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Old 16-03-2014, 17:31   #151
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Re: LiFePo4 for DUMMIES

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I have been watching with interest the Lithium battery market for some years now, I have been trying to keep ahead of the market with perhaps a view to one day using all that knowledge. So last year I was in a position to spend a lot more time and start to develop a business model around the batteries. I have found the information posted on this site invaluable to my knowledge of how they are used by the end user and I thank the people here for sharing their experience.
I have started importing batteries and selling them to local users. I have found that trying to explain to people about banks of with BMS's and changes to fundamental parts of the electrical system just made people eyes glaze over and they very rapidly lost interest, I have had the most success with drop in units that I have made to my specs that have built BMS and can be paralleled to get up to 400Ah. I understand that the customers are not getting the maximum from their installations because most standard alternators only charge to about 14.2V, some people have adjustable regulators that I can bump the voltage up a little higher but that the is the most we ever do.
Take out the LA and drop in the LiFePO4's, thats it and it works.
My batteries are similar to the Fusion ones noted earlier in this thread, but not the same. I cannot believe the performance from them, my little 20Ah engine cranker will turn my engine over for 45minutes!
Over time the market may become more accepting to updating the complete system to get the maximum from individual cells and I will keep pushing it.
As I say to my customers, sure it cost more now and the built in BMS batteries are a lot more expensive than external BMS but seem to be worry free.

Peter (Melbourne, Australia)
Peter,

do you have a website?
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Old 13-05-2015, 18:48   #152
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Re: LiFePo4 for DUMMIES

Mainsail

Great info in all of your posts and elsewhere. Just wondered why you include the House Power BMS when you were generally opposed to automatic cell balancing. Did you turn this off and just use the alarm and HVC LVC?
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Old 14-05-2015, 05:55   #153
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Re: LiFePo4 for DUMMIES

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Mainsail

Great info in all of your posts and elsewhere. Just wondered why you include the House Power BMS when you were generally opposed to automatic cell balancing. Did you turn this off and just use the alarm and HVC LVC?
The HPBMS is my insurance policy. I did not turn off shunt balancing because my system never gets to that voltage... HVC cuts me off at 14.2V but I also never even get there...
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Old 14-05-2015, 06:57   #154
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Re: LiFePo4 for DUMMIES

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The HPBMS is my insurance policy. I did not turn off shunt balancing because my system never gets to that voltage... HVC cuts me off at 14.2V but I also never even get there...
Same for me with the HPBMS . I use it as Maine Sail. Works great ! never hit the HV alarm or the LV alarm. With such a small discharge and charge rate these cells never go out of balance , if any thing they get closer. My cell difference is 1mv at 60 percent charge . This has got better over the last six months since I commissioned the batteries . So not really any need for cell balancing.

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Old 14-05-2015, 10:17   #155
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Re: LiFePo4 for DUMMIES

I asked Dimitri about unsoldering the shunt resisters in his cell boards. He says that is not a problem. He also says that if you mention it in your order they will remove the shunt resistors for you.

Removing the shunts prevents any cell board shunting under any conditions (of course).

I'm not sure if I will do that or not but it is a thought.

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Old 14-05-2015, 12:10   #156
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Re: LiFePo4 for DUMMIES

What I fail to see is why LIFePO4 cells, aka "LFP" or "LIP" cells, often have data sheets saying they may be operated at over 4 volts, operated at 3.6 volts for "normal" and "full" power, and yet...3.6 x 4 =14.4 volts as a nominal battery voltage, while people are using them and charging them and referring to them as 12.8 volt batteries?


If the cells are almost fully charged at 3.6v and substantially discharged at 3.5v, what is the purpose of using them at 3.2v (12.8 for 4 cells) and running them down closer to 3v each?


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