Here's an issue I have come upon, freezing temperatures. I see the Lithium batteries will discharge down to 0 degrees F and shouldn't be charged below freezing 32 degrees F. So how would you handle waking up in the morning in the Sierra's with an outside temperature of 25 degrees F and your Lithium batteries in the cold step well. How would you recharge the batteries, open the step well battery cover and and wait for the batteries to warm? Would turning on the furnace and lights causing a discharge and hope it is enough to warm them up? Perhaps insulating the step well or leaving the step well battery cove up all night?

The only practical solution I can see is to temporarily put the battery somewhere it won't get that cold.

The battery should have built in circuits to deal with that. If it doesn't, need to contact whomever assembled the battery and ask them why not, and what to do. If you're routinely experiencing below freezing temperatures, an investment in a heating blanket for the battery might be recommended, or relocate the batteries so they're inside the heated living space. Another possibility is modify the HVAC system to deliver heated/cooled air to the battery compartment.

this is why these battery's have coolant tubes through them.you would use a temp controlled heating loop, or heating pad, that uses the li-ion battery to keep it up to temp. these battery's live the longest with a 20-80% usage rate. if your plan is to run to 0, your going to be disappointed in their life.

If I had lithium they would be inside keeping warm (50+) and accept a charge with no issues.

Insulate the box and add a reptile style heat pad or move the batteries to a better protected area.With my lfp in the front compartment of the 5th wheel I added 2" foam insulation on the walls, plus the inverter in that compartment helps with a small amount of heat. At 25f outside temp it was 40s in the compartment and the batteries were 5+ degrees warmer.

Lithium battery charging at or near freezing | Good Sam Community

2oldman
Explorer II
Dec 22, 2018
SFVdave wrote:
Could running the frunace and turning on the lights for 20 minutes get the temperature up?
I don't know. Perhaps the battery mfr does.
Itinerant1
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
I think rigging up a temp heat source like you describe should do it. In my lfp batteries I see no internal heat increase from my cells pulling 20-30ah out of them (500ah bank).
SFVdave
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
Could running the frunace and turning on the lights for 20 minutes get the temperature up? I think insulating the outside of the step we’ll and leaving the step cover open all night may keep it above freezing. .there is a furnace duct a foot away from the step we’ll and I can direct the heat towards it or even make a vent tube and stick it down and at the batteries.. This won’t be an everyday occupancy, but maybe 5-10 times a year.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
Hysteresis MUST be factored if spot heating is to be used. Meaning raising the temp from say 5F to minimum design specification for the battery internals. This needs heated air to be directed at the battery compartment and monitoring via thermocouple attached to a battery post. A pretty challenging logistical hurdle.
MrWizard
Moderator
Dec 22, 2018
I think he is saying zero degrees outside ambient temperature
Not zero percent charge

How to deal with recharging in cold weather

The answer is don't let the battery get cold, it has to be inside, or at least an insulated compartment and sitting on a heating pad

Maybe heat the pad from 120v using the generator, after battery is warm the charger can be turned on

There have many mentions of this, That's why most adopters are full timers who follow good weather, or snowbirds going to southern deserts
Itinerant1
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
Insulate the box and add a reptile style heat pad or move the batteries to a better protected area.
With my lfp in the front compartment of the 5th wheel I added 2" foam insulation on the walls, plus the inverter in that compartment helps with a small amount of heat. At 25f outside temp it was 40s in the compartment and the batteries were 5+ degrees warmer.
time2roll
Nomad
Dec 22, 2018
If I had lithium they would be inside keeping warm (50+) and accept a charge with no issues.
LittleBill
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
this is why these battery's have coolant tubes through them.

you would use a temp controlled heating loop, or heating pad, that uses the li-ion battery to keep it up to temp. these battery's live the longest with a 20-80% usage rate. if your plan is to run to 0, your going to be disappointed in their life.
GordonThree
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
The battery should have built in circuits to deal with that. If it doesn't, need to contact whomever assembled the battery and ask them why not, and what to do.

If you're routinely experiencing below freezing temperatures, an investment in a heating blanket for the battery might be recommended, or relocate the batteries so they're inside the heated living space. Another possibility is modify the HVAC system to deliver heated/cooled air to the battery compartment.
2oldman
Explorer II
Dec 22, 2018
The only practical solution I can see is to temporarily put the battery somewhere it won't get that cold.

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