Your lithium battery should give you many years of reliable and faithful service.  Here are some tips to make sure that happens.

-        Make sure the battery is well secured; make sure it cannot move under any extreme loads that could occur on an RV or boat under normal use.

-        Regularly check terminals to make sure connections are secure, and there are no signs of corrosion.

-        Ensure BMS settings are consistent with Blue Heron specifications for your battery.  Pay particular attention to max. charging and discharge rates, max. and min. voltages.

-        And ensure charging equipment such as battery chargers, solar controllers, wind generator controllers, and alternator regulators have settings consistent with the lithium specifications for your battery.

-        Operate the battery within its specified operating temperature range.

-        Operate the battery within the 20% DOD and 80% DOD to ensure long life of your battery.

-        Regularly check the battery capacity under set loads with no charging devices connected (from full charge to the cutoff voltage in the specifications).  Turn off charging devices in this period.  Log this for future reference as an AH number and as a percentage of battery AH rating.  Replace battery when capacity only achieves 40% of rated capacity.  Below this level risk factors begin to become more of concern.

-        Clean battery surface – small pieces of dirt and dust can become sites for condensing moisture and supporting trickle leakage between terminals.  Keep those battery surfaces clean – vacuum, wipe with dry cloths, DO NOT use cleaning sprays.

-        Ventilation/Heat Removal - Make sure there is good airflow through the locker containing the batteries, to keep the batteries at as low a temperature as ambient conditions will support.  Adding computer-type low amperage fans as locker inlet and outlet air flow boosters will add months to years in the life of your battery bank.[1]

-        Establish a sound Storage Plan:

• Battery charged to 75% to 85% before leaving, i.e., 13.23V to 13.27V

• Turn off all loads

• Have battery status checked at regular intervals (monthly)

• Charge as needed to get back to specified storage voltage

• Ensure storage temperatures are between 40 ̊ F and 90 ̊ F if at all possible; do not place close to a heat source, nor in an area with any risk of water leakage or rain

(This technical article is the property of Blue Heron Battery LLC and may not be copied or reprinted in whole or in part without the express permission of Blue Heron Battery LLC.)

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[1] “A review of lithium-ion battery safety concerns: The issues, strategies, and testing standards” Journal of Energy Chemistry, August 2021. (Research paper)