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+---- Thread: LiFePO4 Battery Charging (/showthread.php?tid=598)
LiFePO4 Battery Charging - VE3WI Dave - 2021-10-12
LiFePO4 batteries, although expensive, offer several advantages over lead-acid batteries. They can be discharged much deeper, hold voltage well during discharge, are good for many more cycles, and are much lighter. If you've read anything about these batteries, you know they need a charger designed for them. A proper charger will top up the battery to the correct voltage, using Constant Current at first, then Constant Voltage to maintain the state of charge.
Assuming source power might be from the grid or from solar panels, I wondered if one would need two separate chargers. i contacted Bioenno, who sell a large line of LiFePO4s. They sell a 20 amp solar charge controller designed for their batteries, with Max Vin of 50V.
I asked if it would be OK to supply the charge controller from a DC power supply (e.g. 24 VDC) instead of solar panels. They said that would be OK if the Vin limit was respected. (Also Vin must be > battery voltage, as the controller does not boost voltage.)
Could be useful info for anyone contemplating installing solar panels to charge LiFePO4 batteries.
73
Dave, VE3WI