Lead Carbon Batteries as Leisure Batteries

[Jev88]

I did search our site but didn't find much comment on these batteries. Seem a New"ish" technology to me but appear to have lower discharge capability without damage and some sites go so far as to say a "poor mans alternative to LiPo"....... anyone actually using them?

£189 for Leoch 130ah now from Tayna Batteries.

 

[Lenny HB]

Use the search facility as I'm sure it's been discussed before I think the conclusion was a load of BS.

 

[Jev88]

Use the search facility as I'm sure it's been discussed before I think the conclusion was a load of BS.

Hi Lenny, very few posts about Lead Carbon that I found and nobody actually using them. Hence the question in case someone has taken the plunge in the last 6 months?

 

[Two on Tour]

Victron don't seem to think that they are BS Lenny.

https://www.victronenergy.com/batteries/lead-carbon-battery

https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-Lead-carbon-battery-EN.pdf

 

[two]

The problem with new tech is that it's often over-hyped. I've chased many of these new ideas in the past but most, especially when it comes to batteries, have been a disappointment.
Buy, but be prepared to discard the investment.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Jev88]

The problem with new tech is that it's often over-hyped. I've chased many of these new ideas in the past but most, especially when it comes to batteries, have been a disappointment.
Buy, but be prepared to discard the investment.

Hence the OP to see if anyone has real world usage experience. On paper they look a good step up from Lead Acid without the cash investment and fiddling with chargring requirements for Lithium.

 

[Gromett]

Use the search facility as I'm sure it's been discussed before I think the conclusion was a load of BS.

I think that was the discussion on Lead Crystal...

Lead crystal batteries

Looking into these, does any one have any experience of them, they have good reviews but hard to find supplier, any thoughts appreciated

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

However, I think if anyone was to look into it, it would probably be a similar story.

 

[Gromett]

I have had a quick look into this and it is a valid technology but doesn't appear to be well suited to leisure batteries.

It suffers a rapid voltage drop as they are discharged. They seem well suited as starter batteries in hybrid cars as they can take the fast charge from regen braking.

 

[PhilandMena]

Victron don't seem to think that they are BS Lenny.

https://www.victronenergy.com/batteries/lead-carbon-battery

https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-Lead-carbon-battery-EN.pdf

Read some of that! Gave up after I got to potential benefits.

 

[Two on Tour]

Read some of that! Gave up after I got to potential benefits.

You do have a very short attention span don't you.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Victron don't seem to think that they are BS Lenny.

https://www.victronenergy.com/batteries/lead-carbon-battery

I only said think. The Victron ones are twice the price of other brands so probably OK but I wouldn't want to spend over 300 quid on what is basicly a lead acid battery.

 

[Two on Tour]

They call it the poor man's LifePo4, but you will have forked out over the odds and still not got a descent leisure battery.

 

[PhilandMena]

You do have a very short attention span don't you.

Do you know me ??? Your being presumptuous ! Behave yourself now !

 

[Al n Val]

just a follow up to this

i'll be using Leoch Lead Carbon Batteries after being recommended them by a mate who swears by them, i think he's had his pair on approx 5 months, you'd need to ask him all the facts n figures but he's not one for EHU so needed a better battery bank than his Banner batteries that were on from new. 280 watts of solar feeds them (when its sunny lol).

I've just committed to them, infact they've just arrived, so fitting those and a pure sine wave inverter over the next day or 2 if weather permits and hopefully we're good to go.

Alpha rate them so high they're having their own brand of Pure Lead Carbon made

 

[Buzz67]

Be very interested to see how you get on with them.
Please keep us updated.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[autorouter]

Victron suggest using lead-carbon batteries where the weight and size are not a problem, such as for storage in off-grid buildings. Also they can be charged and discharged at low temperatures, where lithium batteries have problems. So you probably wouldn't want lithium in a snowplough or snowmobile, for example.

 

[Al n Val]

Update.

batteries and new inverter are now installed and briefly tested to make sure it all works which it does

Its just as well we did this job as well because the battery box floor was pulling away from its dividing support, the lugs had come away so only side and rear fixings were holding it up

So we cut 2 lengths of aluminium angle and riveted it all together again, also as batteries don't like sitting on cold metal we lined the floor with a piece of marine ply so helping to keep them from getting as cold.

So far its all good and i'm really pleased we did this job tbh, its another thing out of the way, lockdown is great innit

Fitted the inverter remote below the Victron MPPT controller and the new battery capacitance monitor display at the side, this is invaluable to tell you the actual state of the batteries so well worth it at £12.50

Job Done

Now what can i do next

 

[Al n Val]

Can anyone in the "know" tell me what the Victron BMV battery monitor does that this display doesn't, apart from to look at the app on your phone

i'm just curious tbh as there is one for sale in the classifieds so just wondering

TIA.... Al

 

[Lenny HB]

Can anyone in the "know" tell me what the Victron BMV battery monitor does that this display doesn't, apart from to look at the app on your phone

i'm just curious tbh as there is one for sale in the classifieds so just wondering

TIA.... Al

A hell of a lot more I've had one of the cheapie and now have a Victron, no comparison. You can set the Victron accurately for your battery, loads more information avaliable.

