Siekon batteries: great value, or great disappointment?
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- Опубликовано: 27 июн 2024
- Today I review a new battery from Siekon. It makes a lot of claims for a battery of this cost. In this video I see if it lives up to those claims and check just how well it seems to be made by opening it up and poking around inside.
Amazon link: amzn.to/3KKVimK
USE CODE SIEKON88 FOR 3% off until JULY 21, 2024 AT 11:59 PM PDT
limited time 6% off with code SIEKON888
from 7/12 until 8/31
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docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
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These batteries are on sale right now for 16 cents per Watt hour. Are they are good deal?
Please comment if you get one and like it or don't. Let's share the knowlege.
Amazon link: amzn.to/3KKVimK
USE CODE SIEKON88 FOR 3% off until JULY 21, 2024 AT 11:59 PM PDT
I just purchased a 100Ah version, red and black casing. Not very good so far. My Victron controller won't charge it, change to the lithium setting, and my auto-detect convertor 120V/12Vdc won't charge it either. Maybe I got a defective battery. Am I missing something on the batter, wake it up....IDK it has 13.4V, within a day my victron shunt says its down to 41%. Are these batteries not compatible with Victron?
It's Victron that isn't compatible with LiFePO4 batteries in my opinion but it will charge them
It seems you have an issue but it also seems you don't have this battery if the case is different.
Start by putting a volt meter on the battery when it's disconnected with anything. If it's not from 10-14.6v you have an issue. Most likely you can "wake it up" but check with the manufacturer for help or replacement.
Clark - You may be right about the tariffs. In May I rebuilt the battery pack on my old electric lawnmower converting it from three 12 Volt 12 Ah SLA to three 12 Volt 12 Ah LIFEPO4 in the pack which cost $29 each so about $100 total with taxes, etc. Battery pack can now be carried with one hand and fully charged it provides three times the mowing capacity. The 36 Volt Lithium charger (really 43.8 volts) I went with charges the pack in about 1.5 hours which is nice too. BMS specs for the TCB Batteries are pretty good with hot and cold protection and allow for Pack Balancing even with up to 4 matching batteries in series (48 Volt pack).
Today the New Stock TCB batteries in that size are almost $36 each for a price increase of $7 each since May so $108 plus taxes, etc instead of $87 plus taxes, etc which is still a good deal compared to buying a new SLA OEM Pack for around $300. The Lithium charger cost less than the OEM SLA charger which needed replacing anyways so that was also a win.
BTW: Welcome back to Florida. Hopefully you didn't come home to much of a mold blossom to greet you. At least the rain we've been having might help you vet out any roof issues that might need attention before the next "BIG ONE".
Best!
Very valuable testing you are doing here :)
Thank you
Looks like a reasonable battery. It's too small for my RV but it might make a good battery for my trolling motor on my boat as I don't ice fish. Keep the good stuff coming.
Other tester testing the cold shut-off found it did shout of in ice water.
Another great review, love the way you do these.
Almost did not recognise you.
I have been running a couple of 12v 410Ah TimeUSB batteries on my boat, protected by one of your great devices.
Unfortunately trying to get batteries of this size to fit the space, and delivery to Croatia, turned out to be a challenge, I initially tried Redodo, but they were out of stock with no indication of delivery time, and I needed to replace the old L-A ones which were virtually dead, so I could go sailing in May.
So far they have been great, don't worry now about running out of power, and make full use of our inverter when cooking etc. We try to avoid using LPG on board.
Like you I would love suppliers to stop using oversize containers.
Thanks.
Yes I haven't gone fully public with it yet (mostly because I can't choose a new name for the channel) but Emily left after 9 years.
I'm about to head your way. I plan on sailing Greece once it gets cooler there. Maybe see you out there
Glad you are liking your BankManager. Tell your friends.
@@EmilyAndClark
Sorry to hear your news Clark, hope that you can find another best mate to share your life with.
If you do come to Europe I suggest you include Croatia in your travels, the islands are well worth visiting, especially in Spring or Autumn (Fall).
The weather is better for sailing, and less idiots in boats around!
We had a lovely time this Spring, often anchoring by ourselves in small bays.
I would love to meet up if you do decide to visit, just avoid high season, and that includes Greece - too hot, and busy.
I have been telling everyone about your BBMS, and how it makes the switch to LiFePo4 batteries a lot easier.
@@EmilyAndClark - sorry to hear about that, Clark. I hope your Atlantic passage and time in the Med is just what the doctor ordered. Fair winds!
Oh you changed your publish date. Great video !
Thanks,
Just for this video. The company is doing a sale starting today.
Thanks - as usual very helpful. You guys are great.
Maybe consider doing a follow up cold temp test as the manual may be wrong?
I would also like to know more about the issues with below zero temps and lithiums. I’m in Cape Town so cold is not an issue - but sometimes travel to the Kalahari desert where winter temps fall below zero. I would never have considered the problems this may cause.
