Lithium vs. Conventional Batteries: Which is Better?

[Hoovie]

I think we are agreeing.


I understand where you are coming from on this. But the other view is. Sealing it prevents users tinkering and potentially breaking things in a dangerous way. If you make it trivial for a user to gain access it is more likely they will open it. If it is sealed they may think twice as it will most definitely void their warranty. I personally would prefer if it was user serviceable, but that probably proves the point

But at a £231 price difference I would happy with a sealed unit to be honest especially if they are confident in their bluetooth module.

you (well, the supplier) does run that risk, yes, and too many people tinker when they should know better (that is also true of some folk who mess around in the BMS Apps to try and "improve" settings! Just leave it alone!!).
I guess some of the "warranty voided if seal broken" labels over the case/lid join could be a dissuader?

 

[Gromett]

you (well, the supplier) does run that risk, yes, and too many people tinker when they should know better (that is also true of some folk who mess around in the BMS Apps to try and "improve" settings! Just leave it alone!!).
I guess some of the "warranty voided if seal broken" labels over the case/lid join could be a dissuader?

I am not convinced warranty void stickers are effective under the EU warranty law? But I am not a lawyer and not really that interested in the topic to be honest. But if I were a manufacturer selling Li batteries to consumers I would probably sell sealed units as well.
I really don't trust joe public. I ran a retail/trade company for a few years and some of the warranty returns and excuses/reasons have put me off dealing with the public for life.

When Lithium batteries were an expensive, niche product I probably would have risked the maintenance route. But as their prices have now fallen to the point where every dick head and his dog can buy one I am going to seal them.

PS: I am not calling all members of the public dick heads. But there are enough of them around to make dealing with the public in general at retail an unpleasant experience.

 

[Pausim]

A very interesting discussion. My LiPo is sealed and doesn’t have Bluetooth. I monitor what is going in and out of the battery with a Victron BMV with Bluetooth. I am happy to leave the BMS settings to the manufacturer. In the winter when I am not around I turn the bluetooth off so save an unnecessary minor drain. I wonder about describing a product as a “drop in replacement ” and then giving the user all manner of options not normally associated with a traditional battery. When I bought my battery 5+ years ago all I wanted was a better way of storing electricity which is what I got.

More bells and whistles more to go wrong. Sophistication isn’t always a good thing, it can mean unnecessary embellishments not better functionality.

 

[Garry - June]

I think that is KS? Roamer I believe are one of the good guys.

KS ENERGY BATTERY UPDATE & WARRANTY

As some of you will know, Alan recently had problems with his KS energy battery, and in particular the app showing 60 odd percent one minute then battery went flat the next and vice versa. Alan sent it back to KS energy for the battery to be tested. Its just been tested and below is his reply...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

lol.. .. I have seen another quote from someone berating KS batteries because they don't cover the bluetooth function on their warranties and proclaiming Roamer were much better for their cover ... yet upon investigation the Roamer warranty was identical almost word for word to the KS one regarding cover for the Bluetooth system..

Quote from Roamer Warranty ;-

" Please note that Bluetooth is not an essential feature for battery operation and any issues with Bluetooth (no signal or weak signal for example) are not covered under warranty."

 

[wp1234]

Obviously a very low user, in winter we use around 60ah a day even our 300 watts of solar can't keep up with that.

Wow …what are you running ? If I rack up 30 ah in a day that’s me watching tv for quite a few hours each night in UK winter.

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[Lenny HB]

Wow …what are you running ? If I rack up 30 ah in a day that’s me watching tv for quite a few hours each night in UK winter.

About 20ah min in summer shoulder season in 35ah cold weather easy to exceed 60 ah a day.

A Truma Combi even though it only draws 6 amps until it's up to temp then drops to 1a over 24 hours say using it 4 pm to 11 pm then 7am to 10am that alone will account for around 20ah.
Our LED lighting will use more than that, approx 20 -25ah.
4 hours of TV 10ah, stereo for TV sound 8ah.

 

[Hoovie]

About 20ah min in summer shoulder season in 35ah cold weather easy to exceed 60 ah a day.

A Truma Combi even though it only draws 6 amps until it's up to temp then drops to 1a over 24 hours say using it 4 pm to 11 pm then 7am to 10am that alone will account for around 20ah.
Our LED lighting will use more than that, approx 20 -25ah.
4 hours of TV 10ah, stereo for TV sound 8ah.

60Ah? Amateur!

It's surprising how much it clocks up..... Fridge/Freezer is around 50Ah a day, Multiplus Inverter on standby without energy saving is 10Ah a day wasted (b****y Victron rubbish not working as it should!), then all the other bits powered up such as Cerbo GX, Alexa Echos, Routers, USB sockets, TV Booster, Rear Camera on, etc, etc. And then you have the things that are actually in use (lights, TV, Soundbar, etc.)
I don't know how anyone manages with a little 100Ah battery!

 

[our poppy llll]

What year is this MH? If it's new or nearly new, it might already have a B2B. The latest motorhomes with smart alternators need a B2B to ensure the leisure batteries are charged properly, so they are usually fitted with a B2B.

2023. Collected it 4/4/23. It’s a Kon Tiki Grand Prix 794 from lowdhams Nottingham.

 

[autorouter]

2023. Collected it 4/4/23. It’s a Kon Tiki Grand Prix 794 from lowdhams Nottingham.

In that case it's almost sure to have a B2B charger for charging the leisure battery from the smart alternator. It will not have a simple split charge relay arrangement. I say 'almost sure' because it seems there have been a very few cases of MH manufacturers not fitting a B2B charger even though a split charge relay is unsatisfactory for charging a leisure battery from a smart alternator.

However the B2B may not be especially powerful, and you may want to fit a more powerful one to fill up a lithium battery faster. But that would be a nice to have, not an essential.