Sounds like a great deal. I think Renogy is one of the brands with a high reputation for quality.
TimTim said
07:43 PM Dec 15, 2024
Hi Tony,
My understanding is that Renogy do not make anything and they will simply be a rebadged product. Reviews show they do not provide good customer support but in this instance any warranty returns will be to Super Cheap Auto as they are the responsible seller.
The specifications are good and like many of these cheaper batteries it may have pouch cells but there is nothing specified in the specifications.. In saying that, there are images on the Renogy website that give the impression that they are prismatic cells and include compression to reduce expansion. The issue with that image is 100Ah prismatic cells are much larger than those depicted so the image is a false representation. Take a look at some tear downs of Renogy batteries and you will understand what I mean. I havent been able to find a tear down of the Pro Lite though.
To be honest I would consider these a better buy than any of the cheap Ebay batteries because you have a physical store if there are any warranty problems. I notice that Kings also have quite a few specials on for their LiFePO4 batteries and both these brands would probably suffice for the majority of people.
Tony Bev said
04:32 PM Dec 16, 2024
TimTim wrote:
Hi Tony,
My understanding is that Renogy do not make anything and they will simply be a rebadged product. Reviews show they do not provide good customer support but in this instance any warranty returns will be to Super Cheap Auto as they are the responsible seller.
The specifications are good and like many of these cheaper batteries it may have pouch cells but there is nothing specified in the specifications.. In saying that, there are images on the Renogy website that give the impression that they are prismatic cells and include compression to reduce expansion. The issue with that image is 100Ah prismatic cells are much larger than those depicted so the image is a false representation. Take a look at some tear downs of Renogy batteries and you will understand what I mean. I havent been able to find a tear down of the Pro Lite though.
To be honest I would consider these a better buy than any of the cheap Ebay batteries because you have a physical store if there are any warranty problems. I notice that Kings also have quite a few specials on for their LiFePO4 batteries and both these brands would probably suffice for the majority of people.
Hi Tim
Thanks for that, after having another look at these batteries, I can also not find on either the Renogy or Supercheap website, if the Pro Lite battery is Prismatic, Pouch, or Cylindrical cells in construction. Only that they are advertised (on both websites) as EV grade LIFeP04 lithium battery cells.
Hopefully anyone who wishes to purchase this battery, will ask the people selling them, exactly what type of cells are inside the case
TimTim said
01:49 PM Dec 17, 2024
I went on line and asked and apparently they havent updated the specifications for it yet.
I went on line and asked and apparently they havent updated the specifications for it yet.
Thanks for that Tim, I appreciate you finding out for me, that they are Prismatic cells
It is a pity that I do not require any new deep cycle batteries, as my current ones are only about 3 years old
BUT...
At the special price mentioned in the Supercheap catalogue, (I think Supercheap is a reputable seller), I have not seen a better price
TimTim said
06:02 PM Dec 17, 2024
I dont need any as I build my own but I did post about the VoltX 100Ah being on special at $279 a couple of months back. I bought one to test and was very impressed but I dont think we will see them at those prices again.
Brilliant workmanship; not often seen in today world.
Cheers Joe
Brodie Allen said
09:12 AM Dec 28, 2024
I have a 100ah Enerdrive smart control battery in the old van.
Would anyone like to venture the advisability or otherwise of paralleling one of these Renalology batteries with the Enerdrive.
B
-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Saturday 28th of December 2024 09:12:41 AM
TimTim said
07:48 PM Dec 28, 2024
Brodie Allen wrote:
I have a 100ah Enerdrive smart control battery in the old van.
Would anyone like to venture the advisability or otherwise of paralleling one of these Renalology batteries with the Enerdrive.
B
-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Saturday 28th of December 2024 09:12:41 AM
There are plenty of web sites that say you shouldnt do it and yet there are plenty of people who actually do it without issue but there are provisions.
As batteries age the resistance and capacity changes so one battery can reach full charge and the low cut off level before the other. People avoid this by setting their batteries so that they only charge to 90% and discharge down to say 10%. Interestingly I remember reading that a certain company was selling batteries with a certain Ah capacity yet because of the BMS settings it could only be discharged to 70% of the advertised capacity. You might like to test yours .
Anyway, the new battery in the photo that I have posted has just been connected up in parallel to a 3 year old battery. So far there has been no issue in fully charging and luck has it im in the middle of doing a discharge test to check that there are no issues.
You could always connect them and see how they run but make sure you fully charge them to a similar voltage before connecting them together. Of course the other alternative is to put a switch between the batteries and then just switch from one to the other when needed.
Good luck
Tim
-- Edited by TimTim on Saturday 28th of December 2024 10:25:44 PM
dorian said
08:05 AM Dec 29, 2024
TimTim wrote:
I dont need any as I build my own but I did post about the VoltX 100Ah being on special at $279 a couple of months back.
