LiFePO Batteries ???

[alldodge]

I like it Ted
As for breakers I don't know, but my thought of less than 20A might go with fuses

 

[tpenfield]

Back at the boat . . . looks like rain in the forecast for the next few days.

I got the component panel wired up . . . just got to give it the once over quality control inspection ( fancy words for checking to see if I wired it up correctly )
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I got to get the red caps for the positive junction studs. Also, I may have to re-terminate some of the battery cables, because there are more post clamp ends rather than stud lug ends. . . should be 'fun' .

Anyway, weather permitting, I'll be installing things in the boat. I hope to see some batteries get delivered tomorrow as well.

 

[tpenfield]

More progress. . .

The weather is not cooperating and it was sleeting a while ago. I manged to get the panel installed in the boat. I grabbed a couple of Group 27 Marine Starting batteries in town and still waiting for the FedEx person to bring the LiFePO4 batteries.
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In other news, I've been bringing the AGM batteries back to life and will see about selling some of them. The auto parts store said they would take any that I have left over.

 

[tpenfield]

The FedEx person arrived with the batteries . . .
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Very shiny . . .
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I got to charge them up as they are shipped with only about 25% charge.

I am thinking that maybe I should let the Xantrex charge them up . . or maybe the ProNautic . . . which might be easier, based on the battery connections. Too wet, cold, and windy outside right now to fuss with it.

I did some testing on the old AGM's and I gotta say those are awesome batteries . They came up really well on the tester, even for 8 year old batteries. Too bad they are so heavy.

 

[bruceb58]

You got the trolling motor versions. Those are better than the standard ones and can charge them at a higher rate.

 

[tpenfield]

You got the trolling motor versions. Those are better than the standard ones and can charge them at a higher rate.

Yes I did. It seems that they put more features in the TM version of the batteries, yet they can certainly be used as a general purpose battery for off-grid power systems.

My main attraction to this version was the LTCP feature. Will Prowse did a review of the battery and noted the upgraded BMS vs. prior LiTime (AmpereTime) batteries.

 

[bruceb58]

Yes I did. It seems that they put more features in the TM version of the batteries, yet they can certainly be used as a general purpose battery for off-grid power systems.

My main attraction to this version was the LTCP feature. Will Prowse did a review of the battery and noted the upgraded BMS vs. prior LiTime (AmpereTime) batteries.

Just so you know, take anything Will Prowse says with a Costco sized grain of salt. Half of the stuff he says is just plain wrong.

Still amazes me that there are still batteries out there without a low temperature cut off feature. LiTime was late in the game adding them.

I would never own a battery that didn't have Bluetooth capabilities so you can see how well the internal cells are balanced. Maybe someday, they will put in a BMS that will do that. On the batteries I built, it has that feature and the BMS itself only cost around $50.

 

[tpenfield]

Morning Update . . .

It stopped raining !!! and the sun is shining !!! but only 40˚F

In departure from my usual approach, I read and followed the preparation instructions for the LFP4 batteries.

1. Charge them separately to at least 13.33 volts resting
2. Mate them in parallel (no charging) for 12-24 hours
3. Install them as needed with equal cable lengths from bus bars (which I expected)

The LFP4 batteries will be in parallel and the 2 engine batteries will each be stand-alone, so 3 battery banks as planned. I'm just trying to get the best layout on the battery shelf considering cable lengths and weight balance. This arrangement (picture) is not too bad . . . a little bit leaning to starboard. However, most passenger/crew are seated to port as per the seating layout. So, it's fine.
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I ordered a bunch of 2/0 battery lugs, but I probably need more. Amazon next day delivery here we go . . .

I got to figure out if I can re-locate all of the factory battery placards without breaking them.

I also realized that the hatch on the starboard electrical panel does not open all the way with the new off-grid panel installed (it hits the solar controller thingy). I think I can fix that with a modification to the panel hatch.

I might have DC power by this afternoon!!! That's all for now.

 

[bruceb58]

1. Install them as needed with equal cable lengths from bus bars (which I expected)

It's only important to have the cables that connect the batteries to each other the same length. If each battery is going to a bus bar and not to each other, then it is important for those all to be the same length. However, that is really unnecessary to do...just connect them to each other with short cables. Less resistance that way.

