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  1. PeteW

    Top Balancing (16), 280AH LiFePO4 cells. Please check my Plan.

    Hey there Will, I'm also very new at all of this, but you are asking all of the right questions and your instincts off separating cells are correct. Hopefully you are also using the wiki and resource library, where there are many fine articles, to get some "good lern'n" ;) . I've been...
  2. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    Hi John, I owe you an apology. As you may remember, the wife and I went on a trip to mountains two weeks ago to celebrate our anniversary. I intended to get up with you as soon as we returned, but some materials to build a couple of dressers (I'd promised my wife) arrived while I was gone and...
  3. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    Check. We're relaxing in the cabin we rented. I'll try and do some reading on the Capacity Tester over the next few days. We head back home on Thursday.
  4. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    Thanks for all of this. Sorry it's taken so long to reply. Really busy the past couple of days. Our 36 wedding anniversary is on the 18th. We leave tomorrow for a trip to a cabin in the Blue Ridge mountains. We'll be back home in Thursday. I have everything I need to make the leads, 10awg...
  5. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    Very possible. They have barcode stickers on the positive sides. They each have a unique serial number. The serial numbers were not used on the supposed Inspection Report that was sent with the cells. Just numbers 1 through 16 which were not on the cells. For that reason I didn't find the sheet...
  6. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    Yeah, I tried reaching out to them twice to ask if there were torque specs for tightening nuts on the studs. Could be it doesn't translate well, but I did not receive a reply either time. The cells are basically pristine based on many I've seen in videos. No swelling and no dents. The sheet...
  7. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    This part I understand. Thank you for showing me the math and how it's used to figure this type of thing out.
  8. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    Michael Caro helped me get these cells. This was the beginning of summer in 2021. He recommended a couple companies. Keheng was one of them. At the time he felt they were offering the best cells and service. Although they did cost more than the other company, whose name escapes me. I went with...
  9. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    280Ah Keheng cells. Thanks for pointing this out, I've added it to my opening statement.
  10. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    Thank you, your expansion was very helpful. Where might I learn more about how you arrived at the percentages used above? Not quite sure why the BMS will allow 480 service amps, but we only want to use 285 amps ( And I guess we're talking about 285A at 12V). Also, trying to understand the...
  11. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    Okay, I understand. At this point I haven't done that. And will make sure not to. I've had the cells for a year and felt I should at least do something to boost them a bit. As I mentioned I'm rebuilding an Airstream and I'm the first to admit I might have a few to many irons in the fire.;)
  12. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    Thanks, I never went past that nor did I completely top balance the cells. This was more of a practice exercise. I've been informed that it's not good for them to try and keep them continually top balanced, thankfully I haven't, and I was encouraged to get my BMSs before doing more. Working...
  13. PeteW

    BMS Questions, unsure which brand to use, thoughts on the Victron 12/200 BMS

    Thanks. I actually have thoroughly read that paper and I felt that I understood it. I did not see what you've informed me mentioned, but I have not top balance them full at this point and now I won't. I will wait until I get my BMSs to go further down that road. I'm still working on wrapping...
  14. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    First, due to My misunderstanding we're now discussing the wrong topics in each thread. We're discussing BMSs in the top balancing thread and top balancing in the BMS thread. It doesn't matter to me me, I leave it up to you. I can follow the math and I can see where your going with it related...
  15. PeteW

    BMS Questions, unsure which brand to use, thoughts on the Victron 12/200 BMS

    Well, that answers that then! Thank you. The guy that told me about it has victron batteries, but I'm not sure he realized I needed to have Victron batteries to use the BMS. If you have to time could you please check this thread and let me know what your think. It's a continuation of the top...
  16. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    Hi John, Thanks for your help, I've moved my BMS questions and my response to your questions here. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/bms-questions-unsure-which-brand-to-use-thoughts-on-the-victron-12-200-bms.48801/
  17. PeteW

