Battle Born GC2 batteries in winter storage

[ROBERT CROSS]

4th Season...BB's in the AS's two battery boxes, Isolated, (add-on switch).

Even made it thru the recent storm....

Bob
🇺🇸

[BGClassic]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

4th Season...BB's in the AS's two battery boxes, Isolated, (add-on switch).

Even made it thru the recent storm....

Bob
🇺🇸

Nice! Only wish my AS was at my house, not in storage miles away.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by BGClassic

Nice! Only wish my AS was at my house, not in storage miles away.

I would not leave anything electrical plugged in if unattended.

Bob
🇺🇸

I learned that lesson 7 yrs ago.

Our boat, (& 5 AS's) were lost in an electrically instigated fire.

[BGClassic]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

I would not leave anything electrical plugged in if unattended.

Bob
🇺🇸

I learned that lesson 7 yrs ago.

Our boat, (& 5 AS's) were lost in an electrically instigated fire.

Wow. That would be a tough lesson.

[ts8501]

I read that Battleborn Batteries are limited in how low a temp they can be stored at, not based on the cells, but based on the plastic covers. -14F sticks in my mind.
I have been planning how I can keep the battery box exterior temp above this.
What have others found in their research? I do not want to remove the batteries: they are a very tight fit.

[BGClassic]

Originally Posted by ts8501

I read that Battleborn Batteries are limited in how low a temp they can be stored at, not based on the cells, but based on the plastic covers. -14F sticks in my mind.
I have been planning how I can keep the battery box exterior temp above this.
What have others found in their research? I do not want to remove the batteries: they are a very tight fit.

Attachment 425903

I was faced with the same question, but I live in SE Virginia, not as cold as your climate. I saw the -14 specs somewhere too, and then Airstream support recommended removal. I think the job looks tougher than it is, I used thin rope to lift the batteries out, and will use some nylon strapping to install them. Take lots of pics if you do remove them.

[Silvr_Bullet]

I don’t know what the conversation was with Airstream about the temperature limits of any particular brand of LiFePro batteries sounded like, in the case of Battleborn , but that’s who one would want to speak with, IMO

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by BGClassic

Wow. That would be a tough lesson.

It was...

Bob
🇺🇸

[KCurtis]

Humm… my new Classic is in an enclosed storage unit and I am running 2 dehumidifiers in it to keep the humidity under control. It is plugged into a 30 amp wall plug. How does this situation affect the batteries is the question?

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by KCurtis

Humm… my new Classic is in an enclosed storage unit and I am running 2 dehumidifiers in it to keep the humidity under control. It is plugged into a 30 amp wall plug. How does this situation affect the batteries is the question?

One question...Remotely, unattended?

Cloudsplitter is 25' away easy to monitor.

Bob
🇺🇸

[KCurtis]

I can monitor the batteries via the app for my Classic. I am just wondering if keeping it plugged in while in storage is a bad idea.

[BigSxyWhtGuy]

Originally Posted by KCurtis

I can monitor the batteries via the app for my Classic. I am just wondering if keeping it plugged in while in storage is a bad idea.

Is it freezing temps?

[KCurtis]

Rarely in Texas. That is if we don’t have another week long freeze like we had last year. If it does get below 30 degrees it is usually only a couple of ours before it raises up above the freezing temps.

[ts8501]

Originally Posted by KCurtis

I can monitor the batteries via the app for my Classic. I am just wondering if keeping it plugged in while in storage is a bad idea.

Not sure that you need to keep the batteries plugged in. If you’re able to shut down all power in the trailer, there is no need to keep a charge on Lithium’s.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by KCurtis

I can monitor the batteries via the app for my Classic. I am just wondering if keeping it plugged in while in storage is a bad idea.

IMHO...Yes. If out of sight.

Bob
🇺🇸

[thewarden]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

IMHO...Yes. If out of sight.

Bob
🇺🇸

I agree, especially if there is no need. Too many things to go wrong.

[steilkurve]

First winter leaving my batteries in the trailer. I upgraded to 5 BattleBorns in the summer.

I charged them up to 100% early December as per the manufacturer and turned off the disconnect switch on the positive side.

3 weeks ago, with my voltmeter, I got a reading of 13.36. Today, I got a reading of 12.88.

BattleBorn speaks of a discharge rate of 2 to 3% per month. I'm slightly higher but I guess this is due to the cold? It hasn't been a particulalrly cold winter (for us) so far but we have had a few rare nights down to -15C/5F.

I know for a fact there is no parasitic load depleting the batteries. The disconnect switch I added cuts off everything and no load bypasses it.

My Qs:

Is this normal?

Should I heat up the trailer and charge the batteries back up? They are inside under the bed and my storage place has power so fairly easy to do.

Thanks!

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by steilkurve

First winter leaving my batteries in the trailer. I upgraded to 5 BattleBorns in the summer.

I charged them up to 100% early December as per the manufacturer and turned off the disconnect switch on the positive side.

3 weeks ago, with my voltmeter, I got a reading of 13.36. Today, I got a reading of 12.88.

BattleBorn speaks of a discharge rate of 2 to 3% per month. I'm slightly higher but I guess this is due to the cold? It hasn't been a particulalrly cold winter (for us) so far but we have had a few rare nights down to -15C/5F.

I know for a fact there is no parasitic load depleting the batteries. The disconnect switch I added cuts off everything and no load bypasses it.

My Qs:

Is this normal?

Should I heat up the trailer and charge the batteries back up? They are inside under the bed and my storage place has power so fairly easy to do.

Thanks!

Hi

However you installed your aftermarket full disconnect switch .... it's not doing the job. There's something ( inverter, propane detector, sound system, ...... ) that still is hooked to the battery and draining it.

Bob

[steilkurve]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

However you installed your aftermarket full disconnect switch .... it's not doing the job. There's something ( inverter, propane detector, sound system, ...... ) that still is hooked to the battery and draining it.

Bob

Thanks Bob.

The only cables to and from my battery bank are the positive and negative to the Victron Lynx Power In. And there’s a disconnect switch that’s in the off position between the two on the positive side. Nothing else is connected to the battery bank. See photo.

Are you saying even just the negative connection could draw from the bank somehow?

[ronderful]

Battleborn batteries will be at 75-80 percent SOC at 6 months if stored at the recommended temperature according there interweb site. All batteries exhibit back EMF or self discharge and smart batteries have self powered electronics to protect them. You can't shut it off because doing so would be a safety hazard possibly that is part of the drain. Colder is not better for life-po batteries. I am surprised they recommend 100% SOC at storage but perhaps magic electrical stuff happens in the gee wizardry electricals. Personally I'd cycle the battery every 3 months to prevent passivation because they lose capacity sitting there.