Anything new in batteries for solar

OldSmokey wrote:

N8GS wrote:

OldSmokey wrote:

N8GS wrote:
Just got more info from Battle Born. There batteries are designed for and the BMS permits charging down to 25 deg F. Below that they will not charge but can be discharged without damage.
Saw an post today on Facebook for a Chinese 12 volt, 300 Ah LiFePO4 battery in 8D size for about $1300. The prices are coming down. I have no idea what the quality of that battery might be.
I like my Battle Born batteries, no more issues with low voltage going to the inverter.

nothing really new for the solar market.. the FLA is still the best bang for your buck..

oh, and low voltage issues are mainly due to incorrect battery sizing..:B

That wasn't the case for me. I had 600 Ah of Trojan batteries. Installed in Jan 2012, in Jan of this year I could not use the microwave, the voltage drop was just too great. When I got home, (we had been in Quartzsite, AZ) I found that 2 of the batteries were shot and the other 2 were not performing very well. Switching to LFP batteries has saved me 215# and when running the microwave the voltage doesn't drop below 12.6 volts even when the batteries are 80% depleted. When running the microwave the inverter is drawing 124 amps. I am disappointed in how the Trojan batteries performed, they should have lasted a lot longer than 5 years considering the care that I took to keep them happy.

You most likely hit calendar life on those Trojans. I don't know if they were RE's but that's about all your going to get from that class of battery. The IND series does have better lifespan but at a cost.
oh, and weight LOL

I agree that LFP are much better for high current demands, but at a huge price premium. that premium cost factor is why they are still not a successful replacement for FLA at the present time.