Lithium Battery…Ok to Leave in Camper Over Winter

manyman297

I’m getting conflicting advice on whether or not to leave my Lithium batteries in our camper over winter or bring them inside to a warmer climate. 

It can get down to single digit temps at times where I live but many are saying you can leave the lithium batteries in place and just make sure they don’t receive a charge. 

Does anybody have any insight?

AnOldUR

Depends on the battery manufacturer. Most of today's LiFePO4's have a BMS that will shut down charging below freezing. To that point, you can draw power from a lithium battery below freezing, but charging at those temperatures is what can damage the battery. You always have the option to turn the battery switch off and turn off solar charging in the app during storage.

Horigan

Unless it will be at single digits for three to four months straight, you should be okay leaving them out, disconnected.  Several brief excursions to single digits is be okay.  That's how my winter will be and I'm leaving them in.  

From Google:

• Less than 30 days: Store between -20°C and 60°C (-4°F and 140°F)
• 30 to 90 days: Store between -10°C and 35°C (14°F and 95°F)
• More than 90 days: Store between 15°C and 35°C (59°F and 95°F)

manyman297

Thanks for the info! Looks like I should be ok. My batteries don’t have a built in shutoff but I can just turn off solar charging and the battery disconnect. Glad to hear I won’t have to pull them out from under the bed.

BillCB

I have the same concern. I can apply the battery disconnect, but how do I turn off solar charging? Through the Victron app maybe - or a circuit breaker? (2024 T@B 400) 

SLJ

I leave mine in. They have a built in low temp cut off. I also have the Victron battery monitor that cuts off the Victron solar controller and the Victron Smart Charger if they're left on. Redundant as I also put a disconnect switch on the batteries that cuts everything off. Never know when you might need it due to a weather emergency so it stays ready to use.

pthomas745

@Billcb On the "SmartSolar" part of the app, on the Settings page, there is a "Charger Enabled" toggle switch. Just toggle it "off".