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Calb 180 or 100 cells ??

2K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  GROOVY2 
#1 ·
Hi all-
I am going to use CALB cells for the House
batteries on a RV Im building -

I can ether use 4x 180 AH cells or
8 X 100 AH cells --

Is there any Downside to using the larger 180 AH cells
over the smaller 100 AH cells ????

This battery will be used daily and will be charged using a Sterling
Battery to Battery charger - (DC to DC ) using the alternator
from the vehicle --

Also will charge using one 300 watt solar panel --


Thanks
 
#2 · (Edited)
Is there any Downside to using the larger 180 AH cells
over the smaller 100 AH cells ????
Extra connections with the 100Ah. That can cause problems if one connection become loose.
With the 100Ah you have 10% more energy and the possibility to do 12v or 24v.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Extra connections with the 180Ah. That can cause problems if one connection become loose.
With the 100Ah you have 10% more energy and the possibility to do 12v or 24v.
Not sure that any of that is relevant to making a decision.

Unless Calb has changed the Term Post configuration both the 100 and 180 AH cells are the same Single Bolt Terminal. Using 100 AH cells in series is twice the connections and more prone to connection failures. My main gripe about all Chi-Com cells are the 1-Hole Termination. That is just asking for trouble. I can break any single hole termination with my bare hands easily. Just hold onto the Lug near the end for leverage and a little counter clock wise turn and bolt will unseat and you finish with your fingers to get the bolt out. I come from the telecom sector and we use Industrial and Commercial grade batteries, and all those batteries use a minimum of 2 to 6 holes.

Makes no difference if he uses 100 or 180 AH cells with respect to 12 or 24 volt capabilities. Either way he is a 4S configuration. Regardless if he uses 180 AH 4S1P or 100 AH 4S2P results in the exact same 12 volt 4S battery.

OK that being said I design a lot of Off Grid Solar Battery systems and DC battery plants for the telecom industry. Here is a rule we live by, never ever use parallel battery arrangements unless you need to do so to achieve a desired AH capacity or space limitations. The reason is simple. You cannot balance the cable connections and battery internal resistance. What that does is make the battery with the lowest over all resistance (weakest) does most the work and wears them out prematurely.

In an EV the requirements change where parallel cells offer an 2 advantages of getting you home if one string fails, and thermal management. But an EV is not your application and neither of those advantages apply to you. So unless capacity is your main goal (extra 10% with 10 AH cells) ,I would use the 180 AH cells because of fewer connections or eggs in the basket to break.
 
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