This paper will address some key decisions our customers need to make on their House Battery Bank.  This assumes you have already done your homework on the Lithium battery bank size you need.  Here are thoughts on a few related factors, before you select your lithium batteries and begin installation.  And these factors may affect the specific model Lithium battery and quantities you order from Blue Heron.

Which Locker -

As your new Lithium battery bank will be a smaller footprint. You may decide to locate the battery bank in a different location, maybe a smaller locker to gain the added space of a larger locker for storage on you RV or boat.  Or maybe an inside locker vs. the original RV under-carriage location exposed to the elements.  Or closer to new sources of charging like solar or an added generator.

Or maybe you want more space for a significantly increased battery bank capacity.  Be careful not to oversize the Lithium bank as that can also add to a shorter life the battery bank.  See our other article on “Sizing the Lithium Battery Bank.”  But, if indeed you need the larger battery bank, you’ll need to select a larger locker or maybe two nearby lockers.  Just be careful to keep cable lengths exactly equal, running from each battery in parallel to a bus bar or power post.

Drop-In vs. Modular for Space Efficiency -

Another consideration is whether to use Blue Heron’s Drop-In lithium batteries, that are close to the size of group 31 or 4D/8D batteries, which you may be replacing, vs. our Modular batteries.  Drop-In batteries are sealed, so they are isolated from the elements.  With an integrated BMS and a physical size that matches common lead-acid battery sizes used in battery banks, the installation can be easier.  But there are some advantages to our Modular batteries as noted in the following.

An alternative is to take advantage of the different profile of the Blue Heron Modular batteries.  In each of the sizes, they are a bit taller with a small footprint than lead acid and Drop-In lithium batteries, often more efficiently using the limited space in a boat or RV settee locker. This could further free up adjacent space for storage of supplies and provisions.  Or allow an increase in capacity for the same footprint.  One example – two of our Modular 210Ah 12V batteries sit in the same space as a standard AGM.  Check your available space and play with the battery size options.

Moisture Considerations –

Another aspect to consider is the potential for moisture.  If you are using an under-chassis location for batteries on your RV, or a locker that is in the cockpit of your boat, you may choose to only consider the Blue Heron Drop-In battery option, as they are sealed batteries, and the BMS is sealed enclosed area.  If you have a sound interior location for the battery bank, away from weather, you may choose to go with the Blue Heron Modular battery to take advantage of other benefits of that type battery.

Replaceable BMS with Blue Heron’s Modular Batteries

Blue-Heron’s Modular batteries also give you the ability to replace the BMS module.  While these are high reliability design circuit board and devices, with conformal coating to protect from the environment, the long-term life of prismatic cells might suggest keeping the option open of being able to replace the BMS.  It would be a disappointment if your cells still have a good bit of life left, and your BMS fails and you have to dispose of the battery.  We will say that we made sure our supplier has intended the BMS to outlive the cells, so they made our external BMS models from the highest reliability components, and with protective coatings and corrosion resistant connectors.

(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.)