 

[tpenfield]

It's only important to have the cables that connect the batteries to each other the same length. If each battery is going to a bus bar and not to each other, then it is important for those all to be the same length. However, that is really unnecessary to do...just connect them to each other with short cables. Less resistance that way.

Too late . . . I spent the day re-purposing the old cables and making them the same length.

 

[tpenfield]

Batteries are installed . . . It works (so far).

I spent most of the day cutting the 2/0 cables of the old system to length for the new power system and installing lugs. I usually crimp and then solder the lugs. 2/0 cable and lugs take a lot of solder . . . I had to go buy more.

Anyway . . . here is the panel with the battery and main power wiring feeds connected.
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Still a few finishing touches needed. I did not like the covers for the bus bars, so I got to figure something else out.

Here is the battery layout . . . I wired everything up so I'l know where/how to install the battery boxes.
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I had to configure the Xantrex Inverter to charge the LFP4 batteries. It does not have a specific LFP4 setting, so I had to use the custom setting and fudge it a little.
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The only thing I did not see is the maximum charging voltage, which would be nice to set. The LFP4 batteries were charging @ 14.0 volts and 20 amps (10 amps each) and then started to go down after about 30 minutes or so. Perhaps they were not fully charged. I think 13.8 volts would be better, but the spec's do say 14.4 volts for charging. I assume with 3-stage it will go into float mode at some point.

The inverter is still magic to me, but I'm getting more familiar with it. Here are some more screen shots . . . comments, pointers welcome.
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I reset the ProNautic to charge the LA batteries (engine batteries). I noticed the flooded/sealed battery charging voltage is 14.8 volts, which seems pretty high. I'm wondering if the world would end if I used a different setting that has a lower charge voltage.
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Here are all the batteries I surplussed from the boat . . . all 500 lbs of them.

I've sold 4 of them already.

 

[alldodge]

Looks good Ted
Found around here old Bats sell for 0.28 a Lb

 

[tpenfield]

Here is the charging of the LFP4's after about 90 minutes . . . down to 5.5 amps (total of the 2 LFP4's)
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not sure why the inverter is choosing 14.0 volts to charge, but I guess it is OK.

 

[aspeck]

Hey Ted, what are ya gonna do with all the extra room?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Hey Ted, what are ya gonna do with all the extra room?

Coolers of beer?

 

[tpenfield]

Hey Ted, what are ya gonna do with all the extra room?

Yes, coolers of beer. . . or maybe it will be too hot in there?

 

[tpenfield]

OK- I have been reading through the Xantrex manual . . . my head is starting to hurt

There is the ability to tailor the custom charging (otherwise why would it be called 'custom'). The charger settings are in an 'Advanced Settings' menu . . . BUT . . . the menu does not normally show on the screen (must be an idiot proofing feature). There is a secret button combination to press in order to have the 'Advanced Settings' show up on the menu screen. (I hate those secret button combinations, they never seem to work).

Anyway, that will be my morning task is to figure the custom charging settings out and make any adjustments.

Then I'll hopefully finish the wiring and install the battery boxes.

As time permits, I'll try to figure out the solar charging controller, which remains a mystery at this point.

 

[tpenfield]

I found the 'Advanced Settings' menu . . . no idea how I did that and probably couldn't do it again if I needed to . . .

I adjusted the 'custom' charging parameters as shown below. My understanding is that 'equalization' via the power supply is not something you want enabled. Not sure it matters since it is 2 batteries connected in parallel. . . but it looks like the equalization voltage is way over the recommended charging voltage. . .

Anyway, here are the charging parameters that I set . . .
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I happened to also come across a menu option for 'Advances Features', so I tried it . . . Got a message that says "No Advanced Features" . . . and now I cannot get out of that message screen. Probably will have to shut the thing off. Anyway, it appears that the Xantrex unit is too complicated for its own good.

 

[tpenfield]

I'm not sure why the chargers have all of these adjustable parameters ??? Both the ProNautic and the Xantrex just charge at what ever voltage they want regardless of the settings.

 

[tpenfield]

Still waiting for the sun to come out so I can configure/test the solar controller. I think the sun might shine here on Monday.

In other news, I got a 'over voltage' warning on the LFP4 batteries . . . not sure why. They went into "don't do that again" mode for a while, but they seem to be OK now.