to use more space under the seats and need to do more wiring. You might want to consider moving to LiFePo to gain some space.

Hi,

Yes, I wanted space for the subwoofer, but I think it is going to be impossible as in the passenger seat I have the 220v charger and big switch, so I believe there is no room for the sub woofer at least I move everything from the passenger seat to the driver seat (I dont have the time to a big change like that now).

I want to do solar in a few month march-april next year (my wife will kill me, if I buy everything in one shoot ). So I am happy to keep the AGM for the moment (I will replace in a few years) with a DC-DC charger (supporting lithium, so the money I spend now I dont waste it) and at the beginning of next year I will do the Solar thing.

 

[Salty Spuds]

I have been checking victron and I see many models. isolated, non-isolated etc.. (sorry for my ignorance, I dont have any clue about this but I want to learn).

Having in account my requirements: I have AGM, but I want something that it support Lithium in a future and I want to put the solar panels with open circuit 23.4v (these come with Victron SmartSolar 75/15 MPPT in the pack).

What model should I go?

You can go for the non-isolated version. The isolated versions are aimed at the marine market where the electrics are generally kept isolated from the hull, unlike the automotive market where the body of the vehicle is the main “earth”.

 

[waneos]

You can go for the non-isolated version. The isolated versions are aimed at the marine market where the electrics are generally kept isolated from the hull, unlike the automotive market where the body of the vehicle is the main “earth”.

Last question.

Using Orion, will I able to monitor the battery on the OEM monitor of t6.1?

 

[Stay Frosty]

any other DC-DC charger that you could recommend?

Renogy DCC50S here and again as long as you observe the solar panel maximum input limit, which I think is 21 volts, you can have a 25A input from the alternator and up to 25A from your solar panel/s.
Edit, install a battery shunt with display if you want a display of the battery state without digging into multiple Bluetooth phone apps.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Last question.

Using Orion, will I able to monitor the battery on the OEM monitor of t6.1?

No idea. Not sure what the “OEM monitor of t6.1” is. You can monitor it on the Victron app.

 

[waneos]

No idea. Not sure what the “OEM monitor of t6.1” is. You can monitor it on the Victron app.

This what I mean with OEM monitor. Here I can see the battery status.

 

[Salty Spuds]

This what I mean with OEM monitor. Here I can see the battery status.

View attachment 216711

Wow! Serious bling!! I’ve not seen that before. Is it VW or aftermarket? I’ve no idea what that is, so can’t advise tbh.

 

[waneos]

Wow! Serious bling!! I’ve not seen that before. Is it VW or aftermarket? I’ve no idea what that is, so can’t advise tbh.

This is coming by default in t6.1. Maybe in UK is different, as I live in Spain.

 

[roadtripper]

No that's a 6.1 camper control display you get on Californias


There is a second shunt (J934) on the factory auxiliary battery earth cable.

You could retain this doing the simple replacement of a DC-DC charger instead of the charge relay but keeping the AGM battery. I doubt it would work if you replace the AGM with an LiFePo - I don't know if it's just learning the capacity or, given California from the factory have identical batteries, it's just using the main battery coding.

One thing to check might be that it is possible BCM might disconnect the battery if believes it is very full. I don't think it does that but I've never had a California. Keep an eye on if your DC-DC charger enables even when you know the battery is full from charging on EHU - if it does not then you may need to disconnect the shunt.

 

[waneos]

No that's a 6.1 camper control display you get on Californias


There is a second shunt (J934) on the factory auxiliary battery earth cable.

You could retain this doing the simple replacement of a DC-DC charger instead of the charge relay but keeping the AGM battery. I doubt it would work if you replace the AGM with an LiFePo - I don't know if it's just learning the capacity or, given California from the factory have identical batteries, it's just using the main battery coding.

One thing to check might be that it is possible BCM might disconnect the battery if believes it is very full. I don't think it does that but I've never had a California. Keep an eye on if your DC-DC charger enables even when you know the battery is full from charging on EHU - if it does then you may need to disconnect the shunt.

Thanks. That is the idea now, to change the split charge relay by DC-DC charger, keeping the AGM battery for the moment. I will say in the future, when it comes what to do with the AGM battery.

 

[waneos]

@roadtripper coming back to the CTEK. Now I understand a bit more. The problem with CTEK was that the OCV was 23V and the Solar panels that I want to buy is 23.4V.

If I put on top of CTEK a Victron MPPT (it comes with the package that I want to buy), will it work? I dont know if the MPPT can regulate the out that it is going through. I just trying to see all the options avaliable (even if it is possible, maybe is a bad idea).

 

[roadtripper]

The Victron MPPT is just another charger. It will charge the battery according to its charge profile driven by thes voltage it senses. There's really no difference between having 2 chargers (DC-DC and EHU) and 3. You lose some space but you can also choose the most appropriate for you in each device.

The advantage of going all Victron is that they have made a design choice to have most of their devices communicate and have a common management app, many people find that single view an advantage, even if some of the choices (like the Orion) may not be top of the list for that type of device.

The Victron MPPT is a very popular choice and many folks use it.

At the end of the day this is down to what's important to you. We've explored the good and not so good sides of most of the popular solutions here. None of the CTEK/Victron/Renogy solutions are bad solutions, they are all popular and have thier enthusiasts, the differences are down to that last little bit of experience and preference.

Currently you seem to be basing the choices for your leisure electrics around your choice of solar panel. That's fine if that's what is important. An option if that is true is just to simply add the panel and Victron MPPT to the factory set up and see how it works for you.

 

[Dellmassive]

OMG . . . too excited.

Christmas has come early.




TBC , , , ,

 

[Stay Frosty]

You know the routine man, voltage, Ah and kilowatts!

 

[Dellmassive]

sure . . . .

FOGSTAR 230ah Seatbase with HEATER & Balancer

new thread about it here:

Fogstar Drift 12v 230Ah Seatbase battery -- "How I Done It" --

FOGSTAR Drift 12v 230Ah Seatbase battery -- "How I Done It" -- check out the latest @Dellmassive Lifepo4 battery install & test ++++ https://www.fogstar.co.uk/collections/lithium-leisure-battery/products/seat-base-lithium-leisure-battery-fogstar-drift-12v-230ah?variant=41423843196987 ++++...

www.t6forum.com

.

 

[NicolasH]

Quick question - we have a Fogstar 105ah lithium LB - if I switch this to no charge / no discharge will it damage the solar panel, mppt controller and Ablemail DC - DC charger?

Our T6 camper is not used as a daily driver so I’m wondering if I should effectively switch off the LB to reduce charge cycles. Thanks.

 

[Stay Frosty]

I've got one of those 300A isolators on the leisure battery and a double pole switch on the solar panels both turned off when not using the camper and also to prevent trying to charge the battery when around freezing temperature.

 

[Dellmassive]

hmmm. . . . that dont look good. (EcoWorthy 100Ah)

Lifepo4s dont like high temps. - but something else must have been going on here?

im think over charge or over discharge,




...

Off-Grid DIY Solar, Battery & EV | Independent 12v for shurflow pump | Facebook

Independent 12v for shurflow pump. Almost lasted a year. All I can think is it was 29 this morning when first light hit the panel

www.facebook.com

...

 

[moomin-j]

hmmm. . . . that dont look good. (EcoWorthy 100Ah)

Lifepo4s dont like high temps. - but something else must have been going on here?

im think over charge or over discharge,

View attachment 225373


...

Off-Grid DIY Solar, Battery & EV | Independent 12v for shurflow pump | Facebook

Independent 12v for shurflow pump. Almost lasted a year. All I can think is it was 29 this morning when first light hit the panel

www.facebook.com

...

That made me chuckle when someone on the Facebook feed suggested SOC was 120% !!

Lucky it didn't go bang.
Not as brutal as Lithium-ion (Li-ion), but LiFePO4 fires can be fatal