Xplorer XBL12-100 Base 12V 100Ah Li-ion Battery User Guide

: August 31, 2024
: Xplorer

Table of Contents

Xplorer XBL12-100 Base 12V 100Ah Li-ion Battery
Speciﬁcation
Series Strings
Parallel Strings
Charging Batteries
Battery Current Disappears when Charging
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

Xplorer XBL12-100 Base 12V 100Ah Li-ion Battery

Specifications

Model: XBL12-100
Cell and Connection: CB56-104Ah, 1P4S
Nominal Voltage [V]: 12.8
Nominal Capacity [Ah]: 100
Total Energy [Wh]: 1280
Max. Charging Current [A]: 100
Recommended Charging Current [A]: 10A Min – 50A Max
Charging Voltage [V]: 14.2~14.6
Max. Discharging Current [A]: 100
End of Discharge Voltage [V]: 11.2
Operating Temperature Range: -20°C to 45°C
Protection: Overcharge, Overdischarge, Overtemperature, Low Temperature, Overcurrent, Short circuit
Cycle Life: 3000 cycles
Designed Calendar Life: 10 Years
Communication Port: No
LED Indicator and Button: Yes
Dimension (LWH, mm): 260 x 168 x 210
Weight [Kg]: 10.5
Operation Humidity: 0~95% RH
IP Class: IP65
Parallel Support: Yes, Max. 4 Sets
Series Support: Yes, Max. 4 Sets
Certification-Cell Certification: UN38.3; ROHS; IEC62619; UL1973; UL9540A UN38.3; MSDS; CE

First Use & Storage
Relationship Between Charge Limits and Temperature:
Due to the chemistry of Lithium Ion cells, the cells cannot accept as much charge current at lower temperatures without risking permanent loss of capacity. As the cells’ temperature rises during the charging process, they can gradually accept higher currents. To maintain optimum performance and durability of Li-ion battery, the following charge limits based on ambient temperature are recommended. Do not attempt to charge your battery below zero degrees.

Table 1 Charge rate by temperatureTemperature (°C)| -20| -10| 0| 10| 20| 35| 45| >55
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---
Max Charge Current| Prohibit charging| Prohibit charging| 0.1C| Recommended charge current| Max continuous charge current| Recommended charge current| Prohibit charging

Series Strings
The batteries can be combined together in series strings to achieve higher operating voltages by connecting the positive terminal of one battery to the negative terminal of the next battery. The maximum number of 12.8V Li-ion batteries that you can connect in a series is four (4). Below figure 2 illustrates four 12.8V Li-ion batteries connected in series, for a 4S1P configuration.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I charge the Xplorer Base 12V 100Ah Li-ion battery below zero degrees?
A: It is not recommended to charge the battery below zero degrees as it may risk permanent loss of capacity.
Q: How many batteries can be connected in series?
A: You can connect a maximum of four (4) 12.8V Li-ion batteries in series to achieve higher operating voltages.

Thanks for purchasing your Xplorer Base Lithium Battery
Xplorer Base 12V 100Ah Li-ion battery is intended as a replacement for common lead acid batteries for a wide range of applications
Our entry level range boasts modern safety features and design
The battery adopts Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) REPT Grade A cells and unique Ritar BMS to provide safety, high current and prominent long life performance, with 20 times longer cyclic life than SLA battery to save cost and energy & up to 70% lighter than SLA batteries
This document is intended for use by anyone required to install and operate Base 12V 100Ah Li-ion batteries. Be sur to review this manual carefully to identify any potential safety risks before proceeding. The owner must be familiar with all the features of this product before proceeding. Failure to install or use this product as instructed can result i damage to the product that may not be covered under the limited warranty.
Manufactured by Hengyang Ritar Power Co. A global leading and established Battery manufacturer

WARNING:
Explosion, Electrocution, Or Fire Hazard

A battery can present a risk of electric shock, burns from high short circuit current, ﬁ re, or explosion. Observe proper precautions. Ensure the cables are properly sized. Ensure
clearance requirements are strictly enforced
around the batteries. Ensure the area around the batteries is well ventilated and clean of debris. Ensure no heat source near
the battery. Ensure the battery terminal screws are tightened, (M8 screw torque: 18 N.m).
Always use insulated tools. Avoid dropping tools onto batteries or other electrical parts. Never charge a frozen battery unless optional heater parts inside. If a battery must be removed, always remove the grounded terminal from the battery ﬁrst. Make sure all devices are disconnected. Never leave on permanent charge Never store the battery at full capacity or over discharged

