garetwo
New Member
Is a battery balancing system the same as a battery equalizing system? Will they work with multiple banks of four in series, in parallel with one another? Or must they somehow be isolated?
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Is battery equalizer required for batteries in series?
- Thread starter Riley
- Start date
Um, it depends? If you go to the link below, they have some devices that are called both.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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garetwo
New Member
If I build my own one day, this is what I will do
If I ever graduate from a 12 volt system, that's what I will do too.
garetwo
New Member
I was born confused and life has only made it stronger. I thought balancing is what is done at the beginning and every now-and-then, so I thought when someone said they balanced them or got a balancer, it was specific. Equalizing, I thought, is all the time, but I learned there must be a minimum voltage difference AND it does not really go on much in the flat part of the LifePO4 span of while-in-use volts ... It appears, and I am actually asking if it is true, they are the same thing?
When we talk of balancing cells, most BMS will start that process at 3.4 volts, which is usually somewhere in the LiFePO4 knee. A battery balancer may be a bit more proactive and try to keep all the batteries in the string at the same voltage or state of charge, should it be that smart or have sufficient communication with the BMS.
I haven't used a balancer so pretty much everything I know about them I read on the forum.
I haven't used a balancer so pretty much everything I know about them I read on the forum.
garetwo
New Member
Ok, good to know. I will look at equalizers. My next foyer is shunts.
garetwo
New Member
TimsElectriic already answered that above.
garetwo
New Member
So, major storms and stuff going on...my friend bought equalizers but when I looked them up they say “Active Balancer Lead Acid Batteries Monitor” = MAZAVA Battery Equalizer HXO2 LCD display….
Will these not work on LifePO4?
I see designations on some, what do they mean?
HX02 (are these Ohs or ZEROES?)
HCO1
HAO2
Should the equalizer be labeled for Lithium? Will either of these work? Better suggestions please (especially if they have an app to monitor them).
PowMr Battery Equalizer 48V - Battery Voltage Balancer, for 4×12V or 8×12V or more Battery Bank Extend Battery Life 1 Year and More, support Gel Flood AGM Lithium Battery HA02 Balancer(Battery Equalizer 48V)
OR
MAZAVA HA02 Battery Equalizer Voltage Regulator Balancer for 4pcs Batteries Parallel Connected in Series for 48V Battery System, Solar Power System Extend Battery Life
Do they require any fusing relative to wire size or listed max amperage?
Next is the shunt….I have to read about it before I can ask more naïve questions. Victron SmartShunt 500A/50mV
ADDED BONUS QUESTION: Are shunts supposed to go on the negative wire?
Will these not work on LifePO4?
I see designations on some, what do they mean?
HX02 (are these Ohs or ZEROES?)
HCO1
HAO2
Should the equalizer be labeled for Lithium? Will either of these work? Better suggestions please (especially if they have an app to monitor them).
PowMr Battery Equalizer 48V - Battery Voltage Balancer, for 4×12V or 8×12V or more Battery Bank Extend Battery Life 1 Year and More, support Gel Flood AGM Lithium Battery HA02 Balancer(Battery Equalizer 48V)
OR
MAZAVA HA02 Battery Equalizer Voltage Regulator Balancer for 4pcs Batteries Parallel Connected in Series for 48V Battery System, Solar Power System Extend Battery Life
Do they require any fusing relative to wire size or listed max amperage?
Next is the shunt….I have to read about it before I can ask more naïve questions. Victron SmartShunt 500A/50mV
ADDED BONUS QUESTION: Are shunts supposed to go on the negative wire?
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The PowMr Battery Equalizer sounds like the better option. A LiFePO4-aware device is preferred.
A shunt goes on the negative side.
A shunt goes on the negative side.
Vigo
Solar Addict
I have one of those 'equalizers' on a series string of 4x 12v 280ah batteries.
I took that approach because at the time, getting ~14kwh this way was ~$2400 whereas getting the closest equivalent in server rack batteries would be ~$3500 (for 3x 100ah 5kwh batteries). At this point that spread is a little narrower but i was very price sensitive and sort of still am.
BUT, i did start buying 48v batteries! Just, 50ah ones like these. Im now up to 4 of those. So im now 25kwh deep into a 48v lifepo4 setup and still have not touched a server rack battery..
I took that approach because at the time, getting ~14kwh this way was ~$2400 whereas getting the closest equivalent in server rack batteries would be ~$3500 (for 3x 100ah 5kwh batteries). At this point that spread is a little narrower but i was very price sensitive and sort of still am.
BUT, i did start buying 48v batteries! Just, 50ah ones like these. Im now up to 4 of those. So im now 25kwh deep into a 48v lifepo4 setup and still have not touched a server rack battery..
garetwo
New Member
i saw that right after sending the image, it is stamped right on the shunt, thanks!!
garetwo
New Member
Yeah, he bought his batteries a couple of years ago. I have a feeling if he knew all of the extra time and stuff now going into them..... One person on here said it will be so problematic I may have to live there. Another said to cut the battery tops off, pull the BMSes out and use different ones on the individual cells - I thought he was messing with me. I totally think differently now.I have one of those 'equalizers' on a series string of 4x 12v 280ah batteries.
I took that approach because at the time, getting ~14kwh this way was ~$2400 whereas getting the closest equivalent in server rack batteries would be ~$3500 (for 3x 100ah 5kwh batteries). At this point that spread is a little narrower but i was very price sensitive and sort of still am.
BUT, i did start buying 48v batteries! Just, 50ah ones like these. Im now up to 4 of those. So im now 25kwh deep into a 48v lifepo4 setup and still have not touched a server rack battery..
garetwo
New Member
If he wants to monitor the combined output, will this work?
Yes, that would work. I'm not sure how worthwhile the shunt on each battery series will be. You'll still need to monitor each 12v battery to make sure its state of charge is similar to the other three 12v batteries within the series.
Make sure your shutoff switches are actually rated for more than 48 volts DC. Many are rated up to 48 volts, but not beyond that.
Make sure your shutoff switches are actually rated for more than 48 volts DC. Many are rated up to 48 volts, but not beyond that.
Partimewages
Solar Addict
Do you have a link for shutoff switch rated for higher than 48 volts.
garetwo
New Member
Those are not his, but I do remember they are over 48VDC, next time I am up there I will get the data on them
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I do not. I looked around last year and came up empty. No reasonably priced ones.
garetwo
New Member
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