LifePo4 charger controller

[Greasyrick]

Hello everyone, hope all is well, I’m having difficulty finding a 60A MPPT charger controller that has a LifePo4 battery in its battery selection menu To use with 4 12V 200ah plus batteries with built in 200A BMS, hooked up in series at 48 volt.
Is it ok to use one with Lithium-ion battery selected In the battery selection menu?

thanks in advance for replies.

 

[BentleyJ]

Lithium-ion typically requires slightly different voltages than LiFePO4. Many charge controllers do have a "User" or "Custom" menu setting that lets you select voltage for Bulk, Absorption & Float as well as Charge Current.

 

[chrisski]

Not all Lithium batteries can be put in series to 48 volts.

If the BMS’s allow it, then I would charge per the spec sheet. With Lack of a spec sheet, I would start to charge at 3.45 volts per the 16 cells, or 55.2 volts for a 48 volt battery. If I could not configure to a specific voltage, I’d get another charge controller.

On my bigger lithium batteries, I ended up charging and floating at 3.475 Per cell.

 

[Greasyrick]

Not all Lithium batteries can be put in series to 48 volts.

If the BMS’s allow it, then I would charge per the spec sheet. With Lack of a spec sheet, I would start to charge at 3.45 volts per the 16 cells, or 55.2 volts for a 48 volt battery. If I could not configure to a specific voltage, I’d get another charge controller.

On my bigger lithium batteries, I ended up charging and floating at 3.475 Per cell.

the manufacturer specifies they can be put in series to 48 volts. They have a 200A BMS capability. But, can a lithium-ion battery selection be safely used with no negative setbacks, providing the charging parameters are properly set as per the battery manufacturer?

 

[joanna_lannie]

the manufacturer specifies they can be put in series to 48 volts. They have a 200A BMS capability. But, can a lithium-ion battery selection be safely used with no negative setbacks, providing the charging parameters are properly set as per the battery manufacturer?

If you are new to batteries, it is not a big problem to follow the battery manufacturer, because they will be more professional than you, what do you think?

 

[chrisski]

the manufacturer specifies they can be put in series to 48 volts. They have a 200A BMS capability. But, can a lithium-ion battery selection be safely used with no negative setbacks, providing the charging parameters are properly set as per the battery manufacturer?

It really comes down to the charge voltage in the bulk/absoption mode and float mode whether its safe or not. If this lithium ion mode is equal to or less than your batteries voltage specs it should be fine.

When I hear a solar charge controller has a lithium ion mode, I think of one of the other lithium battery chemistries that would take less cells to make a 48 volt battery than lithium iron phosphates. LTO is one of these other chemistries. Although the LiFePO cells are a lithium ion type, I’d be concerned that the voltages in this LiON pre-set option is not for the LIFePO, but for LTO. You’d be able to tell with the voltage.

Also, if it is a PWM SCC, I would not want to use it on Lithium Batteries even though the manufacture may say it’s OK. It’s got to do with the pulse wave modulation and how the waveform looks on an oscilloscope. Could be perfectly fine, but for batteries that cost that much, I want a MPPT SCC that has a setting that you can set the votlage to a tenth of a volt. Most MPPT I have looked at have this option, but the cheaper PWM did not.

 

[Greasyrick]

If you are new to batteries, it is not a big problem to follow the battery manufacturer, because they will be more professional than you, what do you think?

don‘t Know if I should take your comment as sarcasm or if you took the time to state this to genuinely help me.

 

[Greasyrick]

It really comes down to the charge voltage in the bulk/absoption mode and float mode whether its safe or not. If this lithium ion mode is equal to or less than your batteries voltage specs it should be fine.

When I hear a solar charge controller has a lithium ion mode, I think of one of the other lithium battery chemistries that would take less cells to make a 48 volt battery than lithium iron phosphates. LTO is one of these other chemistries. Although the LiFePO cells are a lithium ion type, I’d be concerned that the voltages in this LiON pre-set option is not for the LIFePO, but for LTO. You’d be able to tell with the voltage.

Also, if it is a PWM SCC, I would not want to use it on Lithium Batteries even though the manufacture may say it’s OK. It’s got to do with the pulse wave modulation and how the waveform looks on an oscilloscope. Could be perfectly fine, but for batteries that cost that much, I want a MPPT SCC that has a setting that you can set the votlage to a tenth of a volt. Most MPPT I have looked at have this option, but the cheaper PWM did not.

Thanks for the help, since I’m new to this, I wasn’t sure just changing the voltage settings would be sufficient, sometimes I tend to overthink things causing me to get confused, just wanted to make sure the charge controllers wouldn’t cycle at different intervals or something else based on battery types.
Again , thanks for the help.

 

[joanna_lannie]

don‘t Know if I should take your comment as sarcasm or if you took the time to state this to genuinely help me.

No sarcasm. If my previous reply made you uncomfortable, I apologize in advance. Because battery manufacturers are indeed more professional in this area, at least their methods can ensure your safety and practicality. If the battery manufacturer gives you the wrong approach, they could face your lawsuit, and no battery manufacturer would be willing to take that risk. You are their customer and you should have that way of thinking.

 

[Greasyrick]

No sarcasm. If my previous reply made you uncomfortable, I apologize in advance. Because battery manufacturers are indeed more professional in this area, at least their methods can ensure your safety and practicality. If the battery manufacturer gives you the wrong approach, they could face your lawsuit, and no battery manufacturer would be willing to take that risk. You are their customer and you should have that way of thinking.

I understand, it’s just that with the amount of charger controllers out there, the fact that it’s hard to find a decently priced one with a factory preset option for LifePo4 batteries is quite overwhelming, and to tell you the truth, nobody could give me a straight definite answer about how to do it.
Like you stated, I contacted the battery manufacturer and they sent me a spec sheet plus they offered to help me with the settings of the charger controller if I needed help.
Thanks.

 

[WYtreasure]

Hello everyone, hope all is well, I’m having difficulty finding a 60A MPPT charger controller that has a LifePo4 battery in its battery selection menu To use with 4 12V 200ah plus batteries with built in 200A BMS, hooked up in series at 48 volt.
Is it ok to use one with Lithium-ion battery selected In the battery selection menu?

thanks in advance for replies.

I can't answer your question, but I know who has or will.

60A MPPT, Epever 6415AN $250

Everything you ever wanted to know about setting many epever controllers for LiFePO4 batteries is already here or in Browneye's head. He is super helpful. Do an advanced search, sorted by DATE, search: SETTINGS, member: Browneye

Struggling with basic LiFePO4 settings in Epever Tracer

Epever is just one option I am looking for the highest performing low cost controller that has a remote panel read-out (not bluetooth only because I don't want to find my phone and start up an app when I can just glance at the meter and since I look at the SOC so often). I want it to provide a...

diysolarforum.com

 

[Greasyrick]

I can't answer your question, but I know who has or will.

60A MPPT, Epever 6415AN $250

Everything you ever wanted to know about setting many epever controllers for LiFePO4 batteries is already here or in Browneye's head. He is super helpful. Do an advanced search, sorted by DATE, search: SETTINGS, member: Browneye

Struggling with basic LiFePO4 settings in Epever Tracer

Epever is just one option I am looking for the highest performing low cost controller that has a remote panel read-out (not bluetooth only because I don't want to find my phone and start up an app when I can just glance at the meter and since I look at the SOC so often). I want it to provide a...

diysolarforum.com

Thanks for the info.