Switch to LIFePO4?
I have a trio of Rolls Surrette FS210 wet cell batteries that give me about 315 AH of usable capacity. My big concern is weight, the total is 400 lbs in my from compartment of the 5er, and I think tha...
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Just as a quick update, all the batteries are installed and wired up properly. Took the opportunity to re-do a bit of the wire management to clean it up. Followed recommendations to use 8/2 for the 120V, glad I did even if it was a bit of a bear around corners. Still need to secure the wiring into the Samlex and add a few terminal caps.
Still fiddling with the settings on the Samlex for charging - yesterday the batteries showed as being down to 57% charge on the Victron battery monitor, but were still at around 90% according to the BMS panels on each battery. I get the sense that I won't be getting accurate readings from the Victron, not sure what to fiddle with. I recalibrated the Victron at 100% SOC, we'll see.
The Samlex will pump 80A as set to charge, it's set up as a 2-stage charge as per their recommendation, but it looks like the charger is still not fully charging the batteries. Will go and bump up the Absorbtion Voltage to 14.2 (initial setting was 14) and see. I did a test by running the microwave off a single battery (I know I shouldn't but could not resist the test and only ran it for a few seconds), dropped from 13.3 to 13.2 then back up - pretty impressive off a single 100A battery.
Net result is much better load handling, 270 lbs less weight and a much lighter pocket book, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.
Still fiddling with the settings on the Samlex for charging - yesterday the batteries showed as being down to 57% charge on the Victron battery monitor, but were still at around 90% according to the BMS panels on each battery. I get the sense that I won't be getting accurate readings from the Victron, not sure what to fiddle with. I recalibrated the Victron at 100% SOC, we'll see.
The Samlex will pump 80A as set to charge, it's set up as a 2-stage charge as per their recommendation, but it looks like the charger is still not fully charging the batteries. Will go and bump up the Absorbtion Voltage to 14.2 (initial setting was 14) and see. I did a test by running the microwave off a single battery (I know I shouldn't but could not resist the test and only ran it for a few seconds), dropped from 13.3 to 13.2 then back up - pretty impressive off a single 100A battery.
Net result is much better load handling, 270 lbs less weight and a much lighter pocket book, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.
