Lithium ion charge controller

[Campingbliss]

I have a Renogy 100w solar suitcase (with attached charge controller) that I charged my lead acid battery with. I just swapped the battery out for a Battleborn lithium ion 100ah battery and am wondering if the solar suitcase is equally compatible since the new battery can charge to 14.4v instead of the 13.2v on the lead acid battery. Do I have to do anything special to the controller to get the add'l voltage? I'm kind of a newbie with solar and charge controller stuff.

[John in Santa Cruz]

my solar suitcase has a Adventure(?) PWM controller which is only suitable for lead-acid.

[parmm]

Originally Posted by kip22

I'm in the process of converting my boler to a lithium ion battery system.

Do you mean lithium LiFePO4 maybe?

[jwcolby123]

Originally Posted by jeffminnesota

When I get over the sticker shock I plan to upgrade from lead acid battery to something else...
The "Rover" has all kind of statistics about input/output, voltage, but all I really need to know is battery % charge (I think) and that never gets above 85% with solar.
thanks for any info

The 85% is probably the lead acid battery itself. It slows waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy down charging right about that 85% mark.

[Motoboss]

Originally Posted by Campingbliss

I have a Renogy 100w solar suitcase (with attached charge controller) that I charged my lead acid battery with. I just swapped the battery out for a Battleborn lithium ion 100ah battery and am wondering if the solar suitcase is equally compatible since the new battery can charge to 14.4v instead of the 13.2v on the lead acid battery. Do I have to do anything special to the controller to get the add'l voltage? I'm kind of a newbie with solar and charge controller stuff.

My Voyager 20amp and 10amp Wander both are LifePo4 compatible, just set the battery you are using. Not sure about the suitcase mounted controllers, but I believe it is compatible.
Line 6 under “Key Features”

https://www.renogy.com/100-watt-12-v...BoC3R8QAvD_BwE



From Renogy website

“DESCRIPTION
If you're looking for a convenient and portable power solution, the Renogy 100W Monocrystalline Foldable Solar Suitcase is the ideal choice.

The Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Portable Solar Suitcase is an entire solar power system incorporated into a single, compact package. Weighing in at about 26.60 lbs., this lightweight suitcase includes two 50-Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panels, one 20 Amp waterproof Voyager Charge Controller with an LCD Screen for power regulation, one 10ft tray cable with alligator clips for easy connection to the battery, and protective casing for safe portability. The Renogy 100 Watt Solar Suitcase will make charging on the go as easy as 1-2-3!

If you have any questions regarding this product, please call us at 1 (909) 287-7111 or email support@renogy.com.

KEY FEATURES
Reliable
Adjustable, corrosion-resistant aluminum stand
Heavy duty handle and latches for longevity
Protective casing
Smart
Compatible with gel, sealed, lithium, and flooded batteries
Charge controller with LCD display for displaying operating information and data
Safe
20A built-in 5-stage solar charge controller provides overcharge protection, reducing fire risk
Negative-ground charge controller for compatibility with an RV, boat, trailer, etc.
The low-voltage system avoids electrical shock hazards
Portable Power
Easy to pack and setup solar power kit. Foldable, and sturdy solar panel for outdoor activities, hiking, camping, events, road trips, and easy to carry off grid power.
Easy to Use
Read to power your car or RV battery bank anytime. Easy alligator clip and battery connection using the provided adaptor cables.”


So it appears using your suitcase just as you would with a lead acid battery is fine, as long as you change the “profile” in the battery selection of the controller to Li, and it should charge appropriately.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by parmm

Do you mean lithium LiFePO4 maybe?

to be pendantic about it, Lithium Iron Phosphate aka LiFePO4 aka LFP is in fact a variety of Lithium Ion, however its sufficiently different to be worth distinguishing.

In particular, 'normal' LiIon batteries are 3.6V nominal per cell, with a 4.2V per cell charge voltage, while LFP batts are 3.2V nominal per cell, with a 3.6V per cell charge voltage. For a '12V' battery, LFP can use 4 cells in series, for a 12.8V nominal voltage, and 14.4V charging voltage, within tolerance of 12V systems, while conventional LiIon, you either use 3 in series for 11V nominal and a 12.6V charging voltage (rather low) or 4 in series for 14.4V nominal, 16.8V charging (way too high).

Other significant differences... LiIon cells, including their close cousin LiPoly, are somewhat prone to spontaneously exploding if they overheat or are overcharged. LFP are very stable. LiIon batteries individual cells are quite small, so you need many in parallel (my EBike LiIon battery is '14S3P', 14 in series for 52 Volts, 3 in parallel for 14 AH giving about 732 watt*hours total capacity). LFP cells can be made as big as practical, a single cell can be 100, 200, 300, 400 amp*hours, so a large battery only needs the same 4 cells suitably sized. LiIon has a higher energy density in both mass and volume, making them very popular for cell phones, laptop computers, flashlights, and other such portable devices.