280 AH Lithium Battery Questions

[Piper & John]

Just received my new battery with Bluetooth monitoring, low temp cutoff, etc. and have a couple of questions on best practices:

1. Battery arrived with SOC at 22% and 13.05V. I will not be using the camper for a month. Should I go ahead and charge to 100% or a lower %, or leave as is and then charge to 100% before we leave?

2. We will be camping primarily at electric campsites with an occasional boondocking weekend. My PD converter has the dip switch selection for lithium charging profile. Should I leave my converter on at all times when connected to shore power, or should I periodically turn it off the bring down the battery's SOC from 100%?

TIA,
John

[d23haynes57]

I would charge it, and then even if not needed you should use it. Testing! Be sure it works as it should and then test that it will meet your needs. Foks get hung up on best theories or practices for life or whatever. It is a battery. It will get based on use and also the calendar. Use it as you need it. My RV needs power al the time to maintain the air seals for the slide out rooms. It is sitting in my driveway plugged in. The inverter/charger is holding near 13.6 volts supporting any loads. I also have the electric heaters for the Oasis turned on and the thermostats set to 45 to keep it from freezing up. Not winterized as I plan to use again in a week or so. If the batteries fail prematurely, I'll act like each one is the cost of a tank of fuel and replace if needed. The Built in BMS will do what is needed to protect it from immediate harm.

[Stircrazy1]

I would put some charge on it just to be safe, say 50% then a week before you are going to go camping charge it right up and away you go

[TacomaJoe]

13.05V is closer to 50% on my batteries. The SOC will reset when you give it a full charge.

Not a problem floating on the charger. I do for a while then let them drain down just to give them something to do while sitting at the house.

[darrellr]

I would run through a few discharge / charge cycles before taking off if it were me. Use the batteries and inverter to run a space heater to produce load. A couple of nearly full charges / discharges and then a long "float" charge with an LFP charger to top balance and then take off. Just my 2 cents and worth both pennies, nothing more, nothing less.

[Stircrazy1]

Originally Posted by darrellr

I would run through a few discharge / charge cycles before taking off if it were me. Use the batteries and inverter to run a space heater to produce load. A couple of nearly full charges / discharges and then a long "float" charge with an LFP charger to top balance and then take off. Just my 2 cents and worth both pennies, nothing more, nothing less.

I would be interested to hear your reasoning behind this? not saying it is wrong in any way, just wondering what your thinking?