New toy arrived today.

[smycker]

I have a Bluetti EB70 which I use mostly at home rather than in the motorhome. I chose the Bluetti because it was the only one I could find that used a LiFePO4 battery.

l went for Bluetti for the same reason LiFePO4, charge from 0 to 100% 3500 times before it reduces to 80%. l have an AC200P & AC200 Max as my campervan is all-electric (no gas) and another reason what if, anything happens to my campervan I pick up the AC200P & AC200 Max and transfer to another van (plug and play).

 

[Brockley]

l went for Bluetti for the same reason LiFePO4, charge from 0 to 100% 3500 times before it reduces to 80%. l have an AC200P & AC200 Max as my campervan is all-electric (no gas) and another reason what if, anything happens to my campervan I pick up the AC200P & AC200 Max and transfer to another van (plug and play).

I’d be interested to know where you got these these figures from? Bluetti’s written guarantee? Both of my batteries count cycles, the Polinovel off the shelf guarantee -

“Our batteries are warranted to last for more than 2000 cycles when they are charged at the std charge rate and cycled/used between 20 - 100% state of charge. (0 - 80% Depth of discharge) 2000 cycles is equivalent to 5.3 years if you drain the battery 80% every day, 7 days a week! You can typically DOUBLE the expected life of the battery if you reduce the maximum voltage when charged and discharged by 0.2V. For example, do not hold the battery at 100% state of charge and do not discharge the battery fully. LiFePO4 batteries last the longest when used in the 60 - 80% state of charge window (some quote upto 6000 cycles plus). For many people significant increase in lifespan will be possible using the battery in the 30% - 95% state of charge window. The temperature of operation and the rate of charge and discharge also affect total battery life”.

In other words, look after the battery - don’t keep it charged to high or discharged it too low and that’s exactly how I treat both my batteries and all chargers are set accordingly (thanks Philip) even though the self build is totally without warranty I’m confident it will last as well as the shop bought.

Do Bluetti’s have written guarantees? I’d be interested to know exactly what the wording is because it looks to me as if this kind of power unit might be open to abuse due to their very nature - supplemental power? That said, perhaps they safeguard overcharging and over discharging?

The reason I’m asking these questions is because when I decided to part with hard earned cash to go lithium as a main source of 12v power for our van due to our forthcoming trip, I wanted to know what guarantees it had. I was told that if the battery failed, the manufacturer could determine legitimate claims from false claims very easily.

The other concern I had was insurance implications regarding the use of home built lifepo4 batteries in campers. I’d been informed that home built lifepo4 batteries if used as your main source of power would invalidate all insurance? I told my insurer about my supplemental battery and they were fine with it.

Has anyone with home built lifepo4 power supply had issues with insurance?

 

[Jill]

View attachment 109835View attachment 109835

I was looking at these and we eventually got solar panels screwed on to the roof of our van as I thaught the downside of them is that you can only charge the solar panels when not moving. Otherwise this looks like a really good idea. I have only seen an american version on instagram

 

[Nabsim]

@Brockley not hear of any issues with battery’s and insurance before. Did you actually ask your insurer the question and that’s what they said?
I do know a couple of people who run fairly large home built battery banks but I doubt if they would even think to mention it to insurance company, I have never heard of any stipulation on battery’s in habitation banks before.
Apologies if your insurance company did state this, just trying to establish if it’s first hand info or not, not intending to start conflict.

 

[Brockley]

Back @Nabsim, I didn’t mention anything to my insurer about our leisure battery set up (branded lifepo4 with branded chargers). To reiterate - “I told my insurer about my supplemental battery and they were fine with it”. That being my home built lifepo4 and the fact that I intended to use it as a supplemental power supply.

Part of the reason I phoned them in the first place was because I’d only recently changed to them in order to get cover for some countries we wanted to see that most insurers won’t cover for some reason.

I was also prompted to phone them after a prominent YouTuber reviewing the EcoFlo (I’m sure just for the love of the product) replied to a post of mine in which I mentioned that my home built lifepo4 could do just about all the same things and cost a fraction of the price. He responded thusly - “The main issue I found is you can’t get van insurance if any part of your electrics involves diy lithium batteries”.

