RV Batteries

[howson]

guess it's going to be either BattleBorn or Renogy. Any opinions on either?

Go to Will Prowse's YouTube site and watch his battery reviews. Last time I checked there's only one he recommends (and he literally tears them apart to see what's inside).

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoj...q8kmJme-5dnN0Q

[Guest]

Did Will state any details on the cells used, on those batteries he cut apart? Without those details, price and warranty become important where the opening of the battery shows construction but no detail on the parts. One thing I liked about the AIMS is their openness in showing a picture and specs. of the cells used in their batteries and from which supplier.

If AIMS is out of stock the Renogy would be the next cost effective or the Battleborn with the 10 year warranty.

Jim

[howson]

I had seen that video Howard and Will is very informative. Did Will state any details on the cells used, in those batteries he cut apart?

Jim

I haven't watched the Battle Born video--it was another one where Will was shocked with what he discovered and took down the battery he was working on from his website list of recommended batteries. That left, at the time, the Battle Born as his only website-listed LifePo4 battery.

Let me add that while I enjoy Will's videos (his enthusiasm is fun to watch) his information is not always 100% in agreement with other authoritative sources. A specific example: his Charge Controller recommendation equation is total panel wattage / battery voltage. AMSolar uses that result * 90%, and Battle Born is even more liberal as their numbers work out to be ~80% of what Will uses. In other words, his calculation appears to be way too conservative. If a person blindly followed his recommendation they'd (IMO) overspec the controller, thus spend more $ than is actually required.

That's a long way to say take what Will says with a grain of salt--but his videos are still very entertaining to watch.

[bertschb]

Did Will state any details on the cells used, on those batteries he cut apart?

Not much in the way of details. Will did say BattleBorn uses 120 proprietary 26650 cells. He said he couldn't find them on Alibaba or anywhere else.

In the BattleBorn tear down, Will pointed out a number of things about the BattleBorn that set it apart from the other batteries he has torn down. The separation of the BMS from the cells, the quality of the BMS and wiring and how the wiring is secured, the robust design of the posts, etc. It's a very well engineered and built battery and it's evident even to the lay person. The other batteries Will has torn apart are clearly inferior. No comparison.

[Guest]

Howard,

I'm not stating the Battleborn is inferior. In fact I think it is a great battery. What I am stating is there are other batteries that are just as good. Some cheaper and some more expensive. Warranty is somewhat irrelevant since we all will need time to determine how good that is. Did you know that DragonFly the maker of Battleborn also sells batteries under the DragonFly name?

Jim

[Guest]

Not much in the way of details. Will did say BattleBorn uses 120 proprietary 26650 cells. He said he couldn't find them on Alibaba or anywhere else.

In the BattleBorn tear down, Will pointed out a number of things about the BattleBorn that set it apart from the other batteries he has torn down. The separation of the BMS from the cells, the quality of the BMS and wiring and how the wiring is secured, the robust design of the posts, etc. It's a very well engineered and built battery and it's evident even to the lay person. The other batteries Will has torn apart are clearly inferior. No comparison.

Brian,

I was hoping this thread would not turn into a Ford versus Chevy type discussion. There are many options out there and honestly, I would have been very happy with a Battleborn battery. I ended up with a good battery at an excellent price and tested it where it delivered better than advertised performance. I know exactly what cells are inside and from where. I liked that. There are others out there such as the new Trojan Trillium which is expensive but only with a three year warranty. Had the Trojan been $749.00 with discounts, I would have purchased it based on the companies history in providing high quality products.

Correction: Inquired with Trojan around a year ago who stated the three year warranty. Now they are posting a 4 year warranty for mobile use and an 8 year for solar.

Jim

[bertschb]

Jim

I'm not interested in a Ford vs Chevy thread either. Believe me! I just made an observation that of the batteries Will has torn down (7 or 8 maybe?), the BattleBorn was far superior. If you watch his videos, you'll see what I mean. There may very well be other batteries that are better built and designed than BattleBorn but if so, Will hasn't made a video of the tear down yet :-)

-Brian

[Running from Gnats]

Here's another one. Anyone using Lion Energy? Will seemed to be totally surprised by their 1300 amp battery.

[Country Campers]

Please do not stop now. This is a great discussion and I am learning a lot from it.

Thanks guys

Brian

[Guest]

Here's another one. Anyone using Lion Energy? Will seemed to be totally surprised by their 1300 amp battery.

