dwh
Tail-End Charlie
A couple of technicality nits to pick...
I don't accept this as a given. I've noted before, how my old 60's VW Beetle, with a *generator* had a factory voltage regulator setting of 14.5v. My current camper, a 1976 Ford van, with a factory regulator (almost certainly the original 1976 part) also runs at 14.5v.
Some vehicles set to the 13v range...okay, that I can accept. But from my experience, those were the exception, not the rule.
Oh no, not at all. AGM (and GEL) are not "flooded" and thus *not* FLA (flooded lead-acid).
Also, the first sealed batteries were all flooded - and many, perhaps even most, sealed batteries still are flooded - despite the prevalence of other types of sealed batteries such as AGM and GEL.
No nits to pick with the rest of the post though - all good stuff.
Well, I've seen a few "drop-in replacements" with on-board BMS that basically cuts the incoming power to prevent over-charge (and hey, that's exactly what a solar charge controller does as well so it's not a "bad" way to go), so I think there are already some lithium drop-in replacements on the market that are more or less "transparent" to the charging system. The StarkPower mentioned above is one of them.
-- For years, automotive charging circuits limited their voltage to avoid overcharging open flooded lead acid batteries. (FLA) Call this the 13v era.)
I don't accept this as a given. I've noted before, how my old 60's VW Beetle, with a *generator* had a factory voltage regulator setting of 14.5v. My current camper, a 1976 Ford van, with a factory regulator (almost certainly the original 1976 part) also runs at 14.5v.
Some vehicles set to the 13v range...okay, that I can accept. But from my experience, those were the exception, not the rule.
Also AGM batteries, a form of FLA with sealed vents.
Oh no, not at all. AGM (and GEL) are not "flooded" and thus *not* FLA (flooded lead-acid).
Also, the first sealed batteries were all flooded - and many, perhaps even most, sealed batteries still are flooded - despite the prevalence of other types of sealed batteries such as AGM and GEL.
No nits to pick with the rest of the post though - all good stuff.
For me, the Holy Grail will be a BMS that automagically makes a Lithium bank look like an FLA bank and I'm not sure that anyone has such a beast on the market.
Well, I've seen a few "drop-in replacements" with on-board BMS that basically cuts the incoming power to prevent over-charge (and hey, that's exactly what a solar charge controller does as well so it's not a "bad" way to go), so I think there are already some lithium drop-in replacements on the market that are more or less "transparent" to the charging system. The StarkPower mentioned above is one of them.