Hence my question has anyone with home built lifepo4 power supply had issues with insurance? No conflict perceived

 

[trevskoda]

I was looking at these and we eventually got solar panels screwed on to the roof of our van as I thaught the downside of them is that you can only charge the solar panels when not moving. Otherwise this looks like a really good idea. I have only seen an american version on instagram

You dont charge solar panels, they charge batteries, and mine still work on the move.

 

[SquirrellCook]

Back @Nabsim, I didn’t mention anything to my insurer about our leisure battery set up (branded lifepo4 with branded chargers). To reiterate - “I told my insurer about my supplemental battery and they were fine with it”. That being my home built lifepo4 and the fact that I intended to use it as a supplemental power supply.

Part of the reason I phoned them in the first place was because I’d only recently changed to them in order to get cover for some countries we wanted to see that most insurers won’t cover for some reason.

I was also prompted to phone them after a prominent YouTuber reviewing the EcoFlo (I’m sure just for the love of the product) replied to a post of mine in which I mentioned that my home built lifepo4 could do just about all the same things and cost a fraction of the price. He responded thusly - “The main issue I found is you can’t get van insurance if any part of your electrics involves diy lithium batteries”.

Hence my question has anyone with home built lifepo4 power supply had issues with insurance? No conflict perceived

DIY Lithium! seriously? Just like many others you connect some cells together to make a battery of cells. Now if you had constructed your own cell I'd be impressed. You tub is full off ****, that's why it's just as well you can't smell it.

 

[Brockley]

DIY Lithium! seriously? Just like many others you connect some cells together to make a battery of cells. Now if you had constructed your own cell I'd be impressed. You tub is full off ****, that's why it's just as well you can't smell it.

I did construct my own 200 ah lifepo4 battery, slightly more complicated than simply connecting some cells together though but thanks to ‘You tub’ I got it right and it works very well thanks. Did you not get the gist of my posts?

 

[Wully]

Is jack and victor ( Terry and Gordon)… short for…Jackery and victron.?

 

[runnach]

Wully, gonnae no dae that, just gonnae noooooo

 

[Nabsim]

I did construct my own 200 ah lifepo4 battery, slightly more complicated than simply connecting some cells together though but thanks to ‘You tub’ I got it right and it works very well thanks. Did you not get the gist of my posts?

Thanks for the earlier post, I suspect the tuber in question just didn’t like anyone going against his sales pitch. If the do it yourself Lifepo4 was indeed going to be an issue I am almost certain every other aspect of a self build would equally be so.

I do know though in the past some insurance company’s have tried to imply conditions on certain gas installations (think it was gas safe certification) but they had to back peddle after gas trade bodies got involved (Gaslow for one). Not sure who people could use to do the same on electrical though unless getting field experts involved but not sure they would do it free for battery banks as it is unlikely to affect their sales.

 

[Brockley]

Thanks for the earlier post, I suspect the tuber in question just didn’t like anyone going against his sales pitch. If the do it yourself Lifepo4 was indeed going to be an issue I am almost certain every other aspect of a self build would equally be so.

I do know though in the past some insurance company’s have tried to imply conditions on certain gas installations (think it was gas safe certification) but they had to back peddle after gas trade bodies got involved (Gaslow for one). Not sure who people could use to do the same on electrical though unless getting field experts involved but not sure they would do it free for battery banks as it is unlikely to affect their sales.

Well it certainly is an interesting subject. Having both a branded professionally installed lifepo4 leisure battery system alongside my own supplemental self built lifepo4 battery I’d like to know exactly where I stand regarding insurance cover. Any experts out there care to take up the mantle?

 

[Nabsim]

Well there are no specific regulations for motorhomes or camper vans in the U.K. unless you hire them so I can’t see how it matters if you buy branded or self build battery bank. In any claim there is likely to be an investigation and if it was found the claim arose from something done wrong there could be problems. That holds true for any component though not just battery’s.
Internally I think it would only be construction and use regs that came into play.
Problem with insurance is a lot are brokers and don’t know what you are asking them or if it even matters, suspect you would need to question a specialist insurer (kit cars/modified cars etc) to get any meaningful info

 

[The laird]

Is jack and victor ( Terry and Gordon)… short for…Jackery and victron.?


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Wully dick