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diy solar

Heated lithium ion batteries?

Northernmeadow

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Joined
Sep 10, 2020
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Good morning everyone. My wife and I live off grid on a island in Northern Ontario canada. Our solar system consists of 4 flooded deep cycle batteries and 800 watts of panels. Enough for some lights,tv,12 volt rv pump,and internet. We want to upgrade our whole system to lithium batteries but cold temperatures are going to be a big problem. I just noticed heated lithium batteries are available now for us out here in the great white north. Two brand names in particular Renogy and Battle Born self-heated lithium batteries. Does anyone know anything about these batteries? How they work or are there any videos out there showing how they work and watt consumption? thanks.
 
They use the battery power to run heaters inside based on temp sensors. @DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse (a key founder of this site) has many youtubes. Just search for the brand. Here's just one on Battle Born -

If you go DIY, you can do this yourself. For example, in my trailer, I have a DIY lithium-ion battery and I set it on top of RV water tank heating pads in an enclosed box and they come on as it get's cold (below 45F I think) and these keep the batteries within operating temps. Here's what I used - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GW8ZX7X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
Some built-in heaters divert charge current to the heater until the battery is above the required temperature. In other words, the heater doesn't keep the battery above 32° F all the time, only when there is a charge current available. I don't know which way Battleborn and Renogy have theirs configured.

In my opinion, the distinction between two approaches is important. In the winter, the amount of sun time is limited. If you spend the first two hours of sun time just to get the battery warm, you've lost valuable charging time. Consequently, my preference is to always keep the battery above 32° F so it's ready to take a charge. My system is set to keep the batteries between 35° F and 45° F.
 
I believe the LFP improved charging will increase your solar yield enough to provide the heating energy used.
Or bring the LFP inside the heated area and skip the heaters.
 
Good morning everyone. My wife and I live off grid on a island in Northern Ontario canada. Our solar system consists of 4 flooded deep cycle batteries and 800 watts of panels. Enough for some lights,tv,12 volt rv pump,and internet. We want to upgrade our whole system to lithium batteries but cold temperatures are going to be a big problem. I just noticed heated lithium batteries are available now for us out here in the great white north. Two brand names in particular Renogy and Battle Born self-heated lithium batteries. Does anyone know anything about these batteries? How they work or are there any videos out there showing how they work and watt consumption? thanks.
If this is for your home, where are the batteries stored? Simply keeping them indoors with your heat system should be adequate to keep them from freezing. I assume your home is heated in the great white north…
800w of solar above the 49’th parallel doesn’t put out much energy most of the year.
 
Since off-gassing is not an issue, have you considered bringing your batteries inside conditioned space?
 
Welcome Neighbour ! Algonquin Park area here...
- Please just don't even think of Renogy... tiz all I'll say but look up support & service reviews.
There are several brands available to us in Canada, some with all Canadian components including LFP cells. It all depends on Budget really.
You have the option of DIYing your own or going commercial which of course are pricier.

Being you are in Ontario, here is SolaCity out of Kemptville with several LFP batteries. Be Seated but don't panic LOL.

Then we have CanBat

Then there is Volthium (check out the demos)

Serious Commercial: https://www.cdnrg.com/products/batteries/lithium-ion-batteries

NB: Now Rolls Surette (Big Lead Batt Maker) also makes LFP Packs AND a lot more models/versions have been added and price improved a LOT too but "it is Rolls Surette" so not cheap discount stuff eh! https://rollsbattery.com/catalog/ select LFP on the left upper panel.

IF you are curious about assembling your own, please have a look at this resource I prepared, download the PDF:
Luyuan Tech Basic Lifepo4 Assembly Guide

Hope that helps, Good Luck & Welcome again.
Steve

PS: I am in process of a major system revamp which will be freeing up an assortment of BMS, Relays, Contactors and much more, I will be posting that up soon, but PM me if there is anything you are looking for, most of it will be heavily discounted new & unused and used materials.
 
They use the battery power to run heaters inside based on temp sensors. @DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse (a key founder of this site) has many youtubes. Just search for the brand. Here's just one on Battle Born -

If you go DIY, you can do this yourself. For example, in my trailer, I have a DIY lithium-ion battery and I set it on top of RV water tank heating pads in an enclosed box and they come on as it get's cold (below 45F I think) and these keep the batteries within operating temps. Here's what I used - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GW8ZX7X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thanks for the info my batteries are located under our cabine it can get down to -10 Fahrenheit outside the crawl space not heated the batteries are in a small freezer level with the ground
 
Some built-in heaters divert charge current to the heater until the battery is above the required temperature. In other words, the heater doesn't keep the battery above 32° F all the time, only when there is a charge current available. I don't know which way Battleborn and Renogy have theirs configured.

