Baintech lithium batteries - Zero Percent

[Tommy Armstrong]

Hoping someone can shed some light for me please. I've got 2 x slimline baintech lithium batteries hooked up to a 50amp redarc bcdc charger. Long story short auto electrician connected the victron monitor incorrectly and it's only monitoring and controlling the cranking battery instead of the lithiums.

Batteries seem to be dead as all electricals for fridges etc not running.

I understand the redarc charger needs to charge the cranking battery first (currently 12.9v) and then will charge the lithiums. I've driven for over an hour and when I put the meter on the Anderson it shows basically no volts. Like .3 volts.

Does anyone know if the lithiums go to sleep mode when drawn to zero? If so do you know how to wake the batteries up. Baintech office isn't opened because of the public holiday.

I don't want to be driving to charge the batteries if the batteries for some reason won't take the charge. I'm on Fraser and don't have a 240v lithium charger.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[W&KO]

Not a lot of info on line.

Can you run 12v from starter battery to the lithium, I.e. like jump start cables. Your DC-DC may need to see a minimum voltage before it will charge.

My Enerdrive battery has a button that needs to be pressed while starting the car for the battery to accept charge when discharged discharged....

[W&KO]

Found this......in the Manual.

Note that the voltage sensed by the DC-DC charger when it is charging, will be slightly different to the voltage measured at the vehicle alternator / start battery. This is because of the voltage drop along the cable from the alternator / start battery to the Baintech battery. If this voltage drop is too high, a thicker and/or shorter cable may be required.
1. After connecting the DC source via the blue Anderson plug, the vehicle engine can be started.
2. The green LED status light should illuminate if the battery is charging. If the battery is not
charging, check the:
a. Cable size which may be too small with excessive voltage drop; and
b. Voltage on the blue Anderson plug from the vehicle alternator / battery.
3. The DC-DC charger typically begins charging at 13.3V, and then the green light turns on.
4. If you need to adjust the VSR setting, you will need a small Phillips screwdriver to adjust the
trim pot adjacent to the LED light.
5. Remove the clear plastic sticker before adjusting.
6. Turning the trim pot in a clockwise direction reduces the voltage setting and turning it in an
anti-clockwise direction increases the voltage setting. Use the LED status light to determine
the correct setting.
7. If the trim pot voltage is too high the charger never turns on. However, if it is too low it could
stay on too long and drain the start battery.
8. Put the clear plastic sticker back in place. Once the trim pot is set it should never require

[W&KO]

https://baintech.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/BTLITH12110-SL-Slimline-Range-User-Guide-2020-07082020.pdf

[drivesafe]

Hi Tommy and you’ve got yourself into a “Catch 22” situation.

Your Lithium battery’s BMS has shut down because the batteries are too low, but the DC/DC device will not turn on if there is a voltage less than about 7V.

First off, your DC/DC has nothing to do with charging your cranking battery and I can only guess where that B/S came from.

Next, you have to apply an external voltage to the lithiums, to get the BMS to turn back on.

Once on, your DC/DC device will charge again.

If you have a set of jumper leads and another battery, connect the leads to the lithium batteries for a few seconds and their BMS will turn back on.

You can get someone else’s vehicle to park close to your batteries and connect the jumpers.


NOTE, DO NOT CONNECT THE JUMPERS WHILE THE OTHER VEHICLE’S MOTOR IS RUNNING.


Turn ALL MOTORS off and then connect the jumper leads.

Connect NEGATIVE ( - ) battery terminal to NEGATIVE ( - ) battery terminal

Next, connect the POSITIVE ( + ) to the donor vehicle’s POSITIVE ( + ) battery terminal.

Then with ALL MOTORS OFF, hold the other end of the POSITIVE ( + ) lead on to the Lithium battery’s POSITIVE ( + ) battery terminal for a few seconds.

Remove the leads and then start your motor.

After a minute or two, the DC/DC device should start charging your lithium batteries.

[Tommy Armstrong]

Thanks for everyone's responses.

Is it possible for me to use my Anderson lead with it's jumper lead adaptor, connect to the cranking battery and put the Anderson on the solar input or would that kill solar regulator in the bcdc charger?

It would give me an easy way to kick start the batteries.

Thanks.

[Tommy Armstrong]

If it's any help the batteries are also the ones without the built in dc charger.

[drivesafe]

Hi again Tommy, you have to go directly to the lithium battery because the solar works the same way.

No voltage on the output of the DC/DC and the DC/DC will not turn on.

You have to turn the lithium battery BMS on and that requires an external supply voltage as posted in my first reply.

[W&KO]

Thanks for everyone's responses.

