Frage Lithium 200Ah replacing 200AH Varta AGM

I am changing the batteries on my 2017 Columbus.  Because I may need a Votronic 1212-30 DC-DC charger I have been asked if I have a split charge relay or a voltage sensitive relay.  Also where is the relay.

Please help if you have any knowledge!

David 

Hello David, i do not know about the relay. We built in a Votronic 1212-50. We do not have the Lithium 200 yet (our Columbus is from 2019). I was told with Lithium 200 it takes a lot of time to recharge for instance 150Ah. Witch brand of Lithium do you chose?

Gerard

Hi David, 

as I understood you have to use the DC-DC Charger instead of the built in relay in your Columbus.

The relay is only used to connect the engine battery to the board battery directly only if the engine runs and to split it, when the engine stops.

regards
hunger

(I'm preparing to switch to Votronic VBCS-60 with an integrated DC-DC-charger....Hope I will find some time next weekend...)


 

Hi David,
if your Columbus is model year 2017 with the batteries under the front seat, then the relay is most likely found under the seat close to the batteries. Westfalia has been using Daimler Diesel pre-heater relays of type A002 542 4019 in most models. It is a black brick about 8x5x5 cm. It is D+ controlled, not voltage sensitive. The relay can stay and be re-wired to create "true" D+ as  input for the VCC.

Stefan

   

Thank you all for your help.  Stefan your answer is fantastic!

I have 2 Varta 95Ah batteries that are failing.  I am replacing them with a single 200Ah Underseat battery made by KS Energy.  It will fit under the passenger seat with about 7cm side to side 1.5cm spare height and 1.5cm front to back. I have Votronic solar regulator 250 Duo Digi which was put stuck to the front of one of the batteries and I hope that the new battery will have space for both the regulator and my new Votronic 12 12-30 as well.  I have 2 100W Alden solar panels. I also have a Votronic 1500 sine wave inverter.

The person who will fit the B2b charger needed to know about the split charge or voltage regulator, so Stefan he and I are very grateful for your advice. 

The new battery will cost £(GBP)1,199 and includes both a BMS and Bluetooth linked to an app to show charging voltage etc etc.

My feeling is that lithium has now come down to the point that on a battery failure the decision is easy - I save 25KG and gain more power.  Incidentally my van was bought in Germany and came with almost all extras - the only way to get a Columbus in 4 months not 12 months!  The problem is I am very close to 3,500KG so a weight gain is another bonus.  

Thank you all again.  David 

Hi Cardinal and Gerard

The photos show exactly what I have too - also I have an Axxellon box which i think takes 240V to send up to 3A to the engine (starter) battery? 

It is true that the 1212-30 will take much longer than the 1212-50 to charge my new battery especially if much has been taken out BUT  the 30 unit will fit in very small spaces and will not come to the UK until April 2022 or so where the 30 unit is available - and I think you could add another to double up? 

I emailed Brilon about the mains (240V) charger and they can make a new profile for the AGM charger but that means post back to Germany and no doubt many additional charges.  Do any of you know what the charge rate of the Brilon charger is - and if you have bought Lithium did you change it?

Thanks  David 

if you want more than 30A charge current there are two options:

1. try without B2B charger. Keeping the relay will probably work even with LiFePO4. 
2. Keep the relay in parallel to the VCC. Install a 2-way switch which delivers D+ either to the relay or the VCC. This is the solution I adopted. I am using a VBCS Triple charger, which has a single point of failure in form of its microcontroller. For emergency charging I kept the relay. I can now optionally use it for fast charging, in my case with up to 70A. I do not see any benefit in spending a lot of money for a more powerful B2B charger.

Hi Davd, there has already been a very similar thread here in this forum before. It basically covers the same topic and answers some questions I had during my switch to LiFePo. There is also a link to a electrical scheme plan of the columbus provided by Cululumbus blog linked in that thread. Maybe it helps. Unfortunately all in German but Chrome's translate function does quite a good job on complete websites.

Many thanks - I will have the new lithium fitted in 10 days and will wait a few weeks before deciding whether to fit the B2B or postpone it more.