Advice on DIY lithium configurations for Jimny!

[ekkekan]

I agree with all the comments and reasons. I also prefer a circuit breaker or the blade reset fuses available. Good choice of load switch. Although BMS will limit current to 120A that is enough to cause some real damage. If fault is cleared the BMS will allow current to pass again. Normally better to have an intervention before restore.
Just my 2c if one has to be critical.

[Woolf]

How are you planning to fix the batteries in place?

[jonnyr]

How are you planning to fix the batteries in place?

Prestick?

Lol - I haven't quite got that part figured out yet.

I'll have around 10mm space to work with, and want to leave some breathing room, so the solution needs to be slim...

I'm thinking of a very thin piece of alu (or plywood or perspex) as the battery bank base.
The battery base will be bolted to the baseboard mounting points already in place.
Then two pieces of alu 45 degree angle to run on top of the assembled battery length, which I can cable-tie to each other and the plywood.
I would also want to cut holes in the plywood for heat disspiation, and use foam padding in a couple places underneath to lessen vibrations.

Thinking aloud, but maybe just four lengths of 45 degree alu forming a frame would be the slimmest option, and mount that with foam underneath the corners and middle section. Could bolt it to the same mounting points as mentioned before.

I guess we'll see haha! Any ideas?

[Woolf]

Thinking about it

[Woolf]

Jonnyr you have a pm

[jonnyr]

Progress update: Installation - 12V DC phase 01 complete!
I re-did the layout and circuitry a couple times, and ended up excluding some components to save on costs.
After installation, I found I needed to raise the deck 10mm, and cut a notch out the front right corner for the cables running up to the window.
Heat under the deck has not been an issue so far, though I'm monitoring it closely in-app through the temp sense / smart shunt.
- Hottest at the battery so far has been 37ºC so far - and it was 32 ambient that day.
- the Victron Orion unit gets pretty hot, but this heat seems to flow upwards and out through gaps in the hatch directly above.

Under Deck:
- 120AH LiFePO4 + BMS installed under deck
- Victron Orion 12/12-30 installed under deck
- Victron Smart Shunt installed under deck
- Thick cable up to window for inverter (+ other add-ons in time)

Coming out from deck:
- Andersen run for fridge
- Andersen run for compressor
- interior LED connected to compressor line, not fused.


Behind Window panel:
- WRND inverter + miltiplug on the window panel
- Will add a fuse box and sockets etc to the window panel in time
- Window panel is just a rough piece of wood I'm using to get the shape etc, will cut the real one out of something thinner and lighter when ready.

Other notes: (not sponsored)
1. Battery: The support from the guys at www.lithiumbatteries.co.za has been amazing - can't say that enough. I will use them again for sure.
2. Trevor from Allied Auto Electrical (DBN) was incredible with the heavy duty wiring - expert advice and workmanship - highly recommend giving him a call if you're in the KZN area and in need of a proper wiring job.



Anyways, off for a weekend trip, first test to see how the system performs.

[ekkekan]

Thanks for sharing a well planned project and I am sure it will provide what is needed for a long time.
The inverter seems to be identical to the Changi. As one of our members got a problem with the inverter after 4x4 roads perhaps it would be good if you used some form of shock absorber for it.

[Nambro]

Neat.

Thanks for sharing a well planned project and I am sure it will provide what is needed for a long time.
The inverter seems to be identical to the Changi. As one of our members got a problem with the inverter after 4x4 roads perhaps it would be good if you used some form of shock absorber for it.

[Nambro]

Did something similar. Maybe a little more rugged. Currently in testing phase

Neat.

This prototype is designed in such a manner that it fits behind the Cruisers backseat(DC) 120AH Lifepo4. This 14kg package will replace 2 108AH lead acid and 50kg of weight.
Interesting thing I found was that the WRND dc-dc charger charges the battery albeit only to 95% wich is also recommended for lithium lifeextension. Also did a 2m droptest (per ongeluk). It survived. Now comes the rattle and heat test.

[jonnyr]

Did something similar. Maybe a little more rugged. Currently in testing phaseThis prototype is designed in such a manner that it fits behind the Cruisers backseat(DC) 120AH Lifepo4. This 14kg package will replace 2 108AH lead acid and 50kg of weight.
Interesting thing I found was that the WRND dc-dc charger charges the battery albeit only to 95% wich is also recommended for lithium lifeextension. Also did a 2m droptest (per ongeluk). It survived. Now comes the rattle and heat test.

Looking good!

[jonnyr]

Update:

First small weekend trip done - camping in Bonamanzi, roughly 3hrs drive away.

Charging on the way up:
Battery was charged fully in around 1hr or less - wasn't watching closely, it was around 95% capacity or so to start with.

Switched Off on arrival:
We turned the DC/DC off so that the battery would not be topped up whilst there so that we could see what a typical weekend power draw would be.We ran the following 12v gear on the battery alone (normal use), from 4PM Friday through to around 2PM Sunday before charging it up again:
- 35L Waeco fridge, set to frige mode (always on)
- 3x LED HardKorr Camp lights at night
- LED Lumeno interior light at night
- Coffee grinder (mornings only)
- Nutribullet (mornings only)
- Recharged headlamps
- Recharged small torch

Total AH comsumed: 45.3 over +- 46hours (63% battery capacity remaining)
Weather: Cool and overcast, +-25C hottest ambient temps for that weekend

Battery temperature sensor shows that whilst charging the temperature under the deck only increased ~5ºC max above ambient, even though the Orion tr smart dc/dc 12/12-30 gets quite hot while charging!

Recharged fully in about 2.5-3hrs

Very happy with the setup so far, next up is a longer trip to Kruger in the HEAT haha.

[Nambro]

Update:

First small weekend trip done - camping in Bonamanzi, roughly 3hrs drive away.

Charging on the way up:
Battery was charged fully in around 1hr or less - wasn't watching closely, it was around 95% capacity or so to start with.

Switched Off on arrival:
We turned the DC/DC off so that the battery would not be topped up whilst there so that we could see what a typical weekend power draw would be.We ran the following 12v gear on the battery alone (normal use), from 4PM Friday through to around 2PM Sunday before charging it up again:
- 35L Waeco fridge, set to frige mode (always on)
- 3x LED HardKorr Camp lights at night
- LED Lumeno interior light at night
- Coffee grinder (mornings only)
- Nutribullet (mornings only)
- Recharged headlamps
- Recharged small torch

Total AH comsumed: 45.3 over +- 46hours (63% battery capacity remaining)
Weather: Cool and overcast, +-25C hottest ambient temps for that weekend

Battery temperature sensor shows that whilst charging the temperature under the deck only increased ~5ºC max above ambient, even though the Orion tr smart dc/dc 12/12-30 gets quite hot while charging!

Recharged fully in about 2.5-3hrs

Very happy with the setup so far, next up is a longer trip to Kruger in the HEAT haha.

This is the second and final product.