Lion Energy Safari UT 1300 - $699 @ Costco
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Catastrofe
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I jumped on this deal. My battery shows 60% charged on the integral display. I connected my Noco G7200 smart charger (in lithium node) and the charger display goes to 100% (no longer charging) after a few minutes. Battery still shows 60%. Lion says it’s an issue with the charger. Noco thinks it’s the battery.
Anyone else have a similar issue?
Anyone else have a similar issue?
Catastrofe
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Well, I found the issue. The UT1300 comes with screw-on battery posts pre-installed from the factory (Lion also includes other hardware that screws into the battery's top plates). I unscrewed the posts and noticed an oily film on the top plates, which I wiped off. Re-installed the posts and connected my charger. . .seems to be working fine now. I surmise that the "oil" was insulating the posts and preventing the smart charger from doing its thing.
Russ Hobbs
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I bought three for my RV. They are really light and the charge up lights are nice. I’ll buy a couple more if they come up again for that price. Company has been responsive to my questions, even on a weekend. They are package extremely well, in fact I used some of it to wrap around the batteries to help insulate and reduce vibration. I used a 4 amp battery minder from Costco to charge the first time. Took about 16 hours, but they charged up just fine.
Do you have an idea how long your 10A charger would take to charge from say 50% to 100%?
Catastrofe
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A long time. . .Lion mentioned 7 hours or so. I don't plan on using the G7200 to charge this battery. . .it was more of a test to check the battery (so I could exchange if defective). The battery will be permanently mounted in my SUV, connected to a Redarc BCDC1240 and hopefully a solar panel.
I’ve been having issues with mine... charging from a go power ic3000 I keep getting over voltage errors... according to go power the mossfets aren’t big enough?
they bulk charge ok but I had to turn down my float voltage. So I can’t get them to charge to 14.6 only about 13.6. Kinda disappointing.
they bulk charge ok but I had to turn down my float voltage. So I can’t get them to charge to 14.6 only about 13.6. Kinda disappointing.
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Have you tried disconnecting all your loads before measuring the voltage?
Some reading: https://www.solacity.com/how-to-keep-lifepo4-lithium-ion-batteries-happy/
Some reading: https://www.solacity.com/how-to-keep-lifepo4-lithium-ion-batteries-happy/
13.6 is fully charged for a 12 volt lifepo. The 14.6 is the bulk charge voltage (pushing in) as they get full it should throttle back. Once it stops charging these will settle at 13.6 What is your float? It should be set low enough so they don't keep charging as they don't require a float
MrNatural22
?SW sunshine =⚡️⚡️lit up thru the darkness✌️
I can't even find these on Costco website
They are back in stock at Costco @ $749 for one and $1399 for two until July 5th 2020. I ordered two. ?
MrNatural22
?SW sunshine =⚡️⚡️lit up thru the darkness✌️
Tball
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Heck yeah,
MrNatural22
?SW sunshine =⚡️⚡️lit up thru the darkness✌️
Yes and it works as advertised @ 0c or 32f. Watch Wills comparison Performance video.
I’ve got two coming on the UPS truck being delivered today ?
MrNatural22
?SW sunshine =⚡️⚡️lit up thru the darkness✌️
On sale til July 5th. 
️?️
️?️
sajohnson
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For those asking about the 45% > 85% RH specs, I asked Lion Energy and they said, quote:
LE: "The humidity issue is pretty minor. We have customers in Texas, Georgia, Florida and other humid states and not problems. With some airflow, you won't have any problems. You can put the batteries under the stairs of the coach with no problem."
I also asked about recommended charge current:
LE: "You can charge up to 100 amps or 1.0C with no problems. The manual just mentions that to maximize life cycles and life span, 45 to 55 amps is the sweet spot. A lot of people will set the parameters from 90% to 10% to maximize life cycles. If you are wanting to maximize amp hours, 100% to empty is not a problem as well. It just depends on what you would like to do."
Follow up response:
LE: "The low humidity is not an issue at all. So anything under 45 RH is okay."
***Charging from alternator***:
LE: "If you are charging off your alternator, you will need to use a DC to DC charger such as the Redarc model 1225D to charge the batteries and protect the alternator."
That is something that all sellers' websites that I've seen avoid mentioning. They all say "plug and play" or "drop-in replacement". Yeah, not so much. I assume they are focused on selling batteries and they know that if they tell potential buyers that they will need a DC to DC charger and possibly a new converter/charger they will lose sales.
Question -- when the LE rep says "protect the alternator" is that because the batteries rely on the charger to control the current, and without any external regulation they will each take the max they can get, up to 100A -- which would push the alternator to full output and hold it there?
LE: "The humidity issue is pretty minor. We have customers in Texas, Georgia, Florida and other humid states and not problems. With some airflow, you won't have any problems. You can put the batteries under the stairs of the coach with no problem."
I also asked about recommended charge current:
LE: "You can charge up to 100 amps or 1.0C with no problems. The manual just mentions that to maximize life cycles and life span, 45 to 55 amps is the sweet spot. A lot of people will set the parameters from 90% to 10% to maximize life cycles. If you are wanting to maximize amp hours, 100% to empty is not a problem as well. It just depends on what you would like to do."
Follow up response:
LE: "The low humidity is not an issue at all. So anything under 45 RH is okay."
***Charging from alternator***:
LE: "If you are charging off your alternator, you will need to use a DC to DC charger such as the Redarc model 1225D to charge the batteries and protect the alternator."
That is something that all sellers' websites that I've seen avoid mentioning. They all say "plug and play" or "drop-in replacement". Yeah, not so much. I assume they are focused on selling batteries and they know that if they tell potential buyers that they will need a DC to DC charger and possibly a new converter/charger they will lose sales.
Question -- when the LE rep says "protect the alternator" is that because the batteries rely on the charger to control the current, and without any external regulation they will each take the max they can get, up to 100A -- which would push the alternator to full output and hold it there?
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