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Old 07-17-2020, 06:36 PM   #1
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Xantrex Lithium Batteries - 20VJ

Anyone have any idea why my Xantrex Bluetooth ap only finds one of my batteries? They both have normal blue blinking lights and seem to be working. A few weeks ago the ap was able to find both of them. Thanks.
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Old 07-17-2020, 07:03 PM   #2
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Clear cache in the app, and reboot your phone.
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Old 07-17-2020, 07:29 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dmarcian View Post
Anyone have any idea why my Xantrex Bluetooth ap only finds one of my batteries? They both have normal blue blinking lights and seem to be working. A few weeks ago the ap was able to find both of them. Thanks.
Could be due to distance. I can see both only if I'm really close/next to the battery compartment unless I'm in the cab part of the RV. If I'm further towards the middle i can only see one.
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Old 07-17-2020, 10:47 PM   #4
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Thanks but I have held my phone right next to the batteries. I have rebooted my phone several times recently. Not sure how to clear the cache. Maybe delete the ap and redownload it?
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Old 07-18-2020, 06:16 AM   #5
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The batteries have very limited BlueTooth range - have noticed in our 24D that I have to be within a few feet to get readings.

If you aren't getting a signal from one battery, try contacting the manufacturer. The 125Ah batteries installed recently by Lichtsinn in our 24D are Lithionics (which appears to be the same as what Xantrex shows on their website).
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Old 07-18-2020, 05:32 PM   #6
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So I am horrible when it comes to electronic issues but I did turn of each of my batteries, one by one. I never lost power to 12 volt lights or refrigerator and I did identify the battery that was not communicating. I left it off for a few minutes and then when I turned it back on it started communicating again. I left my View for three hours (I am currently in Tuscon, hot and sunny) with just my refrigerator running. When I checked on the batteries after three hours they were at 100 percent, up from the 95 percent when I left them. With just the fridge running what percentage of the batteries power will the 200 watts of solar I have charge during a full day? Thanks
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Old 07-18-2020, 08:00 PM   #7
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We have a Norcold N10DCX, running off 12V with 5.7A in normal mode - or about 68W when the refrigerator is running (which shouldn't be all of the time).

Worst case - if the refrigerator is running continuously, over a 24 hour period, that would use 1.6 KWh of power.

With the stock 200 W of solar panels, that would require 8 hours of full sun to replenish that.

Though, the refrigerator probably doesn't run continuously, so you'd likely use far less than 1.6 KWh of power just for the refrigerator.

Based on our experience with solar panels and battery storage at our house, you will have days with less or no sun. So having the larger lithium batteries will allow you to operate longer off-grid without having to fire up the motor and generator to recharge the batteries.

We added 280W of solar panels in addition to the 200W that came with our 24D, so we should be able to fully recharge the lithium batteries, as long as we don't hit a day without any sun.
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Old 07-20-2020, 03:46 PM   #8
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Some more experience with my Lithium batteries. Am currently in Tuscon with 100 degree weather, 90 degrees at night. The refrigerator likely runs all day but my 200 watts of solar can mostly keep up. At night though the refrigerator can consume 30 percent of the batteries. I find that if I charge the batteries up to 90 percent or higher in the morning I can go easily for 24 hours, and likely 36. Would not try to go through a second night though. Heat is a real issue with the batteries. If I don’t charge the batteries first thing in the morning the battery and BMS temps become an issue for charging during the day. I charged up last night at 8:30 and my BMS was 118 degrees. Also, this morning I turned on the inverter, the generator and the chassis motor. I was only putting 20 amps in the batteries. I shut off the generator and inverter, waited a minute and then turned them back on. Then I was putting 50 amps in the battery. two points there 1) you need the Xantrex ap to know anything about the batteries and, 2) maximum charging strength happens when you run both the generator and the chassis motor. Lastly, we love the new fridge but it eats a lot of power in warm summer weather.
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Old 07-20-2020, 09:50 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dmarcian View Post
Some more experience with my Lithium batteries. Am currently in Tuscon with 100 degree weather, 90 degrees at night. The refrigerator likely runs all day but my 200 watts of solar can mostly keep up. At night though the refrigerator can consume 30 percent of the batteries. I find that if I charge the batteries up to 90 percent or higher in the morning I can go easily for 24 hours, and likely 36. Would not try to go through a second night though. Heat is a real issue with the batteries. If I don’t charge the batteries first thing in the morning the battery and BMS temps become an issue for charging during the day. I charged up last night at 8:30 and my BMS was 118 degrees. Also, this morning I turned on the inverter, the generator and the chassis motor. I was only putting 20 amps in the batteries. I shut off the generator and inverter, waited a minute and then turned them back on. Then I was putting 50 amps in the battery. two points there 1) you need the Xantrex ap to know anything about the batteries and, 2) maximum charging strength happens when you run both the generator and the chassis motor. Lastly, we love the new fridge but it eats a lot of power in warm summer weather.
Perhaps you have some battery or charger issues. I live in Vegas and have no problem running the fridge and powering from solar at 110 degrees. I have the same Lithium set up but do have 400 watts of solar. Your inverter charger should be putting in 80amps (40 to each battery) if the batteries are low. It takes a little while to get to the full amps. I read a forum post that the some people had inverter/chargers not set at the correct Lithium setting from the factory. When I checked mine, sure enough it was set to AGM. My solar charger controller was also set to AGM. Have you checked both settings? The Inverter Charger can also be limited to how much it can output. Have you checked those settings also?
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Old 07-21-2020, 05:50 AM   #10
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We originally had AGM batteries and had the lithium batteries installed about a month after purchase. Settings were supposed to have been changed for both the solar controller (which I verified) and the Amp-L-Start.
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Old 07-21-2020, 06:51 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by crah View Post
Perhaps you have some battery or charger issues. I live in Vegas and have no problem running the fridge and powering from solar at 110 degrees. I have the same Lithium set up but do have 400 watts of solar. Your inverter charger should be putting in 80amps (40 to each battery) if the batteries are low. It takes a little while to get to the full amps. I read a forum post that the some people had inverter/chargers not set at the correct Lithium setting from the factory. When I checked mine, sure enough it was set to AGM. My solar charger controller was also set to AGM. Have you checked both settings? The Inverter Charger can also be limited to how much it can output. Have you checked those settings also?
Which solar charge controller did your setup come with? My ZAMP ZS-30A PWM controller has both an AGM and a LiFePO4 setting, and if you look at the actual charging specs for these settings, they're identical. So, if you have a similar CC, check the actual charging specs. Your CC may be the same, and AGM or Lithium is good for either type of battery.
Just a thought.
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Old 07-21-2020, 07:27 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Winterbagoal View Post
Which solar charge controller did your setup come with? My ZAMP ZS-30A PWM controller has both an AGM and a LiFePO4 setting, and if you look at the actual charging specs for these settings, they're identical. So, if you have a similar CC, check the actual charging specs. Your CC may be the same, and AGM or Lithium is good for either type of battery.
Just a thought.
I have the zamp you stated. For float mode the voltage for AGM is 13.6 and Lithium is 13.4. I dont think the solar charging is the issue with OP. His post seems to be an issue with low charging amps when plugged into shore power or generator which is powers the 2000 watt xantex inverter/charger. That charger is rated at outputting up to 80 amp if the batteries are low enough. The xantrex inverter/charger was set incorrectly to AGM from the factory on my 2020 View. My Lithiums were factory installed (not dealer).
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Old 07-21-2020, 07:36 AM   #13
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The float charging voltage is different for LiFePO4 and AGM batteries.

