Faulty OYE Store EVE280Ah LiFePO4 Cell. Cell has discharged to zero and refuses to charge from 0 Volts- Appreciate some advice for newbee battery guy

[Charles.]

Hello all. I have been restoring an old yacht in Brisbane QLD Aust. for many years. Part of the retore was to re popwer the yacht with a more reliable off grid energy system.
just under 2 years ago I purchased 8 cells from the not so reputable OYE store on Aliexpress. I have built two working 12V 280Ah 4S batteries controlled by a Dalygreen 250amp Smart BMS. All cells where top balanced as advised by Will and assembled and load tested to the required ratings. Amazingly they worked and the ratings came out at the advertised rate of 280AH +-5. I carried out 5 repeated tests and was consistent with the cells balancing and load repeatability. I assembled the units and stored them on the shelf in a 70%SOC in a storage shed until I needed to install into the yacht. Due to health issues this has been 1 year longer than expected while I recovered. Just recently I checked both batteries and found one still at 70% but the other wouldn't turn on. After checking the cells I found one out of the 4 cells dead measuring 0V and 0.3 mohm while all other cells measuring 3.35v 0.65-0.70 mohm. The cell will not recharge using two separate dedicated Lifepo4 cell chargers. One a dedicated 15amp Lifepo4 3.65volt single cell WATE smart charger, the other a ISDT Q8 Max 30amp 8 cell Smart Battery charger. On the latter charger the unit trips after 5 seconds with an over current warning alarm.
Is there any technique I can use to recover this cell or will I need to replace it. I have tested the BMS fully functional with the other set of batteries so do not suspect a BMS failure but of a bad cell.
Please note the Oye Store company have given me the run around and refuse to replace the faulty unit under warranty as it is outside the 12month period even though I have not really used the unit. I have also tried to contact nikkie@lightnening-power.cn for support which is the address on the label on the battery but so far no response.
If I cant recover the cell then If someone lives in QLD and has a spare cell from other bad batches from these shonky sellers that they can sell me for a reasonable price I would appreciate it as at this stage I cant afford to buy another cell from the OYE store at $288 for one cell. Attached are the photos of the faulty cell and QR code and a picture of my completed batteries ready for install into the boat.
Thank you for your time any possible help.
Regards Charles

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Replace.

The cell cans are not 0V. They can't come in contact with each other. Important that the cells have some kind of spacer between each cell and something to ensure they don't come into contact with the metal case.

 

[Charles.]

Thanks for your reply
The cells are surrounded by a high density closed cell foam to ensure a close tolerance snug fit with zero movement and max rigidity and support of the battery to secure then against pounding sea conditions. Also the aluminium cases have been coated with 5 coats all up of 2pack paint inside and out.
Thanks for the suggestion as is is critical to ensure no short is present for longevity of batteries.
I have also checked the battery plastic coating for any breaks and none found. Not even a scratch.
There is also no connection between the battery positive which I have read is connected to the casing. So in summary I am confident no shorts were found and if any found one would suspect all cells to have flattened not just the one.
I have noticed over the last couple of days trying to recharge that the bad cell outside the battery box that it has slightly expanded on one side leading me to think something is wrong with cell. But then on the other hand I read many have expanded cells that still function close to designed max capabilitily.

 

[Substrate]

Replace.

Your recovery attempt pretty much assures you killed them with too much current, not to mention just the overall degradation of being down there so long.

Now what has happened is that you've blown out the active material into the electrolyte, VERY susceptible now to dendrite high-resistance shorts. This is typical of the swelling upon recharge that you are seeing.

If this was an overnight drop to zero accidentally, or some other very short-lived event, it *could* have been possible to recover, but means using very very low current. Propeller-head level low. But in your case, it was far too long - the cell ate itself up.

 

[Charles.]

I think you are right? I donot know how long it has been dead for as I thought they theoretically should keep thier storage charge for at least a year.
I normally checked them once every two months. I suspect it may have been dead for at most upto 2 month.
So you are saying Im dead in the water trying to resurrect the dead. Still confused as to why it did not take out all the other working cells.
OYE wanted me to reconect to the rest of pack and charge this dead cell and give the voltage measurements of the dead cell while on my charger.
I refused to do this as it was out of top balance to rest of working cells and may of damaged rest of working cells.
I have in the past restored low voltage battery operated tools by connecting another identical battery in parallel to put a charge into it to be recognised by the charger but was worried with current runaway if cell has an internal short so have not risked this crude method. Was hoping there was a safer way to recover this brick.
Hoping thier is someone that has spare out of another bad batch that they are happy to unload to help me save my set.
Thank you for your assistance.

 

[Substrate]

I normally checked them once every two months. I suspect it may have been dead for at most upto 2 month.
So you are saying Im dead in the water trying to resurrect the dead. Still confused as to why it did not take out all the other working cells.

Hard to say, but one common technique after placing cells into long term storage is to totally disconnect the bms / balancers just to make sure that the bms didn't have / develop a parasitic or something else to discharge that cell.

 

[CB38]

I had a problem with my lithium battery when I brought the Trimaran home, it was minus 7 degrees, the battery started to swell without charging or discharging, I took it out of the boat in fear let it explode! I separated the elements and left outside it continued to swell for 1 week !! I sent the photos (and a video there is an element which has zero volts I think it is this one which put the other H.S) to OYE STORE who sold it to me 2 years ago, he m said that it sometimes happens with the cold!!! he even sent me a photo of another person who knows how to happen!! the warranty was one year!! so it would be necessary to be able to rot store find how to do on ali express or google, looking on google store I had not seen that so many people had problems, and I do not know what to replace as a good battery, I don't speak english i go through google