Gone to Lithium

[DRW]

Well I’ve finally bitten the lithium phosphate bullet. I went 200ah Invicta Bluetooth, 30A Victron 240v charger, 2 x 200 Watt solar panels plus a Redarc 40A dc to dc + MPPT solar charger. All of this replaces the original electric/electronic/fuse box that died recently in Karumba.
After reading the new regulations (unusual for me I know) I’ve decided to leave the battery under the bed, I made a new box to replace the original plastic box that was vented under the van. Fairly happy with the way it turned out, I just have to pull it out of the shed and give it a test before I head off to Sydney then port Lincoln at Christmas, weather permitting.

 

[Drover]

Thats disgustingly neat and tidy ........................ something I never seem to achieve, always functional but never tidy........ Youv'e got all the bases covered there Dave.

 

[Hitting the road]

Hmmm...very neat job indeed! I certainly haven't looked back since turfing the AGM's and installing Lithium Batteries around 18 months ago...though in my case was lucky to be prior to the update for batteries inside the van to be fully enclosed, as where they are under the dinette would be very difficult to effectively seal off from the living area.

 

[Drover]

Hmmm...very neat job indeed! I certainly haven't looked back since turfing the AGM's and installing Lithium Batteries around 18 months ago...though in my case was lucky to be prior to the update for batteries inside the van to be fully enclosed, as where they are under the dinette would be very difficult to effectively seal off from the living area.

I have seen somewhere that after that date if you go from say AGM to lithium then you are required to comply with the new regs, if inside a sealed battery box vented externally and another bit about over 3 solar panels each must be fused/breaker as well as a fuse/breaker before the controller .............. I have been contemplating an extra lithium for that extra bit of storage, would require a bit of metal bashing to extend the battery compartment and making a bigger slide to comply.............. another addition to the list .......................... I very much doubt there has been any compliance checks or will be in the future..

 

[DRW]

Phew I’ve only got two solar panels and everything is protected. Funny enough the breakaway had a 30a fuse at the battery when they’re supposed to have an auto reset circuit breaker I met the rules halfway and put in a manual circuit breaker so if the tow bar falls off I hope the wires don’t short out or I’ll be running alongside the van trying to get in and reset it

 

[Hitting the road]

I have seen somewhere that after that date if you go from say AGM to lithium then you are required to comply with the new regs, if inside a sealed battery box vented externally and another bit about over 3 solar panels each must be fused/breaker as well as a fuse/breaker before the controller .............. I have been contemplating an extra lithium for that extra bit of storage, would require a bit of metal bashing to extend the battery compartment and making a bigger slide to comply.............. another addition to the list .......................... I very much doubt there has been any compliance checks or will be in the future..

I doubt too that there would ever be a "compliance" check on older vans...do you reckon any savvy person would be honest with the "Inspector", and admit their whizz bang system does not comply? ...lol think not. It really just put the onus on manufacturers to be more vigilant with battery location and solar panel fitment post November 2023 imo.
I actually have an extra Lithium battery that I bought at the same time as the other two, and wouldn't mind fitting it just for extra capacity, but there is physically no room to fit it under the dinette. (I even have the MPPT mounted in a drawer under the dinette so as to be able to access it to read it.) The only way I could add another battery is to either move the whole system to under the bed or in to the front boot, or, run extra cables to another location to mount the third battery which isn't on the agenda. So I am locked in to the 270 amps I have...unless...I were to buy two bigger capacity batteries which ain't gonna happen anytime soon...lol...and so it goes on!

 

[DRW]

I doubt too that there would ever be a "compliance" check on older vans...do you reckon any savvy person would be honest with the "Inspector", and admit their whizz bang system does not comply? ...lol think not. It really just put the onus on manufacturers to be more vigilant with battery location and solar panel fitment post November 2023 imo.
I actually have an extra Lithium battery that I bought at the same time as the other two, and wouldn't mind fitting it just for extra capacity, but there is physically no room to fit it under the dinette. (I even have the MPPT mounted in a drawer under the dinette so as to be able to access it to read it.) The only way I could add another battery is to either move the whole system to under the bed or in to the front boot, or, run extra cables to another location to mount the third battery which isn't on the agenda. So I am locked in to the 270 amps I have...unless...I were to buy two bigger capacity batteries which ain't gonna happen anytime soon...lol...and so it goes on!

Or buy a bigger van lol

 

[DRW]

The big test (we’ll test anyway) first the Victron 30a battery charger and yep it’s actually 30a which is refreshing. Then drag the van out of the shed, slightly overcast but pretty happy with the results!


