How To Batteries

[Steve L.]

Has anyone had trouble converting to Lithium batteries? IF so, what problems and what did you do about it?

 

[Joe Hogan]

Battleborn seems to have a good track record in straight swaps. Make sure your charger can support li ion

 

[BGMAC]

Mine was pretty straight forward. Like @Joe Hogan said, I upgraded my converter charger to handle the lithium battery.

 

[John Burke]

I put in two 200 amp hour batteries. I had to build an insulated battery box and put it into the front bedroom closet. Then had to tie the wiring into the camper wiring. Was able to run to the master on/off switch. Then had to put two water tank heaters under the batteries. It is all working out well. Needed to het the battery's because it can get chilly here in North Dakota and lithium does not like to charge below freezing.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I put in two 200 amp hour batteries. I had to build an insulated battery box and put it into the front bedroom closet. Then had to tie the wiring into the camper wiring. Was able to run to the master on/off switch. Then had to put two water tank heaters under the batteries. It is all working out well. Needed to het the battery's because it can get chilly here in North Dakota and lithium does not like to charge below freezing.

How do you cool them in the summer?

 

[John Burke]

The heat pads have a thermostat on them, come on at 35 and off at 45 degrees. With no heat applied they are just whatever the temp inside is. The insulated box should keep them cooler in the summer, at least more a consistent temp. Just put them in in late January so time will tell. Worst case I just take the lids off the box.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

The heat pads have a thermostat on them, come on at 35 and off at 45 degrees. With no heat applied they are just whatever the temp inside is. The insulated box should keep them cooler in the summer, at least more a consistent temp. Just put them in in late January so time will tell. Worst case I just take the lids off the box.

You know they produce their own heat right?

 

[John Burke]

Depends on the battery, some have internal heaters and some do not. I bought two LiTime 200 amp hour batteries. They can be ordered with or without internal heaters. I chose to order without and build my own heated box. Cost me 46 dollars to do the box for two batteries. It cost about 400.00 more for the two batteries with the heater. Here with our temps getting as cold as they do the batteries would still have to be put in an insulated box to keep them warm.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Depends on the battery, some have internal heaters and some do not. I bought two LiTime 200 amp hour batteries. They can be ordered with or without internal heaters. I chose to order without and build my own heated box. Cost me 46 dollars to do the box for two batteries. It cost about 400.00 more for the two batteries with the heater. Here with our temps getting as cold as they do the batteries would still have to be put in an insulated box to keep them warm.

Please do your research!!!

You might start with the efforts Musk took in designing a cooling system for the Tesla car battery!

I only want you safe on your journey.

When I made my 24volt lithium-ion batteries I designed the system for the cells to be bathed in transformer oil in an aluminum box with cooling fins.

If I were in your climate the box would have been isolated with valves to divert the oil to radiator/heater.

Note! ALL batteries heat up due to chemical reaction!

 

[John Burke]

I waited for the weather to cool off to reply. I check on my batteries and charging a couple of times a day to be sure everything is working as it should. In my battery box I have an indoor/outdoor thermometer to see where my temps are. Most days it is 15-20 degrees in the box warmer than the outside temp, until it warms up some. When the outside temp gets to 45 or so the mat heaters shut off. When the outside temp gets to about 30 the heaters come on. They keep the battery temp between 35 and 50 degrees. It was going to get cool out, 10-12 degrees. I disconnected the mat heaters and left the cover off the box so the batteries would get close to ambient temp. The temp in the box between the batteries, about 3 inches from the bottom, got down to 23 degrees. The solar charger is always putting current into the batteries until they get to 14.6 volts. Yesterday morning when I checked the voltage was 13.2 and no current going into the batteries. Hooked the heaters back up, when the box temp got up to 33 degrees, took until afternoon, the batteries started accepting current again. So, to me that tells me that the BMS shuts down the charge rate when it gets below freezing and starts back up above freezing. These batteries are supposed to keep allowing draw on them to 4 degrees. Before reheating the battery box, I turned on the furnace came right on like it should. When I get or do something new, I like to try it out at home so there are no surprises when put into use on the road. With the ratings for these batteries of a charge temp range of 32-122 degrees, a draw temp down to 4. I do not see any problem with using these batteries in a controlled temp battery box. In the summer we very seldom see temps above 100. And I am sure not going to go somewhere where it gets HOT.