Is Lithium Trolling Batteries Right For Your Needs?
READ THE ARTICLE
Q&A Session
w/
Richard Nickell
Dakota Lithium’s Senior Tech of Support
Sure, as long as all the proper precautions have been taken. Disconnect the battery bank from any load and fully charge it before storing. If you anticipate extreme sub-zero temperatures during storage, it’s best to remove it and store it in a more controlled environment.
Give them a full charge, isolate the bank from any load/charger, and protect the terminals.
The key to maintaining battery life during storage is to avoid letting them discharge too low. For optimal battery storage, fully charge the battery before storing and then fully charge it again before its first use of the season.
Batteries can remain connected to the sailboat, but any parasitic load should be disconnected. It’s best practice to have a battery kill switch or remove the positive terminal connection.
The wiring configuration will not be an issue, and the batteries can remain connected. However, the circuit should be broken to the load to avoid any drain.
DL batteries have a built-in BMS, so no external BMS is needed for storage.
Ideally, they should be stored in a temperature range of 10℃ to 35℃ (50°F to 95°F), but they will remain healthy if stored in colder temperatures. Most importantly, do not attempt a charge LiFePO4 below 0°C/32°F.
Trickle charging is designed to keep lead-acid/AGM-style batteries healthy due to their quick natural dissipation, so they are ready to go on demand. With LiFePO4, the natural dissipation rate is about 1-3% per month in ideal storage conditions, which is very low. There is no need to trickle charge during storage, and it’s safer not to leave a charger on the batteries long-term unattended. I do recommend a top-up charge every 6 months.
Solar charging is excellent, and it depends on the quality of the solar charge controller. As long as the controller has a LiFePO4 compatible profile and a low-temperature cutoff protection feature, there should be no issue maintaining a state of charge. I would default to no charging source if the device is stored and unattended for an extended period. On the other hand, many remote energy storage systems work flawlessly with unattended solar input. They rely on quality solar charge controllers with built-in profiles designed for LiFePO4.
Victron Energy VRM remote monitoring would be my best suggestion, but it would require purchasing and properly installing the necessary equipment: Cerbo GX configured with a WIFI or Cellular connection and a SmartShunt or BMV-712 battery monitor.
Inspect the battery for any physical damage, water exposure, odd smells, or abnormalities. Do not use it if any of those signs manifest. Check the voltage readings before and after a charge.
Re-seating terminals involves unplugging or disconnecting the connectors, inspecting them for damage or corrosion, and then firmly reconnecting them to ensure a secure and reliable electrical connection. If the DL battery terminals were adequately seated and protected pre-storage, they may not need re-seating post-storage. I recommend a visual inspection and tidy-up if necessary.
Nothing else outside of these recommendations comes to mind as necessary to maintain good battery health!