Reaching 50% charge for lithium battery storage

[Ollie Ollie in Free]

Another winterization issue on which I could use some help from this wonderful forum: I am trying to discharge my lithium batteries for storage. The manual for the batteries recommends (for longer storage periods) discharging the batteries to 13.2V (50% state of charge). In discharging the batteries, I was paying attention to the percentage of charge shown in the Lithium battery app. Overnight, the batteries went into RVC (reserve voltage cutoff), even though the app is showing 67% of charge. Should I be looking at the voltage specified in the app (or on the solar charger or inverter display) rather than the percentage in the app? Having gone into RVC, should I charge up the batteries again, then discharge them again for storage? The only things for which I need the batteries before storage are pumping in antifreeze and operating the jacks.

[Geronimo John]

Over time, the accuracy of the SOC will drift.  So, it must be "recalibrated to reality" occasionally.  For mine, I do so every two weeks of use when I equalize my litho's.  At that time when the voltage hits my target, after resting the litho's, if the SOC is not showing 100% I manually reset it. 

How you go about doing that is system dependent.  Your system documentation should address this procedure.

GJ

PS:  Note the total lack of system specific info in my post.  Without your info in the signature block that's all we can do.  Kindly look at several examples and add to yours as a courtesy to those of us willing and able to help you.  Thank you. GJ

Edited March 22 by Geronimo John
Added hint to add signature info for TV and Ollie

[Ollie Ollie in Free]

Thank you for the advice, as well as the signature suggestion. I will look into the recalibration procedure, and (if I have done this correctly) my new signature should display below. (I borrowed your format - seemed to work well. I even figured out how to add that cool map, with a little help from a forum post.)

[Ollie Ollie in Free]

I checked the system documentation for my Lithionics batteries, and it recommends that the equalization mode be disabled, so I turned off the batteries after turning off the solar charger and inverter, let them sit for a short while, then turned everything back on again (the modern equivalent of hitting a malfunctioning part with a hammer). This, combined with some charging from the solar panels, cleared all the error (RVC) codes from the batteries. For this purpose, I plan to pay more attention to voltage levels in this process rather than the percentage SOC displayed on the app.

[topgun2]

6 minutes ago, Ollie Ollie in Free said:

For this purpose, I plan to pay more attention to voltage levels in this process rather than the percentage SOC displayed on the app.

Its not a bad idea to pay attention to both.

After a period of time you will get used to your system and how it works under different weather and usage conditions.  In turn, this will make you more attuned to what your electrical system is doing and/or should be doing.  Thus, a quick glance at your monitors will either assure you or alert you to possible issues.

Bill

[Ollie Ollie in Free]

Thanks, Bill. I am slowly getting used to monitoring the voltage and other SOC read-outs on the Lithionics app, as well as on the inverter and solar charger. For purposes of prepping the batteries for storage, though, I think I will target 13.2V rather than any percentage SOC displayed on the Lithionics app. Trailer management, like life, is a journey.

[Geronimo John]

1 hour ago, Ollie Ollie in Free said:

Thank you for the advice, as well as the signature suggestion. I will look into the recalibration procedure, and (if I have done this correctly) my new signature should display below. (I borrowed your format - seemed to work well. I even figured out how to add that cool map, with a little help from a forum post.)

Suggest increasing the font of the signature block.  Most of our ROF's (Retired Ole Farts) eyes are not good enough to read it.  Or, you can keep us in the dark and laugh often about it!  LOL

But DO take notice of Ole vs. OLD.....  For us ROF's, here is your really cool rig:

TV:  2008 F-350 Crew Cab, 6.4L diesel, 4WD, custom flatbed with storage boxes, Line-X underbody coating      OLLIE:  2022 OE1 Hull 885, Lithium batteries (260AH), 230W solar panels, 2000W Pro inverter, Dometic AC w/Easy Start, Truma Tankless Comfort water heater

For sure you'll NOT need to be reviewing the Anderson posts.  

GJ

[Ollie Ollie in Free]

This ROF is due for cataract surgery this year, so I take those comments to heart. Does this signature look better?

The Beast frequently draws comments when towing our single axle Ollie. From time to time, I look back to make sure I remembered to hook up the trailer. 😆

[Geronimo John]

OMG:  Better than mine!  I can't read it either.  Sort of a big OOPs on my part.  

TASK List #1:  GJ to make signature block bigger!

LOL... Nailed me on that one for sure.

GJ

[Geronimo John]

3 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

OMG:  Better than mine!  I can't read it either.  Sort of a big OOPs on my part.  

TASK List #1:  GJ to make signature block bigger!

Task completed.    Thanks for not hammering me on it.  My OOPs was pretty much self inflicted.... as usual.   I'll still laughing about it.  
GJ