Rapido group van and LiFePo4 charging question, please

SeanF1

SeanF1

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6m Campervan
Evening all,
Is there anyone on here with a fairly recent Rapido van and using the fitted Nordelettronica NE287 charger (240v) to charge LiFePo4 batteries?
Is everything working as it should? More than one battery supplier has told me that the built in Lifepo4 charge profile is not suitable for their batteries because it is 14.6v/13.8v. One supplier has told me it will work fine with their battery?
Any feedback gratefully received. Many thanks
 
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SeanF1 said:
Evening all,
Is there anyone on here with a fairly recent Rapido van and using the fitted Nordelettronica NE287 charger (240v) to charge LiFePo4 batteries?
Is everything working as it should? More than one battery supplier has told me that the built in Lifepo4 charge profile is not suitable for their batteries because it is 14.6v/13.8v. One supplier has told me it will work fine with their battery?
Any feedback gratefully received. Many thanks
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Me too as I have the same. Just assumed as there was a Lithium profile switch it would be fine!
 
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dash300 said:
Me too as I have the same. Just assumed as there was a Lithium profile switch it would be fine!
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I agree. I was amazed to be told that the voltages were too high. Someone on Facebook has advised me to use the Lead Acid (Pb) setting as the voltages are closer.
Doesn't seem to be anyone able to help on here 😕
 
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SeanF1 said:
I agree. I was amazed to be told that the voltages were too high. Someone on Facebook has advised me to use the Lead Acid (Pb) setting as the voltages are closer.
Doesn't seem to be anyone able to help on here 😕
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I'm not a facebook member but I am able to view and read https://www.facebook.com/groups/805279497059256/
If you are on facebook you might be able to join and ask the same question.
 
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I fitted LiFePO4 to our Rapido, but as it is a 2010 model, I changed the charger to a Sterling one, which has a very similar profile to the one you mention. We’ve had no issues at all with the battery. Most of the time it is charged from solar only, as we hardly ever hook up. However, the Sterling B2B would have a very similar or identical LiFePO4 profile, I would guess. No issues.

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14.6v is the absolute max on LifeP04 better to charge at 14.2v they will still reach a full charge but will take a bit longer. For long life best to charge them only to 90%.
 
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In the Rapido owner's little black document bag there should be the separate manual for the charger. Mine says there are small switches to set different charging profiles including Lithium hab batteries.
 
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Just looked at the manual for my NE287 21amp and yes the OP is correct that with the charger switches set for Lithium the output is indeed quoted at 14.6v/13.8v. Being a brand new 2022 unit I would be surprised if it was not suitable for Lithium charging.

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dash300 said:
Just looked at the manual for my NE287 21amp and yes the OP is correct that with the charger switches set for Lithium the output is indeed quoted at 14.6v/13.8v. Being a brand new 2022 unit I would be surprised if it was not suitable for Lithium charging.
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Not only is 14.6v on the limit, 13.8v for the float is also high, normally float Lithium at 13.5v.
 
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Lenny HB said:
Not only is 14.6v on the limit, 13.8v for the float is also high, normally float Lithium at 13.5v.
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Thank you all for your replies so far. It frankly amazes me that NE can present something as being correct for LiFePo4 when most of the industry says that if you use it you will damage your very expensive batteries o_O.
The lead Acid mode on this charger charges to 14.4v/13.5v and desulfication can be turned off. Is there any reason not to use this setting instead?
 
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SeanF1 said:
Thank you all for your replies so far. It frankly amazes me that NE can present something as being correct for LiFePo4 when most of the industry says that if you use it you will damage your very expensive batteries o_O.
The lead Acid mode on this charger charges to 14.4v/13.5v and desulfication can be turned off. Is there any reason not to use this setting instead?
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That would be better but if you use EHU a lot why not buy a decent charger.

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Lenny HB said:
That would be better but if you use EHU a lot why not buy a decent charger.
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Thanks Lenny. I might have to.
I don't have the van yet, its supposedly arriving in May🤞. Just trying to plan ahead at the moment.
I'm not planning to use EHU a lot, but can see situations where I will need/want to.
Unfortunately the NE325 dcdc, also fitted to the van has the same profile charge voltages so I think this can be set to the PB setting as charging time will, by definition be finite.
Presumably, another option for 240v charging could be to use the Pb setting and then switch off the charger when the battery gets to the desired charge? Remembering of course to switch back on when required.
Many thanks again
 
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When on ehu you don’t need a fully charged battery and undercharging LiFePO4 doesn’t do any harm.
 
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Having done a quick google of Lithium charging as Lenny says 14.6v is the widely accepted max for all but a few Lithium batteries which is what the NE287 does. Not that I have Lithium.
 
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dash300 said:
Having done a quick google of Lithium charging as Lenny says 14.6v is the widely accepted max for all but a few Lithium batteries which is what the NE287 does. Not that I have Lithium.
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This assumes that all cells are perfectly balanced. Charging to 14.6v is really bad for lifepo4, it will age them pretty quickly. A cell max voltage is 3.65v and 4 cells gives you the theoretical pack voltage of 14.6v. But in real world 14.6 does not mean a cell will not overshoot. And even at 14.4v you can still have a cell or two at 3.65v. Then the absorb time matters as well as charge rate. If you charge at 14.6v CV, can you stop charge when amp tapper off at 1%?. A lifepo4 charger can.
 
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SeanF1 said:
Unfortunately the NE325 dcdc, also fitted to the van has the same profile charge voltages so I think this can be set to the PB setting as charging time will, by definition be finite.
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Better to change it for a decent B2B that does the job properly.
 
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Lenny HB said:
That would be better but if you use EHU a lot why not buy a decent charger.
Click to expand...
Yes get the proper charger IE victron. My charging profile is similar to lead acid but it’s the length of time it will bulk that will be different to lead acid same with absorption

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BILL 875 said:
and 14.6-13.8 so have a choice, i will see what Fogstar info says is best or go with LennyHB. Bill
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Be interesting to hear what they say Bill. Fogstar were the one supplier who told me that the NE chargers would be fine with their batteries.
 
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BILL 875 said:
Morning, I am in the process of installing a Votronic 12-12-50 dc -dc charger it has 4 settings for lithium, 13.9-13.9, 14.2-13.6, 14.4-13.8 and 14.6-13.8 so have a choice, i will see what Fogstar info says is best or go with LennyHB. Bill
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Bill, my 30A Votronic B2B only had one option for LiFePo setting, which is 14.4-13.8. My batteries are from KS Energy and the 13.8 float figure is above their recommendation of 13.3 to 13.6V. I didn't think that would be too much of a problem because the B2B will not run for long periods on float, unlike the mains and solar chargers. If I had a choice like you have I would have gone for the 14.2-13.6 profile because it would have met KS's requirements better. But see what Fogstar says.

Peter
 
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