Is it possible for me to use my Anderson lead with it's jumper lead adaptor, connect to the cranking battery and put the Anderson on the solar input or would that kill solar regulator in the bcdc charger?

It would give me an easy way to kick start the batteries.

Thanks.

Looking at the manual you should be able to plug you Anderson lead directly into the lithium battery via one of the two Anderson inputs and use the clamps/alligator clips on the other end connected to your starter.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210503/81ea0b926feecd0b9f0548b4300c9402.png

[Tommy Armstrong]

Thanks for everyone's help.

Turns out after talking to redarc that you can't kick start the lithium batteries through the solar Anderson on the charger unit with a secondary battery. It will send power through but not start the batteries.

We utilized a lead with alligator clips on one end and Anderson on the other, plugged the clips to my cracking battery and the Anderson to the output for a fridge touching the positive clamp for 10 seconds. Then started the car after removing the Anderson lead and then the batteries started. Drove for 2 hours which gave me 100ah so should be enough for fridge and freezer for the night.

Was a great learning curve. Now to find an auto electrician in Brisbane who can correct the connection errors for the Victron displays so it finally shows the status of the lithiums instead of just the cranking battery.

[drivesafe]

We utilized a lead with alligator clips on one end and Anderson on the other, plugged the clips to my cracking battery and the Anderson to the output for a fridge touching the positive clamp for 10 seconds.
Hi Tommy and this is exactly what I told you to do in the first place.

Can I make a suggestions, as this is likely to happen to you again. While you are at the auto elect, get him to make up a short lead, with a push-button switch in it.

Then get him to connect one end of this short lead the the positive ( + ) input of your DC/DC unit, the cable coming from your alternator.

Then connect the other end of the short lead to the positive ( + ) output of your DC/DC device, the lead going to your lithium battery positive ( + ).

Then next time your lithium batteries shut down just press the switch till the BMS turns on again.

NOTE, it is a common occurrence for lithium batteries to shut down, like yours, when they are fully discharged.

[W&KO]

Thanks for everyone's help.

Turns out after talking to redarc that you can't kick start the lithium batteries through the solar Anderson on the charger unit with a secondary battery. It will send power through but not start the batteries.

We utilized a lead with alligator clips on one end and Anderson on the other, plugged the clips to my cracking battery and the Anderson to the output for a fridge touching the positive clamp for 10 seconds. Then started the car after removing the Anderson lead and then the batteries started. Drove for 2 hours which gave me 100ah so should be enough for fridge and freezer for the night.

Was a great learning curve. Now to find an auto electrician in Brisbane who can correct the connection errors for the Victron displays so it finally shows the status of the lithiums instead of just the cranking battery.

Good to see it’s sorted.......enjoy fraser

[drivesafe]

And Tommy, when you get home, I suggest you do some research on how to use and maintain your lithium batteries.

My guess is who ever sold them to you, either didn't do their job or didn't know anything about lithium batteries.

[Tommy Armstrong]

Long story short, the lithium system was purchased with a specific landrover mechanics auto electrician to install. Got the system there and was told now wasn't installing so I had to find someone willing to install out bathurst way.

Everyone was booked out forever and we have no specialists of these installed out our way. Finally found someone to do it 2 weeks before a big trip and he said he was very competent. In the end, turns out not so.

Usually story trying to find a good installer of products is like pulling teeth.

Thanks for the tip on the dcdc switch/button.

[Tommy Armstrong]

Also love to be enjoying Fraser but it just seems to constantly pour down with rain. Had 1 day of sun since Friday. Lightning and thunder storms last night again. Still there are worse places to be.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Weather should be Ok today,,[wink11]

[drivesafe]

Usually story trying to find a good installer of products is like pulling teeth. .
Hi again Tommy, your BMS low voltage shut-down is quite a common occurrence with most lithium batteries and who ever sold you the batteries should have made you aware of both the BMS shut-down, and how to clear it.

But as you have found, lots of experts in this trade, but very few actually know what they are doing.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday.

[Grahame Roberts]

Also love to be enjoying Fraser but it just seems to constantly pour down with rain. Had 1 day of sun since Friday. Lightning and thunder storms last night again. Still there are worse places to be.

Give MR Automotive a call. 0408 978 850 They will recommend a competent Auto Electrician or may be able to fix it for your there at Redcliffe. Good luck.

[W&KO]

Give MR Automotive a call. 0408 978 850 They will recommend a competent Auto Electrician or may be able to fix it for your there at Redcliffe. Good luck.

There is a good auto sparky just down the road from MR but looks like Tommy is from NSW.

[Grahame Roberts]

There is a good auto sparky just down the road from MR but looks like Tommy is from NSW.

He was on the way to Brisbane.