IMPORTANT

When installing batteries, leave adequate clearance between batteries. When replacing
batteries, use the same number and type of batteries. Avoid any fall or collision during
the installation process. Do not remove the battery components. The maintenance of the
battery should be carried out by a professional engineer. Do not expose the Li-ion battery to heat in excess of 58°C during operation, 60°C in storage. Do not incinerate or expose to open ames.
Do not connect over 4 sets Li-ion batteries in series or paralell. Wrong operation will damage the BMS. Before series connection, it’s better to make sure fully charge or discharge single battery.
The different SOC between batteries may cause the whole group to fail to charge and discharge normally (Reduce the usable capacity of the battery group. Before parallel connection, it’s better to make sure the voltage difference less than 0.1V to avoid large current impact .
Do not connect in series at the same time connect in parallel. Be sure to have satisfied yourself that your charging system supports Lithium Batteries safely or optimised to do so
Direct alternator charging is prohibited unless an adequate DC/DC charger is installed optimised for Lithium Charging

Speciﬁcation

First use & Storage
Your battery will require charging before use to both activate and fully charge your battery before installing. We would recommend doing this via your mains powered Battery charger of at least 10A of charge current. The XBL12-100 Li-ion battery can be stored in an environment with temperatures between -20°C and +55°C and between 10% and 90%relative humidity, non-condensing. For long storage periods at 25°C, charge the battery every 2 months . For temperatures above 40°C, charge the battery quarterly. Do not store the Li-ion battery at temperatures above 60°C. We strongly recommend that your battery is stored at between 30 – 50% capacity at room temperature when not in use. Never leave on permanent charge

Relationship Between Charge Limits and Temperature
Due to the chemistry of Lithium Ion cells, the cells cannot accept as much charge current at lower temperatures without risking permanent loss of capacity. As the cells’ temperature rises during the charging process, they can gradually accept higher currents. To maintain optimum performance and durability of Li-ion battery, the following charge limits based on ambient temperature is recommended. Do not attempt to charge your battery below zero degrees

Table 1 Charge rate by temperature

Series Strings

The batteries can be combined together in series strings to achieve higher operating voltages by connecting the positive terminal of one battery to the negative terminal of the next battery. The maximum number of 12.8V Li-ion battery that you can connect in a series is four (4). Below figure 2 illustrates four 12.8V Li-ion batteries connected in series, for a 4S1P conﬁ guration.

Figure 2. Connecting Batteries in Series (4S1P Conﬁ guration)
Two batteries in series: 2 x 12.8V = 25.6V (nominal) for 24V applications
Three batteries in series: 3 x 12.8V = 38.4V (nominal) for 36V applications
Four batteries in series: 4 x 12.8V = 51.2V (nominal) for 48V applications

CAUTION

Failure to follow the following safety instructions may result in personal injuries or damage to the equipment!
Do not connect more than four batteries in series.
Connecting more than four batteries in series exceeds the voltage limit of the BMS.
Do not short circuit the Li-ion battery
Do not connect different batches, different types, old and new batteries in series.
Ensure the batteries consistency before connecting in series.
For series connection, if one of batteries is charged fully (100% SOC), the other batteries will not be charged anymore, this may casue some batteris SOC won’t show 100%, it doesn’t effect the performance of battery.

Parallel Strings

You can combine batteries together in parallel strings to achieve higher operating energy by connecting like-polarity terminals of adjacent batteries. To combine batteries in parallel strings, connect all like-polarity wires on adjacent batteries to an appropriately sized terminal block for your application. Refer to Figure 3 for an example of four 12.8V Li-ion batteries connected together in a 4P conﬁ guration. The maximum number of 12V series strings that you can connect in parallel is four. It is important to use the data cable between batteries to ensure even discharge and recharge. Bus Bar connectivity recommended

