LifePo4 Battery Upgrade - aka. Searching for Mr Goodbattery

[codingparadox]

I was pretty happy to get 30kWh of BestGo batteries for around 11k$ shipped 15 months ago!

[alctel]

Originally Posted by jordanbigel

Meanwhile, 3 months later, I've finally decided to buy 3 of the BestGo 400ah batteries.

WRT info from the batteries, I have not ordered them yet, but I have studied all of the documentation carefully.

The Pro version of the BestGo provides a cable with 3 connectors. One of them connects to a proprietary BMV which appears similar looking to a Victron BMV7xx.

The second cable is meant to be wired to a heater/chiller device - it provides signals requesting cooling or heating as needed (the trigger temps are in the docs, I can't recall the numbers).

The third cable is most useful, IMO - it provides 3 signal wires which indicate 1) temp too high or low, 2) voltage too high or low, 3) current too high or low. The signal wires are normally open-circuit and go closed circuit to indicate a problem. You can wire these in a variety of ways, but my plan is to parallel them together and use a relay to interrupt ignition wire to voltage regulator. Plus I will wire these signals to the aux input of the Victron Multiplus to shut down inverter.

According to the docs, these signals "fire" before the BMS shuts down the battery, providing exactly the opportunity needed to cut loads/charging before the BMS shuts down, and maybe? even prevent the shutdown.

Obviously this is not the same as having access to the internal BMS, but, I think with these shutoffs wired to protect the alternator/wiring from load dumps, I think it is the next best thing and about half the cost of Lithionics.

See: https://www.electriccarpartscompany....-pack-4-27.pdf

Thanks - keep us updated! I think I may get one of the 400AH once I have more cash (and replaced inverter/alt)

Although I wish they had a heater, where I am it's below p a fair bit of the time