    BMS Questions, unsure which brand to use, thoughts on the Victron 12/200 BMS

    Hey John, Thanks for your help. Per your suggestion I've moved the BMS questions to this new thread, which I should have done to begin with. I've also copied your response from the original thread. I hope it works. I'll also respond there with a link here to hopefully get you to the right...
  18. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    I've moved my BMS questions to a new thread.
  19. PeteW

    BMS Questions, unsure which brand to use, thoughts on the Victron 12/200 BMS

    I'm building a 12V, 1,120Ah battery bank using 16 280Ah Keheng cells. I've been strongly considering the Over Kill BMS. Mostly because I know very little about BMSs, and the Overkill BMS is recommended by Will and others in the forums. At the same time I began leaning toward the Overkill BMS I...
  20. PeteW

    Testing - Top Balancing Experiment - 4 cells at a time

    No BMS as yet (More on this below.), so I'm doing some top balancing 4, 280Ah cells at a time (As opposed to building 12V batteries and pre-charging). If you see this I'd be interested in your opinions on this. I began doing some top balancing 4 cells at a time yesterday. I only did them for...
  21. PeteW

    How do I size bus bars for my LiFePO4 280Ah cells?

    Well this is long time coming. I did order the 110 1/8" x 3/4" copper from onlinemetal.com. Thanks so much for that recommendation, good prices and service. I did quite a bit of research on the adding slots to busbars. I was told in no uncertain terms that using an end mill on a drill press...
  22. PeteW

    Top Balancing (16), 280AH LiFePO4 cells. Please check my Plan.

    https://diysolarforum.com/members/sunshine_eggo.39831/ https://diysolarforum.com/members/substrate.28083/ No BMS as yet, so I'm doing some Top Balancing 4 cells at a time (As opposed to building 12V batteries and pre-charging). If you see this I'd be interested in your opinions on this. I do...
  23. PeteW

    Top Balancing (16), 280AH LiFePO4 cells. Please check my Plan.

    Thanks again for all of this help!
  24. PeteW

    Top Balancing (16), 280AH LiFePO4 cells. Please check my Plan.

    Understood. Yes that is what I meant, except for your tip about using the multimeter. Thank you.
  25. PeteW

    Top Balancing (16), 280AH LiFePO4 cells. Please check my Plan.

    sunshine-eggo Thank you for taking your precious time to help me! Since I would be creating a battery, even if just for the pre-charge before top balancing I thought that compression would be needed. I don’t want to be doing things just for the sake of doing. I would like to understand why. I...
  26. PeteW

    Top Balancing (16), 280AH LiFePO4 cells. Please check my Plan.

    Hi folks, I need to top balance (16), 280AH Keheng prismatic cells. The voltages range between 3.29V and 3.28V with only one cell at 3.27V I do not have them yet but I intend to use OverKill BMS. This battery bank will end up in an Airstream Travel trailer. I've been kind of flipping back an...
  27. PeteW

    Wiring Advice Sought

    Great tip! Thank you. I've definitely wondered about UV and how to know it was accounted for. Pete
  28. PeteW

    Wiring Advice Sought

    Sorry, I should have been more clear. There will be a dedicated ground wire the backbone of which will be 10AWG. I've measured all of the running lights and their current draw is very low. They measure in the milliamps, all below one amp, that includes when they are combined as some of them...
  29. PeteW

    Wiring Advice Sought

    I'm rebuilding and therefore rewiring a 29' 1992 Excella Classic Airstream. All of my lighting, including running lights, will be 12VDC and it will all be LED. The running lights will be on their own individual circuits for the 7 pin connector. House lighting will be separate and may also be on...
  30. PeteW

    Question about initially charging LiFePO4 cells before top balancing

    Careful, that will become a new sales pitch. ?
  31. PeteW

    Question about initially charging LiFePO4 cells before top balancing

    Good Catch, Yes it is. That should have read, 3.286.
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