A few Fogstar Drift Battery Questions (1 Viewer)

[Cush]

Alright! I’m convinced, where do I sign?
Is it just a case swapping batteries, or is there some hidden dark art I need to learn.
I currently have 300 watts of panel (180/120) coming down a 6mm2 wire to a Votronic MPP350 Duo digital controller, connected, via the rear of the Elektroblok EBL 29 to two 80 amp Exide gels.
Would I just swap out the gels and fit the Lithium, job done.
I can’t see a Lithium setting on the EBL29.

What is your power use? If your current batteries do the job, why change? Spend the £ on fun.

For some they increase their electricity dependency because of having more faster charging capacity. Others, keep the same demand but get longer off grid?

Some crazy people experiment with a hybrid setup that doesn’t get the max from the lithium (looses a couple of % from capacity and slower charge rate) but increases
previous capacity and always keep the old lead acid at 100% so they last for ever! They might even think that the world is a sphere . They also don’t change their charging set up (unless it’s a totally power supply system that has no actual profiles), thus saving on b2b, new solar controller etc.

Good luck, Cush

 

[treblid]

Your EBL will work on the Gel setting but if using EHU for more than the odd night it is best to fit a charger suitable for Lithium

Jeeze....... Someone has changed their tune! All the grief you gave me about saying this......

 

[Lenny HB]

Jeeze....... Someone has changed their tune! All the grief you gave me about saying this......

I said if you are using EHU for the odd night by that I mean just a few nights a year.
Hetties EBL has an absorbtion phase of 8 hours the new ones it is 16 hours certainly not good for Lithium but unlightly to do any damage for one or two nights a year.

 

[pjay]

Does anyone have any more definative info about the new fogstar app thats coming soon please?

Pete

 

[headlight]

Does anyone have any more definative info about the new fogstar app thats coming soon please?

Pete

It's been in testing for a while according to Fogstar.
If you have 2 batteries it will show both at the same time apparently.
No idea when it will actually be available though.

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[Just smiffy]

It's been in testing for a while according to Fogstar.
If you have 2 batteries it will show both at the same time apparently.
No idea when it will actually be available though.

Have you got to buy an iPhone for it to work…

 

[headlight]

Have you got to buy an iPhone for it to work…

No I had to buy a new android phone to make it work

 

[headlight]

No I had to buy a new android phone to make it work

As it wouldn't connect to my 7 year old Huawei.

 

[Lenny HB]

As it wouldn't connect to my 7 year old Huawei.

So you buy a modern hi tech battery and expect it to talk to an antique.

 

[headlight]

So you buy a modern hi tech battery and expect it to talk to an antique.

Yes but if I hadn't bought a modern high tech battery I'd still be using that antique phone.
As it is the antique phone has been re-purposed as the van's mobile hotspot.

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[Pausim]

So you buy a modern hi tech battery and expect it to talk to an antique.

It must be getting harder to get the coal to power these older phones.

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

So you buy a modern hi tech battery and expect it to talk to an antique.

I’m glad that Jim idea of a lifetime isn’t the same as modern tech companies. 7 years is now antique!

 

[PeterCarole29]

It appears to be right load of faff to have Lithium, I’ve not given much thought to my two gel batteries in the past few years. I expect I’ll have to get on board at some point.

I dont see it being any faf in our PVC. we have 2x 460ah 425w solar with controler and 2x12/12/30 victron b2bs victron multiplus inverter
All i look at is the voltage on the victron shunt

 

[EuroTrotters]

I dont see it being any faf in our PVC. we have 2x 460ah 425w solar with controler and 2x12/12/30 victron b2bs victron multiplus inverter
All i look at is the voltage on the victron shunt

thats some solar !

 

[WESTY66]

So you buy a modern hi tech battery and expect it to talk to an antique.

OMG my iPhone is 7 years old, oddly enough it still talks to Mrs Westy

I might need a new one for future use

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[bigtwin]

we have 2x 460ah 425w

thats some solar !

I was more impressed with the 920Ah battery bank than the 425W solar.

Ian

 

[Lenny HB]

I was more impressed with the 920Ah battery bank than the 425W solar.

Ian

Trev probably can't tell the difference

 

[EuroTrotters]

Trev probably can't tell the diff

One word Lenny, Hygroscopic

 

[bigtwin]

One word Lenny, Hygroscopic

You leave ducks out of it.

Ian

 

[Lenny HB]

One word Lenny, Hygroscopic

What you on tonight?

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[headlight]

So you buy a modern hi tech battery and expect it to talk to an antique.

I didn't think it was antique

 

[carolyn]

I was more impressed with the 920Ah battery bank than the 425W solar.

Ian

Am I the only one who wants to know what appliances they have in their PVC that need all that electrickery. My mind is boggling. I know physics is the science I struggle with but I think that’s a lot. Or do they just off grid a lot but only “up North” in winter with a huge compressor fridge and an electric fire?

 

[bigtwin]

Am I the only one who wants to know what appliances they have in their PVC that need all that electrickery. My mind is boggling. I know physics is the science I struggle with but I think that’s a lot. Or do they just off grid a lot but only “up North” in winter with a huge compressor fridge and an electric fire?

