Community Forums

lajuene · 11-29-2017, 03:27 PM

I'm wondering if the rules of matching batteries for age apply to lithium. In other words, can you get 2 lithiums this year then add 2 more in 6 months or next year. We had six agm's and an accident happen (floor fell thu on Cassier highway) ruining two of them. Insurance replaced the bad ones but the remaining four were 3 years old. The bank has never worked as good as it did before. Going lithium sometime over the coming year. Would be nice to build bank slowly to spread out cost.

Itinerant1 · 11-29-2017, 05:42 PM

Are you talking drop in replacements like the Battleborn kind or prismatic cell kind?
Personally if you're thinking of going lithium just bite the bullet and get what you need.

lajuene · 11-29-2017, 06:04 PM

I was looking at battle born but I didn't know there were 2 types.

Itinerant1 · 11-29-2017, 10:27 PM

Prismatic would be like these kind... GBS Lithium batteries | EAS POWER
A little more work than just the drop in style.

757driver · 11-30-2017, 09:51 AM

Mixing old and new lithium would not be a good idea, keep them all the same age.

cruzbill · 11-30-2017, 10:09 AM

I'm not an expert in lithium, but, since each lithium battery has a Battery Management System (BMS), wouldn't that take care of it? Because of the BMS, I think each battery operates independently of each other? Not the case?
No one would mix lead acid with lithium, but starting out from scratch with one lithium battery, then adding more over time, sounds ok to me. BWDIK??

Itinerant1 · 11-30-2017, 10:47 AM

Technically the bms is taking care of the cells of the battery. The GBS I have would be 4 cells per 100ah x 5 being 20 cells.

Not sure how the drop in work.

lajuene · 11-30-2017, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Itinerant1

Prismatic would be like these kind... GBS Lithium batteries | EAS POWER
A little more work than just the drop in style.

What is the difference to these tow types. Drop-ins and Prismatic? Are drop-ins the newer technology? Is the a website description of these differences that anyone knows of?

Itinerant1 · 11-30-2017, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lajuene

What is the difference to these tow types. Drop-ins and Prismatic? Are drop-ins the newer technology? Is the a website description of these differences that anyone knows of?

This might get you started. Read about the different kinds.
Lithium Ion Battery For RV and Boat - LiFePO4 LFP - Starlight Solar

lajuene · 11-30-2017, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Itinerant1

This might get you started. Read about the different kinds.
Lithium Ion Battery For RV and Boat - LiFePO4 LFP - Starlight Solar

HAHA! I was just reading a bunch of stuff on the Starlight site. They look good and they are in Yuma so easy from Quartzsite.
Thanks!

Itinerant1 · 12-01-2017, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lajuene

HAHA! I was just reading a bunch of stuff on the Starlight site. They look good and they are in Yuma so easy from Quartzsite.
Thanks!

They installed our system and did a great job. He post on the forum occasionally as "BatteryPro".

lajuene · 12-03-2017, 05:59 PM

My solar controller is a TriStar 60A and it will work with the Battleborns but I will need to reprogram the controller with my laptop and a program called MSview for managing the TriStar settings. Very NON user friendly. Wish I had gotten the BlueSky controller. The last time I tried to use that software I couldn't get the PC to connect to the controller. Battleborn site has step by step instructions for changing the settings of the TriStar. Now THAT is user friendly. Wish Morningstar was as good at instructions for their TriStar. I'm going to try it over the next few weeks and if successful I may get the batteries THIS winter instead of next. We'll see. I want to disconnect my six 6V AGM's two at a time and do a full load test on them to make sure don't have a bad one or two in the bank.

Coral · 12-04-2017, 08:47 AM

I am about to pull the trigger and two of the LifeBlue 200ah batteries these have built in bluetooth monitoring here is the some info on it. LiFeBlue Battery - The Real Smart Battery - Bluetooth Smart Connect

Here is the battery I'm considering buying two of: 200AH RV Boat Lithium Battery with Bluetooth Monitor

I will be replacing 8, 6 volt AGMs that are on there last legs.

Any thoughts on this, aside from price concerns?

757driver · 12-04-2017, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coral

I am about to pull the trigger and two of the LifeBlue 200ah batteries these have built in bluetooth monitoring here is the some info on it. LiFeBlue Battery - The Real Smart Battery - Bluetooth Smart Connect

Here is the battery I'm considering buying two of: 200AH RV Boat Lithium Battery with Bluetooth Monitor

I will be replacing 8, 6 volt AGMs that are on there last legs.

Any thoughts on this, aside from price concerns?

If you have the room and can bite the bullet on the price I would get 2 of the LifeBlue 300AH batteries which will better equate to the useable AH you have now. Presently with 8 AGM’s you would have about 800AH available. If you use 50% of that (for longer life cycles) you have 400 AH usable. With the LifeBlue batteries taking them down to 20% SOC can routinely be done with little effect on life cycles. With 600AH total this would give you 480 AH usable. With the LifeBlue 200 AH batteries 2 of these would give you 320 AH usable.

I just picked up my LifeBlue batteries from Larry a few weeks ago and went over the top and got 4 of the 300AH batteries to replace 8 -6v AGM’s.