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Old 01-31-2019, 04:00 PM   #1
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2nd Battleborn installed in our Sunstar

The second Battleborn 100 AH battery arrived today and I got it installed in the battery bay under the steps. There is just enough room under there for 2 Group 27 batteries in place of the stock Group 24s, and the engine battery. I did have to disconnect and reroute a couple of cables to make it work.


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Old 01-31-2019, 04:07 PM   #2
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I’m not sure how I managed it, but I got 2 group 31 AGM batteries in battery compartment of my Sunstar, in addition to the starter battery. Wishing you the best with your BattleBorns! When I need new ones in a few years, it’s great to know I can upgrade to Lithium.
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Old 01-31-2019, 04:21 PM   #3
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Wow, very nice. Thx for letting us know. I do not like the stock house batteries because they are somehow leaking acid all over the hold-down brackets and turning them green.
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Old 02-01-2019, 06:34 AM   #4
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Thanks. The whole maintenance/replacement/acid thing was one of the drivers for making this upgrade. Plus, BB's new 10 year warranty, the 3000-5000 cycle life, the ability to draw them down to zero with no damage, the 5x faster charge time, 20% of the weight, 2x the power etc made it an easy decision.
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Old 02-06-2019, 05:18 PM   #5
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Good to see them in the RV. I. am using in my boat--but only draw them down 90% (vs the 50% expected in AGM or flooded lead acid)
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Old 02-07-2019, 06:49 AM   #6
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Thanks. I was doing some other work on a project out there yesterday, and gave the installation a good test. I unplugged the shore cable, and microwaved a cup of water for a minute. The Victron showed 145 amps drawing from the batteries. Pretty cool...
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Old 02-18-2019, 03:54 AM   #7
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SLO, could you let us know where you got them or we can find them. I wish I had known this two months ago. :( Thanks for the photo, it always helps.
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Old 02-18-2019, 06:37 AM   #8
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I purchased the batteries, Xantrex Freedom XC 2kW inverter, and the Victron battery monitor all from https://invertersrus.com/.



That company is in Reno near Battleborn. I started out with them when I bought the first battery, inverter and monitor back in September.


Right now they have a special, buy a Battleborn battery, get a Spartan Power Energy Meter Electricity Usage Monitor SP-PM120 free.

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Old 02-18-2019, 08:01 AM   #9
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SLO, did you need to isolate the Battleborns from the engine alternator charging system?

I keep hearing some saying you do and others saying you don’t.
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Old 02-18-2019, 01:02 PM   #10
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You are right,Creativepart, there are differing opinions on what to do re: the connection between the engine/alternator and the BBs, and dearth of people that are speaking from any real life experience.



Originally, I was of the school that says separate them and install something like a Sterling Battery To Battery charger.


However, I had a chance to do an experiment a couple of weekends ago. I drove our men's group 110 miles from here to the monastery in Santa Barbara in Sunny 2.0. While there, I left a few things running, used the TV for a couple of hours,etc, and basically ran 85 AH out of the 200 AH BB bank.


According to the Victron Battery Monitor, after 2 hours of driving, all 85 AH were replaced and the batteries were full when we got home. That would average to be about 42.5 AH/hour of driving. It might be more, but I was not monitoring the state-of-charge while I was driving.


It could be that separating the systems and inserting a properly adjusted B2B charger would decrease the charge time/increase the rate even more, due to the higher bulk charge voltage.


However, I'm going to wait on this for a few more outings and take more notes.


Also, since we have the Xantrex inverter/charger as a DC source, I have left the OEM DC converter in place as a backup, and just shut off its AC breaker. I suppose I could pull the DC fuse and insert an ammeter to see if there is any backward current leakage.



Next on the list is 400 watts of solar and a MPPT charger.
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Old 02-18-2019, 01:24 PM   #11
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I don't plan on the LiPo4 change until I need new batteries. This 2017 Adventurer came with 4-12v true deep cycle AGMs and while they are really heavy they're working well to keep our residential fridge running.

I have 300 watts of solar on the roof and the standard Zamp 30-amp PWM solar charger but this recharges the batteries pretty well here in South Texas. I was driving 5 hours yesterday in bright sun. We stopped to stretch our legs and I checked the Zamp controller - I was pulling in 15.3 amps from the SP on the roof.

The fear I have with the engine alternator is supplying the wrong voltage to the LiPos. The most convincing info I saw recently said to either disconnect the alternator from the house batteries OR install a second alternator with a regulator designed for the batteries. Both of those solutions seems like too much.

I'm sure that soon this issue will get resolved and or solved. It seems that one could use some kind of revised regulator on an existing alternator that would settle the issue once and for all.
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Old 02-18-2019, 02:00 PM   #12
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The "wrong" voltage from the alternator won't damage the BB batts. They just won't charge as fast. The nominal 13.6-13.8 output is about the float charge voltage of the BBs. The BMS in the BBs is smart enough to protect the battery from over and under charging, high current discharge, etc. We ran our single BB for 10. days, 1,8-00 mile with no problems.



If you are really concerned, all you need to do is disconnect the lithium house bank from the chassis, probably at the isolator, and install a Sterlin Battery to Battery charger between the 2 systems. Literally, if all of your batteries are collocated, it's a 3 wire hookup. You connect one cable to the chassis battery +, one to the house batteries +, and one to ground. It's that easy. As I recall, the B to B charger is less than $300 and is essentially a smart DC to DC boost converter.
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Old 02-18-2019, 09:34 PM   #13
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I just purchased a second Battle Born 100amp hour battery, a Victron 2000 watt PSW inverter, 80 amp battery charger, remote for that, and the 30 amp B 2 B charger by Sterling. Battle Born price matched (looked up my quotes while I was on the phone. The inverter and charger are going to be set up for my batteries (factored in that my first battery was in 6 months old. I am putting this on a boat--but I would use the same set up--except the B 2 B of this 60 amps, on the Winnie VIA, if I was going to boondocks a lot--as I do on the boat.
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Old 03-22-2019, 03:48 AM   #14
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Very nice but you could have saved money buying batteries direct from China. Enjoy your lithiums! You will LOVE them.
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Old 03-27-2019, 05:42 AM   #15
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The issue about charging voltage is HIGH voltage in the range of over about 14.2V.
Putting 14.5V on the lithium for a few hours and that will probably damage the batteries. It also depends on what the high voltage cutout setting on the BMS is.

Your alternator should only put out really high voltage in freezing or below freezing weather.

Note if the battery temp is below 32* then you must not charge the batteries.
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