The Zamp controller documentation states "Caution: Incorrect battery type setting may damage your battery."

IF the battery type is not displayed as LiFePO4, recommend changing the battery setting: "Press BATTERY TYPE button and hold for 3 seconds to go into your battery type selection mode, the battery type you select will be shown on the LCD meter, the default setting is AGM Battery; the controller will automatically memorize your battery type setting."

The Amp-L-Start requires adding a jumper across pins on the back of the unit, when lithium batteries are being used. I'm assuming Lichtsinn added the jumper when they did our lithium upgrade, though I may check it next time I have the RV.
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Old 07-21-2020, 07:45 AM   #14
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All good info. I will check the settings. No way I have ever pumped 80 amps into my batteries. Do the operating temperature limits apply to the battery temp or the BMS temp?
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Old 07-21-2020, 08:44 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by crah View Post
I have the zamp you stated. For float mode the voltage for AGM is 13.6 and Lithium is 13.4. I dont think the solar charging is the issue with OP. His post seems to be an issue with low charging amps when plugged into shore power or generator which is powers the 2000 watt xantex inverter/charger. That charger is rated at outputting up to 80 amp if the batteries are low enough. The xantrex inverter/charger was set incorrectly to AGM from the factory on my 2020 View. My Lithiums were factory installed (not dealer).
That's interesting. My Zamp ZS-30A manual doesn't mention a different "float" mode charge for the AGM/Lithium, just one float charge of 13.6V. 13.4 isn't mentioned anywhere in my manual.
Jody from Battle Born told me either of the 2 charge algorithms for AGM/Lithium in the ZS-30A could be used for their stuff. Same answer at Total Battery, where I got my Relions.
Where did you get the 13.4 number from? Just curious.
If there's a better/updated manual out there, I'd like to get a copy.
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Old 07-21-2020, 08:56 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Winterbagoal View Post
That's interesting. My Zamp ZS-30A manual doesn't mention a different "float" mode charge for the AGM/Lithium, just one float charge of 13.6V. 13.4 isn't mentioned anywhere in my manual.
Jody from Battle Born told me either of the 2 charge algorithms for AGM/Lithium in the ZS-30A could be used for their stuff. Same answer at Total Battery, where I got my Relions.
Where did you get the 13.4 number from? Just curious.
If there's a better/updated manual out there, I'd like to get a copy.
Manual is in zamps website. For the float voltage maybe battleborn and relions are fine per what they stated. But for the Lithionics, 13.4 float is recommended. Not sure why the difference, but all battery manufacturers seem to vary slightly.
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Old 07-21-2020, 09:18 AM   #17
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Manual is in zamps website. For the float voltage maybe battleborn and relions are fine per what they stated. But for the Lithionics, 13.4 float is recommended. Not sure why the difference, but all battery manufacturers seem to vary slightly.
I found it. I have apparently somehow obtained 2 slightly different versions of the ZS30/ZS40 manuals. The float voltage part of the 2 manuals I have are different. I wonder which one is correct? Either way, I believe they are close enough to be margin of error differences. I'm going to assume the one I downloaded today is the latest/only iteration of their manual. I wish they'd date these things. Thanks.
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Old 07-22-2020, 04:33 PM   #18
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If you look at the Zamp solar charging display, it should say "LifePO4" along the bottom if it is properly set for the lithium batteries as mentioned earlier.
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Old 07-26-2020, 09:34 PM   #19
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same happened to me a month or so emailed manufacturer and was told just open up your steps and each battery has a button on top to turn off the Bluetooth then wait a minute and turn it back on. Since I didn't know which one I rebooted both. Then both batteries showed back up on their app.
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