New 12v 120ah lithium Battery everything in Chinese !

spacebass
spacebass Registered Users Posts: 87 ✭✭
edited October 2019 in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I just bought a new 12v 120 amp lithium battery , it's in a case with + and - terminals , 2x usb , on off switch , charger socket and three digit led screen that measures 11.2 when I turn it on . It has a carry handle on the side.
How do I charge it , I have small Foxsur electronic charger generally starts at about 5.1 amps on a 11.2 v lead acid battery . I know lithium batteries are fussy!
Sorry it comes with a charger 12.6 volts 15 amps does that mean I can safely use Foxsur charger mentioned above and charge it with any 12v charger that does not exceed 15amps out?
Do I need BMS ? Or anything like that.
I intend to use it standalone to power a few things at night for now and will recharge it in the day , I am thinking of buying 3 more and going 48 volt on main system with current 24 volt system, or maybe one more and having 2 x 24 volt systems. Should I not use it so when the following batteries are bought they are all new (the same).
Thank You.

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    You can try the Google translate app for Android phones (iOS too? I don't have any of those).

    Take a photo and see what pops out.

    Sometimes technical writings translate surprisingly well.

    Narratives and free form Chinese... Horrible in general.

    Been doing some legal work with my (native Chinese) wife with back and forth translations).

    Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Without knowing more about it's internal BMS, I would only use it's supplied charger.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    I agree with @mike95490 use the supplied charger, it appears the pack may be a 3S LIPO battery based on the charger being 12.6V, which coincidentally is full charge voltage of a 3S LIPO battery. The pack likely has an internal BMS which may be damaged using a charger designed for lead acid which generally puts out ~14.4V.

    The 11.2V would represent a partial storage state of charge of around 25%, the pack would need to be fully charged before use, here is a link to the voltage in relationship to state of charge https://blog.ampow.com/amp/lipo-voltage-chart/ 

    All assumptions of course.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
  • spacebass
    spacebass Registered Users Posts: 87 ✭✭
    edited October 2019 #5
    Thank You for the responses most useful , I have charged the battery with the charger and it went to 12.6 volts which is the spec of a similar unit I have found on a Thai supplier web site , I have run it down overnight and it stopped at 9.9 volts. 
    When I make the 48 volt system I can specify  voltage and amperage and can specify 'lithium ion' battery in the mppt controller will this be ok with lithium polymer battery as I believe it is.
    Should I specify 15 amps same as the charger or more because x4 batteries ?
    Thanks for the link Mcgivor and Bill.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Batteries in series add voltage

    Batteries in parallel add current.

    In your case, 4x batteries in series, a 4x12.6v=50.6 volts @ 15 amp charger
    Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2019 #7
    Alibaba? I recently had a horrific experience there though opinions surely vary. They just ignored my complaints. What do you do when the seller is ~7000 miles away?

    Lithium batteries are pricey. I might try to find a bilingual to help out with that. Not many Americans are versed in Mandarin. 

    You have to think quick - 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • spacebass
    spacebass Registered Users Posts: 87 ✭✭
    softdown said:
    Alibaba? I recently had a horrific experience there though opinions surely vary. They just ignored my complaints. What do you do when the seller is ~7000 miles away?

    Lithium batteries are pricey. I might try to find a bilingual to help out with that. Not many Americans are versed in Mandarin. 

    You have to think quick - 
    I have found dealing with Thailand type Amazon you have to follow the rules or noone responds e.g. the vendor will not respond or refer You to Lazada (Amazon) a nightmare for Farang , can get round it by instituting return procedure rather than trying to get anything fixed , request a return label on internet from Lazada and pack it up and take it to a 7-11 back to Lazada warehouse and credit a few days later sometimes instant. Contact vendor = No response.
    Maybe Alibaba similar in it's fickleness.
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    All my dealings with Alibaba / Aliexpress have been positive, the funds are held until the customer is satisfied by conformation. Two transactions had issues which were resolved by the vendor rather than through a despite procedure, the vendor sent replacements on both occasions as they were damaged, one by shipping, the other reason unknown missing warning labels. 

    Personally I haven't used Lazada though my sister in law frequently buys through them without issues, then again she is Thai without a credit card so COD is an advantage. The vendors rely on positive feedback, so it's in their interest to treat the customer right, I'm sure there are shady ones on all online marketing, even in the U.S., dealing with them doesn't matter wether they are 7000 miles away or 7 miles.

    All transactions with Alibaba /Aliexpress are in English, the $2500 Lifepo4 purchase was well supported, two replacement 100Ah  cells were express shipped, 2 days, due to missing warning labels without question, the cells were otherwise fine. 

    My experience is, its far easier to deal online in Thailand than to try source locally, you will end up spending more searching in futility than the item is worth in most cases, customer service is non existant for the most part and warranty is just a word after the cash has changed hands. 
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    When I need some Chinese translation I stop by my local restaurant for dinner .
      My daughter came from main land China and we ate a lot of Chinese food for a while , 
      my I phone can translate ok , but 10 years in she is talking up a storm 24 years old now . 
      She has no problem buy stuff from China and having it sent over . 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
  • solarpvlabelsdotcom
    solarpvlabelsdotcom Registered Users Posts: 3
    I can help to make the translation. :)
    Solar Placards, Solar Plaques, Solar Labels, Warning Signs.
    Fast Custom Service, No MOQ, Express to office Door-to-Door.
  • spacebass
    spacebass Registered Users Posts: 87 ✭✭
    I can help to make the translation. :)
    Thank You for your kind offer been having some success with Google translate 'camera' which I have just discovered .
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Google translate (camera, text, voice) seems to work very well with "technical" and other "simple" Chinese source documents and probably other common languages--I read some French tech docs, and they were very readable too).

    Using it with legal documents and non-technical/etc,  that use colloquialisms/literary references/etc., it can range from horrible to rubbish.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Plucka
    Plucka Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭
    Come to Australia -1/2 the country speaks Chinese.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Or I can just look over and talk with my wife!

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset