Finally decided to get the lithium battle born batteries

[DaveMatthewsBand]

Boondocker makes good charger too...

http://www.bestconverter.com/12-Volt...unt_c_264.html



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[alanhenson]

I replaced the POS converter that GD uses with a Xantrex TRUECharge2 40 amp model. It actually does a much better job charging then the 55 watt (or whatever it is) OEM converter. I never saw more than 13.6 VDC charge voltage from the OEM converter. The Xantrex bulk charges at 14.4 VDC. They also have a 60 amp version, but once the batteries get past the bulk mode, the extra current doesn't help at all.

http://www.xantrex.com/power-product...harge-2-2.aspx

See my solar page at http://www.klenger.net/solar.html for details of my complete system.

Now that I think about it, I don't see more than that either. My single 100 watt solar panel hits 14.4 though.

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[klenger]

Now that I think about it, I don't see more than that either. My single 100 watt solar panel hits 14.4 though.

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I could charge the original battery with the OEM converter from my generator for hours and the battery would barely make it through the night when it was in storage (not in use). When I complete my solar/battery/inverter/charger mod, everything worked as expected.

[Dopperud]

Excuse me ignorance but what do I have now? 399th. Looks awesome Dave.

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If you are using the OEM, it is just a charger. This charger is specifically designed for lead acid batteries and as such will not fully charge a lithium batteries nor will it charge as fast because a lithium battery charges at the full output of the charger without having to decease at the end. This charger will not harm the lithium batteries, it just would not be optimal.

I chose to get a combination inverter/charger and left the OEM charger in place to use in case of an failure of the inverter/charger. A good case could be made for getting a separate charger and inverter in that if one part fails, you still have the other available. I like the space savings of a single unit however.

[CFDWheeler]

Has anyone used the FuelZero LiFePo4 batteries? Same specs as the battleborn, including built in BMS, but are $200 cheaper per battery.

[DaveMatthewsBand]

Has anyone used the FuelZero LiFePo4 batteries? Same specs as the battleborn, including built in BMS, but are $200 cheaper per battery.

They are most likely coming from China. The BMS only has cell balancing. It's a gamble.



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[TucsonJim]

They are most likely coming from China. The BMS only has cell balancing. It's a gamble.



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It is my understanding that the components in the Battle Born batteries are also sourced in China, shipped to the USA, and the battery is assembled, tested and sold from California. So I'm not so sure what the difference would be other than the final assembly.

Jim

[WhittleBurner]

It is my understanding that the components in the Battle Born batteries are also sourced in China, shipped to the USA, and the battery is assembled, tested and sold from California. So I'm not so sure what the difference would be other than the final assembly.

Jim

A lot of companies do that now. Just because you see USA on something keep reading, it could say assembled in USA not made in USA. The day of something being all USA is gone, the vast majority of products will have at least a portion of it from china.

[DaveMatthewsBand]

It is my understanding that the components in the Battle Born batteries are also sourced in China,
shipped to the USA, and the battery is assembled, tested and sold from California. So I'm not so sure what the difference would be other than the final assembly.

Jim

Parts from China, sure, like your phone and laptop and pretty much everything else that is sold in the US.
However, BB's final assembly, the actual build process (the important part) is here in Reno Nevada.
The major difference however, is the BMS, which is far superior to any other brand, plus the Battle Born warranty which is 3 years vs 30 days for the competition.
Well worth the $200 price difference.

I've seen lithium batteries cheaper than that, coming from some unknown source overseas, assembled by sweat shop employees.
Good luck shipping those back for repairs or warranty work. Good luck finding a warranty. Something as important as your power source that is going to
undergo tremendous loads both incoming and outgoing should be as high quality as possible. This is not an area I would cheap out on.

[DaveMatthewsBand]

FYI
Battle Born just increased their warranty to 10 years.


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