Lithium Battery Installation
Certain lithium batteries shall have an external battery management system. Particularly if the bank is large or contains multiple
batteries and/or in sophisticate setups. External BMS generally do a better job of managing multiple lithium batteries within a
large bank. These external BMSs give out either a positive signal or ground signal when they wish to tell the charger to stop
charging (trip signal). The BMS 1 and BMS 2 connectors on the BB are the connectors that the external BMS’s signal shall feed
into. Make sure you select the correct port.
External BMS shutdown
This page is unique to those installing lithium batteries as a domestic battery bank. This page assumes that you have a lead acid
style starter battery and a domestic lithium battery bank that is within the C rating of the battery to battery charger that you have
chosen. Typically, an individual 100Ah lithium battery has a 0.5C maximum charge current (~50A) and a 1C discharge current
(100A) - these current figures double, triple by parallelling 2x, 3x etc.. lithium batteries together. Please consult your lithium
battery documentation to ensure that the BB selection is suitable for your lithium battery and within about 70-80% of the rating of
your alternator (or lower) - to increase lifespan of your alternator. The BB shall operate with an internal or external BMS. A BMS
is a must have when charging lithium batteries. If this paragraph means little to nothing to you we would consult advise before
proceeding.
If you want the BB to stop charging when your lithium battery is at 0Deg C then please read here.
Firstly, connect the temperature sensor (TSAY) that is supplied with the device to the negative terminal of the lithium battery bank
and then connect the other end (two wires) to the appropriate connector on the BB - normal temp sensor installation.
Secondly, set the BB to lithium battery type (I or II) - using the normal ‘battery type setup’. Once you have selected either lithium
battery Preset I 14.2V (x2 for 24V etc) or lithium battery Preset II (x2 for 24V etc). By selecting either of these presets and by putting
on the temperature sensor the BB now defaults to 0 Deg C trip.
If you want a different temperature trip then you must go through the custom charge profiles as appears on page
.
15
If you do not want this feature at all, please remove the temperature sensor from the connector on the BB. This shall immediately
engage the BB to charge. As there is no temp sensor now connected there shall be no tripping based on battery temperature.
0 Deg C trip
Use BMS 1
- if your BMS trips and provides a 0V (ground
signal), then use BMS 1. This shall result in the BBC turning
off. Once the BMS removes this trip status, i.e. the 0V signal
goes back to a +ve signal, the BBC shall start charging again.
Use BMS 2
- if your BMS trips to a +ve voltage (2V-17V), then use
BMS 2. This shall result in the BBC turning off when this voltage is
received. Once the BMS removes this trip status, i.e. the +ve
signal goes back to 0V signal, the BBC shall start charging again.
BMS 1
status:
operational: 2-17V
trip voltage: 0V
BMS 2
status:
operational: 0V
trip voltage: 2V-17V
or
Remote trip -
the BMS connector can also be used as a basic remote trip. Simply apply the correct trip signal voltage to the
relevant BMS connector for the desired effect.
Changing battery type
We provide 2 lithium profile presets. Lithium I is 14.2V charge and 13.8V float. Lithium II is 14.4V charge and 13.8V float. These
can be selected in the normal battery type selection process. By putting the BB into either of these modes immediately removes
the reverse polarity protection and put the BB into ‘power supply mode’. If you wish to customise your charge profile proceed
through the custom route, however, please change the power supply mode to on in the settings.
Drop in style, off the shelf, lithium batteries tend to have an internal BMS that looks after that specific battery. The parameters
of that BMS shall trip and engage when the BMS deems the environment either hostile or acceptable to accept charge. There
is no back-feed mechanism to the BB required here as the BMS itself trips the battery internally. Some specifications of these
BMS require the BB to not provide any charge at low temperature 0 DegC or below. Please read below.
Internal BMS shutdown
8
1 2 3
BMS (1)
BMS (2)
5 6
BMS 2 (5)
BMS 1 (6)
Battery temp.
sensor (1,2)
Ignition
feed (4)
Remote
Voltage
sense (3)
Upper
Lower
1 2 3
4 5 6
xx
+2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12
-30
C
o
After custom charging profiles have been set, the last
option in the custom procedure is to set temperature trip.
The default, as it assumes lead acid, is -30 Deg C, so the
RED LED at the bottom shall illuminate. For lithium,
bring this LED up to your desired trip temperature. E.g 0,
-2, -4 Deg C etc.
temp sensor connection
