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Old 03-20-2022, 11:36 AM   #1
rickst29
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Talking Yum! Charging up a new 230Ah LFP battery pack.

From https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...25&postcount=3 I separate that battery to live in its own Thread (here).

Although it might be OK to simply tape the cells together with the BMS, and then set the assembly into a small open-faced wooden box, I intend to do a couple of changes.

These are Eve "type "N" cells. Eve says that they will last for up to 6000 cycles with moderate depth of discharge, a much longer lifespan than they advertised for cells of the previous "K" version. But they might last even longer as a compressed pack. I already bought compression screws, and I intend to compress the pack up to about 640 lbs of pressure between two steel "compression plates" after my compression plates arrive from Amazon, and I cut them down to size 8" tall by about 9" wide. (4 compression screws, each tightened to about 160 lbs).

The el-cheapo "Daly Smart BMS" unit BMS unit provides equal length ""battery -" and "common -" jumpers with 8mm binding lugs. But the welded battery terminal assembly provide for 6mm studs, and the top-side contact area on those welded terminals is quite small. I'll be cutting the BMS -> battery binding lug, and replacing it with 6mm terminal lug. The BMS jumpers are also AWG-2, much smaller than 2/0 wiring I will be using elsewhere. (from the "+12v" battery terminal" and from my battery bus bolts into the Inverter.) Reducing their length is a good thing, they will add a lot of resistance when the Inverter runs hard.

I can (and have) tightened the stud bolts to almost 70 inch-lbs on these "welded terminals", they're rated for more than 80. (That's 3x more torque than you use with old-style into-the-pack terminal threaded stud holes.) High pressure between the lug and the terminal assembly helps to make up for the small terminal area.
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TM='06 2619 w/5K axle, 15" Maxxis "E" tires. Plumbing protector. 630 watts solar. 450AH LiFePO4 batteries, 3500 watt inverter. CR-1110 E-F/S fridge (compressor).
TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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Old 03-21-2022, 12:21 PM   #2
rickst29
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Default The total financial damage.

The cells cost about $450 delivered. A big BMS (for running a large Inverter) costs $125, for a total of $575.

For a FIRST LFP battery, you will probably need to buy a few other one-time things:
  1. 4-6 feet of really big wire (AWG-00, or maybe even bigger than that). This reaches from the battery terminal to the main fuse (in my case a 250A fuse), and also from yur battery bank to your big Inverter. This stuff costs a bit less than $6 per foot.bout , fuseforms the main even A few feet of buch of good
  2. a bunch of wire lugs, matching your wire size ( aset of 10 costs about $15)
  3. A sledge-hammer "crimper tool" for those lugs, about $20.
  4. A small torque wrench, accurate from 15 to 70 inch-pounds (not foot-pounds). Maybe $30.
  5. And possibly a bench charger, although you can also use your TM charger to "wake up the BMXS and charge it up. $35 if you get one.
  6. And probably a better TM battery charger. These are expensive, $180 to $250+ (if you want high power AND bluetooth control).
It adds up quickly on the first battery. Additional batteries add only the battery cells, bus bars, fuse, and BMS for each battery.
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TM='06 2619 w/5K axle, 15" Maxxis "E" tires. Plumbing protector. 630 watts solar. 450AH LiFePO4 batteries, 3500 watt inverter. CR-1110 E-F/S fridge (compressor).
TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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Old 06-01-2022, 12:01 PM   #3
rickst29
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Default battery pack completed (photos)

These are photos of the battery pack, with compression plates and a plastic "spacer" between the battery terminals and the top-mounted BMS.

Just today, I am replacing the Daly/Delgreen BMS with a new "test unit" which has been sent to me by its manufacturer, JK (aka 'jkbms.com'). The Daly/Delgreen worked quite well, and I will report whether the new one can match the Daly - in an upcoming post).
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TM='06 2619 w/5K axle, 15" Maxxis "E" tires. Plumbing protector. 630 watts solar. 450AH LiFePO4 batteries, 3500 watt inverter. CR-1110 E-F/S fridge (compressor).
TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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Old 06-01-2022, 07:59 PM   #4
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Default

Great pics...... Thanks for simplifying things for some of us are a little light on understanding some of this stuff. I've studied your posts and find them quite educational. I've learned a lot.

Thanks for your help getting me going on building my 1st FRP battery. It should be fun. I also admire your patience.
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Old 06-15-2022, 08:04 PM   #5
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I finally got the 1/4" thick steel compression plates and started work assembling my first (of 2) battery packs. This one is a 230AH LiFeP04. My other one will be a 560AH.

I just have to finish up my compression, add the BMS and I should be ready to charge this bad boy. I added some (unnecessary) labor to my assembly by using solid rod (as apposed to "ready threaded" rod). I also tapped holes in the back plated to thread the rods into. As shown in the picture, I have not yet cut to size and thread the spring end of the rods. I guess that I was just bored.... :-)

So far, (as best that I can recall) I have just around $850 in this one and the 560AH will cost about $1600 (totally different project). Thanks to Rick, This is about half what you would pay for a manufactured 200AH LiFeP04 battery. This one will have 15% more useable AH. It will be considerably safer and last considerably longer.
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Old 06-16-2022, 06:18 AM   #6
rickst29
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Default Yeah, prices have been gpoing up a lot.

You did a great job, and your costs were, unfortunately, near-optimal with current prices.
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TM='06 2619 w/5K axle, 15" Maxxis "E" tires. Plumbing protector. 630 watts solar. 450AH LiFePO4 batteries, 3500 watt inverter. CR-1110 E-F/S fridge (compressor).
TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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