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arcaguy · 06-26-2021, 07:07 AM

There was some discussion a while ago about Chins batteries as I recall. Here's a review of the battery by Will Prowse. For those that don't want to view the video the upshot is that it's a good battery but needs a low temp cutoff, which can be had in a quality BMS. Happy viewing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBonGQe363g

GunninGopher · 06-26-2021, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcaguy

There was some discussion a while ago about Chins batteries as I recall. Here's a review of the battery by Will Prowse. For those that don't want to view the video the upshot is that it's a good battery but needs a low temp cutoff, which can be had in a quality BMS. Happy viewing.

You beat me to it!!

I have a Chins 200Ah battery and it has worked great. I know that the other post had most people dissing it for some reason, mostly based on the DIY Solar forum people that had never even used one. My experience is that the battery is doing what it said it does. Yes lacking a low temp cutoff is a big deal because it means that it isn't plug and play.

I live in So Cal and have planned to add a heater to it before we go anywhere it will get below freezing.

arcaguy · 06-26-2021, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcaguy

There was some discussion a while ago about Chins batteries as I recall. Here's a review of the battery by Will Prowse. For those that don't want to view the video the upshot is that it's a good battery but needs a low temp cutoff, which can be had in a quality BMS. Happy viewing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBonGQe363g

[edit] the above should be quality charge controller not BMS. My bad.

creativepart · 06-26-2021, 10:33 AM

I was looking at the 300 amp hour model and may still be interested.

I have 4-100ah AGM batteries and they are 4-years old. I really don't have any issues from them at this time. But replacing them with one 300 ah LiPo battery for the same amount of money is attractive. Four good quality 100 ah AGMs would be around $1,200 which is the same price as the 300ah Chin battery.

We never intend to be in freezing conditions - but we have been in freezing weather 2 or 3 times.

Weather proofing the battery tray compartment and adding a heating element and temp sensing/reporting would not be all that difficult.

GunninGopher · 06-26-2021, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creativepart

I was looking at the 300 amp hour model and may still be interested.

I have 4-100ah AGM batteries and they are 4-years old. I really don't have any issues from them at this time. But replacing them with one 300 ah LiPo battery for the same amount of money is attractive. Four good quality 100 ah AGMs would be around $1,200 which is the same price as the 300ah Chin battery.

We never intend to be in freezing conditions - but we have been in freezing weather 2 or 3 times.

Weather proofing the battery tray compartment and adding a heating element and temp sensing/reporting would not be all that difficult.

Dang I paid $999 for the 200Ah one in December.

The 300AH battery has an internal heater option for an additional $200.

Jerry Burks · 06-28-2021, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GunninGopher

Dang I paid $999 for the 200Ah one in December.

The 300AH battery has an internal heater option for an additional $200.

Keep in mind the 200Ah and 300Ah Chins with heater have only a BMS that can handle 100 Amps out. Not enough for a 2kW inverter.
The ones without heater can source 200 Amps out so the unheated 300 Ah model is what I bought for $1199 plus shipping. I will just turn off the battery disconnect when storing the 5th wheel in Spring/Fall and take the battery home for Winter.
200 and 300 Ah are the same physical size with the 300Ah having less empty space in the enclosure and apparently higher capacity cells. I did an unscientific test with my battery monitor and the usable capacity seems to be around 310 Ah. Good enough for me, given the money.

GunninGopher · 06-28-2021, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Burks

Keep in mind the 200Ah and 300Ah Chins with heater have only a BMS that can handle 100 Amps out. Not enough for a 2kW inverter.
The ones without heater can source 200 Amps out so the unheated 300 Ah model is what I bought for $1199 plus shipping.

Good point. I didn't notice that. I'm glad I bought the one without it, then. I have a 2500w inverter.

vito.a · 06-30-2021, 02:28 PM

With only a few exceptions this battery gets great reviews on Amazon.

BCam · 07-31-2021, 11:56 AM

Will Prowse recently reviewed a $399 100Ah 12V "Zooms" LiFePO4 Battery, which after teardown turns out to be identical to the $509 Chins battery reviewed above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74iBMHE3StM

vito.a · 08-01-2021, 12:57 PM

Looks like another Will Prowse bargain. This was posted on YouTube on Jul 27th. Today, when I checked Amazon only the 200ah version shows up.
https://www.amazon.com/Zooms-LiFePO4..._li_ss_tl&th=1

bpu699 · 08-01-2021, 02:06 PM

Didn’t realize these are limited to 100amps out... that’s super low...

Sounds like you’re better off getting 2-3 100amp batteries...

BCam · 08-02-2021, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpu699

Didn’t realize these are limited to 100amps out... that’s super low...

Sounds like you’re better off getting 2-3 100amp batteries...

That's 100Ah (amp hours) and is a typical rating for 12V deep cycle batteries, both conventional and LiFePO4. Battle Born's $949 LiFePO4 battery is also 100Ah, as is the typical group 31 flooded lead acid (FLA) battery.

A LiFePO4's 100Ah capacity is roughly equivalent to a conventional flooded lead acid battery of 150Ah to 200Ah depending on how far you were willing to discharge the FLA battery and/or the voltage became too low to be usable. A LiFePO4 battery will provide virtually 100% of its rated voltage until fully discharged.

Granted, most people will install two or more batteries but, to characterize the 100Ah as "super low" is misleading. Two of these 100Ah batteries will have more usable Ah than two 200Ah golf cart batteries. There's also a significant weight advantage in using LiFePO4 batteries.

bpu699 · 08-02-2021, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BCam

That's 100Ah (amp hours) and is a typical rating for 12V deep cycle batteries, both conventional and LiFePO4. Battle Born's $949 LiFePO4 battery is also 100Ah, as is the typical group 31 flooded lead acid (FLA) battery.

A LiFePO4's 100Ah capacity is roughly equivalent to a conventional flooded lead acid battery of 150Ah to 200Ah depending on how far you were willing to discharge the FLA battery and/or the voltage became too low to be usable. A LiFePO4 battery will provide virtually 100% of its rated voltage until fully discharged.

Granted, most people will install two or more batteries but, to characterize the 100Ah as "super low" is misleading. Two of these 100Ah batteries will have more usable Ah than two 200Ah golf cart batteries. There's also a significant weight advantage in using LiFePO4 batteries.

If I’m reading correctly a 300 amp chins can only max out at 100 amp output

The same as a 100 amp chins battery.

So 3 100 amp chins in parallel= 300amp out put. Versus one 300amp chins= 100 amp out put.

In that context the output from the 300amp battery is very low... 3x lower than 3 lead acid batteries...

GunninGopher · 08-02-2021, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpu699

If I’m reading correctly a 300 amp chins can only max out at 100 amp output

The same as a 100 amp chins battery.

So 3 100 amp chins in parallel= 300amp out put. Versus one 300amp chins= 100 amp out put.

In that context the output from the 300amp battery is very low... 3x lower than 3 lead acid batteries...

I have the 200AH CHINS battery without the heater. It has a 200A output "C" rating. I rarely get to even 100. I'm pretty sure that anyone that draws that much a lot will have multiple batteries. I don't see this as a problem for most users.