Their batteries may be OK, but their panels seem very unimpressive.
While the VoltX brand typically has better sentiment around it than competing brands when it comes to LiFePO4 batteries, my experience with VoltX solar panels leaves much to be desired. The panels themselves seem to be consistently under-performing in my testing, with both sizes of panels showing different manufacturing defects which suggest they are not top-grade panels as the marketing literature implies. Thermal imaging confirms poor cell matching in most units, while the product warranty of just 12-months is a far cry from what reputable manufacturers offer (20-30 years).
TimTim said
09:30 AM Dec 29, 2024
Thank you Dorian.
Unfortunately some companies sell good and bad products and obviously this is their bad product. Whether it will remain so in the future who knows. To be honest, something about their solar panels turned me off them some time ago but their batteries, which were probably questionable at first seem to have jumped in quality. The price has too. Even the author of that review acknowledges that their batteries are better against competing brands.
Conclusion
While the VoltX brand typically has better sentiment around it than competing brands when it comes to LiFePO4 batteries, my experience with VoltX solar panels leaves much to be desired.
As I said, the battery prices have jumped so it is a case of looking out for the next product that gives value for money. As you are probably aware with the court case being initiated by DCS on an Australian reviewer, the price is not an indication of quality.
For various reason I generally advise people to keep away from the cheap Ebay batteries for numerous reasons but just by chance I came across these batteries on Amazon.
Discretion being the better part of valour and the intrinsic worry of run-away
lithium batteries i think I will just give it a miss.
I really thought that it might be too good to be true. chances are that there
are intrinsic differences in the two breeds, so likely better not progressed.
B
TimTim said
09:49 PM Dec 30, 2024
Brodie it is about what you feel comfortable with but if you really want more power then the alternative is to put switches in your system. It just depends on the complexity of your system yet it may be relatively simple.
Off topic a little I know, but I have just finished testing my new battery connected to the older one by running the aircon for the last 4 hours. At times pulling 47A from each battery and it was nice to see the voltages track down within 10mV of each other. Nothing better than a field test . So yes it can be done.
Good luck
-- Edited by TimTim on Tuesday 31st of December 2024 12:32:58 AM
Scubadoo said
07:53 AM Dec 31, 2024
Brodie OT We are off-grid full-time motorhomers.
Our now 11 year old 300Ah Sinopoly LiFePO4 battery survived the first 9 years on its own. Two years ago I paralled a 280Ah EVE LiFePO4 battery. By definition given sufficient copper between them both battery terminal voltages must track identically.
Issues so far? Absolutely zero.
FWIW at last months annual capacity test converted to Ah:
Sinopoly - down from the year one test 315 to just 299!
EVE - 286 to just 286!!!
Maximum charge source numbers: 14.1V Solar 50A. Alternator c80A.
"Float" 13.45V
Typical morning SOC around 80%. Lowest ever from memory c45%.
Usual disclaimer, that I am not associated with anyone selling anything
Supercheap auto store, have a current Renogy 100 Amp Hour Lithium LIFEP04 deep cycle battery on special for $349 with a 5 year warranty
Just putting it out there, as I do not not require any more deep cycle batteries
BUT...
When I was doing my lithium deep cycle battery research, a few years ago.
Renogy was a reputable brand, and LIFEPO4 was the safest lithium battery to purchase
If my research was wrong, or this battery is no good, then hopefully, some of the technical minded people will correct me
Link below
https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/renogy-renogy-lithium-deep-cycle-battery-12.8v-100ah/698903.html?cgid=catalogue-onsale
Hi Tony,
My understanding is that Renogy do not make anything and they will simply be a rebadged product. Reviews show they do not provide good customer support but in this instance any warranty returns will be to Super Cheap Auto as they are the responsible seller.
The specifications are good and like many of these cheaper batteries it may have pouch cells but there is nothing specified in the specifications.. In saying that, there are images on the Renogy website that give the impression that they are prismatic cells and include compression to reduce expansion. The issue with that image is 100Ah prismatic cells are much larger than those depicted so the image is a false representation. Take a look at some tear downs of Renogy batteries and you will understand what I mean. I havent been able to find a tear down of the Pro Lite though.
To be honest I would consider these a better buy than any of the cheap Ebay batteries because you have a physical store if there are any warranty problems. I notice that Kings also have quite a few specials on for their LiFePO4 batteries and both these brands would probably suffice for the majority of people.
Hi Tim
Thanks for that, after having another look at these batteries, I can also not find on either the Renogy or Supercheap website, if the Pro Lite battery is Prismatic, Pouch, or Cylindrical cells in construction. Only that they are advertised (on both websites) as EV grade LIFeP04 lithium battery cells.
Hopefully anyone who wishes to purchase this battery, will ask the people selling them, exactly what type of cells are inside the case
I went on line and asked and apparently they havent updated the specifications for it yet.
