Deep Cycle Battery brands, types, systems & installations

[Goldchaser1]

DD ours arent balance charging,there balanced b4 they ship them,you can buy the bits to go on to seperatly balance each cell from ev works if ya want to,they said its not a big issue,i may do it later on in a cuppla years but see how they go first,i ended up with voltronic gear,solar reg and bms,reg has lipo settings from 13.8 -14.8,im running them on 14.2,the float algorithm is really no different to an agm in the instruction sheets.
Those ones that excavator posted sound like there right up your alley,you wouldnt need a bms or lipo friendly solar reg,prices are real good to,weve done a cuppla 4-5 day stints now with ours and what an eye opener,power to burn and mate they recharge so quick,then the weight of course.....

 

[Goldchaser1]

DD this is the bms and reg i ended up with:
https://www.solar4rvs.com.au/votronic-battery-computer-200s~18145

https://www.solar4rvs.com.au/mppt-solar-charge-controllers-votronic

this mob sell alot of different brands inc victron etc.....

 

[Ded Driver]

Cheers for the info Dave. good food (sparks) for thought !

 

[ctxkid]

but I want to keep it light as possible, so this means a lithium is the obvious choice, but I also have to buy a dedicated charger, so the cost adds up.
A lithium battery system like this with built-in BMS sounds like a good option to me

so far i have charged the Sentry twice , first time was with a Matson 20amp smart charger, the Sentry was happy to take just over 8amps and charged to 100%

the second time is still happening at a rate of 800ma, slow but will go to 100%

these Sentry's have a very smart balancing bms, and will plug and play on any dc to dc charger in AGM mode

so in a nut shell a Sentry needs no real special treatment erfect:

 

[ctxkid]

here is something a lead based battery can only dream of , check out the stats after a session running my travel buddy

an AGM would be screaming for a recharge

 

[BigWave]

I stopped using my slide rule for a calculator back in 1976.
Even though I'm retired, I still know that technology marches on guys

sorry bigwave thats not technology thats a gimmick,so if ya phs turned off or ya bluetooth wont connect you cant check where ya power supplies at,not practical out bush if ya ask me.....

Hey GC1
I was referring to the LiPO4 battery itself as the technology advance.
It's actually in an ArkPak 730 Battery Box with its own instrumentation, so regardless of the "gimmick", I still have indication of battery status out bush.

 

[ctxkid]

It's actually in an ArkPak 730 Battery Box with its own instrumentation, so regardless of the "gimmick", I still have indication of battery status out bush.

what gimmick ?

 

[BigWave]

I understood GC1 was referring to the Bluetooth link to the phone app for monitoring the battery status as a gimmick.
I agree it's a nice to have, but not necessary, as the battery is in an portable ArkPak 730 which also monitors battery status.

 

[ctxkid]

I understood GC1 was referring to the Bluetooth link to the phone app for monitoring the battery status as a gimmick.
I agree it's a nice to have, but not necessary, as the battery is in an portable ArkPak 730 which also monitors battery status.

ah...

if the battery is out , yeah not really needed :Y:

the battery is buried in/under a forbie or under a bed in a van , it then becomes a very cool option to have

just imho :Y:

 

[Rockwall]

DD ours arent balance charging,there balanced b4 they ship them,you can buy the bits to go on to seperatly balance each cell from ev works if ya want to,they said its not a big issue,i may do it later on in a cuppla years but see how they go first,i ended up with voltronic gear,solar reg and bms,reg has lipo settings from 13.8 -14.8,im running them on 14.2,the float algorithm is really no different to an agm in the instruction sheets.
Those ones that excavator posted sound like there right up your alley,you wouldnt need a bms or lipo friendly solar reg,prices are real good to,weve done a cuppla 4-5 day stints now with ours and what an eye opener,power to burn and mate they recharge so quick,then the weight of course.....

What size lipo battery would replace say 160ah agm?

 

[ctxkid]

DD ours arent balance charging,there balanced b4 they ship them,you can buy the bits to go on to seperatly balance each cell from ev works if ya want to,they said its not a big issue,i may do it later on in a cuppla years but see how they go first,i ended up with voltronic gear,solar reg and bms,reg has lipo settings from 13.8 -14.8,im running them on 14.2,the float algorithm is really no different to an agm in the instruction sheets.
Those ones that excavator posted sound like there right up your alley,you wouldnt need a bms or lipo friendly solar reg,prices are real good to,weve done a cuppla 4-5 day stints now with ours and what an eye opener,power to burn and mate they recharge so quick,then the weight of course.....

