FloydR suggested I begin a thread for help selecting a BMS for my current project.
Goal: Build a safe, reliable lithium battery pack that can power my 48V Yamaha golf cart for short durations (<40 minutes on mostly flat terrain). The current lead-acid group puts out just over 1kWh before hitting the 50% mark.
- I'm pretty sold on the idea of cell-level fusing, so that leaves me with 18650's in order to use the battery hookup cell-level fusing strips, as other methods of cell-level fusing that I've looked at don't seem like a good fit for a mobile application.
- Ideally, I'd like to build it from never-cycled cells. I've currently been pulling apart the 4-cell arris modem packs from battery hookup, and I've ordered both a Littokala and an Opus charger/tester that will be here Tuesday.
- I assumed the pack should be 13s but someone on the Kweld NA Facebook page said that 14s is the typical configuration for 48-volt applications, so the BMS would need to be 14s or configurable for 14s.
- I currently have a Victron shunt w/ Bluetooth to my phone and I've never observed it pull more than 170 amps. I've looked up the controller to see what the draw is rated at but haven't had any luck locating the specs, but I guess 250-300A is probably in the ballpark to be safe.
- Lastly, I know there are some awesome BMS systems out there from companies like Batrium, but given the cost of those units, it doesn't make financial sense given that I can buy a complete battery w/ a BMS that is plug and play for just about the cost of the Batrium alone, so, I'm looking for an appropriately priced solution. It doesn't have to be dirt cheap, but it needs to do the job without doubling the cost per kWh of the project.
Thanks in advance for your input.
Goal: Build a safe, reliable lithium battery pack that can power my 48V Yamaha golf cart for short durations (<40 minutes on mostly flat terrain). The current lead-acid group puts out just over 1kWh before hitting the 50% mark.
- I'm pretty sold on the idea of cell-level fusing, so that leaves me with 18650's in order to use the battery hookup cell-level fusing strips, as other methods of cell-level fusing that I've looked at don't seem like a good fit for a mobile application.
- Ideally, I'd like to build it from never-cycled cells. I've currently been pulling apart the 4-cell arris modem packs from battery hookup, and I've ordered both a Littokala and an Opus charger/tester that will be here Tuesday.
- I assumed the pack should be 13s but someone on the Kweld NA Facebook page said that 14s is the typical configuration for 48-volt applications, so the BMS would need to be 14s or configurable for 14s.
- I currently have a Victron shunt w/ Bluetooth to my phone and I've never observed it pull more than 170 amps. I've looked up the controller to see what the draw is rated at but haven't had any luck locating the specs, but I guess 250-300A is probably in the ballpark to be safe.
- Lastly, I know there are some awesome BMS systems out there from companies like Batrium, but given the cost of those units, it doesn't make financial sense given that I can buy a complete battery w/ a BMS that is plug and play for just about the cost of the Batrium alone, so, I'm looking for an appropriately priced solution. It doesn't have to be dirt cheap, but it needs to do the job without doubling the cost per kWh of the project.
Thanks in advance for your input.