Turning off the Charging Process

[obiwancanoli]

After accepting the Limitation that I can't - and shouldn't attempt - charging my new BB Lithium batteries, it occurred to me that a few of the places I might like to go could get to freezing, or below, and gee, I could just turn off, switch off, or otherwise disengage the charging system so that I don't fry my batteries (no pun intended) if they somehow found themselves trying to recharge (I have Solar, and a generator).

Is there a way I can easily disengage the charging process at will, and reinstate when temps rise?

[time2roll]

BFL13 wrote:

time2roll wrote:
Could just keep the battery warm.

How, when off-grid?

Insulate and provide thermostat controlled heat. 12v heat tape or heat pad should work. Should require near the power of say a tank heater. Or just bring them inside.

[DrewE]

BFL13 wrote:

time2roll wrote:
Could just keep the battery warm.

How, when off-grid?

Installing them someplace inside the insulated envelope of the RV would seem to be the most obvious way.

[BFL13]

time2roll wrote:
Could just keep the battery warm.

How, when off-grid?

[time2roll]

Could just keep the battery warm.

[Lwiddis]

X2 BFL.

[BFL13]

What is the exact scenario?

If you disconnect the batteries from the charger when it gets cold, you still need 12v from somewhere. That would be the converter if you have shore power.

No shore power? No battery because it is too cold? Now you need another battery that does work in the cold. (SiO2 says PT 🙂 )

Is the battery able to discharge (run loads) in the cold but just can't be recharged in the cold? (I am unclear how that is with Li)

So what is the scenario? Some have avoided this whole thing with various types of heating for their Lis to keep them in their operational zones. Not sure how you power those heater things off-grid when the batts can't be run without them. Kind of confusing!

Up to you to better describe the worrisome scenario here.

[Lwiddis]

Prior to any disconnect from the controller or the batteries I’d suggest covering the solar panels so they make no, or little, power.

[time2roll]

Simple switch would do it. However solar likes to have a battery connected. Panels need to be switched off.