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Old 02-12-2024, 09:51   #16
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

all the newer lipo4 batteries have what's called a Battery managment System (BMS) that will do 3 things:
1. It makes sure the charger charges each cell evenly
2. It makes sure the cells aren't overcharged (lith cells might take more than they should, but i'm pretty sure lifepo4 won't blow)
3. It makes sure cells aren't over-drawn, because that can hurt the cells.

I have a solar panel hooked to mine 24/7 for 2 years now. I'm pretty sure things are fine.

just make sure your battery has a BMS
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Old 02-12-2024, 09:59   #17
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

Ed, you sound like me,,,what is going on with my batteries!

The only way I have found to actually watch what is happening, is with a battery monitor.
Like this: Xantrex LinkPRO Battery Monitor

You’ll be able to see the current state of your battery (house and start) in voltage and -ah (amp hours used , ie -24=down 24 amp hours).

And you’ll be able to watch how many volts are being absorbed by the battery, and how many amps when charging via shore, alternator, or solar.

Your solar controller may show it’s generating 18v and 14 amps, but the Linkpro will show actual at the battery like 14.1v and 2.2 amps, what the battery is really taking.

The other feature is doing an electrical inventory. Turn everything off. Note the amps (maybe .01). Now turn on your VHF radio and note the amps (maybe.05) so you know the VHF radio takes .04 to operate. Now press transmit and note the difference between.05 and transmit amps, and you’ll know what the amps to transmit are.
Do the same with chartplotter, with radar on.
When I checked my interior lights, I was shocked by the halogen light amp consumption! I switched all my interior lights too LED!

Anyway, I find the monitor very useful. For example, my boat consumes 19ah each night between 10pm and 7am. And my voltage drops to 12.65v.
I know if my ah get below a certain number (like-230) (I have 840ah)and the voltage drops to 12.34v, my refrigeration will stop working (the builder ran undersized wire to the freezer).
Having a history of my battery levels, and a view of the current condition, gives me a great deal of insight and clarity around the batteries.
Will the Solar give enough charge, do I need to run the engine, for how long?
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Old 02-12-2024, 10:43   #18
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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(Stuff deleted)
When I checked my interior lights, I was shocked by the halogen light amp consumption! I switched all my interior lights too LED!

(stuff deleted)
I am surprised someone would be shocked that incandescent bulbs use a lot of current. They are basically electric heaters that give off a little visible light. A 100W halogen bulb is essentially an ~90 watt radiant heater and a ~10 watt light source. And everyone knows you can't touch a lit or recently lit halogen bulb because you will seriously burn your fingers.
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Old 02-12-2024, 10:47   #19
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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Originally Posted by lestersails View Post
I am surprised someone would be shocked that incandescent bulbs use a lot of current. They are basically electric heaters that give off a little visible light. A 100W halogen bulb is essentially an ~90 watt radiant heater and a ~10 watt light source. And everyone knows you can't touch a lit or recently lit halogen bulb because you will seriously burn your fingers.
Converting all my lights including navigation and anchor lights to LED has reduced my non refrigerator power usage by 90%
It is well worth the cost to convert especially if you shop around you can find deals on led bulbs that are cheaper than the incandescent ones
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Old 02-12-2024, 11:00   #20
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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Converting all my lights including navigation and anchor lights to LED has reduced my non refrigerator power usage by 90%
It is well worth the cost to convert especially if you shop around you can find deals on led bulbs that are cheaper than the incandescent ones
Not to mention the much improved longevity of LED. Win-win.
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Old 02-12-2024, 15:18   #21
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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Originally Posted by lestersails View Post
I am surprised someone would be shocked that incandescent bulbs use a lot of current. They are basically electric heaters that give off a little visible light. A 100W halogen bulb is essentially an ~90 watt radiant heater and a ~10 watt light source. And everyone knows you can't touch a lit or recently lit halogen bulb because you will seriously burn your fingers.
just a side note: if you have a single incandescent bulb, like a 60watt, on a vacation timer, set to turn on for like 4am - 10am, it will increase the temperature of the inside of your boat cabin by like one degree. And that single degree will cause morning dew to form on the *outside* of windows instead of the inside. There are literally boat heater box things like this (https://www.wholesalemarine.com/boat...dehumidifiers/) it's just a tiny heating element. But a lightbulb works just as well, and (people stay off your boat at the marina.)