Thanks for that Tim, I appreciate you finding out for me, that they are Prismatic cells
It is a pity that I do not require any new deep cycle batteries, as my current ones are only about 3 years old
BUT...
At the special price mentioned in the Supercheap catalogue, (I think Supercheap is a reputable seller), I have not seen a better price
I dont need any as I build my own but I did post about the VoltX 100Ah being on special at $279 a couple of months back. I bought one to test and was very impressed but I dont think we will see them at those prices again.
My latest 280Ah that I put together last week.
Brilliant workmanship; not often seen in today world.
Cheers Joe
I have a 100ah Enerdrive smart control battery in the old van.
Would anyone like to venture the advisability or otherwise of
paralleling one of these Renalology batteries with the Enerdrive.
B
-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Saturday 28th of December 2024 09:12:41 AM
There are plenty of web sites that say you shouldnt do it and yet there are plenty of people who actually do it without issue but there are provisions.
As batteries age the resistance and capacity changes so one battery can reach full charge and the low cut off level before the other. People avoid this by setting their batteries so that they only charge to 90% and discharge down to say 10%. Interestingly I remember reading that a certain company was selling batteries with a certain Ah capacity yet because of the BMS settings it could only be discharged to 70% of the advertised capacity. You might like to test yours
.
Anyway, the new battery in the photo that I have posted has just been connected up in parallel to a 3 year old battery. So far there has been no issue in fully charging and luck has it im in the middle of doing a discharge test to check that there are no issues.
You could always connect them and see how they run but make sure you fully charge them to a similar voltage before connecting them together. Of course the other alternative is to put a switch between the batteries and then just switch from one to the other when needed.
Good luck
Tim
-- Edited by TimTim on Saturday 28th of December 2024 10:25:44 PM
This is a recent review of Voltx solar panels:
https://goughlui.com/2024/12/15/review-voltx-12v-100w-160w-monocrystalline-fixed-solar-panels/
Their batteries may be OK, but their panels seem very unimpressive.
While the VoltX brand typically has better sentiment around it than competing brands when it comes to LiFePO4 batteries, my experience with VoltX solar panels leaves much to be desired. The panels themselves seem to be consistently under-performing in my testing, with both sizes of panels showing different manufacturing defects which suggest they are not top-grade panels as the marketing literature implies. Thermal imaging confirms poor cell matching in most units, while the product warranty of just 12-months is a far cry from what reputable manufacturers offer (20-30 years).
Thank you Dorian.
Unfortunately some companies sell good and bad products and obviously this is their bad product. Whether it will remain so in the future who knows. To be honest, something about their solar panels turned me off them some time ago but their batteries, which were probably questionable at first seem to have jumped in quality. The price has too. Even the author of that review acknowledges that their batteries are better against competing brands.
Conclusion
While the VoltX brand typically has better sentiment around it than competing brands when it comes to LiFePO4 batteries, my experience with VoltX solar panels leaves much to be desired.
As I said, the battery prices have jumped so it is a case of looking out for the next product that gives value for money. As you are probably aware with the court case being initiated by DCS on an Australian reviewer, the price is not an indication of quality.
For various reason I generally advise people to keep away from the cheap Ebay batteries for numerous reasons but just by chance I came across these batteries on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com.au/WattCycle-LiFePO4-Lithium-Battery-Built/dp/B0CPL8MVN8/ref=sr_1_5?
Whilst I have no plans on purchasing one, there are plenty of video tear down reviews of the battery if people care to look and this is just one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDkJ7Sq21Qw
Discretion being the better part of valour and the intrinsic worry of run-away
lithium batteries i think I will just give it a miss.
I really thought that it might be too good to be true. chances are that there
are intrinsic differences in the two breeds, so likely better not progressed.
B
Brodie it is about what you feel comfortable with but if you really want more power then the alternative is to put switches in your system. It just depends on the complexity of your system yet it may be relatively simple.
Off topic a little I know, but I have just finished testing my new battery connected to the older one by running the aircon for the last 4 hours. At times pulling 47A from each battery and it was nice to see the voltages track down within 10mV of each other. Nothing better than a field test
. So yes it can be done.
Good luck
-- Edited by TimTim on Tuesday 31st of December 2024 12:32:58 AM
Brodie
OT
We are off-grid full-time motorhomers.
Our now 11 year old 300Ah Sinopoly LiFePO4 battery survived the first 9 years on its own.
Two years ago I paralled a 280Ah EVE LiFePO4 battery.
By definition given sufficient copper between them both battery terminal voltages must track identically.
Issues so far? Absolutely zero.
FWIW at last months annual capacity test converted to Ah:
Sinopoly - down from the year one test 315 to just 299!
EVE - 286 to just 286!!!
Maximum charge source numbers: 14.1V Solar 50A. Alternator c80A.
"Float" 13.45V
Typical morning SOC around 80%. Lowest ever from memory c45%.