Winston LiFePO4 Part 2: 123BMS Install 

Well done, but beware of the wiring! - do not drill the modules - get the right screws, with inside threads and smaller screws on top - connect the battery bridges and the outbound wires with the big screws, washer and spring ring with a torque key to the specs, the bridges and the cable lugs must connect directly to the poles, no washer inbetween, use noalox if you connect copper to aluminium to prevent oxidation! This ensures a tight durable and safe connection with low voltage drop and optimal current flow and does not crack the boards when tightened. - attach the modules on top of the big screws with the smaller screws. The provided mounting in the video can cause high temp on the poles due to lack of pressure or can damage the modules. In no circumstance shall be the module placed between the pole and the cable lug. This is a no-go, on high current there will be a bad connectivity!

Thanks very much. Just ordered 400ah cells x 8 today. Didnt realise about drilling out the boards for sure! Also ill make sure i have the ring terminals etc in stock. Cheers

Thousands of electronic engineers around the world winced the burst into tears when he drilled out the through-plates in the boards. It never ceases to amaze me when people spend thousands on parts and materials, then cobble them together like this. Can't watch the rest of this for fear of what else I might see that cannot be unseen.

thank you so much, very helpful and looking forward to your next video

Of some use to someone, yes indeed, very interesting, many thanks for sharing. I was sharing your tension as you connected up the terminals! Brave drilling out the boards - I get a bit paranoid just soldering wires onto PCBs!! (If I go down this route for my build I think I owe you a pint for your videos - although I'm not looking at as much as 400Ah!!)

thanks for the Vid! Now that you've had a couple of years since the vid was created, whats your view on the Inverter you used? Would you recommend this brand and have you had any problems?Thks

Personally I'd measure out the length of the yellow wires and then put the wire and the module on a set of "helping hands" to hold them in place. So much easier to solder.

Can you closer show the connection with both blie sensors and the smart relais ?

Good and informative video!

This is how to teach. Thanks for the information.

Will this cut the charge to one of the cells so the other cells keep charging? (If one of the cells gets too high)

Nice video, I am planning on using an 8 cell 24v setup using these cells on my coacherhome.

Would have been easier to solder with some solder flux added, and yes, as you say with wires that thick you need a really powerful soldering iron to heat them enough and quickly. If you don't get them hot enough, the solder joint may just not be solid.

you should have drilled a hole in the top of the bolt and threaded it, then you could bolt the boards on top of the big bolt . would be better i think

Hi, you made this video 4 years ago, I wanted to ask you if you still have the batteries and if you are still happy. Thank you.

Do you log battery temperature ? What range of temps do you have during the year ? Do you use active cooling in summer ?

I have 24 of Winston 60ah batteries, so for my 12v system I will have six packs of four. Do you know if I need a separate BMS for each 12v pack? .. which I imagine is going to be costly.

Those are some beefy looking cells. Im curious to know youre opinion on these cells from ev-power. Ive been contemplating buying from them or another seller in China (prague is closer to me, so Ev is tempting). Would love to know your thoughts on the battery after your year+ of use. Thanks for the great video 🍻🍻

I think the contact is bad on the joints where the BMS is compressed on the battery. It would be better to drill small holes and make threads for a smaller screw on top of these big screws and tighten the BMS. I got screws with holes in the top.

I'm looking at ordering this exact style of battery. If you have time to answer a couple of questions I'd appreciate it. I saw your battery monitoring shows (what I'm assuming) is internal cell temperature. What sort of temps do you see under real world loads when discharging. What about when charging from a more discharged state? How hot does the exterior of the battery get? I am designing my van from scratch and am looking at the possibility of sealing my batteries into a hidden compartment, assuming they don't need a lot of air flow or that they don't generate tons of heat.

I put my terminal bolts on a lathe, made the heads flat then drilled a hole and put a tap into it. Now the boards are screwed on top of the main bolts.

Great video, are you batteries still working perfectly ?

Interesting stuff. I'm off grid in Cumbria, and am working on getting rid of my bloody useless lead-acid 'leisure' batteries - 48v @ 400Ah. I've been looking at stringing x75, Headway 3.2v @ 15Ah LiFePo4 cells together to make a 3.6Kw lump, still at 48v. Your batteries would render me a £'s saving, as the Headways need holding cradles and many connection straps to build the bank. But my advantage would be that a faulty unit can be replaced at just the cost of that cell. Do you feel that Winstons (and the supplier) are so reliable that they're the better option? I have to admit that building the Headway powerblock is marginally a ball-ache.

is the inboard card fitted to the negative terminal side and the outboard to the positive terminal side???

I believe ideally the cells should be charged slowly and individually (or in parallel) the first time, at 3 point something volts. But I like this combo of BMS and battery, and it will probably be what I use. Solid price-performance. However I had underestimated the size of the cells, was planning on 8 cells of some size to achieve 24 volts. Going to use up a fair bit of room somewhere in the van.

How have these performed long term? Looking at getting them myself.

I am building a beach club on an island in the Bay of Panama and I am using the exact same batteries, two strings of 16 each. I will keep an eye on your channels but I don't expect either one of us to have problems in the next 10 years. I actually don't see a source for this BMS in the United States?

Brutal drilling into such a tiny circuit board, surprise d the metal piece did not coma apart from th eboard aftre thta drilling yikes!

That was scary to watch when you connected the first LB pos to neg, I expected it to go to the neg on the adjacent LB, Sparkies are us NOT.

Did you bottom charge these first or just top balance with bms from factory.nice job.

Can I ask where you purchased the ring terminal suitable for an M14 stud? Can’t see to find any suitable. Or did you drill yours out? Thanks

Which dip-switch setting (loading characteristic of the votronic vbcs) did you use for the Winston LiFePO4 Cells? Cheers

Great video the, thank you. Update when you can please.

@Self Build Camper: Which size solid copper wire did you use for the bypass current wire that was soldered? Thanks!

Hi mate, what is the resting voltage of your cells 24hrs after charging ? I have received the same cells ( 200ah ) and my resting voltage is just 3.39 any thoughts please ? Thanks

Did you also connect the votronic temperature sensor to the battery or decide it was unnecessary?

careful with these bms. Since they just balance each battery but dont manage deep depleted or too much charged battery. Especially with 12v system often linked with a alternator producing a steady 13,8v or 14,1v. Lifepo4 have more tolerance than lithium Ion for over charge but a real bms will shutdown the battery completely at 3,6v or below 2,8v since lifepo4 dont like floating charge like lead acid....

very good chance there could be cracks in board and or broken connections . Not a good way of doing this at all.

Hi, wich kind of pole caps do you use, or where did you got them?

Hi, would you know what's advantage of smart double relay over regular dc contractors? I a it's 4X more expensive. I've asked them (ec-power) this question but not received an answer yet.

From the evpower-eu.com website: "The maximum charging voltage for initial charge is 4 V. Recommended subsequent charging is to 3.8 V." I recall reading that some LIFEPO4 cell manufacturers, after further testing were recommending their maximum charge voltage be reduced down from 3.65v to 3.60v or 3.55v. The 3.8v for your cells seems high. Is this because of the slightly different chemistry (Yttrium?) of these cells? What voltage are you charging them to?

I just ordered 1400ah of Winston

😱😱😱you 2 left hand ?

seems awfully complicated to put a system together makes me want to stay with an all in one generator

324 dollars for the bms?!? Lol i will solder my own