---------------------------------------------------------- Kolb-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Wed 06/10/20: 1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 02:31 PM - Re: Re: Lithium Battery Update (Rick Neilsen) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 02:31:54 PM PST US From: Rick Neilsen Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Re: Lithium Battery Update Ok one final update on my Lithium Iron Phosphate battery test /experience. I got the new Areovoltz LiFe battery a few days ago and charged the battery as instructed. The manual said the battery was charged to 70% but with a 2 amp charge rate it went to 14.4 volts in 10 minutes. When it got to 14.4 volts the charger backed off and maintained 14.39 to 14.40 volts, after just a few minutes I got a message "Connection Break". Wow if I had been flying it would have been a second forced landing. The manufacturer said it would not disconnect till it got to 16 plus volts and heated some but it didn't, it disconnected at 14.4 volts! The charger was set for safe charging LiFe batteries and it never exceeded the maximum safe voltage. I can't live with that. I'm returning the battery. The new battery has a built in "Battery Management System" that protects the battery and it seems to be doing that but the alternator regulator in my plane regularly charges to about 14 volts in recharge mode then backs off once the battery is charged. The Old LiFe battery without the BMS never had a problem with it. I have an electronic ignition system that requires battery filtered power to operate, it will NOT operate on alternator only power so if the battery disconnects in flight the engine will quit. As the old LiFe aged I would see voltages slightly above 14.0 volts on occasion so having a BMS that disconnects the battery when the operating voltage is just .4 volts away it is just too close. As usual worth what you paid for it. Rick Neilsen Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC On Wed, Jun 3, 2020 at 7:20 AM George Helton wrote: > I=99m in full agreement with you Rick. I=99ve been running a Aerovoltz 270cca > in my Firestar for the pass two years. I do use there balance start charg er > and balance it once a year. > I bought larger 330 cca Aerovoltz for my Hummel Ultracruiser that I =99m > currently building. It runs a 45 hp 1/2 VW. I guess with the built in > management, I don=99t need this special charger. The new battery do esn=99t have > the built in plug input like the 270cca battery. > > George Helton > Kolb, original Firestar, 2702 Hirth > 14GDH > Mesick, Michigan > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 2, 2020, at 5:07 PM, Rick Neilsen wrote: > > =EF=BB > End of test. As of May 2020 the Aerovoltz Lithium Iron Phosphate battery > is no longer reliable. It still starts the engine but the voltage drops. > That is six years of good service. There are a few things I learned that I > did not do that could have made the battery last longer? First Lithium > batteries like to have the voltage lowered to a storage level when not in > use. Second every spring I checked the battery cell level and it was > always close but I think I should have balance charged the battery cells to > the top balance charge once a year. > > So I just ordered a new Aerovoltz Lithium Iron Phosphate battery. The new > batteries are a bit lower priced and now have a built in battery manageme nt > system. I also ordered the next larger battery. I had the 270CCA battery at > 1.6 lbs with out the battery management system and shortly will have the > much heaver 330CCA battery at 2.6lbs with the battery management system. > > Again worth what you paid for it. > > > Rick Neilsen > Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC > > > On Mon, May 18, 2015 at 4:43 PM, Rick Neilsen wrote : > >> I purchased a Aerovoltz Lithium Iron Phosphate battery last summer. As >> I discussed last summer the battery is incredibly light. I received >> comments that lithium batteries needed to be recharged often so I left t he >> battery in the plane last winter in Michigan. The engine started just fi ne >> this week with no recharging. >> >> I have ordered a balance charger and plan to balance the cell voltages >> from time to time. >> >> Last summer there was a discussion about Lithium batteries being sold in >> AH equivalent capacities. This is true so if you have concerns about >> battery powered devices continuing to run after the alternator quits you >> may want to order a larger battery no matter what type of battery you >> purchase. >> >> Note! There is a notice on the Areovolts web site warning that Rotax >> voltage regulator model 866 080 should not be used with these batteries. >> They report that these regulators have been known to fail and over charg e. >> Apparently there was no fire but a >> melt down. >> >> Again worth what you paid for it. >> >> Rick Neilsen >> Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC >> =9CWith or without religion, you would have good people doing good things >> and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things , >> that takes religion.=9D >> - Steven Weinberg >> >> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message kolb-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Kolb-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/kolb-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/kolb-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.