question

alan932 avatar image
alan932 asked

Should I turn off or disconnect my lifo4 in my caravan when not being used for several months

battery charging
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2 Answers
markus avatar image
markus answered ·

Yes. Disconnect it at 70-80% SOC

If you disconnect it close to full, your battery suffers stress.
If you disconnect it close to empty self discharge can make the battery go „kaputt“

BR

5 comments
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klim8skeptic avatar image klim8skeptic ♦ commented ·

unfortunately ppl have wildly different perceptions on what Soc means...

If I was to store my daily cyclers, I would charge them to the point that they go onto float... and then physically unbolt them from the system.

In my use scenario, I am looking for the greatest energy throughput, and NOT the longest battery life.

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markus avatar image markus ♦♦ klim8skeptic ♦ commented ·

Hi,

Yes there are lot’s of theories but the most general advise for storing Lithium batteries, not being used for several months, had been given. :o)

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klim8skeptic avatar image klim8skeptic ♦ markus ♦♦ commented ·

Gotta link?

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Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) avatar image
Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) answered ·

Hi @Alan932,

you didn't tell us which type of lifepo4 battery you have. There are lithiums with built-in BMS and other systems use an external BMS. However, both my drain your battery over time.

So if I were you, I would switch the system off and make sure there are absolutely no current flowing in/out of the battery to prevent the battery/cells from getting completely dis- or overcharged. And if you don't have consumers that needs to be powered 24/7 while away, you gain nothing with the system running.

Make sure your lithium is charged to about 50% of its capacity when going into storage mode and every now and then check battery/cell voltage.

edit: and I see Markus commented also and recommends 70-80%, which is also ok. So don't be confused if these values don't match exactly ;-)

4 comments
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markus avatar image markus ♦♦ commented ·

Haha, if I were Alan, I would choose 60% now ;o)

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markus avatar image markus ♦♦ markus ♦♦ commented ·

And just to be said: you can perfectly disconnect your battery with a switch. So „switch off“ and „disconnect“ might be the same here. Just make sure you get rid of any parasitic drain.

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Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) avatar image Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ markus ♦♦ commented ·

60% is golden :D

ps. If I knew there was already a good answer...but the system showed this question as unanswered, hence my answer. I should just delete this to avoid confusing ppl ;-)

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markus avatar image markus ♦♦ Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ commented ·

No, I think they added up quite good.

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