No need to run the test as I got the engineers at the battery company to admit it's set up wrong.
There isn't much to that. Don't charge LiFePO4 when frozen. It would be a short video.
I guess a general care and feeding video might be helpful, but they always come out as a commercial for the BankManager. I don't want to be that guy
@@EmilyAndClark You should test it. I think the manual you have is wrong. The data sheet on the website has 0 deg charge protect and -20 deg discharge. Which matches the EVE LF100 cells from the QR code. I have seen these printed manuals with errors before.
I guess that is possible but the manufacturer's engineers when questioned said -15c on charge. They were given the chance to point out an error in the manual.
As far as a retest. It's an interesting idea. I'd just test it and only do a video if it passed. But it will come down to if I can get the case open. I used a very strong sealant to reassemble the case and I think I would have to cut it this time.
Great content as usual. What is your evaluation of your battery chargers as I have just like it.
You mean the car charger. It's tremendous. I wish they still made them.
Keep yours in good condition it's rare
Your comments on the case size are great, but I believe the reason one or two manufactures are using the standard battery box size is purely dollars! It’s much cheaper to buy standard size due to availability and quantities in the market to purchase.
Yep. And I want their reason to change to be dollars. When customers demand better they need to give better to make sales.
I don’t live on my boat anymore but I check my solar charging system and AGM battery bank every time with Bluetooth. Absolutely love my Victron equipment but when it comes to switching my bank to lithium, they’re outrageously priced. Yes, absolutely purchase batteries with Bluetooth enabled BMS.
Also Victron charges to a voltage. That method doesn't promote long life for LiFePO4
@@EmilyAndClarkgood to know. I only stopped being a patron cuz we fell on hard times Clark but I enjoyed every conversation we had and I appreciate your insight.
No worries, do what's right for you. And thanks.
Will Prouse actually checked the low temp cutoff -- and it worked @ 32F. Misprint in manual is what you discovered...
ruclips.net/video/2kooJS3wZaA/видео.htmlsi=3Bim27ur_G54wQbp
Thanks
Probably lost in translation?
Clark, I do not own a metal watch strap, so no worry about forgetting to take my watch off. I have a healthy fear of "Releasing the magic smoke", especially on me! Then again I'm a Mech. Eng.
Chance favors the prepared.
Great video, keep up the good work.
Thank you
Thanks
a lifepo4 cell above 3.45 volts at rest is considered full charged. 3.65 volts and 3.45 volts they would both be 100 percent charged. its crazy but if you ran a capacity test on the difference it would be the same capacity!
The 3.65v cells would go down once rested for a while
Good info, I do wished that you did a cold test at 0. This to many in cold temps is so important as you said, so would having this battery at 0 and start to charge at 5 amps the BMS should shut off in a few minuets, that should not destroy the battery? Thanks!
I verified with Siekon that it won't stop charging until a much lower temperature.
So it would be pointless to run the test when the manufacturer already admitted to the flaw
I. In this price range you should look at the Elefast if you want this feature. Check out the leaderboard linked in the description.
@@EmilyAndClark That changes me wanting to test then. They should have reached out to you when they has sent the battery to you, but this is what sometimes happens with Made in China products.. Thanks I will pass on this battery!
I don't blame you. At this price point I like the Elefast. See my leaderboard in the description of the video
@@EmilyAndClark I just ordered the "
PUPVWMHB 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery" from Amazon used very good as it has the full featured Bluetooth info, wow tell you so much and has Cold Temp shutoff as needed in the Winter for the midwest. Also Off Grid Basement on in YT, tested the Siekon 12v 100AH and the cold temp worked.
Your comment about smaller cases is dead on. I'm considering building my own with prismatic cells because I have a 30' boat and would like to have 200-300 amp hours max. Love to see a video about DIY... differences in quality of cells... should you build 2 - 4 cell 100amp hour batteries or 1 - 8 cell 200 amp hour battery? how do you choose a good bms? It seems like what I see from the pre-made batteries is that you are getting a low quality bms with the same cells. Victron seems like they may have addressed these design issues with better size cases and higher quality bms, but I'm just learning... Love to get hear your thoughts.
I did some build videos recently
One built is based on the best BMS I've seen so far and it only costs 80 bucks
Are all bank manager models ignition protected for use in a gasoline powered boat engine room?
The only thing that would make a spark in a well installed system would be the contactor
You should check with the manufacturer of that but the bi-stable I sell looks seriously sealed so I'd guess yes.
Too bad you did not test the low temperature cut-off. I see batteries that claim low-T cut-off that don't, batteries that don't make any claim on low-T but actually do have it, and batteries that have typos in the specs. It would be easy to test.
Also, I read that some manufactures (EVE, CATL, or LICHEN?) have claimed lower temp charging below 0C(maybe -5C?). It seems plausible as 0C is for water freezing and chemically LiFePO4 likely has a different phase change point. It would be a bit more challenging to test a below 0C cut-off but maybe with isopropyl in a freezer (some go to 0F) you could see the cut-off and see if the battery performs or dies. Could be an epic study! and lots of RUclips views!
I got it right from engineering at siekon that the setting is too low for the cells.
Kinda no point destroying a perfectly good battery, and as you say, a pain in the ass to set up a test. Yep, alcohol solution and dry ice might do it easiest but I didn't run the math.
Marine How To recommends EPOCH batteries. That is all you need to know. The rest of this crap is just cheap cell, BMS and variable construction that has been proven. Testing like this only relates to the battery tested and the SAME battery next week can be better or worse. Kinda like Russian roulette.
Well different people have different price tolerance. And the EPOCH have that issue where they incorrectly shut down charge early with no way to defeat it.
In that price/quality level I'd go with the VoltGo. I think it's better and with the discount I negotiated it's cheaper.
See my leader board in the description.
@@EmilyAndClark Regardless of the price there is still no way of knowing what you are getting, as Will Prowse has repeatedly shown even identical batteries ordered a few week or months apart can be totally different and especially when they send you a sample to test. Caveat Emptor. Here is what Marine How to has to say..
The Epoch Batteries offer Amazing construction, built in heating ,built-in bluetooth BMS (one of the best we’ve seen), waterproof options, CAN communication, remote display/alarm options, cell compression, even the BMS is made by them not an off-the-shelf product. Our friend Ben @ Panbo did an excellent Epoch review .
Currently Epoch is the price/value/feature leader for drop in batteries. Epoch batteries are built by RoyPow one of the best manufacturers in China. RoyPow is a division of EVE. Eve is one of the largest LiFePo4 cell makers in China. This is how they have such amazing cell to cell consistency, they get true EV/automotive grade cells.
Sounds like you are selling these. This really smells like an ad.
Everything you said goes for the VoltGo and they don't have that disconnect bug.
Since I assume you are part of the Epoch marketing team how about sending me one for testing. Send me an email Emilyandclarksadventure at gmail
@@EmilyAndClark Nope, just showing a trusted source of information, and Rod Collins (Marine how to) is a VERY VERY trusted source. I actually have 3 - 7 year old Battleborn batteries in my RV, which are down 12% now, and 2 very old gel's in my sailboat which refuse to quit, and Li-ion Ebike batteries. You should do like Will Prowse and buy your test batteries yourself to remove any doubt about whether your test battery is typical or special. Keep up the good work and thanks for the comments.
Humn, take that watch off, don't make me come over there.
Can’t see a link to the bank manager 😢
That would be because I forgot to put it there. Thanks
www.emilyandclarksadventure.com/bbms
@@EmilyAndClark cheers cobber
Don't waste your time trying to buy this battery. You won't find it at the link that he provided or at the the store link provided on Amazon. Both with just take you to a 12 volt, 5, 7, or 12 AH battery listing. This appears to be a scam battery that the company is handing out to reviewers in exchange for a favorable review. This is 14 days after this review was posted. I have seen reviewers being taken in by this battery as recently as 9 days ago.
Yes the Amazon offering seems to be down. How is this a scam??
And what's your problem? Why all the hate?
This isn't even a great battery, check the leaderboard linked in the description of this video for other batteries that are available.
@@EmilyAndClark Why all the outrage? I stated some facts and then opined that it was a scam. I find it suspicious when I see 6 reviewers of a product, all of which "received them for review" and the links they provide go to 12 volt batteries of a lower AH rating. A less sophisticated old man than myself might order it and not know what he was ordering. I didn't accuse you of being complicit in the scam. You may be an unwitting participant, if it is a scam. Get off your high horse and take down links that are bogus.
Prowse has torn apart similar batteries, and the LTP is incorrectly programmed on the BMS. I wouldn't keep one of those on my bench to make a video, let alone test the charging on it 😂
A clue that the battery probably has correct LTP, is if the battery case has internal heating, not just LTP shutdown.
Yes the low temperature protection is useless. But as a simple battery it's good.
I hate the misinformation though, the best I can do is talk about it.
Far too overpriced for an LFP battery with a discharge rate of only 20 Amps and no Bluetooth.
Where did you get a discharge rate of 20a from.
I tested it at 100a
But not the best choice I agree. Check my leader board in the description of the video
@@EmilyAndClark It's posted in the user manual included with the battery. "Recommended discharge of 20 Amps". You may have tested it at 100 Amps but you're going to shorten the life of the BMS, based on their written recommendation.
@Madsci-zy8wm I really wouldn't trust that manual much. But mote point as we agree there are better choices out there
So Siekon sent everyone free batteries 😮 to review.
I'm not impressed 😢😢
Just why not?
Design your own battery.
I am considering expanding the BankManager into a BMS