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Will Prowse recommends the Rich solar 400W panels, and I have a few of their 200w panels and have no complaints. But current promotional sale pricing has Rich Solar 400W panels, Qty of 10 for $4,800, and free shipping = $1.20/watt. SunGoldPower is listing a 415W panel, qty of 10 for $2,575 =...

You need to know the max input voltage of your MPPT controller. This will determine how you need to configure the panel array(s). If the input voltage (Voc) is too high, it will fry the system. What brand and model is the 4k inverter? In either situation, you should be fine with 10awg PV solar...

I know how that is. Thanks, and I look forward when you get around to it.

That was most helpful, thank you!

Yes, but that is close. The 12Ah battery has a max charge current of 6 amps. There doesn't seem to be a good solution for what I have in mind, in terms of charging from the big battery to the small. So I am going to try a different direction, and see if I can make the small one more independent...

I am drawing a blank, brain lock, and either there is a simple method I am missing or a more complicated answer. After building out a large LiFePO4 battery bank/inverter/solar system for my RV, I was left with enough spare parts and ideas to build a few DIY Milk Crate and Ammo Box style solar...

I have the Li Time 100Ah Mini, and it has been sitting waiting for a project for a number of weeks now after fully charging, and is resting at 13.37v. The other Ampere Time (previous name of company) 100Ah batteries are currently part of a 500Ah battery bank in our RV trailer. I cannot tell you...

Agreed. The capacity testing is really just to make sure the batteries are good, and will all play nice with each other once wired together into a larger battery bank. If any of them were falling well short or having a problem charging, I would return it/replace it. The testing is to prevent me...

Update. Also checked the battery with a second multimeter, and same voltage. Next, I connected the battery to a 2000W inverter and ran a space heater pulling 142amp from the battery. It functioned. Let it run for about 20 minutes. Disconnected everything, and again checked the battery voltage...

@RV10flyer, FYI, I am a Bonanza flyer. So I am trying to find a smaller solution, something I can build into my milk crate that in turn, my small unit can plug into to charge. Ideal would be 12v (14.5v) at 6amps to charge the 12Ah battery (max charge with BMS). Since all systems I have built are...

Perfect, thank you for the replies. I have similar thoughts that many of the solar panels from different name brands are actually the same panels re-branded or have minor differences, with similar quality and features to most. So would rather pay half. Yes, size, fit, and specifications all...

I have one of these under my battery bank, and did as will shows in the video. Test your Facon heat pad before you install it, and do so in real or closely simulated conditions. I did not, and have them installed on my RV tanks, and one under my battery bank as described in Will's video. But...

I have followed this thread since my earlier comment, and IMHO it is just going down hill. You are trying desperately to make this all work with a 1200w inverter, but it simply is not going to do the job you need it to. The SOK battery BMS with a 100A max discharge is a limiting factor. You will...

True. I guess I was generalizing too much. Wanted to make sure he had a large enough battery and BMS to support his inverter. Wasn't sure if he was trying to connect a 300w inverter to a 6Ah, 12Ah or similar smallish battery with an equally small BMS. But a 50Ah likely supports a discharge rate...

Agreed. I think it is a post-charge event. The History tab in the Victron app will show the charge progress, and if it was "Completed" or stopped by other means. And yes, this followed through to completion for full cycle. I have not. That might be a next step to investigate. First will try a...

I bought three new Li Time 230Ah Plus with LTCP and am having exactly the same experience as you describe. All of them arrive with a voltage around 13.11v. I charge with a Victron IP22 30A charger, and when it completes the cycle, the battery reads 12.89v or 12.96v ----this has been the case...

When it comes to battery capacity testing, I see Will using or listing several odd little gizmos for doing so. I see them on Ebay and Amazon. Why can't I simply use my Victron 500A Smart Shunt with the app to run capacity testing on a battery? Fully charge and zero current calibrate to 100%...

Could you please tell me how exactly you connected the lugs to the terminal? Did you insert a post screw with a nut to secure the lug, or a threaded M6 bolt through the lug? I just received mine, but was expecting them to extend out. This is a pleasant surprise to save space, but am unsure how...

Maybe this will help, reinforce what the others have been saying.

I think as long as your plans keep the amperage under 30amps, and maybe with a margin of safety, you should be okay. I understand what you mean that the connector itself seems less substantial and you question the capacity. Not sure if there is a definitive answer out there as to max amp...

Well, yeah, those are the possible gremlins. The meter is a Klein, and seems to work perfectly on anything else. I have also connected two other LiFePo4 specific chargers, a Victron and an EG4. Have also played with the settings on the two Victron smart chargers to adjust voltage parameters, but...

Thank you. That makes sense and would be the ideal method for critical measurement. I tried the Victron shunt (because I already have it), on a 230Ah Li Time, with a 2000w inverter and a space heater, with a total draw of around 145A. When the voltage dropped below the inverter threshold, I let...

Just purchased this battery (and have a second one on the way). The battery arrived yesterday, with a resting voltage of 13.11v. I connected a Victron 25A smart charger with the LiFePo4 charge parameters. After fully charging, and allowing time for it to recover, the resting voltage now reads...

Yes, both of the larger systems have pure sine wave inverters incorporated... so yes, could easily plug a charger into an inverter and use that to charge the smaller portable, but that just seems so inefficient to go from DC to AC back to DC. Was hoping there was a simple and more direct way...

These batteries seem to do better with their respective BMS, if the charger max voltage is set below 14.6v. I have been experimenting with the Victron Ip22 30A charger, and the batteries seem happiest if the max charge voltage is 14.4v (manual says 14.4v +/- .2v). When left to do it's thing, it...

All true, but also depends on your build/scenario. The pad and sheet aluminum are pretty snug under my battery bank/box, and strapped down. More so, the batteries are in their own commercial cases (not DIY cells), and the pad is wired to the DC panel with a minimal fuse. So if it shorts to the...

Thank you for trying... Everything is already 12v. The bigger systems are 12v, but with 280Ah or 160Ah batteries, and I want to use them to charge smaller 12v batteries, such as a 12Ah battery system. I cannot just connect them. I think I need a device in the middle, some form of DC to DC device...

Interesting... just glanced at it. But batteries I am talking about are very dissimilar in capacity.

Somehow I got the impression or possibly wrongly assumed you wanted to use SAE connectors to connect solar panels to a solar charge controller, but in re-reading the thread, you want to connect a battery to an inverter with an SAE connector, is that correct? But at the same time it doesn't make...

Should use a breaker or more realistically a fuse in-line with the battery positive terminal. You add a fuse/breaker to protect the wire from over-current, so they don't melt down and start a fire. Maybe just a 3amp, or 5amp at most. The fuse in the Victron will only possibly protect the...