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

SFVdave
Explorer
Dec 28, 2018
Well, I called BB Batteries and they said not to worry as their batteries come with the BMS that will only let the batteries charge within the proper temperature range... Their batteries will not accept a charge below 25 degrees F and will not discharge below -5 degrees F. Also, their batteries will not over charge. That was per BB Batteries tech. So no need for me to be concerned in Yosemite, I just need to try and get the batteries back up in to charging temperature range should the temperature drop below 25 degrees F.
noteven
Explorer III
Dec 27, 2018
Hurricaner wrote:
I believe all lithium batteries designed for rv use have low temp charging protection built in to the BMS. This is from the battle born manual.
High temperature: > 135F
The BMS will not allow a charging or discharging current.
Low temperature: < 25F
The BMS will not allow a charging current

Sam

Built in controls! Who knew?

Thanks Sam
Hurricaner
Explorer
Dec 27, 2018
I believe all lithium batteries designed for rv use have low temp charging protection built in to the BMS. This is from the battle born manual.
High temperature: > 135F
The BMS will not allow a charging or discharging current.
Low temperature: < 25F
The BMS will not allow a charging current

Sam
noteven
Explorer III
Dec 27, 2018
GordonThree wrote:
noteven wrote:
Minimum battery resting temperature to begin charging lithium of 32F is not workable for me. I want 4 seasons capabilities.

Everything else about lithium is great.

I don't understand this complaint? What does 4 seasons have to do with the battery temperature? I use my RV 4 seasons, and keep my AGM batteries inside the heated (and cooled) living space. Is this not possible with lithium batteries?

I am not “complaining”. I like lithium tech except for warnings about charging below 0C. I was visiting away from my trailer for a few days so it was parked and winterized. Today it was -16C inside and out when I started the furnace and generator. A guy could configure heat to lithium batteries and leave them disconnected from charging until they warm up when you wake up a cold rv I guess.
LittleBill
Explorer
Dec 24, 2018
GordonThree wrote:
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Hoe much HEAT does max charge rate develop in a lithium battery? I'm thinking a dedicated line from the hot water heater, volume throttled by a return line orifice might be better than nothing. Means foam covering the lines and a teensy pump.

Nissan does this, and maybe Tesla. Water cooled batteries. I think they use electric heating pads for cold weather. Haven't seen any aftermarket "drop in" types setup for water heating or cooling.

Really surprised at the prices that are charged for these batteries that heating pads aren't included along with a BMS that knows how to use them.

they don't use heating pads in Tesla, the entire thing is built into a 2 part pump system built primarily out of the coolant tank. which uses a heat ex changer.

to generate heat, the drive motors are intentionally stalled, to generate the heat needed to heat the battery packs. i don't remember how the cooling is done, prolly just fires the air conditioning up and reroutes it to the heat ex changer again.
2oldman
Explorer II
Dec 24, 2018
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Hoe much HEAT does max charge rate develop in a lithium battery?
Perhaps there is some, but nothing noticeable.
GordonThree
Explorer
Dec 24, 2018
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Hoe much HEAT does max charge rate develop in a lithium battery? I'm thinking a dedicated line from the hot water heater, volume throttled by a return line orifice might be better than nothing. Means foam covering the lines and a teensy pump.

Nissan does this, and maybe Tesla. Water cooled batteries. I think they use electric heating pads for cold weather. Haven't seen any aftermarket "drop in" types setup for water heating or cooling.

Really surprised at the prices that are charged for these batteries that heating pads aren't included along with a BMS that knows how to use them.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Dec 24, 2018
Hoe much HEAT does max charge rate develop in a lithium battery? I'm thinking a dedicated line from the hot water heater, volume throttled by a return line orifice might be better than nothing. Means foam covering the lines and a teensy pump.
Itinerant1
Explorer
Dec 24, 2018
2oldman wrote:
LittleBill wrote:
um not really, once the battery hits a certain voltage, current drops,that last 10% can take quite a while
Not on my Li battery. It goes to full voltage quickly as per spec. Yes, the current drops, but in far less time than an acid tub.

X2 with my lfp also.

Maybe littlebill can tell us about his lfp batteries he's using on his trailer.
2oldman
Explorer II
Dec 23, 2018
GordonThree wrote:
.. and keep my AGM batteries inside the heated (and cooled) living space. Is this not possible with lithium batteries?
Yes, it's possible.

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