Sterling Lifepo batteries

[stevewagner]

In April 2021 I bought 2 x 100amp Sterling Lifepo batteries which have performed perfectly up until the recent cold snap. They appeared to go to sleep which is what they are supposed to do at extremely low temperature, but no matter what I did they would not wake up. Also the app stopped working. Last week I contacted the Sterling technical helpline and they offered to get them collected so that they could test them and then they would return them. However we were due to head up to the north and Scotland last Thursday was worried that they would not be back in time. Therefore I suggested we would drop in to their HQ on Friday for them to have a look.
On the way up there the batteries woke up and the charging process started. By the time I arrived they were fully charged. Needless to say when they tested them they were fine. However I did express concern and explained I would have battery as I use a CPAP machine. Without hesitation they replaced both batteries with brand new ones which worked perfectly with the app.
A great outcome as far as I’m concerned and a big shout out to Will and the team at Sterling Power Products. We all know that the sensitive kit in motorhomes can be temperamental and annoying at times, but it is the way the problem is dealt with by the supplier that counts.

 

[Outdoors Dad]

Nice service mind you. Maybe batteries only started charging after becoming warmer or the b2b started pumping in charge. Did you try to draw energy from them before you set off.

 

[stevewagner]

Nice service mind you. Maybe batteries only started charging after becoming warmer or the b2b started pumping in charge. Did you try to draw energy from them before you set off.

I tried everything, heater on (there is an outlet straight into the battery storage area under the floor), ehu charge, took them out to charge, twenty mile drive (60amp B2B) fitted And nothing worked

 

[bigtwin]

I tried everything, heater on (there is an outlet straight into the battery storage area under the floor), ehu charge, took them out to charge, twenty mile drive (60amp B2B) fitted And nothing worked

If the low temperature charge protection has activated there’s little point in trying to charge them frim your various charge sources.

You don’t say if you tried applying a load to them?

Ian

 

[Outdoors Dad]

Mystery!but the service is top notch. I don't like to work when I'm cold either

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I don't like to work when I'm cold either

I never liked to work….. how I built a stellar career out of 43 years of doing as little as possible, I will never know. Not knocking it though

 

[DavidCh]

Inside the battery there is a bms, I would have expected you have access to the settings but maybe Sterling don’t give you that? There will be a low temperature charge point at which you can still discharge but not charge, typically set to about 2 degrees and a low temperature charge recovery point, mine is set to 5 degrees. Until the battery internal temperature is above that it will it not charge. Maybe Sterling set the recovery point higher?

 

[Tombola]

In the cold snap we had before crimbo I forgot to leave the heating on low where a pipe runs through the battery compartment, I had to disconnect mine, let them warm up with the help of a hairdryer, reconnecting them then allowed allowed a charge.
Mine are KS energy with bms bluetooth etc.

 

[Hoovie]

Lithium Batteries going to sleep is a bit of a common theme And it is not necessarily anything to do with being cold. I've come across batteries that will go to sleep with a total disregard to temperature - it is down to load, or rather lack of it.
Yes, Many batteries will go into a charge protection mode when they hit or get close to zero Celcius, but they should carry on working and supplying energy down to around -20 Cel, and I can't imagine the temperature went down that low?

Now you said "but no matter what I did they would not wake up", but as you didn't actually say what you did, impossible to say if you tried any of the following or not ....
To wake up a sleeping battery and its BMS, something to try could be to put a 12V power source such as a Lead Battery in parallel on the +ve and -ve terminals.
Using a Battery Charger may or may not have the same effect - many chargers will not activate and output anything if it cannot detect a battery on the output - and a sleeping battery is generally a missing battery.

 

[stevewagner]

If the low temperature charge protection has activated there’s little point in trying to charge them frim your various charge sources.

You don’t say if you tried applying a load to them?

Ian

Not enough power to turn the control panel on

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[stevewagner]

Lithium Batteries going to sleep is a bit of a common theme And it is not necessarily anything to do with being cold. I've come across batteries that will go to sleep with a total disregard to temperature - it is down to load, or rather lack of it.
Yes, Many batteries will go into a charge protection mode when they hit or get close to zero Celcius, but they should carry on working and supplying energy down to around -20 Cel, and I can't imagine the temperature went down that low?

Now you said "but no matter what I did they would not wake up", but as you didn't actually say what you did, impossible to say if you tried any of the following or not ....
To wake up a sleeping battery and its BMS, something to try could be to put a 12V power source such as a Lead Battery in parallel on the +ve and -ve terminals.
Using a Battery Charger may or may not have the same effect - many chargers will not activate and output anything if it cannot detect a battery on the output - and a sleeping battery is generally a missing battery.

Tried jump start as well

 

[stevewagner]

Inside the battery there is a bms, I would have expected you have access to the settings but maybe Sterling don’t give you that? There will be a low temperature charge point at which you can still discharge but not charge, typically set to about 2 degrees and a low temperature charge recovery point, mine is set to 5 degrees. Until the battery internal temperature is above that it will it not charge. Maybe Sterling set the recovery point higher?

The app stopped working so I couldn’t check the parameters

 

[arthur49]

The app stopped working so I couldn’t check the parameters

Sterling batteries use a Daly BMS.
On or about 23 Dec 22 Daly released an update v2.4.0 which included a firmware update. That update was corrupt and screwed many a BMS. Just check Playstore for user feedback.
It is alleged by Sterling that the batteries will charge and discharge OK but you cannot access and view or change the parameter/safety settings as the bluetooth function is goosed!
Some have been able to get functionality back by installing v2.4.3 released on 29 Dec 22. Others have succeeded by reverting to an earlier version found on apkpure.
Approx 6 weeks after the disastrous update Sterling are still in discussion with Daly but I doubt an easy solution will be found.
In my opinion the plastic box the cells and BMS are in will need to be opened and the BMS rebooted/repaired/replaced. Not really a DIY solution
Not sure if this is why your app stopped working ..................

 

[stevewagner]

Sterling batteries use a Daly BMS.
On or about 23 Dec 22 Daly released an update v2.4.0 which included a firmware update. That update was corrupt and screwed many a BMS. Just check Playstore for user feedback.
It is alleged by Sterling that the batteries will charge and discharge OK but you cannot access and view or change the parameter/safety settings as the bluetooth function is goosed!
Some have been able to get functionality back by installing v2.4.3 released on 29 Dec 22. Others have succeeded by reverting to an earlier version found on apkpure.
Approx 6 weeks after the disastrous update Sterling are still in discussion with Daly but I doubt an easy solution will be found.
In my opinion the plastic box the cells and BMS are in will need to be opened and the BMS rebooted/repaired/replaced.
Not sure if this is why your app stopped working ..................

That’s interesting thanks. We are in Scotland at the moment and everything appears to be working perfectly including the app

 

[bigtwin]

That’s interesting thanks. We are in Scotland at the moment and everything appears to be working perfectly including the app

Great stuff. Is there a reason that you turned the 12V off? Given what happened, I’d be inclined to leave it switched on.

Ian

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[stevewagner]

It is all switched on as is should be