Trying to figure out how to manage lithium with alternator.
Here's my setup
680ah LifePO4 Coach Batteries
2 - 100ah AGM Chassis Batteries
1200 watts solar charging Coach Batteries
100 watt solar charging Chassis Batteries
8kw Generator Charging both Chassis/Coach Batteries
Engine Alternator Charging both Chassis.Coach Batteries
Currently managed with Precision Circuits Battery Isolation Manager
So I would like to just disconnect the Alternator charging of the Coach Batteries, or manage their charge demand somehow. I know there is a Li-BIM and Victron DC-DC charger, but I'm not sure how to use either of those with the current Precision Circuits BIM. The current set-up manages the generator charge for both banks and allows for bridging the two banks together with a dash switch if needed.
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This is what I use, it's best with agm starter battery's.
It does charge in both directions and limits the dray to 30 amps.
Very simple solution and cost effective I installed it where the Battery boost solenoid is was a very easy install.
The Magnum Smart Battery Combiner (ME-SBC) is designed to monitor and charge a second battery using a portion of the current that is charging a main battery.
The ME-SBC uses MOSFETs, which is a bidirectional electronic switch, control circuit that eliminates a significant voltage drop and provides automatic turn on and off based on adjustable voltage setpoints; allowing different batteries to be charged from a single charging source and preventing over or under charging.
I'd suggest contacting M and M electric. https://www.mmrvelectronics.com/prod...e/73-00635-000
It's where I bought my Smart Battery Combiner(same as in the post above) and they helped me with the connections and the setup.
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2006 Damon Daybreak 3276 35'with 5 Star Tuner. 3 200 Amp Lithium batteries and 2000 watt PSW inverter/charger. 2013 Elantra on a Master Tow dolly.
Retired USAF
The SBC will directly replace the BIM you would need to down size the wire that connects to the BIM from the chassis and house battery’s be sure that all wires connected to each side of the BIM stay connected.
The BIM will not charge the chassis battery from the generator the generator powers the inverter/charger it charges the house battery’s from the inverter. The BIM only charges from the alternator to the house battery’s.
With the SBC both banks can charge from the alternator/generator/shore but at a max of 30amps.
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New to us 2000 Monaco executive 40 500hp tag
Thanks for the feedback.
What I'm not sure is exactly how to wire it and if I need to remove the older Precision Circuits unit?
If I replace the Precision unit I'm not sure what to do with the Generator connection. I can live without the merge switch.
I would not want to be without the boost switch just in case. The lithium BIM is a direct replacement for the older Precision Circuits BIM. The generator wire is not used with the new lithium BIM, just cap it off.
By the way when I had this exact same setup the older BIM did not charge while driving because the voltage of the house lithium bank never got low enough to trigger it. I now have the new lithium BIM and it works great.
The magnum SBC charges both directions from chassis to house and house to chassis.
What it does is combine the two battery banks once the Parameters you set on the unit is reached.
So mine connects the two banks anytime the voltage is over (I think can remember this moment) 13.8 volts on any bank. It disconnects at 14.4 I think and has a low voltage cut out of 12.8.
I can’t remember the exact numbers I set at this time.
The high voltage keeps a charger from over charging a bank. The low cutoff keeps from not having any charge in the chassis battery’s.
The main idea is if any bank is charging send 30ams of the charge to the other bank. It’s very simple in its design.
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New to us 2000 Monaco executive 40 500hp tag
The LI-BIM would replace the BIM you have now. A simple swap out.
Once installed, it does everything the old BIM did, but cycles the chassis to house battery connection on and off, to limit alternator overheating.
You retain the boost start feature, where the magnum device won't carry the current for that.
So I have run into an issue with the swap. When I have everything connected, except the GenSet is abandoned, there is no power across the Chassis side. The Coach side functions normally.
When I pull the Ignition and Signal wire off the Li-BIM the Chassis and Coach both work as intended. I checked the Ignition lead and it does in fact get chassis power when the ignition switch is on.
So I have run into an issue with the swap. When I have everything connected, except the GenSet is abandoned, there is no power across the Chassis side. The Coach side functions normally.
When I pull the Ignition and Signal wire off the Li-BIM the Chassis and Coach both work as intended. I checked the Ignition lead and it does in fact get chassis power when the ignition switch is on.
What is the house voltage when you are looking at the chassis side? The voltage may be too low for them to connect together.
I'm not worried about the connection switch or the alternator charging right now. I can't figure out why the chassis disconnect switch will not function if the ignition wire is connected.
1) Replace my 10W unregulated Zamp solar panel with a single 200w panel and Victron charge controller for dedicated chassis batteries maintenance charging.
2) Replace my Precision Circuits BIM-225 with a similar battery joining relay, for dedicated emergency combining via the BOOST button. Hope I never need to use it.
3) Add a 100A dc - dc charging Victron unit which would add up to 100 A of regulated current to the house bank...mainly to assist my house solar array (1,440w) in running the air conditioner off inverter while driving.
Dry-in and insulate my battery compartment and add an additional oasis heat exchanger with coin type thermostat relay for preventing sub-zero battery bank temperatures. I am already using Oasis anytime outside temperatures drop below freezing...or even 40* F, for that matter. May as well keep the batteries warm the same way I keep my holding tanks warm.
Pretty sure this will fill all my desires...but I am of course looking for anything that does the same or better with less complexity.
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Charlie & Ronni
2016 Ventana 4037
I'm not worried about the connection switch or the alternator charging right now. I can't figure out why the chassis disconnect switch will not function if the ignition wire is connected.
Might it have anything to do with the extra set of wires on the house and chassis terminals on the BIM?
Linear Mode