This the basic info screen.

This is the history screen.

And this is just some of the settings.

 

[Al n Val]

hi Lennie

thanks for the info, tbh i knew you can do all or most of that as i've got the Victron Smart MPPT solar controller, its the cost differences that make me have to wonder if its actually worth it tbh, that and the fact to see all the info you have to be in the van or close to it or the bluetooth doesn't connect to it.

That said i have to be inside my moho to see my display don't I

Is the cost difference actually worth it though and do you really need to see all this information, thats what I wonder tbh

Lockdown boredom is really getting to me now, can you tell

i've actually been cleaning and polishing today and not the moho

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Is the cost difference actually worth it though and do you really need to see all this information, thats what I wonder tbh

I do.
I find the display too small and only gives you a bit of the info so I bought the Bluetooth adaptor, also makes setting it up so much easier.
Those screens I posted I just took connecting from in my dining room a few minutes ago.

We camp most of the time off grid so battery info is very important to us.

 

[Ditcha]

Looks a good job Al, I fitted the victron smart shunt then you don't have to fit the display you can get everything on your phone like Lenny,s screen shots above.

SmartShunt - Victron Energy

The SmartShunt is an all-in-one battery monitor, only without a display. Your phone acts as the display. The SmartShunt connects via Bluetooth to the...

www.victronenergy.com

 

[Lenny HB]

Looks a good job Al, I fitted the victron smart shunt then you don't have to fit the display you can get everything on your phone like Lenny,s screen shots above.

SmartShunt - Victron Energy

The SmartShunt is an all-in-one battery monitor, only without a display. Your phone acts as the display. The SmartShunt connects via Bluetooth to the...

www.victronenergy.com

That is what I would fit next time.

 

[Al n Val]

Looks a good job Al, I fitted the victron smart shunt then you don't have to fit the display you can get everything on your phone like Lenny,s screen shots above.

SmartShunt - Victron Energy

The SmartShunt is an all-in-one battery monitor, only without a display. Your phone acts as the display. The SmartShunt connects via Bluetooth to the...

www.victronenergy.com

whats the difference between that and Broken Link Removed, apart from its a separate bluetooth dongle and what if any are the disadvantages do you know?

 

[Lenny HB]

whats the difference between that and Broken Link Removed, apart from its a separate bluetooth dongle and what if any are the disadvantages do you know?

No display all done via Bluetooth to a phone or tablet and a lot cheaper.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ditcha]

£10 and you only have to fit the shunt as the Bluetooth is built in where as the other item you have to fit the shunt fit the display and mount the Bluetooth module.

 

[Googlebot]

I have one, simple to fit and easy to use.

Wouldn’t be without it now, know exactly what I have and haven’t got left.

Here it is fitted. Just this and nothing else, no screen to install.

 

[autorouter]

whats the difference between that and Broken Link Removed, apart from its a separate bluetooth dongle and what if any are the disadvantages do you know?

The BMV700 doesn't have bluetooth, (the BMV 711 and 712 have bluetooth built-in), but the bluetooth dongle gives it that functionality.

The BMV700 has a display unit with a data wire, the smart shunt has no display (the App shows the data on your smartphone)

 

[Al n Val]

So its looking like the Victron smart shunt is the one to go for, thanks for all the info guys as its invaluable.

Couple of questions again though, 1st, what size do you recommend I need or do you need more info?

2nd question, i've 2 batteries on the Comanche and each has its own wiring harness going up to god knows where, so which battery does the shunt connect to and does everything on the negative side go through the shunt including the invert connection?

BTW when I fitted the new Pure Lead Carbon batteries they were wired in exactly the same way as the original batteries but I then added 2 link cables between them, - to - & + to +, is this correct?

thanks again for all your info,....Al

PS. best (cheapest) place to purchase from

PPS. as my Victron Smartsolar MPPT controller, which works via bluetooth, only connects to more or less when i'm just outside the van will the smart shunt work more or less the same?

 

[Googlebot]

The 500amp one is more than enough. That’s enough for 5000kva inverter.

12 volt planet do 5% off if you subscribe to their newsletter. About £120.

The shunt needs to go between your batteries and then everything else. It should be the last thing before your batteries or won’t give an accurate reading. That may require some thought and rewiring when you install it.

The Bluetooth range on it is poor! Expect 8 metres at best.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}