Ok so I doubt equalising will be happening very often in these winter months due to not getting full charges, how often does it have to equalise? As mentioned the last full charge was maybe 5 days ago or more on that one mostly sunny day.
In any case it doesn’t seem like a massive issue? Not read about it before in my research when getting batteries. Seems more like a best practices thing rather than it will definitely wreck your battery? Kind of the same case as idle vs. no idling discussed above.
EDIT: Oh, I see @lxonline ‘s original response stated the 1 week or 2 is fine.
lol, no I recycle and restored the firmware on them and am running tests to prove
that they are indeed still 100% just fine.
Well batteries and this is a well debated topic that goes back the the very first lithium instances and unfused 18650 cells.
The theory is, that the manufacturer will say “TENTHOUSAND CYCLES” and users will say, “na thats more like 500”
By alternating, you are effectively and in theory prolonging the use cycle of your cells. There are multiple facts like capacity use: say you have 100ah and you only charge to 95% soc and set your discharge limit to say 25…the idea being that youd prolong the battery by not pushing it consitently to its absolute limits.
What @lxonline is saying, is that you can charge your batteries to 80% and only every 2 weeks go 100% to balance. this should prolong the life cycle and is safe considering the drift factor.
using monetary terms is a blocked word her, so you have to say monetos somehow else.
Im gonna go with, you only have that one roof, and its probably got a hole for a skylight in it, so like the alternator, or water tank, size efficiency is alsways better for you as a van dweller … I know this because i am one too
See there are panels that are double sided and they are almost twice as efficient than a cheaper one sided panel. yes if you have a barn the size of a cryptominer in china, your going to want to cover every square millimetre with panels. This is the perfect use case for buying a container full of panels, used, new, used verified…all shapes and sizes.
For you youd probably want either 2 very efficient smaller ones that output (almost) 2x a cheaper larger one. and if you really want the absolute efficiency factor, they have to be standing vertically…dont do this…
yes, this is where a nice fancy new multiplus would probably do you the best good. angain sizing is important, you dont need the biggest one if you ony have 100ah, but it will make recharging a blast and simple to do.
we geeks like to install a shunt to fix our problems, then we stare it for days, watching and learning it every nuance, then we get another…and another… soon you have seven and have to write an aggrigator script to help keep track to the drift.
Best case is install it, set up, have someone monitor it for a year, and never look again. actually dont do this, its a good idea to keep an eye on the cells soc. just dont let it become an addiction
“Equilising” is NOT the correct word to use here; that would be “calibrating”. Calibrating of the Shunt (or other measuring device) happens at the voltage top, because that’s how LFP lithium chemistry works. At the top is when “equilizing” also takes place, but that’s a completely different process.
Maybe that’s the wrong word but I believe I used it correctly. Because calibration is a configuration. Equalisation effectively resets the logic as more charge in = the soc cant go past 100%soc so, true soc at 100% is achieved. make sense?
Equalisation is NOT a “reset”, calibration indeed is. Equalisation takes place at the CELLS themselves, and if the cells are not balanced (balancing is another word for equalising), then equalisation can take for ever, depending on the BMS.
I guess another option would be just go on generic_used_device_marketplace and see if you can find a used geni somewhere, before spending too much on a solution youd use 20 times a year.
I was thinking yet another option would be wind power. They would suit the terrible weather because when it is like this it is hammering with wind mostly.
Hmm, price wise it looks not worth it at 500 starting price then would have to buy MPPT on top and other bits and pieces.
I think even 1 more battery would not go that far yet be a large cost for only modest benefit. I think a full charge on 100Ah lasts around 2 days. So another is not going to make a massive difference when it is 8+ days like I have been seeing. Better to just change habits and not use energy as much I think for these odd long stretches.
Just a case of slugging through I think. I checked the weather and about another 6 days of this predicted currently.
Before I went with wind I’d need to do meteorological research on local averages and projections, especially because then sizing is an important criteria to consider.
I think that your alternator is probably good enough to help you out in a pinch unless your engine really is on its last legs, and if you wanted to make a more fixed setup, all these things we’ve been talking about may be options for you
The problem is it has been a lot of pinches lol. Last night I was given false hope there would be partial sun but I look again this morning and nope, more rain all day forecast again.
I am wondering just how many days it can be idled without damage because it has been every single day now for 5 days or so whereas before I might do it once every couple of weeks. As per my previous thought, surely most commuters spend far more time idling their engines? however they would also be running them in between.
I did read an article that some truck drivers would keep their engines running 24/7 even when parked for some stupid reason but a useful case study.
I just read this on a reddit thread about idling diesels too:
Me personally? It just depends. if it’s cold outside I’ll keep it running to keep my heat. if it’s super hot out it’ll stay running to keep my ac going. my truck already has like 6,000 idle hours on it what’s a few more. I also idle my gas engines for the same reason.
Sounds like a couple of hours total a year will be fine then!
This is true but excessive idling can sometimes mean not enough oil and/or coolant flow to all the internal engine components. It’s why some fleets will install a manual throttle control to bump up the idle speed. I learned this from my oldest brother who wrenched for many decades as a mechanic for a fleet of oil service trucks. He’s long retired now but it was sage advice that I’m still mindful of.