And Lions Energy offers a Lifetime warranty. I'm sure that is pro rated but if the price is right?

I have to be honest. It bothers me that DragonFly (BattleBorn) hangs the (correction) USA logo on their batteries. Their cells (although may be great) are sourced in China and most likely their BMS as well. Their verbiage should state "Assembled in the USA". And for this reason, I do not have a high level of trust that they would honor a ten year warranty.

So I would take a close look at the Lions Energy battery.

Jim

[howson]

Howard,

I'm not stating the Battleborn is inferior. In fact I think it is a great battery. What I am stating is there are other batteries that are just as good. Some cheaper and some more expensive. Warranty is somewhat irrelevant since we all will need time to determine how good that is. Did you know that DragonFly the maker of Battleborn also sells batteries under the DragonFly name?

Jim

I did not know there was a DragonFly brand!

Every day I learn how much I don't know. The depth and breadth of subjects that are discussed here is like an astronomer looking at an expanding universe. Tough to keep up! That's why I really enjoy conversing with the members who regularly contribute on the forum. No single individual here has the knowledge or experience of the group. In addition, we can even agree to disagree on occasion. Nothing wrong with that.

[bertschb]

I'm looking forward to a tear down of the Trojan Trillium LiFePO4 battery. Trojan is known for high quality LA batteries and I hope that carries over to the new Trillium battery. I'm also waiting for the new batteries from BattleBorn. One of them is supposed to have internal heating rather than requiring external blankets. The other is a rumored 250ah model.

[Guest]

I'm looking forward to a tear down of the Trojan Trillium LiFePO4 battery. Trojan is known for high quality LA batteries and I hope that carries over to the new Trillium battery. I'm also waiting for the new batteries from BattleBorn. One of them is supposed to have internal heating rather than requiring external blankets. The other is a rumored 250ah model.

Brian,

Trojan has been in business for over 90 years and is widely known for quality. Their warranty is reasonable at 4 years mobile and 8 years stationary (believable). They state "Designed and Engineered in the USA" which I can respect. They do claim to design their cells but whether they specify a cell or design a cell, or just specify the Trojan wrap on the cells....they come from China who makes the majority if not all non-automotive cells. If cost were not a factor for me, I would buy the trojan battery at around $1050.00.

The battleborn battery has some very cool innovations as well such as the integrated heater or even their current external heater. BattleBorns customer service is excellent and I've only heard good things about their batteries. Their cells come from China like everyone else. They have a blue wrap that does not state the source like Trojans that state only the Trojan logo. No big deal.

The AIMS battery has some nice specifications on their cells but they are currently not available in 100ah. I spoke with them today and they mentioned the China manufacturing facility that makes their battery is moving to a higher capacity (new) facility and are also starting up a new battery line that will have integrated blue tooth. This feature will add cost. There are also disruptions from the current global issue. They have a 10 year warranty that I feel is overstated where I would need to collect on it to believe it. AIMS as well as other battery manufacturers are logging use with an internal chip so they may warrant a battery for 10 years as long as the parameters have never been outside of normal use. Unlikely.

There is another brand referred to as Dakota Batteries with an 11 year warranty but just like the others, time will tell if this is all that good.

Jim

[Guest]

Howard,

The Dragonfly brand has a three year warranty but is also much cheaper. I had seen where they can be purchased but I cannot find that link anymore, but they were cheap. So the question: Does the DragonFly battery have the exact same construction and components as the battleborn for much less in cost? If so, this could be another great option and to not stress over the warranty and do our best on care and usage.

Jim

[bertschb]

The Dragonfly brand has a three year warranty but is also much cheaper...

Jim-
I've tried finding pricing on the Dragonfly branded batteries in the past. All I was able to find was this on the Dragonfly website:
"Of course the upfront price of a Li-ion battery pack exceeds that of a lead acid battery. Consider Dragonfly Energy’s 12V 100Ah LFP battery pack currently for sale for $999."

I sent an email to Dragonfly a couple months ago asking what the different was between the Dragonfly branded batteries and Battleborn but I never got a response. Other than the different colored case and stickers, the cases and posts look identical. Dragonfly appears to be the parent company. I don't understand why companies do this rebranding. I worked in IT for 30 years and I used to get super frustrated with Microsoft because they constantly changed the name of their developer tools. Rebranding drives me nuts.