RV Batteries

[Guest]

You can draw below freezing, it's just not good to charge below freezing. A good BMS won't allow charging when temps drop below freezing.

Brian,

Yes. I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) Battle Born has two different temperature limits. One low limit for charging and one for discharging where the battery will eventually turn off. This is ok if folks want to allow this to happen. I believe its best to not rely on the BMS but to control these parameters ourselves. We can use the BMS as a redundant system or in the case of freezing, just do not do it. Its best to taper the charge at various low temperatures which no BMS currently controls for drop in batteries. My point is I do not need an on/off switch for this function. Now the overcurrent, overvoltage, overtemp and low SOC limits are critically important. Take a look at the Trojan manual where they provide a charge versus temperature scale for best battery life. This is the best explanation in how a lithium battery should be handled at low temps. So we can heat them, or move them inside and battery life will be maximized since our chargers do not base the charge profile by battery temperature. Basically, these batteries like conditions very close to ourselves where heat (another issue) will also shorten battery life as well as lingering at the high/low limits of SOC.

With the Victron BMV712 I can keep track of my battery and disconnect it when on AC or control the high low limits through the alarm settings when on the battery. This is the latest toy added to the toy box.

Jim

[bertschb]

...I believe its best to not rely on the BMS but to control these parameters ourselves. We can use the BMS as a redundant system or in the case of freezing, just do not do it.

I guess I'm just lazy (and paranoid). If the temp is going to drop down near freezing, I don't want to have to remember to disconnect the batteries from the charger manually. I do understand the desire to control things yourself though. I don't like letting my computer decide where my files go. I always set up my own file structure. So I get it!

[bertschb]

OK, I sent an email to Dragonfly Energy and asked them if their new 250ah GC3 battery was available and this was their response:

"Our 250 GC3 is only being produced for the OEM market at this time and is only available if you purchase a Keystone RV with a super solar package.
We do have an 8D battery that should be available the third quarter of this year and will be about the same 250 ah capacity. In the meantime we have our retail brand Battle Born Batteries available..."

[Country Campers]

OK, I sent an email to Dragonfly Energy and asked them if their new 250ah GC3 battery was available and this was their response:

"Our 250 GC3 is only being produced for the OEM market at this time and is only available if you purchase a Keystone RV with a super solar package.
We do have an 8D battery that should be available the third quarter of this year and will be about the same 250 ah capacity. In the meantime we have our retail brand Battle Born Batteries available..."

This is interesting. Keystone RV has a battery manufacture building a battery specifically for them and there solar system. Wonder who will follow this in the future.....

The other Brian

[bertschb]

I just spoke to a rep from Battleborn. He confirmed that the Dragonfly Energy branding is for OEM's. He mentioned Keystone and Airstream as examples of the OEM's they are proving batteries to. He said Battleborn is their retail brand.

[Guest]

I just spoke to a rep from Battleborn. He confirmed that the Dragonfly Energy branding is for OEM's. He mentioned Keystone and Airstream as examples of the OEM's they are proving batteries to. He said Battleborn is their retail brand.

Brian,

Were you able to ask them why they are being listed with a three year warranty?


Jim

[bertschb]

Brian,

Were you able to ask them why they are being listed with a three year warranty?

Jim

Sorry, I didn't Jim. I'm kind of an oddball in that I'm not concerned about the warranties from the top tier manufacturers so I don't even research that. In addition, I don't put any weight on the warranties from the low budget manufactures because I don't expect them to be around long enough for it to matter. But that's just me!

I'm looking at the design of the posts, case "filler", how (or if) the BMS is separated from the battery, actual vs stated performance, BMS wiring quality and the features of the BMS itself.

[Guest]

Sorry, I didn't Jim. I'm kind of an oddball in that I'm not concerned about the warranties from the top tier manufacturers so I don't even research that. In addition, I don't put any weight on the warranties from the low budget manufactures because I don't expect them to be around long enough for it to matter. But that's just me!

I'm looking at the design of the posts, case "filler", how (or if) the BMS is separated from the battery, actual vs stated performance, BMS wiring quality and the features of the BMS itself.

Brian,

I feel the same and do not believe anyone will ever collect on a 10 year battery warranty. For my low current draw on my Imagine, the cell quality was my primary concern.

Jim

[bertschb]

I just learned that Costco has the Lion Energy Safari UT1300 battery for $699.99. Will Prowse tested the older 1200 model and found it didn't have the rated capacity but it had prismatic cells, a very nice BMS with functioning low temp cutoff and overall very good build quality. Hopefully the new UT1300 model has more capacity.

700 bucks though! Thoughts?

[Jeepguts]

I went to Costco web sited I don't see that battery on their web site. Where did you hear about them caring?

[howson]

I went to Costco web sited I don't see that battery on their web site. Where did you hear about them caring?

I see that is your first post so allow me to give you a few forum usage hints. Either use "Quote" to reply (like I just did) so the intended recipient gets a notification (like you just did) or you can tag the individual. To tag them, use the @ symbol followed by their forum name, like this: Jeepguts

I have no idea about the battery.

-Howard

P.S. Adding your config to the signature line is helpful, too. https://gdrvowners.com/forum/gdrv4li...-to-your-posts

[TucsonJim]

I went to Costco web sited I don't see that battery on their web site. Where did you hear about them caring?

From what I understand, this was a limited short-time offer that was only available in a few stores.

Jim

[Guest]

Its on their site.

https://www.costco.com/lion-energy-s...100535965.html

[bertschb]

Sorry, I was away from the laptop all day (picking up my new tow vehicle!). The Lion Energy battery is available on the Costco website - at least it is for me. I need to read a couple more reviews before I press the Order button.

[RickLight]

I see them, but the link didn't work for me. Searching brought them right up. Sale ends 3/22 or end of stock.

I believe Will did a follow up video on the 1300. It met the labeled capacity. I suspect they got a ear full on that and the somewhat confusing warranty.

I now have 3, 2 still in their boxes as I work to rewire for a higher amp charger. I went with a Boondocker 75A as that's the highest lithium specific one I could find.