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just a thought - add an active balancer temporarily to an existing (non DIY) battery?

fmeili1

Solar Addict
Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Messages
677
Location
Arizona, Mohave County
Just a thinking.

I own 12 server rack batteries, just 1 year old, still well balanced (cells in batteries and batteries among each other) and therefore there is currently no need for action. Furthermore, the batteries still have a warranty of several years left.

I am wondering the following: What could be done if the cells in a battery are no longer well balanced in a few years and the difference becomes ever larger so that the internal passive balancer is no longer sufficient to "repair" it.

Would it make sense to connect balancing cables in the battery to the cells and attach a plug to the housing to access it from the outside. You could then connect an active balancer to this if it will be necessary and remove it again after the "repair".

Current active balancers should not remain permanently activated anyway, as this can have a negative effect.

Has anyone tried this before?

Is this a good idea or a bad idea?
 
I am wondering the following: What could be done if the cells in a battery are no longer well balanced in a few years and the difference becomes ever larger so that the internal passive balancer is no longer sufficient to "repair" it.

Probably time to replace the battery.

Would it make sense to connect balancing cables in the battery to the cells and attach a plug to the housing to access it from the outside. You could then connect an active balancer to this if it will be necessary and remove it again after the "repair".

This might extend usable life, but I would feel compelled to monitor it nearly daily.

Is this a good idea or a bad idea?

Neither. :P
 
I watched a video in youtube from off-grid garage: 'neey active balancer installation in jakiper battery'
He is doing what you propose to keep the cells balanced inside that non diy battery.
 
My batts are cheapest Chinese shit that I could find (~125e/kWh) and their initial top balance is usually bad. Also had to change bad cell on one of them which I got free from the seller. Latest two had fairly good top balance but both had one or two soldering problems with sense/passive balancer wires. I have installed Neey wiring loom (~15e) every time I had to open one up, just in case. Usually it is enough to do top balance once and then I can disconnect my Neey balancer as original passive balancer is beefy enough to keep top balance.
 
What are the Make and Model of the Batteries?
It's a more general question. As already mentioned, mine are currently in an excellent condition, still like new (<200 cycles, about 1 year old) and still have many years warranty left. I don't want to open up mine in the near future.

Btw. I have 8 EG4-LL (V2) and 4 EG4-LL-S batteries.
 
My batts are cheapest Chinese shit that I could find (~125e/kWh) and their initial top balance is usually bad. Also had to change bad cell on one of them which I got free from the seller. Latest two had fairly good top balance but both had one or two soldering problems with sense/passive balancer wires. I have installed Neey wiring loom (~15e) every time I had to open one up, just in case. Usually it is enough to do top balance once and then I can disconnect my Neey balancer as original passive balancer is beefy enough to keep top balance.
Just curious, how often do you need to attach the active balancer to get these "cheap" batteries re-balance again?
 
Just curious, how often do you need to attach the active balancer to get these "cheap" batteries re-balance again?
Never?

Well, not sure yet. Winter is just beginning and solar production is going to suck for three next months or so. Maybe cells drift away when they rarely get full anymore. Until recently my batts have got full before noon and stayed full until ~22.00, so plenty time for original balancer to keep cells in line.
 

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