anyway... just a fun thing I learned that is nice.
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Old 02-12-2024, 17:01   #22
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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Most solar controllers reduce current by reducing the width of DC pulses. Some interrupt the entire circuit. The solar panels don't care.
The old style PWM controllers do that (PWM = pulse width modulation). They are inefficient.

Newer/much more common MPPT (maximum power point tracking) operate differently.
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Old 02-12-2024, 17:02   #23
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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Not to mention the much improved longevity of LED. Win-win.
Not to mention the reduced fire hazard
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Old 02-12-2024, 17:06   #24
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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This is why solar can kill your lithium batteries.

What you need is a way for the battery to turn the solar charger off when it is full. In lithium system the batteries are the master, and they tell the chargers to charge, or not to charge.
Modern (most) solar controllers do reduce/stop charging when the voltage is high.

Batteries don't control charging and don't tell the controllers when to charge (there is a wrinkle, in that the very newest approach is for battery BMSs to tell compatible charge controllers just before they shut down, but I'd bet a dollar you don't have that)
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Old 02-12-2024, 17:10   #25
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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The only context in which I've heard of keeping batteries at 80% is for some electric cars, as a way to increase the life of the main battery. But experts disagree, there really isn't consensus over that idea, and any advantage gained would be extremely slight in any case. And we are talking about massive battery packs that cost 10k or more to replace.

LiFeP04 batteries for boats are extremely cheap now. Charge them to 100% and get your full money's worth.
The 80% charge target is for lithium ion batteries. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) is different and can tolerate much higher charge points without degradation. 95% is pretty typical, but as Will Prowse says, using 100% isn't a problem in typical use.
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Old 03-12-2024, 11:35   #26
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

Thanks to all for the comments.


Bluechart, I have a Balmar SG200 and monitor it closely. It turned out my battery wasn't fully charged but once it got there, the current dropped to zero. And my SOH reading finally started showing. My stereo radio pulls .4 A and the new diesel heater pulls around 7-8A while heating. Now that I have heat, will start connecting other electrical loads and keep track of their loads. (I am still on the hard)
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Old 03-12-2024, 11:48   #27
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

Solar spill. It's a mess. EPA will be all over you.

(Had to break up the deep highly technical serious thread)

Carry on. Good stuff.
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Old 03-12-2024, 12:49   #28
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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Thanks to all for the comments.


Bluechart, I have a Balmar SG200 and monitor it closely. It turned out my battery wasn't fully charged but once it got there, the current dropped to zero. And my SOH reading finally started showing. My stereo radio pulls .4 A and the new diesel heater pulls around 7-8A while heating. Now that I have heat, will start connecting other electrical loads and keep track of their loads. (I am still on the hard)
That runn8ng draw of the furnace seems really high for running yes that when starting but should be under 4 amps
What furnace do you have installed?
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Old 03-12-2024, 12:52   #29
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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The 80% charge target is for lithium ion batteries. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) is different and can tolerate much higher charge points without degradation. 95% is pretty typical, but as Will Prowse says, using 100% isn't a problem in typical use.
Yes but only when used regularly it is likely only at 100% for 30 minutes or so a day due to usage. You don't want to keep lifepo4 at 100% for long periods.
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Old 06-12-2024, 12:25   #30
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Re: what happens with LiPO4 is full by solar?

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I hope you have lifepo4 banks .
You had me worried there. Yes I do.
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