What size lipo battery would replace say 160ah agm?

a 100 amp erfect:

 

[Booney]

Agreed , phone app very handy bit of kit technology if you dont have to get out of your chair away from the fire to check the battery status so you know the fridge is doing its job , thats a good thing right, that would be handy out bush . Also the technological advances with lithium batteries have come along way and Im sure they will pay for themselves over time , re , recharge, discharge rates , fuel and chiropractic expenses . So if you can afford one why wouldnt you get one with all the tech . :Y: each to there own . Cheers Booney.

 

[Rockwall]

So I am going cross-eyed! Would it be correct to say I could replace my 160ah agm currently hooked up to a 30 amp mppt regulator fed by 360amp solar with a 100ah lithium??
Edit, I run 2 older 39 litre engels, one as a freezer, a cpap machine, sometimes a 12 volt fan, charge a 7000 and wireless things, led lights, 12 volt pump etc. I stay in one camp generally for 3 weeks or so. Thats one system! I have another with a 130ah agm that gets hooked up when the 160ah gets too low. Then there is the 200ah agm system separate again. I back that up now with a 2000 watt gennie that gets a run after too many cloudy days. Even in the Gulf country there can be too many of those, especially during the wet and even during winter.
Edit, I can be away fromp camp "all day" so I can't move panels for maximum efficiency. Maybe I should add a wind thingy!

 

[Redfin]

RW unless you like ice cream or are taking frozen fish or chicken, there is no need to take frozen food.
Red meats vacume sealed will last up to 40 days at 4c.

 

[Ded Driver]

an AGM should never be drained below 50% (if you want a good life out of it), that means your 160AH battery is really only good for 80AH.
Lithium batteries can be drained much lower, 80-90% ... shouldn't drain any battery 100%

 

[Rockwall]

RW unless you like ice cream or are taking frozen fish or chicken, there is no need to take frozen food.
Red meats vacume sealed will last up to 40 days at 4c.

I take frozen meals my wife has prepared ready to throw in a saucepan to heat and eat out of, curries , stews etc. Thats enough cooking & dishes for me after detecting all day. In bed at sundown & up at daylight. I don't go to town at all during that period.
I wish I had as much battery knowledge as some on here do. Would have actually saved some money I reckon.
Used to just live on tins etc without a fridge. Progressed a bit since those days. (Got older)

 

[Rockwall]

an AGM should never be drained below 50% (if you want a good life out of it), that means your 160AH battery is really only good for 80AH.
Lithium batteries can be drained much lower, 80-90% ... shouldn't drain any battery 100%

I have no doubt my batteries sometimes / often go below 50%. Especially until I got the gennie. I appreciate all the knowledge on this forum. I am not a tech savvy person, although I am learning how important it is not to just buy a few panels and batteries and a couple of regulators and throw them together!

 

[Goldchaser1]

I understood GC1 was referring to the Bluetooth link to the phone app for monitoring the battery status as a gimmick.
I agree it's a nice to have, but not necessary, as the battery is in an portable ArkPak 730 which also monitors battery status.

yeah bigwave i thought you had to open an app in ya ph just to monitor it,my bad,i could handle changing some settings etc via bluetooth but personally preferably not,with mine i can program anything in and its in ya face all day if ya need to check it,just gotta walk in camper door.......

 

[Goldchaser1]

Cheers for the info Dave. good food (sparks) for thought !

if ya up Kal way DD drop in and have a squizz.....
and a beer

 

[ctxkid]

So I am going cross-eyed! Would it be correct to say I could replace my 160ah agm currently hooked up to a 30 amp mppt regulator fed by 360amp solar with a 100ah lithium??
Edit, I run 2 older 39 litre engels, one as a freezer, a cpap machine, sometimes a 12 volt fan, charge a 7000 and wireless things, led lights, 12 volt pump etc. I stay in one camp generally for 3 weeks or so. Thats one system! I have another with a 130ah agm that gets hooked up when the 160ah gets too low. Then there is the 200ah agm system separate again. I back that up now with a 2000 watt gennie that gets a run after too many cloudy days. Even in the Gulf country there can be too many of those, especially during the wet and even during winter.
Edit, I can be away fromp camp "all day" so I can't move panels for maximum efficiency. Maybe I should add a wind thingy!

2 100's and you would not know yourself ower: ower:
you would cut down on generator use :Y: