Interesting video DC Guy. I wish you could do a video on buying and installing an AC to DC LifePo4 charger to replace the mostly unsuitable battery chargers found in most caravans in the UK. All the chargers I have come across are only suited to FLA batteries, even AGM's are barely catered for.
Nice work Bill! You can never have too much data! lol. I've JK bms's with heat function in my self builds, no heating installed until needed. I'll be interested to see how you fit it to your Eco's before next winter.
Thank you for taking time to watch and comment 🙏 it's appreciated. I bought mine from here s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_EGUVwAd about 30ish GBP or if in a hurry I think Fogstar stock these units too but about 75 I think.
@@DCGUY Hello thank you for the quick reply. I see thanks for that link. I'm unsure if it's worth getting the previous BMS model (without the heating element attachment) and jerry rigging a thermostat temp sensor to a low watt 12v heater element / sheet of aluminium which will be under the battery. Only thing I guess going this route is there's no control via the app for on/off - just a manual switch. The BMS would be half the price as the one in your video as that seems the more updated version and would be considering 4 of these for 4 x 100ah eco worthy battery's (just waiting on delivery). Can I ask how you balanced the cells? Was that with the victron smart charger? Did you say you got the long bar to link the cells from Halfords? Struggling to locate that myself. Atb for the weekend 👍
Yes i used mounting brackets from halfords. I used a 10A power supply to initially charge / balance the cells to 3.65 which is time consuming. As for heating the BMS with that option will only work when there is a charge current going into the battery. Important thing is not to try charge a frozen battery, just use whatever method suits you to keep them above freezing. Insulation around the batteries really helps and you can easily use a W1209 thermostatic relay with heating pads.
Hi, the BMS will not communicate directly with the victron but if the bms sees a low temperature it won't allow charge e.g 0⁰c and the victron will also stop charge at about 5⁰c Using overkill bms app you can adjust the values too.
Interesting video DC Guy.
I wish you could do a video on buying and installing an AC to DC LifePo4 charger to replace the mostly unsuitable battery chargers found in most caravans in the UK.
All the chargers I have come across are only suited to FLA batteries, even AGM's are barely catered for.
Nice work Bill! You can never have too much data! lol.
I've JK bms's with heat function in my self builds, no heating installed until needed. I'll be interested to see how you fit it to your Eco's before next winter.
Cheers, the heat elements are on back order but no rush at the moment. Should be straightforward I hope 🙏
Neat & solid work, many thanks!
Thank you too!
Nice detailed video. Can I ask how much you paid for each smart BMS ? Thanks.
Thank you for taking time to watch and comment 🙏 it's appreciated. I bought mine from here s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_EGUVwAd about 30ish GBP or if in a hurry I think Fogstar stock these units too but about 75 I think.
@@DCGUY
Hello thank you for the quick reply. I see thanks for that link. I'm unsure if it's worth getting the previous BMS model (without the heating element attachment) and jerry rigging a thermostat temp sensor to a low watt 12v heater element / sheet of aluminium which will be under the battery. Only thing I guess going this route is there's no control via the app for on/off - just a manual switch. The BMS would be half the price as the one in your video as that seems the more updated version and would be considering 4 of these for 4 x 100ah eco worthy battery's (just waiting on delivery).
Can I ask how you balanced the cells? Was that with the victron smart charger? Did you say you got the long bar to link the cells from Halfords? Struggling to locate that myself.
Atb for the weekend 👍
Yes i used mounting brackets from halfords. I used a 10A power supply to initially charge / balance the cells to 3.65 which is time consuming. As for heating the BMS with that option will only work when there is a charge current going into the battery. Important thing is not to try charge a frozen battery, just use whatever method suits you to keep them above freezing. Insulation around the batteries really helps and you can easily use a W1209 thermostatic relay with heating pads.
Is it possible to remove the battery BMS and only an exterior victron BMS controller?
I may be wrong, but the victron BMS management units will only work with a victron battery that has their bms inside.
Would that bms now link into Victron unit about low temp charging. Thanks
Hi, the BMS will not communicate directly with the victron but if the bms sees a low temperature it won't allow charge e.g 0⁰c and the victron will also stop charge at about 5⁰c
Using overkill bms app you can adjust the values too.
Excellent thanks. The eco batteries are still great value got 2 280 ah yesterday for €1024 on Amazon Black Friday yesterday..😊
Hi mate hope you are doing well, any new videos on the horizon.
all the best Andy
Working on it, appreciate you.