Lifepo4...is it really getting this cheap?

[Rich Palmisano]

https://m.dhgate.com/product/4pcs-calb-3-2v-ca100-100ah-brand-new-a-grade/528246951.html?f=bm%7CGMC%7C%7Bifdyn:dyn%7D%7Bifpla:pla%7D%7Bifdbm:DBM%7D%7C%7Bcampaignid%7D%7C%7Badgroupid%7D%7C528246951%7C%7Btargetid%7D%7C103006001%7CUS%7Ccontinent2015%7C%7Bdevice%7D%7C2%7C&utm_source=%7Bifdyn:dyn%7D%7Bifpla:pla%7D%7Bifdbm:DBM%7D&utm_medium=GMC&utm_campaign=continent2015&utm_term=528246951

 

[schmism]

People on the forum here have been buying 280ah CATL cells from alababa (and the like) direct for ~$70-80/cell. So for roughly the same price you can get a cell that is 2.8 times as large.

In a word, yes that cheap.

 

[Rich Palmisano]

Crazy...

 

[Gazoo]

People on the forum here have been buying 280ah CATL cells

Maybe you meant EVE cells?

 

[NMNeil]

Careful.
This is a listing from the sellers store

https://www.dhgate.com/store/product/12-8v-lifepo4-eve-lf50-battery-pack-w-case/555566283.html?dspm=pcen.st.products.7.KC17CmKcHTIo9pQns295&resource_id=#st1-6-1|0|0;stprod|2204164846

Advertised as a 12V 100AH battery; but on reading the specs it's got a typical capacity of 50AH??

 

[Gazoo]

No. Read in the description:

Short Description: 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery Pack EVE LF50 Cell 4S2P

That = 100 amps.

 

[NMNeil]

You are correct.
I read the spec sheet which said;

Cell Series

Model: EVE LF50

Typical capacity: 50Ah

Meaning that each cell is 50AH; my error.

And after admitting that, it seems like an excellent price for a 100AH 12V battery.
The cell specs look impressive as well.
www.roypowtech.com/tools/download.ashx?site=main&id=21

 

[Gazoo]

Yes except I don't really care for the LVD HVD of the BMS they list in the specs:

Charge voltage cutoff: 14.6-15.2V
Discharge voltage cutoff: 8.4-10V

I will be much more content building my own pack. I am in the group buy and have bought 8 280ah cells for a little more than what 2 of those batteries cost. I will have to buy my own BMS and so on but I will know what I have and hopefully have fun doing my own build....lol

 

[softdown]

Will has uploaded several podcasts showing inferior quality of labor and parts in the cheaper batteries. Like. Every. Single. Time.

I know of a guy who bought the cheapest LiFePOP4, from Ali Express, a couple years ago. He is already replacing them.

I have not seen stories of bad cells so far - what I have seen is bad battery construction and cheap BMS's that fail far before the battery cells.

Outside of the geek class - who is going to diagnose a BMS failure? They are likely just going to say "Battery failed after 2 years. So disappointed."