Installing a Lithium Ion battery bank

Discussion in 'OnBoard Electronics & Controls' started by Landlubber, Sep 22, 2013.

  1. Landlubber
    Joined: Jun 2007
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    Location: Brisbane

    Landlubber Senior Member

    Hey fellas,

    I have been asked to assist in the installation of a Lithium Ion battery bank in a small cat here. There are available now 400Amp/Hour battery setups that cost about the same as AGM banks, so costs have dropped dramatically, and it seems logical to look deeper at the pros and cons.

    I would ONLY want to hear from those that have personally done installations, and management systems. I have read all the stories about early systems catching on fire etc etc, so please do not go on about that, the new systems use different alloys and some have their own management systems imnstalled.

    I have done a lot of wiring systems in boats from new and redone, so understand all the basics of NORMAL battery systems, these Lithium Banks are new to me and this will be my first.

    Ta, John
     
  2. groper
    Joined: Jun 2011
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    Location: australia

    groper Senior Member

    Can you give details about the gear your putting in and where you source it from? I'm looking at doing the same, pm me if you prefer.
     
  3. BertKu
    Joined: May 2009
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    Location: South Africa Little Brak River

    BertKu Senior Member

    I have been experimenting now for 4 years with 40 single Lithium batteries placed in series and parallel. I took Jeremy's advise and made a new battery bank whereby the batteries connected parallel are easier to charge with a high current. They balance themselves automatically, thus only the 4 in series (12 Volt) or 8 in series has to be observed for balancing problems. What I do like from the batteries is, that the leakage current is very low. One could go home for a year, and as long there is no load attached to the battery, the batteries are still full at approx 85% - 90% when you come back. What I did not like, was the corrosion I noticed on some of the batteries and they had to be attended to. The devil sits in the detail.
    Do you obtain a battery bank of 400 Ah, which is already hermetically sealed and thus corrosion should not take place. Also, does it have its own charging system. Or, are you able to dictate the configuration, whereby you can searched for your own charging system, or have it made by someone.

    I have all the time in the world to charge the batteries, you may not. Thus it will develop heat and will the batteries then last for 10 years? Like the AGM batteries do. Bert
     
  4. Landlubber
    Joined: Jun 2007
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    Location: Brisbane

    Landlubber Senior Member

    http://www.evworks.com.au/tech/?section=batteries

    These people will be supplying the gear (they do not know that yet)....looks like they have some REAL experience doing battery cars etc.

    BertKu, I read your site, interesting stuff, but we seem to have bigger cells available to us now mate, so no need to collect so many small batteries, appreciate your time though, ta.

    I am reading thru their site now to get as much info as I can, but they are only one company, would like to read more, if anyone has a web site they could recommend please.

    Kind regards, John
     
  5. CDK
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: Adriatic sea

    CDK retired engineer

    You could look here for complete solutions:
    http://www.ev-power.eu/index.php?src=adwords&gclid=CJ38p6r-4LkCFYmN3godkW4Avw

    It seems to me installing 4 cells with 200-400 Ah capacity for a 12V system is the way to go. Although the manufacturers specify enormous charge/discharge capabilities I recommend a more modest approach like 10-20% of the nominal capacity. That means 5-10 hours for a full charge with no risk of overheating, so no need for complicated electronic supervision.
    Of paramount importance is an under-voltage monitor at or slightly above 10V because 2.5V is the minimum cell voltage for a healthy battery.
     
  6. BertKu
    Joined: May 2009
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    Location: South Africa Little Brak River

    BertKu Senior Member

    As long you have a guarantee, that they have not internally connected a number of small batteries. Yes, in those days, small batteries where the ones only available. If a manufacturer uses pvc and not a kind of stainless steel hulls, within the battery, you should be fine. With a normal Lead acid battery , you have to watch the below 11 Volt mark, For Lithium, it will be below 10 Volt and that is basically the same. I am charging between 1 and 2 Ampere, maximum 5 Ampere x 10 = 50 Ampere, but they get too hot to my likings. With battery banks like 400 Ah, you will have to go for 30 - 40 ampere. Not much different. Your problem will be to monitor the 3.3 Volt set connected parallel, that they do not fall below 2,5 Volt or absolute the lowest at 2.0 Volt. But in practice, I haven't experienced any hiccups. Bert
     
  7. BertKu
    Joined: May 2009
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    Location: South Africa Little Brak River

    BertKu Senior Member

    Hi John, I have been dealing with them for 4 years now and they seem to make a reasonable product. You have to ask Black, sales08@ewtbattery.com , what they have in large battery banks for you. Bert
    ________________________________________
    Everwin Tech Co. Limited
    Homepage:www.ewtbattery.com
    E-mail:sales08@ewtbattery.com
    MSN:blackvip100@msn.cn
    Skype:blackvip1000
    Mobile:86+13480187585
    Add:Building 9 Futing Industrail Park Zhucun Guanlan Shenzhen China

    ________________________________________
     
  8. BertKu
    Joined: May 2009
    Posts: 2,521
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    Location: South Africa Little Brak River

    BertKu Senior Member

    Hi John,

    Another one who makes large battery banks for telecoms industry, however they just signed an agreement for a distributor in this country and the distributor placed 100% on top of the prices quoted by them to me, so I lost interest. It maybe different for you in Australia and it is :

    Becky Chen/Ms
    Asia Team
    Skype ID:eembgroup9
    Tel: 86-755-83022275(Ext.625)
    Fax: 86-755-83021966
    group9@eemb.com; http://eemb.com
    ----------------------
    EEMB Battery
    A.B.C.D,25/F, Fortune Plaza
    No 7060, ShenNan Road, Shenzhen 518040 China
     
  9. pdwiley
    Joined: Jun 2008
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    Location: Hobart

    pdwiley Senior Member

    I picked up a pile of brochures on LiFePO4 batteries at the Sydney Boat Show. I think the price was still ~4X AGM batteries for the same capacity.

    Must have a look for where I put those pamphlets etc, might give you some other people to bug for information. I'm maybe 6 months away from going down this road myself so I'm definitely interested.

    PDW
     
  10. Catstevens
    Joined: May 2014
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    Location: Hamilton island

    Catstevens New Member

    Hi,
    I am about to install two 400Ah lithium iron batteries from E.V. Power in W.A. in my catamaran.
    Any advice etc would be greatly appreciated.

    Cheers.
     

  11. Landlubber
    Joined: Jun 2007
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    Location: Brisbane

    Landlubber Senior Member

    Hey mate, I have completed the job now and it works fine.
    Installed a BEP electric battery switch as the main control switch, switched on by the EV monitor/latching module.
    (http://www.evworks.com.au/index.php?product=BMM-BModule)

    This module was wired up to the switching side of the BEP battery switch, so that it can be shut down from either low voltage or high voltage parameters that the moddule controls.

    I contacted the EV people and they were very helpful advising components and generally useful. Would use them again.

    All the best and thanks everyone for your assistance here.
     
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