Solar input

 

[Drover]

Or buy a bigger van lol

I was thinking the same.....lol.

Charging well for a low battery....

 

[DRW]

This is with the car running via dc to dc mppt redarc unit

 

[DRW]

Back in shed with battery charger

Definitely different to what I’m used to that’s for sure

 

[Drover]

Anything under 13 is flat basically with 13.8/14.4 being 100%, so take the voltage shown as general mine when things are running shows up mostly 13.3-13.2 and stay like that for hours if no sun on panels of course, with out any charging full is 13.6-13.8 , throw out your old thoughts as these things run to a different song sheet and will just drop SoC really quickly after hours of looking good, Wham, Bam, thank you Maam, shows over and shut down.. just like your cordless drill ........................ I adjusted the max charge rate on mine to be just a bit less than the batteries BMS requirement, doesn't affect the charge but no need to run full throttle all the time ......................

 

[Hitting the road]

Nah...the current van is perfect size for me, at 7.5 metres it fits in the garage with the 2 cars as required...and slots in to it's parking spot behind the garage perfectly...

 

[Boots in Action]

Anything under 13 is flat basically with 13.8/14.4 being 100%, so take the voltage shown as general mine when things are running shows up mostly 13.3-13.2 and stay like that for hours if no sun on panels of course, with out any charging full is 13.6-13.8 , throw out your old thoughts as these things run to a different song sheet and will just drop SoC really quickly after hours of looking good, Wham, Bam, thank you Maam, shows over and shut down.. just like your cordless drill ........................ I adjusted the max charge rate on mine to be just a bit less than the batteries BMS requirement, doesn't affect the charge but no need to run full throttle all the time ......................

The following chart may be a good guide for most lithium battery SOC.

 

[Drover]

The following chart may be a good guide for most lithium battery SOC.

I think its a dark art these charts for Lithium, thats about the 3rd version I have but really it does depend on the individual cells it seems as to what they assume the SoC is, its all just a guide and most seem to forget that the figure needs to be looked at once the load has been off for at least 15 min or more ..... now I just wait for the flashing and beeping before I go to Panic mode.... I like that chart its shows I have more than the chart in my manual.

As an aside I put a scale on my draw bar, first time since I went Lithium, goodness me 210kg on the ball and with 2 full tanks and gas, certainly a big change since 2 GELs sitting up front... we might be legal again now ................

 

[jazzeddie1234]

My lithiums shoot up to 14.6 in the last few % from around 13.8 when fully charged so that's a good indicator of full charge anyway. For discharge I keep an eye on the battery monitor which counts out the Ah used. The best thing about lithium is the speed and efficiency of charging possible. AGMs need a long absorption phase to fill up the last 10% whereas lithium needs almost none. For example, if I use 50ah on the battery monitor, I only need to put back 51 ish before the voltage peaks whereas it was 60ish for agms (which at 10 amps was a long wait)

 

[Drover]

My lithiums shoot up to 14.6 in the last few % from around 13.8 when fully charged so that's a good indicator of full charge anyway. For discharge I keep an eye on the battery monitor which counts out the Ah used. The best thing about lithium is the speed and efficiency of charging possible. AGMs need a long absorption phase to fill up the last 10% whereas lithium needs almost none. For example, if I use 50ah on the battery monitor, I only need to put back 51 ish before the voltage peaks whereas it was 60ish for agms (which at 10 amps was a long wait)

I never got that involved, always thought about checking the daily burn and seeing what it is/was but have never bothered to really check, all I know is at sunup it will usually be 13.2v showing 70-80% and by 0800/0900ish its all charged up and that mostly from the 120w portable so not a lot of amps ... its all about the sun with mine.. I know my Epever will pull more amps out of the panel from little voltage...................... I do know that during the day the invertor can be charging some camera batteries and the laptop with the Foxtel and TV chewing up the 12v as well, the battery is at 100% with the Epever just drawing more power from panels to cover the usage, turn them off and the draw from panels drops right off, very interesting to watch ...................... I will have to make an effort to note down a daily power usage to see ........... one day, maybe............................

Mine has been shut down for a few days to just check on things for maintenance and shows 13.3v and displays 78% which is either 10% low or about right depending on the chart you reference, I think mine is possibly low percentage wise as I did cut back a few points on the max levels when I set up the Lithium programme so that may be it, not a biggy really as its only guess work ............... Since all the charging references by manufacturers all seem to relate to mains power charging not so much solar Ive been given to leaving mine hooked up so it gets a solar by day and rest at night which could possibly be more beneficial than a thumping work out every month or so, its not on charge all the time, minimal charge and minimal drain ..................