4pcs x 12.8v100ah in Parallel
Figure 3 Example of a 4S2P Conﬁ guration

CAUTION

Do not connect different batches, different types, old and new batteries in parallel.
Ensure the battery voltage difference is below 100mV before parallel connection to avoid high pulse current.
Ensure every battery have 3A charge/discharge current.
The parallel application can only extend the capacity and runtime, and cannot increase the charging or discharging current.
The max discharge current remains 100A & 50A Charge current

Charging Batteries

The 12.8V Li-ion is compatible with common 12V Lead-acid battery chargers. We advise using GEL or AGM charge profiles if Lithium mode not present. Do not recharge using standard split relay or direct alternator charging unless a Lithium optimised DC/DC charger is installed Chargers that require the detection of voltage at the battery terminals to charge may fail to wake the Li-ion battery from a state of under-voltage protection. Constant Voltage (CV) chargers may result in an inrush of current due to the low impedance of the cells, interrupting the charge. Reset the charger and continue charging normally if the charger trips. The constant current (CC) chargers is recommended strongly. To charge a single 12.8V battery, the maximum charge voltage is 14.6V and the maximum charge current is refer to Table 1. Any inrush current may cause over current or short circuit protection. Once you reach end-of-charge voltage, apply a constant voltage hold at this voltage until the current decays to almost zero. This charges the cells to 100% state of charge (SOC). Refer to below ﬁ gure for an illustration.

Battery voltage and current during recharge

Troubleshooting
The PolarMax Li-ion batteries are extremely reliable batteries that provide greater useful life than comparable 12V lead-acid batteries. Despite the high reliability of the 12.8V Li-ion batteries, you may encounter situations where the battery does not operate as expected. These situations are typically the result of misuse, abuse or a non-optimal charging or storage environment. This part details potential issues you may encounter with the PolarMax batteries and the appropriate troubleshooting procedures.

Charger Trips using Constant Voltage
Problem: Charger trips when charging the batteries. This is due to the low impedance of the battery creating a current inrush.
Solution: Reset the charger and try again.

Terminal Voltage Absent or Low
Problem: Using a multimeter to check terminal voltage shows the terminal voltage is low (<10V). Possible causes for this problem are: The voltage of a cell within the battery dropped below 2.5 V, causing the microprocessor to enable low-voltage protection. The battery’s SOC dropped below 5% from either an extended idle period or heavy use, enabling under-voltage protection. The battery overheated (>60°C), causing the microprocessor to enable over- temperature protection.

Solution: To resolve situations where terminal voltage is absent or low:

Allow the battery to cool and then recheck terminal voltage.
Connect the battery to a charger to wake the battery and recover terminal voltage. (<=30V PV panel can be used to active a deep discharge battery. ) (A 12V VRLA battery can also be used to active a deep discharge battery. )
If the cells pack voltage is below 7V, the BMS will not be actived anymore. So it needs to be charged in time after deep discharge.

Battery Current Disappears when Charging

Problem:
Battery current disappears when charging. Possible causes for this problem are: The battery overheated, enabling over-temperature protection.
Charger voltage is too high.

Solution:
To resolve situations where current disappears when charging:

Allow the battery to cool.
Reduce charger voltage to 14.2~.14.6 V.

We’re here to help.
Our UK based dedicated support team are available to assist Contact us at sales@alpha-batteries.co.uk
Tel: 01706356356

What are the ideal charge settings for my Xplorer Base?
Bulk Charge: 14.2 – 14.6v Float Charge: 13.6v

What size thread/Terminal type do the Base Batteries have?
6mm nut and bolt connection supplied.

Can I connect multiple Base batteries?
Yes you can! You can connect up to four PolarMax Batteries in Series or Paralell
You must only connect batteries together of the same type, manufacturer and age!

Can I side mount my Base Battery?
You can indeed! The range is designed to be orientated in any position. Please ensure the terminals are protected to avoid short circuit

What Inverter size can I use on this Model?
The PolarMax 100ah has a Ritar 100A Max discharge BMS built inside. This equates to 1280W
We recommend an Inverter no larger than 1200w. For larger Inverters you will need our 200ah, 300ah or 400a version

What Charger shall I use?
We recommend 10a minimum and 50A Max. Failure to do so will result in either under or overcharge resulting battery failure
We strongly recommend the use of modern Victron chargers for mains and alternator charging
Existing chargers can be used but must have a dedicated Lithium charge profile or GEL/AGM setting at least.