lithium question

MORSNOW wrote:
Well this thread is an eye opener for me. Everything I remember reading about lithium batteries on here has been saying I need to remove the factory built in charger and install a charger designed for lithium. So now I'm seeing that is not the case, and I can just swap to lithium and keep using the factory WFCO charging system that came installed in my Wolf Creek?

You can. But you won't get the same number of cycles. There are a whole bunch of hoops to jump through if that is the goal.

Can you use an LA charger for LFP? Yes... Should you? No, at least not without reservations. A well regulated charger should work, but it will depend on the BMS installed in the battery to disconnect if over voltage. That is what they are designed to do, but it is not what they were designed to do in routine charging. Also almost every LFP vendor will tell you not to float charge LFP packs. If the float charge is set low enough, it does no harm. And if you have an LFP battery bank with no BMS, the you are risking damaging the cells and possibly a nice fire.

pianotuna wrote:
You can. But you won't get the same number of cycles. There are a whole bunch of hoops to jump through if that is the goal.

I am not sure I understand this statement.
Charging to maybe 95% with 13.6 volts should yield more longevity in a lithium battery.

jaycocreek wrote:
I agree Steve except when I got my first Lifepo4 battery I wrote the company and asked which charger will work with your lifepo4..

And this was there answer:

Lynx battery wrote:
Any charger up to 40-50amps that takes either lithium or AGM Batteries.

If you are buying new, go with one with a lithium setting.

But looking at the chart above,Gel is the closest...And I have watched a couple of Will's videos on setting up your solar controller and he mentions for most the lead acid setting will work with lifepo4..Crazy huh...

ya, I have seen a bunch say any will work, but if you dont have Li but do have gell to use that as it is closest. but I think for our purposes with the lower relitive charge amprage we are talking about it wont noticable hurt the battery you might lose a few cycles, but we are talking a few out of 3000 (cant back that up only an asumption as its not getting a perfect charge profile) you may also take longer to charge the batteries but that is just my theory.

for me, if I am spending 400 or more on a lithium battery what another 100 to upgrade the charger section of your power center?

for me, if I am spending 400 or more on a lithium battery what another 100 to upgrade the charger section of your power center?

I did the same even though Expert Power recommended the Noco genious in a Q&A session...I bought there lifepo4 charger for like $80 and am really happy with it charging at 20 amps instead of the 10 my Noco does..

I was one of the hesitant ones about getting lithium and since I have,I couldn't be happier with charging times and weight..Solar I'm still trying to understand for lithium...

bighatnohorse wrote:
Apparently so according to their website: https://wfcoelectronics.com/lithium-solutions/

Thank you!

time2roll wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
You can. But you won't get the same number of cycles. There are a whole bunch of hoops to jump through if that is the goal.

I am not sure I understand this statement.
Charging to maybe 95% with 13.6 volts should yield more longevity in a lithium battery.

For MAXIMUM cycles charge starting at 40% and stop charging at 90%. How do you manage that with a wfco?

pianotuna wrote:

time2roll wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
You can. But you won't get the same number of cycles. There are a whole bunch of hoops to jump through if that is the goal.

I am not sure I understand this statement.
Charging to maybe 95% with 13.6 volts should yield more longevity in a lithium battery.

For MAXIMUM cycles charge starting at 40% and stop charging at 90%. How do you manage that with a wfco?

EVE LifeP04 cells are 10% to 90% for 3500 cycles, they should still have 80% capacity at that point. If so these should outlast me.

S Davis.

Similar question--how do you stop the wfco at 90%?

pianotuna wrote:

time2roll wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
You can. But you won't get the same number of cycles. There are a whole bunch of hoops to jump through if that is the goal.

I am not sure I understand this statement.
Charging to maybe 95% with 13.6 volts should yield more longevity in a lithium battery.

For MAXIMUM cycles charge starting at 40% and stop charging at 90%. How do you manage that with a wfco?

your still trying to apply that old chemisty li limitations to the newer LFP requirments eh. I thought we alread edjmacated you on that. to getmaximum life you can still charge to 100% but dont go below 20% and dont excede 0.25C charge rate, with a proper charger made for LFP, or 1C discharge rate. 0.25 charge rate isnt a big deal as I doubt anyone is going to hit it unless you only have a 100 amp battery in a unit, put 300 to 400amp hours in and I dout you will ever get over 25% . even then the rated 4000 cycles (average) is based off 100% discharge and charge at 1C rates for both... Im good with 4000 cycles min..