SiO2 Battery -UPDATE 5 (Two Batts)
Updates 22 Oct, 8 Nov, 10 Nov (photo), 14 Nov, 15 Dec http://azimuthsolar.ca/product/12v-100ah-sio2-battery/ Mostly PT has given info on these over several posts in several threads, but I have l...
Forum Discussion
So as feared, first time out with the SiO2, the scenario was not as planned for. :) Instead of an all day at the dog training place for DW and come home that evening (use the MW, but not much regular RV 12v loads) it was an overnighter.
It did run the MW as required for lunch, but after dark, furnace now on and lights, it ran the MW for supper but with the inverter alarming at 11v. Those additional loads made the voltage lower than in my testing, so I didn't test for that real life aspect. :(
Then overnight furnace etc, so by return home next day, it was resting at 11.68v , which is 20% SOC for the SiO2.(The advised lower SOC to reach without a recharge--although you can go lower) One 3 amp ceiling light was on for 6 hours = 18AH out of the "usable" 80AH for one thing. (I have swapped that lamp out for an LED! Yipes)
So it did all that, which is great, but now DW wants to use it for 3 nights in a row at times! Moving the goalposts! Drat.
So I have split the bank as mentioned way back as what to do, so now the SiO2 is just on the inverter for 120v (MW, toaster, and phone charging.) The usual RV loads are now on a pair of 6s I stole from the MH.
So I got caught with the one 100AH battery that can take high draws but is still only a 100AH batt. "One batt per night" still applies. That works in the summer with no furnace and not much light needed plus solar. I could not do the job with regular AGMs which I tried before, so I still need the SiO2 for the high draws and other advantages it has. I cannot afford to just use more SiO2s to get more AHs. So the split bank trick works using equipment I already have.
The same thing would happen with Lis of course. 100AH is still only 100AH. Only with Li you spend way more than for SiO2 and apparently only save some weight, if that matters, to get a batt that does about the same thing.
If you can get it done with regular batts, such as four 6s like in the MH for both inverter and lots of AH for lights and furnace, that is certainly the way to go IMO. That's what we do in the MH. Only got the SiO2 for this particular camper job and am not sorry I did, because it works where others would not)
I agree with PT that unless there is a weight issue, there is no need for Li when you can get SiO2 to do the same thing. However, there is no need to get either for most scenarios.
It did run the MW as required for lunch, but after dark, furnace now on and lights, it ran the MW for supper but with the inverter alarming at 11v. Those additional loads made the voltage lower than in my testing, so I didn't test for that real life aspect. :(
Then overnight furnace etc, so by return home next day, it was resting at 11.68v , which is 20% SOC for the SiO2.(The advised lower SOC to reach without a recharge--although you can go lower) One 3 amp ceiling light was on for 6 hours = 18AH out of the "usable" 80AH for one thing. (I have swapped that lamp out for an LED! Yipes)
So it did all that, which is great, but now DW wants to use it for 3 nights in a row at times! Moving the goalposts! Drat.
So I have split the bank as mentioned way back as what to do, so now the SiO2 is just on the inverter for 120v (MW, toaster, and phone charging.) The usual RV loads are now on a pair of 6s I stole from the MH.
So I got caught with the one 100AH battery that can take high draws but is still only a 100AH batt. "One batt per night" still applies. That works in the summer with no furnace and not much light needed plus solar. I could not do the job with regular AGMs which I tried before, so I still need the SiO2 for the high draws and other advantages it has. I cannot afford to just use more SiO2s to get more AHs. So the split bank trick works using equipment I already have.
The same thing would happen with Lis of course. 100AH is still only 100AH. Only with Li you spend way more than for SiO2 and apparently only save some weight, if that matters, to get a batt that does about the same thing.
If you can get it done with regular batts, such as four 6s like in the MH for both inverter and lots of AH for lights and furnace, that is certainly the way to go IMO. That's what we do in the MH. Only got the SiO2 for this particular camper job and am not sorry I did, because it works where others would not)
I agree with PT that unless there is a weight issue, there is no need for Li when you can get SiO2 to do the same thing. However, there is no need to get either for most scenarios.
