A ton of LiFePo⁴ cells

[Spunky]

Still nothing but crickets from 18650. Talked to a lady there that looking up my email and said, "she'd forward it to management".
I put the 4 new cells on a EBC-40, zketech and got these results. I'll test one of the SFK cells soon and compare to the EVE test sheet that SunFunKits promptly provided up front along promptly answering emails, phone calls and text.

308.9Ah 04QCB76G51603JD9F0004605

307.8Ah 04QCB76G40703JD9F0008513

307.3Ah 04QCB76G51703JD9G0003838

304.9Ah 04QCB76G40703JD9F0004292

 

[Alkaline]

Spunky Those look great for 280AH rated cells they are all higher than 280. The SFK cells have the round bottom so I'm guessing you will be mid 290s with the SFK 280Ks as they are round terminals vs the octagons that the 18650 have.

The Octagon 280K are basically 1 KW cells and the round look to be around 940 WH.

 

[Spunky]

Here's the test subject:

1st discharge; 292.5Ah

Recharge;. 293.8Ah started @ 20A, but got impatient.

2nd discharge; 291.0Ah
.19mΩ @ 2.89V (after discharging)

Running 40 amps through 10ga leads was giving off heat, so I'm not sure if that energy was being counted in the test. I'll run one more test at 20amps.

Either way, those hex top cells test higher than other ones.

 

[Alkaline]

Yeah the octagon are about 10 ah more from what I have read. In fact some grade B 280K octagons are doing 290 as well. So 290 ish for the round base v3 and 300 ish for the octagon. Also if tested in temps below 70 it would be a little less but may at most 2-3ah.

 

[Rossman]

Spunky Those look great for 280AH rated cells they are all higher than 280. The SFK cells have the round bottom so I'm guessing you will be mid 290s with the SFK 280Ks as they are round terminals vs the octagons that the 18650 have.

The Octagon 280K are basically 1 KW cells and the round look to be around 940 WH.

Re-watch the video. It looks to me like the cell on the right is round terminal and the one of the left is octagonal?

 

[SalmanFarooz]

Mr. Spunky do you have a manual or guide on how to setup the cells? I just got 48 cells and 3 bms units but no instructions on how to set them, there are a LOT of wires and connections.

 

[Spunky]

do you have a manual or guide on how to setup the cells?

This is the BasenGreen pdf from their site.

https://www.basenpower.com/uploadfile/2023/10/25/20231025104904bypnPT.pdf

 

[42OhmsPA]

This is a strange one... Makes me question Gobel...
@Spunky your thread is famous...


Link from email reroutes to this thread.

A ton of LiFePo⁴ cells

Finally received my cells today, looks like my winter indoor project will be a long one. Stacked four high, 40 cells per box. In possession, going low and slow. Unboxing video And a closeup. They'll be going into Basen-Green rack battery boxes and SunFunKits also found me some new Pace...

gobelpower.us20.list-manage.com

 

[Spunky]

Are they drawing conclusion from @Alkaline comments?
That because, the cells are all basically charged before reaching 3.65v, they must be grade A?

For sure I'd say they were well matched. Maybe Gobel sees premium cells as all being near some high tolerance point?

Either way, it's not me. This Forum is leading the way and the manufactures are all ears.

I'm still building batteries in between work and outdoor projects that the warm weather has made possible.

I had a HelTec balancer fail (kinda like Will's up-in-smoke deal), but there to catch it. I was only using it to commission the batteries and have alligator clips on the leads.
Now wiring Neey Smart Active Balancers with BT into each battery. I sure like having an App to monitor things.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Not sure what they are doing, I found it odd they are linking to your thread.
I've never even dealt with that person from Gobel, it appears to be a mass email.

 

[Alkaline]

Are they drawing conclusion from @Alkaline comments?
That because, the cells are all basically charged before reaching 3.65v, they must be grade A?

I had a HelTec balancer fail (kinda like Will's up-in-smoke deal), but there to catch it. I was only using it to commission the batteries and have alligator clips on the leads.

Can you post pics of the balancer I'm mounting a 16s active in my eel v3 kit, I have been using the little 4 cell versions for a while in fact a few people I helped fix there batteries with the 4s version.

Maybe the voltage is too high for the 48v?

 

[Alkaline]

I noticed the 16s balancer is actually 2-8s balancers merged into 1. I used 3 of these 8s on my 24 packs for about 2 years without issue.

