“Li-ion should not be charged below zero degree C (32°F). Some battery manufacturers permit charging down to -10°C (14°F) by reducing the charge current to a tenth of the battery rating, or 0.1C (see C-Rate), a charge that would take 12–15 hours on an empty battery. Charging too fast at low temperatures could lead to dendrite growth, reflecting in higher self-discharge and compromise safety.”
There are several different chemistries of Lithium batteries some can take the cold, but results may vary. Tesla had a heater for their car batteries so they warm up before they charge.
I am watching with great interest this iron battery. But until it reaches the market and is proven it will be as low cost as they say, then it does not exist. I would love it if rust could power my home, but we have been here before many times with promises but no results. If they are right and it proves to be true I would love to have a battery for $20.00 a KWH, I just paid 100$ a KWH for my lithium.
Yes. You are right, we paid the same. On the other hand, here is some pilot project that is based on the rust recycling. Cant find it but looks promising. But useless if you need the power now.
Everytime I have found an actual chemist who reviewed any of the air batteries they have come to the conclusion that they are single or very limited cycle batteries not what you would consider a good rechargeable technology.
I believe the goal has been for a while to hit $50 per KWh with lithium ion by 2030. Which has a 500 cycle life. If they could do the same with Lifepo4 which has a 2,000 cycle life it would I think be a safe and affordable solution for storage.
I could see either lifepo4 or LTO with it’s 30,000 cycles getting to the point where they where far more cost effective in total cost of ownership. A deal where you factor the batteries into the mortgage on your home as they will last the 30 years would make since.
I suspect we won’t see much below $75 per KWh in retail for lithium ion though as the $50 goal is for wholesale prices.
I heard the companies making profits in the lithium battery market are those who make software to keep track of BMS ( Battery Management System ) settings and warranty .
Software is always highly profitable if you get any amount of sales volume. After the first sale the development costs are covered and mass production only involves copy and paste.
But the entire battery industry is minting new billionaires both in the USA and Asia.
I had the idea of using capacitors rather then batteries , At the time you could not buy them packaged as a battery . Now you can . The capacitor does not match what I am doing to battery in any measure . Last year I tried to change a value in inverter programming but could not find it .
It was 60 % but I changed it to 100 % and now I can not find It .
Those kits are built out if the individual cells they sell at battery hookup. I didn’t look closely at the kits but I did almost order those cells and would order them now if I was starting my peoject over. If they don’t shrink wrap those cells I would either order the tube shrink wrap that fits or buy capton tape and tape the exposed bus bars before putting those batteries in use. Other than the potential for a short on the ends in the photo it looks like a good kit. Also if you want higher voltage I would contact them directly about what your project needs. From what I can tell on their project page they will work with you and swap out the BMS in a kit like that to size things to fit your project. I have never tried but I have read stories online about them being very helpful. I think you will be happy with that purchase.
I am going into this with no expectations. I just I have to start learning the foibles of this tech now. Then I will be able to recognize good deals when they come along.
I am making some progress on these LFE or LiFePO4 batteries. We have two 12v Lisuateli 100ah batteries. Also a battery hook up kit, 12v @100ah.
I quickly discovered I don’t have a charger. I am using a radio power supply to trickle charge. I will need a series array of panels to get the Outback to charge these guys.
I need to learn about this “c” charging jargon too.
Tonight I want to sit with the batteries and watch their charging curves on the power supply. It kinda looks like lead acid, in the way it pulls the system voltage down to what ever the batteries are.
So now we take the tool batteries inside to charge, heating them up before applying the chargers. Learning curve.
Hello Bruce , Lifepo4 batteries are great , i bought 16 used 100AH cells with 95% useable capacity still in them , cost me $1000 AU plus another $160 for the blue tooth bms , then 2 months ago a friend said he knew were there was a pallet of insurance write off batterys for $100 each , went to have a look at them and by the time i got there only 8 left so i did a deal and got them all , each battery is 120ah complete with balance board and bms built in these are brand new cells that were stuck inside a shipping container that got a little hot inside and so the cases were slightly melted in places , no damage at all to the cells inside , so i resold all the used cells and bms for what i paid for them .
These batteries sell for around $800–$1100 mark on the 4x4 and RV sites so i am well happy with my bargains and i can cope with slightly unsightly makings on the outside of the cases .
@d100f I am glad you posted about these batteries.
I am trying to catch up, learning.
We have assumed we will have to build our own battery for the electric car. So we are looking for a battery deal like you found and a 144 VDC battery management system.
Dave I bought some of batteries like the ones in your photo from a battery hookup. If you take a heat gun to the top you can melt the glue holding then together and open the case. Some have screws in the corners you can get to from the bottom. But a word of caution those contain pouch cells the ones I got for salvage where all different sizes so I couldn’t mix and match the cells and they where high to damaged swollen cells every though the outside cases looked perfectly fine.
But here is where the real problem comes in. Those have very simple BMS boards really they are just over charge protection and very limited at that the resistors are tinny circuit board resistors I am sure the ones I had where damaged by a dirt bike or ATV charging system providing more power than the circuit board could dissipate when the cells got out of ballance because there is no way to ballance charge short of letting it burn off energy at the cells that are at capacity when the weak cells catch up.
So I would definitely limit the charge rate on those cells. But more importantly the OEM specs I read on almost all of those pre packaged 12 volt batteries said do not connect them in serries unless they have a communications cable to link the BMS. I would definitely get as much OEM informant as I could before connecting and charging those batteries.
Don, I don’t know. I watched some of their other videos, and something doesn’t smell right if you know what I mean. I would think that would at best be a single cell, maybe 1.5 volts, would not run a mains voltage LED Lamp for sure. Lots of critical details left out. Can you say “Junk Science” on this forum?
Hi All , according to what the sphere web site says these battery’s have prismatic cells inside of them , 2 of the 8 battery’s were SolarKing make and looking on a site that has these for sale at a cheaper price say that they have a advanced BMS and balancer and cylindrical cells
Hi Don, definitely an interesting video, but it’s not clear to me how it works, Mike is probably right. Zinc / carbon batteries are known, but this is wet charcoal and a copper tube wound into a coil, cut in the middle and a magnetic ring inserted, what can happen when we connect this under voltage? Electrolysis of water, hydrogen and oxygen are formed? What chemical conversion could easily take place between these elements (carbon, oxygen, hydrogen) to store electricity? Don, I’m sorry I won’t help you.
Can you say “Junk Science” on this forum? 