Going gas free is now a reality with LiFePO4 battery banks. They are capable of powering domestic kettles and induction hobs so the oft quoted problem of hair dryers is no longer an issue.

Ian

 

[Lenny HB]

Am I the only one who wants to know what appliances they have in their PVC that need all that electrickery. My mind is boggling. I know physics is the science I struggle with but I think that’s a lot. Or do they just off grid a lot but only “up North” in winter with a huge compressor fridge and an electric fire?

At the moment we only have 3 x 78ah Gel batteries and a 1000 watt inverter, mainly use the inverter for charging the bike, occasionally use an 800 watt kettle when at the ferry port or on the tunnel.

But the plan on the new van is for 460 ah of Lithium & 3000 va (2400watt) inverter the inverter will be a multipus so it can be combined with the mains and it has a 120 amp charger.
Not having an oven so looking at a Air Fryer type oven & will probably only use the electric kettle & a induction hob for using outside.

Times are changing so it's easy to do all this with lithium so why not.
If you had suggested it to me 5 years ago I would have probably thought you were off your rocker.

 

[headlight]

Yes lithium opens up a whole new world.
I originally fitted my 230AH Lifepo4 just to be able to do 4-5 nights not on EHU in winter with minimal solar charge input as my 2 x 100AH of lead acid would only allow 2 nights, 3 if we were very careful.
However I've now replaced my 300 watt inverter with a 2,000 watt inverter.
This has allowed us to use an air fryer, panini maker etc.

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[carolyn]

At the moment we only have 3 x 78ah Gel batteries and a 1000 watt inverter, mainly use the inverter for charging the bike, occasionally use an 800 watt kettle when at the ferry port or on the tunnel.

But the plan on the new van is for 460 ah of Lithium & 3000 va (2400watt) inverter the inverter will be a multipus so it can be combined with the mains and it has a 120 amp charger.
Not having an oven so looking at a Air Fryer type oven & will probably only use the electric kettle & a induction hob for using outside.

Times are changing so it's easy to do all this with lithium so why not.
If you had suggested it to me 5 years ago I would have probably thought you were off your rocker.

I was joking really and you do have a big van. It just seems an awful lot on a PVC. One of the selling points of lithium is weight and PVC’s are heavy so any weight advantage has suddenly been lost with 920Ah battery. As you know I’m doing my homework but we certainly won’t need that!

 

[Lenny HB]

I was joking really and you do have a big van.

But the new van will be tiny not much bigger than a PVC. 6.7m x 2.12m, but does have a huge garage and lots of underfloor storage.

I could probably get away with 300ah of Lithium but I want two batteries for redundancy. The ones I'm looking at come in 105ah and the next size up is 230ah so 460 it will be if I can fit them in.

 

[zac]

i upgraded ours last year from 2 x 100ah lithiums to a 460a fogstar lithium, the battery is mahoosive compared to the 2 i took out, but it just fits under the seat. Now i don't worry about running the air fryer for long periods or using the microwave or using our 1500w kettle as we now have so much battery i cannot ever think we would even use anywhere near that capacity. Better to have more than you need though I also maxed out the roof with 525w of solar as i already had the sterling B2B 50a fitted when i brought the van.
I also put 1 of the 100a lithiums in my car trailer to power the motor mover which works perfectly and now dont have to worry about the battery going flat like on the lead acid's.

 

[PeterCarole29]

i upgraded ours last year from 2 x 100ah lithiums to a 460a fogstar lithium, the battery is mahoosive compared to the 2 i took out, but it just fits under the seat. Now i don't worry about running the air fryer for long periods or using the microwave or using our 1500w kettle as we now have so much battery i cannot ever think we would even use anywhere near that capacity. Better to have more than you need though I also maxed out the roof with 525w of solar as i already had the sterling B2B 50a fitted when i brought the van.
I also put 1 of the 100a lithiums in my car trailer to power the motor mover which works perfectly and now dont have to worry about the battery going flat like on the lead acid's.

Am I the only one who wants to know what appliances they have in their PVC that need all that electrickery. My mind is boggling. I know physics is the science I struggle with but I think that’s a lot. Or do they just off grid a lot but only “up North” in winter with a huge compressor fridge and an electric fire?

Hi

We spent a month in Spain last year only stayed 2 nights on sites and one 460ah wasn’t enough and we cooked on gas and l induction and air frier my wife uses a hair drier daily
So to match the existing battery went for another 460 ah best part I don’t have to say to the wife now be carefull
We will now have 2 induction jobs air frier remoska hair drier electric and gas water heater
We eat first class food as my wife loves to cook
I just make sure she’s happy and look forward to a lovely meal

 

[zac]

We spent a month in Spain last year only stayed 2 nights on sites and one 460ah wasn’t enough and we cooked on gas and l induction and air frier my wife uses a hair drier daily
So to match the existing battery went for another 460 ah best part I don’t have to say to the wife now be carefull
We will now have 2 induction jobs air frier remoska hair drier electric and gas water heater
We eat first class food as my wife loves to cook
I just make sure she’s happy and look forward to a lovely meal

wow really, how much solar on the roof as this will have an impact on how much is going back in and how quickly it then recharged?
Don't have enough room for another one i dont think but i honesly cannot see us consuming anywhere near this.

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