Forester Transit - Charging of Lithium House Batt

[Flintstone]

2017 Forester 2391TS Ford Transit,

errantly produced with a Relion Lithium House battery (rare), Precision Industries BIM

Ford Charging voltage =14.5, BIM operating 13.5-14.4 = No charge
under sail

Curious of any solutions, experiences

[rk06382]

Originally Posted by Flintstone

2017 Forester 2391TS Ford Transit,

errantly produced with a Relion Lithium House battery (rare), Precision Industries BIM

Ford Charging voltage =14.5, BIM operating 13.5-14.4 = No charge
under sail

Curious of any solutions, experiences

to the Forum from Alaska!

My Battle Born LiFePO4 Lithium batteries will not take any charge below 32F. Not a problem for me as I don't camp in the winter.

What temperature are your Lithium batteries at?

[Flintstone]

Relion Lithiums should only be charged @ 1/10 current below 32F.
And stored above 24F. I have battery heaters

[Flintstone]

..but mostly I use in warm weather
Does your Samlex charge from the chassis too?

[garbonz]

Not sure what these responses have to do with anything, BUT you need to avoid charging the Li above 14.4. battleborn will not allow it, but rather than running the expensive batteries up to that point, I put a switch on the circuit that charges the house batteries. The Transit has AGM under the drivers seat and a CCP under the passenger seat. As far as I can tell, the alternator on the transit NEVER goes to a float voltage, but keeps pumping 14+ as long as it is running.

All of the LI batteries are designed to be perfectly happy at less than 100% SOC, and in fact some sources suggest that keeping them at High SOC is actually detrimental.

I have switches on all charge sources, and so on
only charge when needed and usually shut them off at about 13.8 volts which is 90 % ish. I use a victron monitor to help, and have them inside the camper for temp control.

[rk06382]

Originally Posted by Flintstone

..but mostly I use in warm weather
Does your Samlex charge from the chassis too?

Yes, It replaced my converter/charger. The FR3 Battery Control Center is bi-directional. It keeps the chassis battery charged when Samlex is on shore or generator power. It will even pass excess solar power to the chassis battery.

I installed a master battery switch to shut off the Battle Born when the temperature dropped below 32F. The Samlex acts like a converter when the batteries are disconnected and provides 12v power to the lights, steps, etc.

[Flintstone]

Originally Posted by garbonz

Not sure what these responses have to do with anything, BUT you need to avoid charging the Li above 14.4. battleborn will not allow it, but rather than running the expensive batteries up to that point, I put a switch on the circuit that charges the house batteries. The Transit has AGM under the drivers seat and a CCP under the passenger seat. As far as I can tell, the alternator on the transit NEVER goes to a float voltage, but keeps pumping 14+ as long as it is running.



All of the LI batteries are designed to be perfectly happy at less than 100% SOC, and in fact some sources suggest that keeping them at High SOC is actually detrimental.



I have switches on all charge sources, and so on

only charge when needed and usually shut them off at about 13.8 volts which is 90 % ish. I use a victron monitor to help, and have them inside the camper for temp control.

Hey, it all helps, whether we know it or why or not.
I started out going to catch a fish in the ocean, look at me now

I was told 100 were made this way, with the LiFePO4 house on the Transit chassis. And the Precision Industries Battery Control Center in between. I can’t help thinking there are others.

Mine is the only complaint about that, I’m the only one to notice, <1%, that’s why I’m doing this.

The Precision BIM inside the BCC shuts down above 14.4 volts, the Transit charges at 14.5. It’s really just as simple as that. from my perspective.

Relion recommends that 14.5 or 14.6 would be an ok charging voltage for theirs.

So far, I’ve tried a Sterling battery to battery charger that’s rated at 60 amps but barely capable of 10 or 15A, (with my configuration )

seems like maybe there’s a Victron or a Samlex equivalent or something that somebody has already figured out. I appreciate your thoughts, really, you’re all I got

[Flintstone]

Originally Posted by Flintstone

2017 Forester 2391TS Ford Transit,

errantly produced with a Relion Lithium House battery (rare), Precision Industries BIM

Ford Charging voltage =14.5, BIM operating 13.5-14.4 = No charge
under sail

Curious of any solutions, experiences

I have one of 100, I am told, 2017 Foresters produced with a Relion RB100 LIFePO4 lithium house battery.

The Precision Industries Battery Control Center with ‘lithium’ BIM module
has never provided charging whilst driving down the road, like it’s supposed to

The Ford Transit charges at 14.5 volts, I think is notable ,
all it has to do is shut the switch between the chassis battery and the coach battery, 14.5 is the preferred charge voltage for Relion.

But The internal lithium BIM is designed to work within a range of 13.5-14.4v,
so it never charges with the 14.5 Ford Transit alternator

It’s designed not to work, and it does so perfectly

I’d like the publicity, for when I figure it out. My guess is somebody already has and 99 others would like to know. Group think.collaboration. Reenforcements?

The Sterling BB1260 barely works but is not worth a hoot with the lithium.
Burns itself up. From my experience. A penny for your thoughts

[rk06382]

Originally Posted by Flintstone

I have one of 100, I am told, 2017 Foresters produced with a Relion RB100 LIFePO4 lithium house battery.

The Precision Industries Battery Control Center with ‘lithium’ BIM module
has never provided charging whilst driving down the road, like it’s supposed to

The Ford Transit charges at 14.5 volts, I think is notable ,
all it has to do is shut the switch between the chassis battery and the coach battery, 14.5 is the preferred charge voltage for Relion.

But The internal lithium BIM is designed to work within a range of 13.5-14.4v,
so it never charges with the 14.5 Ford Transit alternator

It’s designed not to work, and it does so perfectly

I’d like the publicity, for when I figure it out. My guess is somebody already has and 99 others would like to know. Group think.collaboration. Reenforcements?

The Sterling BB1260 barely works but is not worth a hoot with the lithium.
Burns itself up. From my experience. A penny for your thoughts

Is this the BIM you have? I found this on Battle Born's website.
Precision Curcuits Inc. LiFePO4 Battery Isolation Manager 225

Under normal charging conditions, the BIM will connect for 15 minutes every 35 minutes. That means that the BIM will connect for 15 minutes, disconnect for 20 minutes, and repeat this cycle until the coach battery is charged.
If the coach battery resting voltage exceeds 13.4V than the BIM will disconnect. A resting voltage greater than 13.4V indicates a fully charged battery. Note that “resting voltage” means that no current is flowing to the coach battery.
The BIM will disconnect if the alternator voltage exceeds 14.4V. This protects the coach battery from over charging.
The BIM will disconnect if the voltage difference between the alternator and the coach battery is less than 0.1V. If the voltage difference is too low, then there is a negligible charging current, and no need to connect to the coach battery
The BIM will disconnect if the alternator voltage drops below 13.3V. If the alternator voltage is too low, than it cannot adequately charge the coach battery, so there is no reason to connect.
Made in the USA.

Precision Circuits Inc Contact info

I strongly believe you need a Victron BMV-712 to be able to know what amps are going into & out of your Lithium batteries. With the bluetooth & your phone, You can see what amps your alternator is putting into you battery.

With my FR3, I see 80-95 amps going into my batteries as I drive down the road. Before the Victron BMV-712, I was in the dark.

The Victron BMV-712 will also tell you how many amp hours are left.

Left the forum know what you find out.

[Flintstone]

Yes, dats my BIM!

Alternator voltage over 14.4 is my caveat, the Transit is never below 14.5.
So, no charge.

I love my Victron. BMI 702, it’s like the only tool in my belt

the Victron Buck Boost is my next attempt at a resolution, battery to battery charger