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Should I spend more for SOK bluetooth batteries?

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GratitudeJourney

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Joined
Feb 17, 2022
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I am brand new to Lithium Batteries and wonder if its worth spending the extra money to get the Bluetooth SOK batteries. I am not going to be using them in cold weather. Thanks for your opinions and help!
 
GratitudeJourney said:
I am brand new to Lithium Batteries and wonder if its worth spending the extra money to get the Bluetooth SOK batteries. I am not going to be using them in cold weather. Thanks for your opinions and help!
Click to expand...
Could you provide links to the two batteries you are comparing? I started to answer but realized my assumptions about the features of the non-Bluetooth may be incorrect.
 
FilterGuy said:
Could you provide links to the two batteries you are comparing? I started to answer but realized my assumptions about the features of the non-Bluetooth may be incorrect.
Click to expand...
Yes, thank you!

www.us.sokbattery.com

SOK 100Ah 12V LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery | SOK Battery USA​

sok 100Ah 12V Lithium Iron Phosphate LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery,sk12v100
www.us.sokbattery.com
www.us.sokbattery.com

www.us.sokbattery.com

SOK 12V100Ah LiFePO4 Battery Bluetooth&Built-in heater | SOK Battery USA​

SK12V100H lithium iron phosphate battery is design for cold temperature performance.It built-in with 60Watts heater pad inside. Also, SK12100H built-in bluetooth function.
www.us.sokbattery.com
www.us.sokbattery.com
 
OK.... Thanks.

Both will work.

The non-Bluetooth will be set to a fairly low Low-voltage disconnect (LVD) and a fairly high high-voltage disconnect(HVD). If your loads and chargers all have LVD and HVD settings, they will be set to kick out before the battery BMS kicks out so unless there is a separate problem, the BMS should never have to disconnect.

The Bluetooth will give you a lot more data for things like cell voltages and a lot more settings of things like HVD and LVD.

Some people really like the ability to see all the data and tweak the settings so the Bluetooth is good for them.

Other people are less interested in this kind of insight and control, they just want to set up the system and forget about it.

When I first started with LiFePO I wanted all the control and data I could get..... but I have found that once a system is set up and working, I just don't check the data anymore. Frankly, the only time all the data is useful is if I am debugging a battery build, but with a pre-built battery that should be very uncommon. Furthermore, if it is still under warranty it does not matter..... just replace it.

So..... the question back at you is this: What kind of person are you. Do you like to tinker and get down in the minutia or do just want to build the system and be done with it?
 
FilterGuy said:
OK.... Thanks.

Both will work.

The non-Bluetooth will be set to a fairly low Low-voltage disconnect (LVD) and a fairly high high-voltage disconnect(HVD). If your loads and chargers all have LVD and HVD settings, they will be set to kick out before the battery BMS kicks out so unless there is a separate problem, the BMS should never have to disconnect.

The Bluetooth will give you a lot more data for things like cell voltages and a lot more settings of things like HVD and LVD.

Some people really like the ability to see all the data and tweak the settings so the Bluetooth is good for them.

Other people are less interested in this kind of insight and control, they just want to set up the system and forget about it.

When I first started with LiFePO I wanted all the control and data I could get..... but I have found that once a system is set up and working, I just don't check the data anymore. Frankly, the only time all the data is useful is if I am debugging a battery build, but with a pre-built battery that should be very uncommon. Furthermore, if it is still under warranty it does not matter..... just replace it.

So..... the question back at you is this: What kind of person are you. Do you like to tinker and get down in the minutia or do just want to build the system and be done with it?
Click to expand...
I would like to just set up the system and not worry about it. Frankly, I don't think I would know what very much of the information would mean anyways.

So then I guess the only other thing that there would be to consider is the built in heater. At what temperatures would it be worth it to have the built in heater? I doubt we are ever going to be in below freezing temperatures.

Thank you for all the information BTW. I know we need to replace our batteries in the motorhome we just bought and I understand that LiFePO batteries are superior in many aspects. But beyond that, I don't understand much else about DC electricity. We are replacing the converter that is in the MH to one that properly charges lithium batteries. Is there anything else I should or need to consider changing or adding?
 
The sok bms will shut down charging at 32 degrees. I just bought 4 of the 206ah units and this is a concern for me when rv living in shoulder seasons. They will still discharge, just not charge.
 
GratitudeJourney said:
So then I guess the only other thing that there would be to consider is the built in heater. At what temperatures would it be worth it to have the built in heater? I doubt we are ever going to be in below freezing temperatures.
Click to expand...
The @Will Prowse video the @rmaddy pointed you to is a great reference for making a decision.

The big no-no is trying to charge the battery when the cells are below 0C (32F). This can quickly and permanently damage the cells. The SOKs all have low temp disconnect so you don't have to worry about damaging the battery. If it ever gets too cold the BMS will stop charging but you will still be able to discharge to run your devices. However, if the temperature stays cold, the batteries will eventually run down and you won't be able to charge them till it gets warm.

If your batteries are well insulated, it seems unlikely you would ever get to a point of the BMS doing a cold-temp charge disconnect, particularly if the batteries are inside the Motor Home. If it does get that cold for an extended period, it will be an inconvenience but not a damaging problem.
 
JeffreyD said:
In another thread I asked about battery heating. Consensus and advice I am following is to wait and see how cold my batteries get. I will use a small heater to warm the compartment in a pinch, then figure out heat
Click to expand...
Good idea. It depends where you live and travel, and what you want for the batteries when the RV is not in use.

I am in Canada and have two DIY 280Ah LiFePo4 in my van, in insulated ABS cases. I do have heater pads in the batteries, but mostly use them (along with a 950 watts 120V portable heater) to warm up the batteries before an outing (it takes about five hours when it’s -15 Celsius outside). Between outings, I do activate the heater pads (I have an external switch) when temperature is to go below -20 Celsius.

Do I need internal battery heating? In my case, yes. I guess I could warm up the van with a portable 120V heater, but that would take days.
 
FYI to anyone considering the Bluetooth model.

It has been confirmed by SOK that the BLE BMS has a over current discharge protection of 120A with peak of 200A compared to the 200A cutoff and 330A peak of the non-BLE BMS. This can play a significant factor based on your power needs and should be considered when making a purchase decision.

I have been happy with the BLE battery and do plan on subfreezing charging. It fits some of my needs, however, I did scale back my inverter due to these reduced limitations.
 
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