BUT I'm wondering if it makes a difference on which side you plug the wire harness in as it appears to have 2 ports?

 

[Spunky]

Can you post pics of the balancer I'm mounting a 16s active in my eel v3 kit, I have been using the little 4 cell versions for a while in fact a few people I helped fix there batteries with the 4s version.

Maybe the voltage is too high for the 48v?

The circled component is what went up in smoke (this one is still working). There are plugs at opposite ends of the board, the leads are too short to mount the board at the front of the battery case.
The Neey is supposed to do 24S, I pulled the extra leads (enough wires in there already ). The last lead is needed for power, I inserted B16 and B+ in the same ring terminal. The instructions weren't clear about B+, but I would think that a switch could be added inline here. The HelTec has a place on the PC board for an on/off switch.

 

[horchner]

Finally got the cells all uncrated and sorted. The 1st group of 16 were placed in the BasenGreen box. And varied from 302.8862 ~ 302.7712 Ah ; .115Ah per their test.
1) 302.7993
2) 302.8731
3) 302.8855
4) 302.8098
5) 302.7712
6) 302.8809
7) 302.7771
8) 302.8234
9) 302.8862
10) 302.8631
11) 302.8536
12) 302.8108
13) 302.8324
14) 302.8030
15) 302.8386
16) 302.8537
The cells fit snuggly behind the front plate and needed a push to compress the foam pad supplied and catch a couple threads of the bolts.
I added a 16ga. plate to the rear, to cover the large opening there. This was a piece 6"x24" I purchased from the local hardware.
View attachment 179229
The fit and finish of the box needed nothing else.
I ordered 9 of these without BMSes from BasenGreen on Alibaba and dealt with Daria. Price DDP was $3465, that's $385 each. I ordered an additional one State side with a BMS for $597, to get my hands on one sooner. Then purchased Pace BMS (SFK) for each @ $168 plus a 200A Nader breaker from Signature Solar @ $57 delivered ($631.20 with parts).
So in hind site, Gobel will sell kits without cells, if you order 10 or more for $618.90 DDP and with the BMS I wanted plus a 250A breaker ready for cells.
All the BasenGreens came with the BMSes installed anyhow, so I tried their brand and thought I'd keep the others for backup. I didn't like the PC software and didn't even try it with SolarAssistant. So the modifications started; the leads all reached and just needed to add a jumper from line side of the Nader (high temp wire coming this is #4 105°C welding wire).
View attachment 179234
BasenGreen's BMS was similar to a Pace, but was missing the Dry Contact port and display buttons were different spacing. I placed the breaker where the On/Off switch was and relocated the switch (the switch plug was compatible with the Pace). Their display plug had 6 prongs and the Pace has 5, I wasn't chancing the comm port compatibility either. View attachment 179256 I'll remove the Balance PCB when some ¼” ring terminals arrive, as those plugs were different too. The mounting bosses all lined up and two of the display screws caught the edge with a washer.
View attachment 179239
Edit: added a pic

Hi Spunky,

On a photo I notice you have a 2 pole breaker but you use both poles for the positive. Why is that? Does that double the breaking capacity or something?

 

[Spunky]

Hi Spunky,

On a photo I notice you have a 2 pole breaker but you use both poles for the positive. Why is that? Does that double the breaking capacity or something?

Yes, that is the thinking there.
I purchased those from SignatureSolar, this link should take you to those Nader 200 Amp breakers.

The Basen wiring that I used has borderline ampacity ratings, so I derated the BMS output and use the breakers as switches.
Some people would have added fusing to match the rating of their jumper wires, but the breakers were an addition to what I had.
It's been said that, "you can't be too safe" for now, this is where I stopped and have plans of moving them outside into a steel container (power shed).

 

[horchner]

Yes, that is the thinking there.
I purchased those from SignatureSolar, this link should take you to those Nader 200 Amp breakers.

The Basen wiring that I used has borderline ampacity ratings, so I derated the BMS output and use the breakers as switches.
Some people would have added fusing to match the rating of their jumper wires, but the breakers were an addition to what I had.
It's been said that, "you can't be too safe" for now, this is where I stopped and have plans of moving them outside into a steel container (power shed).

Nice to know that it is posible to combine the two poles of a 2P breaker. Thanks for the link.