In my opinion, the distinction between two approaches is important. In the winter, the amount of sun time is limited. If you spend the first two hours of sun time just to get the battery warm, you've lost valuable charging time. Consequently, my preference is to always keep the battery above 32° F so it's ready to take a charge. My system is set to keep the batteries between 35° F and 45° F.
Thanks
 
If this is for your home, where are the batteries stored? Simply keeping them indoors with your heat system should be adequate to keep them from freezing. I assume your home is heated in the great white north…
800w of solar above the 49’th parallel doesn’t put out much energy most of the year.
Thanks bringing them in the house would work we heat with wood so when we leave our cabine it's not heated our security cams need internet so we can keep an eye on the place that's why we buried them in a freezer in the ground it stays around the freezing mark
 
Welcome Neighbour ! Algonquin Park area here...
- Please just don't even think of Renogy... tiz all I'll say but look up support & service reviews.
There are several brands available to us in Canada, some with all Canadian components including LFP cells. It all depends on Budget really.
You have the option of DIYing your own or going commercial which of course are pricier.

Being you are in Ontario, here is SolaCity out of Kemptville with several LFP batteries. Be Seated but don't panic LOL.

Then we have CanBat

Then there is Volthium (check out the demos)

Serious Commercial: https://www.cdnrg.com/products/batteries/lithium-ion-batteries

NB: Now Rolls Surette (Big Lead Batt Maker) also makes LFP Packs AND a lot more models/versions have been added and price improved a LOT too but "it is Rolls Surette" so not cheap discount stuff eh! https://rollsbattery.com/catalog/ select LFP on the left upper panel.

IF you are curious about assembling your own, please have a look at this resource I prepared, download the PDF:
Luyuan Tech Basic Lifepo4 Assembly Guide

Hope that helps, Good Luck & Welcome again.
Steve

PS: I am in process of a major system revamp which will be freeing up an assortment of BMS, Relays, Contactors and much more, I will be posting that up soon, but PM me if there is anything you are looking for, most of it will be heavily discounted new & unused and used materials.
Thanks for the advice Steve I will keep that in mind and thanks for access to spare parts
Welcome Neighbour ! Algonquin Park area here...
- Please just don't even think of Renogy... tiz all I'll say but look up support & service reviews.
There are several brands available to us in Canada, some with all Canadian components including LFP cells. It all depends on Budget really.
You have the option of DIYing your own or going commercial which of course are pricier.

Being you are in Ontario, here is SolaCity out of Kemptville with several LFP batteries. Be Seated but don't panic LOL.

Then we have CanBat

Then there is Volthium (check out the demos)

Serious Commercial: https://www.cdnrg.com/products/batteries/lithium-ion-batteries

NB: Now Rolls Surette (Big Lead Batt Maker) also makes LFP Packs AND a lot more models/versions have been added and price improved a LOT too but "it is Rolls Surette" so not cheap discount stuff eh! https://rollsbattery.com/catalog/ select LFP on the left upper panel.

IF you are curious about assembling your own, please have a look at this resource I prepared, download the PDF:
Luyuan Tech Basic Lifepo4 Assembly Guide

Hope that helps, Good Luck & Welcome again.
Steve

PS: I am in process of a major system revamp which will be freeing up an assortment of BMS, Relays, Contactors and much more, I will be posting that up soon, but PM me if there is anything you are looking for, most of it will be heavily discounted new & unused and used materials.
Thanks for the information ?
 
Some built-in heaters divert charge current to the heater until the battery is above the required temperature. In other words, the heater doesn't keep the battery above 32° F all the time, only when there is a charge current available. I don't know which way Battleborn and Renogy have theirs configured.

In my opinion, the distinction between two approaches is important. In the winter, the amount of sun time is limited. If you spend the first two hours of sun time just to get the battery warm, you've lost valuable charging time. Consequently, my preference is to always keep the battery above 32° F so it's ready to take a charge. My system is set to keep the batteries between 35° F and 45° F.
I totally agree! Waisted PV charge time is no good. Also the heat cold cycles have to take a toll on the batteries.
I did the insulated box.
1-2or 4 bee hive pads based on battery voltage and a 35f on to 45f off snap action switch to hold temp. Works great!
May look rough in picture but I also added a set of heaters on a electronic stat control for redundant safety.
Picture one is 4 pads taped to metal plate. 2 on snap action and 2 on stat.
Picture two is view of box on end showing pad plate screwed to bottom.
When laid flat batteries can be slid in on bottom and center supports allowing 1.5” space for easy heat movement around them.
 

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