Underside dimensions - drivers’ step area

[monkeytrumpet]

Does anyone have the dimensions of the void above the plastic covers under the drivers side under the van? I'm looking at replacing the leisure battery with eve lifepo4, and this would be a possible location. With heating pads obviously. I'd measure it myself but I'm out in the North Sea!

I'm trying to work out if the fogstar 460ah one will fit in there.

 

[Dellmassive]

This will be an interesting project.

I don't know the dimms...

But re the Heater pads.

Check the cells spec as most lifepo4 can be discharged down to -20c.

But can't be charged bellow 0C. (So it's fine to run them at -10c etc)

So most manufacturers use the incoming charge current to run the heaters using a thermostat (normally built into the BMS).

This prevents the battery self dischargeing it's self when it gets cold unnecessarily.....

Renogy use a 4A heater current. (Per 100ah battery)

Poweroad us a 8A. (Per 100ah battery) heater current .

I remember @Fish ages ago made an underslung steel bracket for one of the first large Victron lifpo4 batterys. I think he is still using it.


Keep us posted.

 

[monkeytrumpet]

At the moment I'm struggling to find eve cells which are significantly cheaper than some of the pre-made units, I'm not sure it's worth my time building from scratch. I've seen some with heaters built in which are only marginally more than I could buy the components from (apologies mods for mentioning non sponsor before!) if there is a sponsor who supplies cells, bms and heaters, I'd be interested. Otherwise I may just try and bolt in a pre-made job. Then again, I am usually tempted to tinker and diy just for the hell of it...

 

[Dellmassive]

@RoamerBatteries are the guys to speak too.

They have some awesome large scale setups..... Including 24v and 48v 800+ah units. (A1 grade prismatic cells)


I have the 230sb (230ah seatbase) version which is amazing.... 250/500A discharge rates.

Have a look.......

Roamer LiFePO4 Gen2 230Ah Seatbase battery -- "How I Done It" --

Roamer LiFePO4 Gen2 230Ah Seatbase battery -- "How I Done It" -- Its a Lithium LifePo4, its got massive capacity @ 230Ah, its got massive discharge performance 250A/500A, its Bluetooth, its a Roamer !!, its exciting . . . . . its coming soon - the full test . . . . ...

www.t6forum.com

.

 

[RoamerBatteries]

@RoamerBatteries are the guys to speak too.

Thanks!

Let me know if you’d like a custom case built to fit. We usually charge the same price per Ah plus a £150 design fee. We also offer a 460Ah battery with grade A+ CATL cells.

Just a point on heaters. Our BMS has this function and adding cell heaters would be less than $20 per battery but… we deliberately don’t fit them in our batteries.

Why? It’s a great option on EVs which use small cylindrical cells and are charged all in one hit from a grid charger. In a campervan or solar based system however, we believe it’s a gimmick that is at best ineffective, and worst damaging to prismatic cells. Imagine trying to cook a frozen chicken in a frying pan and you can appreciate how well a surface cell heater works with a winter solar charge, and cells that are 54mm thick.

We will soon be bringing out a special low temperature battery (with specialist cells) but these batteries will be 50% more expensive. For most people the correct solution is just to locate it somewhere that won’t get too cold and ensure you’ve got low temp charge protection on the BMS.