How to Charge Lithium Battery

[Cajunwolf]

@MotorVation,

Now that's a nice unit, especially the price.

 

[DanDweller]

I have that charger/converter. It also acts as a dc power supply when the battery(s) is fully charged. Here's a link to an authorized Progressive Dynamics dealer where I bought mine. They're called Leisure Time and are one of two authorized dealers listed on the Progressive Dynamics site. The price is very good at 145.  https://www.ltdrvparts.com/PROGRESS...THIUM-CONVERTER-CHARGER-PD9130LV-PD9130LV.htm

Also, I want to add that it pulls 500 watts and my Sportsman 1000i generator runs it in economy mode

Just bought mine through the same dealer.

 

[DanDweller]

Okay ... here we go: (tx2surgis; you might find this interesting too.)

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=38414

The above link goes to a thread by me on this site, it's quite interesting too, and from there you can link to the information provided by one of our members, LoupGarou. Now once your on that link/channel's video, which is a review of an excellent solution for this problem by Renogy, there are four excellent links on the dangers of charging LiFePO4 batteries with your vehicle's alternator. Anyone who is needing to charge house batteries from a vehicle should watch to keep from damaging their batteries.

Thanks, gonna check it out now.  One problem solved (shore power)!  Now looking forward to making sure I get it right as far as charging by alternator

 

[MotorVation]

@MotorVation,

Now that's a nice unit, especially the price.

I've seen them priced at over 200 bucks, also, Progressive Dynamics warns about buying from an unauthorized dealer. Those units may not have a serial number and won't be covered by the factory warranty. I probably would have gone with the 60 amp but my generator won't run it

 

[DanDweller]

Okay ... here we go: (tx2surgis; you might find this interesting too.)

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=38414

The above link goes to a thread by me on this site, it's quite interesting too, and from there you can link to the information provided by one of our members, LoupGarou. Now once your on that link/channel's video, which is a review of an excellent solution for this problem by Renogy, there are four excellent links on the dangers of charging LiFePO4 batteries with your vehicle's alternator. Anyone who is needing to charge house batteries from a vehicle should watch to keep from damaging their batteries.

 Yup, that 20amp B2B charger by Renogy is the one I was planning on getting.  Ironically enough, I got scared off of using it after talking to a Renogy tech who told me it wouldn't work with a solar charge controller and that I would have to get their all in one B2B charger with MPPT controller but that it draws 50 amps which could be too much for my alternator.  Talking to a different Renogy tech a couple days later, I realozed the first tech probably didn't know what he was talking about.  The second tech said I could indeed use the smaller 20amp B2B charger (not the all in one) while also using an MPPT controller for the solar panels.  He said the B2B charger would go direct to the lithium battery separate from the MPPT device, and that, if the lithium battery was receiving charge from the B2B device, the MPPT controller would sense that and adjust its charge accordingly, no problem.  But he didn't sound 100% sure that even something with as small a draw as the 20amp B2B device wouldn't possibly damage the alternator.

 

[DanDweller]

Okay ... here we go: (tx2surgis; you might find this interesting too.)

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=38414

The above link goes to a thread by me on this site, it's quite interesting too, and from there you can link to the information provided by one of our members, LoupGarou. Now once your on that link/channel's video, which is a review of an excellent solution for this problem by Renogy, there are four excellent links on the dangers of charging LiFePO4 batteries with your vehicle's alternator. Anyone who is needing to charge house batteries from a vehicle should watch to keep from damaging their batteries.

 So in the comments of the video on that Renogy B2B charger, someone mentioned this all-in-one 20amp B2B charger with MPPT by Ctek:

https://www.amazon.com/CTEK-40-186-Automatic-Battery-Charger/dp/B005LBCVL4

Can anyone here say which would be a better option?  Should I go with the Ctek device to control both the charge from alternator and the Renogy panels I'm going to get or get the Renogy MPPT controller and, separately, the Renogy 20amp B2B device?

 

[Cajunwolf]

@DanDweller,

Have you watched the videos about the pros and cons of charging with your alternator? I'm thinking your solution is there, I remember something that reminded me, and there is one of them that mentions a device as the one tx2sturgis linked. Like tx2sturgis suggested, you're overthinking it, step back so you can see the forest for the trees. You're not alone; we all hit the same wall. Take your time, or you will end up spending more on what you didn't need or not enough on what you did.

 

[DanDweller]

@DanDweller,

Have you watched the videos about the pros and cons of charging with your alternator? I'm thinking your solution is there, I remember something that reminded me, and there is one of them that mentions a device as the one tx2sturgis linked. Like tx2sturgis suggested, you're overthinking it, step back so you can see the forest for the trees. You're not alone; we all hit the same wall. Take your time, or you will end up spending more on what you didn't need or not enough on what you did.

Yes, I watched the guy's video on the Renogy B2B device and his earlier video about the dangers of charging from the alternator.  His later video on the B2B device seems to contradict the earlier video, so I am left not knowing whether it is ok to use the 20 amp device on my Ford Transit Connect or not.  The other linked-to articles about huge boat systems are overwhelming and I don't know what to do with the information.

With all due respect, I am not overthinking this.  I still have no definitive answer on the matter.  Overthinking was when you asked me to list every single component of electrical consumption after I had already basically told you my main consumer would be the 5 amp vent-fan, and someone else came to the rescue telling me about the converter charger.  If someone could tell me whether it should be ok to use the B2B device together with an MPPT controller, that would be great.  Otherwise, I will probably need to just leave the alternator out of tye question since I don't understand well enough, and my attempts to understand are met with "you're overthinking."

 

[DanDweller]

Nowhere in his video reviewing the Renogy B2B device does he mention whether the device can work side by side with a solar charging system controlled by an MPPT charge controller. Comments he made in his earlier video about the warning lead me to doubt the advisability (something about how the voltages coming from the alternator do not match those coming from the solar panels). This is also why I am wondering about the all-in-one Ctek device, which seems meant to handle the two.

 

[Cajunwolf]

@DanDweller

Yeah, they are a bit vague on that. Have you tried calling tech support or a sales rep? Not being there myself, and seeing your setup in person, I couldn't say one way or the other. Can you do a sketch, diagram, and list your components to where I and others can picture it in our minds?

I'm running into some of the same hassle of equipment choice in connecting a standby generator to my system; it can be frustrating to be sure.

 

[Cajunwolf]

@DanDweller

Okay, I went back over the whole thread, and it seems your primary problem is charging while having to run the fan at the same time, right? You can only fit so much solar on the roof because of space and might have to park in the shade and run the fan to where your solar panels won't get the proper sunlight to keep up. It would be nice if you had some portable solar panels, but that wouldn't be stealthy if that's your concern, but neither is setting there running the engine to charge via alternator either. Do I understand correctly? I'm trying to get my head around this.

 

[willprowse]

Forget all the other stuff, you are overthinking this.

Simple answer: Buy and install a lithium compatible converter/charger.

https://www.progressivedyn.com/specialty/pd9100l-series-lithium-converters/

The 30 amp unit will work fine for your situation.

Exactly! this one is made to charge LiFePO4. Best answer.