Switching to lithium Need advice

[just call me KeV 10+ year member]

I would like to switch the Focus to lithium but I need a "everything you wanted to know about LTO but were afraid to ask." book or something.. The total wattage I want to run is going to be under 10k. I have two 1/0 runs in the car. I'm not sure why I mention that seeing if I wanted to actually run 10k watts I would need a another run right?
Can I do a direct swap of the batteries? I've heard that some lithium batteries aren't safe under the hood? Need the info. I'll admit I kind of need/want some "hand holding" towards the information since even though I am an engineer at work(Aerospace) I feel kind of clueless when it comes to lithium and supercaps. I understand the basic principals of course but as it pertains to car audio I could use an update.
PS: I know I have the tendency to overthink ****. that's just how my mind works.

Click to read more...

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

I've gathered that lto is better than lifepo4, but lifepo4 plays better with oem electronics.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Do you already have an HO alternator? What is your current charge voltage?

 

[just call me KeV 10+ year member]

Do you already have an HO alternator? What is your current charge voltage?

That is another question I was going to ask. I was going to buy one from dc power (370 amp) but do you guys have any recomendations that way. Singer, Mechman...etc?

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

That is another question I was going to ask. I was going to buy one from dc power (370 amp) but do you guys have any recomendations that way. Singer, Mechman...etc?

I have ran DC power and Autotech. My DC is like 10 years old and still kicking on my old 2010 focus. I have only had my autotech for like 6 months but am very happy for how cheap it was.

My autotech is running a diode to bump charge voltage up to 15.8 for my Yinlong LTO lithium.

 

[just call me KeV 10+ year member]

I have ran DC power and Autotech. My DC is like 10 years old and still kicking on my old 2010 focus. I have only had my autotech for like 6 months but am very happy for how cheap it was.

My autotech is running a diode to bump charge voltage up to 15.8 for my Yinlong LTO lithium.

The autotech is super reasonable. The DC power was nearly a thousand dollars and I can get a custom paint job. Sweeet.

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

I would like to switch the Focus to lithium but I need a "everything you wanted to know about LTO but were afraid to ask." book or something.. The total wattage I want to run is going to be under 10k. I have two 1/0 runs in the car. I'm not sure why I mention that seeing if I wanted to actually run 10k watts I would need a another run right?
Can I do a direct swap of the batteries? I've heard that some lithium batteries aren't safe under the hood? Need the info. I'll admit I kind of need/want some "hand holding" towards the information since even though I am an engineer at work(Aerospace) I feel kind of clueless when it comes to lithium and supercaps. I understand the basic principals of course but as it pertains to car audio I could use an update.
PS: I know I have the tendency to overthink ****. that's just how my mind works.

I'm almost done with a LTO swap in my Jetta. I went with LTO over LiFeP04 simply because of the longevity of the cells, but it does take a bit more work.

LTO doesn't play well with AGM, so you will need an isolator or an under-hood battery delete if you go that route.

For the same ammount of storage you are going to pay about 50 percent more for LTO if you are going 6s. 5s is possible if you are OK regulating your alt down to 13.8 or so. I'll be running 6s at 14v, so I'm leaving a bit of performance on the table but that's fine with me.

Matt

 

[just call me KeV 10+ year member]

Duplicate post

 

[just call me KeV 10+ year member]

I'm almost done with a LTO swap in my Jetta. I went with LTO over LiFeP04 simply because of the longevity of the cells, but it does take a bit more work.

LTO doesn't play well with AGM, so you will need an isolator or an under-hood battery delete if you go that route.

For the same ammount of storage you are going to pay about 50 percent more for LTO if you are going 6s. 5s is possible if you are OK regulating your alt down to 13.8 or so. I'll be running 6s at 14v, so I'm leaving a bit of performance on the table but that's fine with me.

Matt

Ahh. ok. Thats why popwar asked me about my resting voltage. By sixes you mean the amount of individual cells within each individual bank right? And by deleting I believe all I would need to do is use some buss bars up front right?

 

[Sweepslots]

OP im doing the same for my 2018 F150 build. Ordered-
- 2 DC Audio lvl 4 10s
- DC Audio 3.5k
-Mechman 320amp alt
- Limitless lithium retro 30 battery
-stinger SGP35 battery isolation module

I spoke with limitless lithium by phone today, they told me to isolate the lithium batt from the agm, by running power and ground from the alternator directly back to my lithium batter with the stinger isolator in the run. He mentioned that I would need to charge the lithium battery like once per month if the car wasn't ran often, and that the setup above would be good for up to 7k watts rms. What does everyone think about this?

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

Ahh. ok. Thats why popwar asked me about my resting voltage. By sixes you mean the amount of individual cells within each individual bank right? And by deleting I believe all I would need to do is use some buss bars up front right?

Yea, I'm running 6S2P. 12 cells total, 2 banks of 6. Resting voltage isn't as big of a concern, it's more about charging voltage. LTO shouldn't be charged above 2.8-2.9v per cell(14-14.4) depending on the cell type. Some people scream at the 2.9v number but I did my own research and have read about people charging 5s banks at 14.8-15v without I'll-effect. However I don't have any claim on durability, longevity, or safety to do it myself. I'm running 6s and I'll be keeping the factory charge voltage (14.4v)for now.

You would need some kind of fused distribution block depending on your cars setup. Mine is fairly simple as I have a factory "distribution block" on top of the battery already. Just need to get a 2 into 1 distribution block, have one side come from alt a single 300A fuse to the back and a 100a fuse onto the factory line.

Matt