Advice on properly charging Kilovault HLX+

KD4UPL · Mar 25, 2024

I recently bought 3 Kilovault HLX+ 12 volt 100 Ah batteries for my camper. AltE was running a super deal on them. Now I know why. Apparently Kilovault went out of business.
The batteries clearly state their Bulk and Absorb voltage is 14.0 volts. The instructions say to charge them initially to 14.1 or 14.2 before combining them in parallel which I have done with a solar charge controller that is programmable to that voltage. The instructions also say that the float should be 13.4 volts or lower.
I'm now realizing that this voltage is rather low compared to just about every other LiFePo4 battery out there. The stock solar charge controller (Go Power GP-RVC-30-MPPT) and power converter (PD4500 series) in my RV both have Lithium settings but they are too high. The solar charge controller Lithium setting is 14.4 volts bulk-absorb and 14.0 volts float. The converter's Lithium setting is 14.6 volts and near as I can tell it just stays there.
I've also been looking for a DC to DC converter to use between my truck's trailer charge wire and the batteries. Some of these I'm finding are also 14.6 volts.
Apparently 14.4 or 14.6 is "standard" lithium charge voltage. Does anyone know why the Kilovault wants only 14.0? Will 14.6 hurt the battery? I'm guessing since the battery's HBCO is 14.6 that having a charger that high will just shot off the BMS. That's now what I want.
Thanks for any help you can provide.

65NW · Mar 26, 2024

KD4UPL said:
I recently bought 3 Kilovault HLX+ 12 volt 100 Ah batteries for my camper. AltE was running a super deal on them. Now I know why. Apparently Kilovault went out of business.
The batteries clearly state their Bulk and Absorb voltage is 14.0 volts. The instructions say to charge them initially to 14.1 or 14.2 before combining them in parallel which I have done with a solar charge controller that is programmable to that voltage. The instructions also say that the float should be 13.4 volts or lower.
I'm now realizing that this voltage is rather low compared to just about every other LiFePo4 battery out there. The stock solar charge controller (Go Power GP-RVC-30-MPPT) and power converter (PD4500 series) in my RV both have Lithium settings but they are too high. The solar charge controller Lithium setting is 14.4 volts bulk-absorb and 14.0 volts float. The converter's Lithium setting is 14.6 volts and near as I can tell it just stays there.
I've also been looking for a DC to DC converter to use between my truck's trailer charge wire and the batteries. Some of these I'm finding are also 14.6 volts.
Apparently 14.4 or 14.6 is "standard" lithium charge voltage. Does anyone know why the Kilovault wants only 14.0? Will 14.6 hurt the battery? I'm guessing since the battery's HBCO is 14.6 that having a charger that high will just shot off the BMS. That's now what I want.
Thanks for any help you can provide.

I heard the same. They were dumping stock to recoup capital as they closed up shop. There's like one guy answering the phone now, rough job...

My hlx+ will just go open contact if the voltage is too high. Then the pack will shut down and you have to hit the button to turn it back on. I have had issues with keeping these from going into sleep mode in certain lighting / load condition.

For the dc to dc, check out the victron orion tr 12 12.
They come in a few versions, you probably don't need an isolated one.

KD4UPL · Mar 26, 2024

So what voltage are you charging too that makes them shut down? 14.6? I really don't want that to happen. If it does my 12 volt refrigerator will not operate which would be bad.
I ordered the external keypad for the Go Power charge controller so I can custom set the settings. I ordered a Victron 18 amp isolated DC - DC converter. It seems the smallest non-isolated they make is 30 amps output which would have to be a bit more than that on input. The charge line to the trailer plug on my truck is only fused at 30 amps and the wiring likely won't even support that. I think the 18 to 20 amps this one will pull should work.
The only thing I'm not sure about is the camper's converter. It says on the lead acid setting it goes to 14.4, then drops to 13.7 float. I think I'll run that instead of the continuous 14.6 volt Lithium setting.

seneysolar · Mar 26, 2024

KD4UPL said:
I recently bought 3 Kilovault HLX+ 12 volt 100 Ah batteries for my camper. AltE was running a super deal on them. Now I know why. Apparently Kilovault went out of business.
The batteries clearly state their Bulk and Absorb voltage is 14.0 volts. The instructions say to charge them initially to 14.1 or 14.2 before combining them in parallel which I have done with a solar charge controller that is programmable to that voltage. The instructions also say that the float should be 13.4 volts or lower.
I'm now realizing that this voltage is rather low compared to just about every other LiFePo4 battery out there. The stock solar charge controller (Go Power GP-RVC-30-MPPT) and power converter (PD4500 series) in my RV both have Lithium settings but they are too high. The solar charge controller Lithium setting is 14.4 volts bulk-absorb and 14.0 volts float. The converter's Lithium setting is 14.6 volts and near as I can tell it just stays there.
I've also been looking for a DC to DC converter to use between my truck's trailer charge wire and the batteries. Some of these I'm finding are also 14.6 volts.
Apparently 14.4 or 14.6 is "standard" lithium charge voltage. Does anyone know why the Kilovault wants only 14.0? Will 14.6 hurt the battery? I'm guessing since the battery's HBCO is 14.6 that having a charger that high will just shot off the BMS. That's now what I want.
Thanks for any help you can provide.

Not sure about your exact CC but sometimes the gel or agm setting works good on LFP in a pinch.

Sabre36 · Mar 26, 2024

Charge Your KV batts at what they recommend and they will last. KV problems are not the batteries it is a management problem..

jstoltz · Jun 1, 2024

I've had the same Kilovault batteries for a few years. The HVCO is 14.4. I used the following settings which is very close to their recommendations.

Bulk - 14.1v
Absorb - 14.2v (my alternator won't allow using the same value)
Float - 13.5v

With their recommended float voltage of 13.4 the state of charge would drift down to 70%. I always have at least a few amps of DC load. Raising it to 13.5 maintained the SOC to approximately 95%. Lithium batteries recommend not floating so I increase the float voltage to maintain a high state of charge. If I won't be using the system, a boat in my case, I lower the float voltage to the recommended 13.2v.

avanduh · Jun 17, 2024

I'm trying to configure my Victron MultiPlus inverter/charger to correctly charge the KiloVault. Seems like very few of the settings from the manual, section 4 actually map to the settings I can set on the MultiPlus. There's no bulk voltage to set at all. And absorb time can only be set to 1hr increments. Does this look OK or am I missing something?

Advice on properly charging Kilovault HLX+

KD4UPL

New Member

65NW

Its got electrolytes

KD4UPL

New Member

seneysolar

Solar Addict

Sabre36

Solar Enthusiast

jstoltz

New Member

avanduh

New Member

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