OEM leisure battery specification_ Varta Eq

[Grand Tourismo]

Does anyone know what the exact specification is of the MP camper leisure battery? I know it is made by Varta but I am trying to locate what the Varta equivalent model would be.
Is it the same as the starter battery by chance? Is it the 019AGM?

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Varta LA95

 

[Grand Tourismo]

Varta LA95

I thought maybe G14...do you know where I can access the charger data for it so I can set up the Victron Mppt by any chance?

 

[Samebutdifferent]

AGM batteries should be charged at 14.6 - 14.8v and 13.6 -13.8v standby. They don't require an 'equalisation' charge so that should be cancelled.

Victron BlueSolar MPPT's should have an AGM setting in the menu, it should just be a case of selecting the charge profile from the battery menu.

 

[Samebutdifferent]

 

[Grand Tourismo]

The Victron app (controlling the MPPT) does not have standard pre-set settings for LA, AGM or LiPo batteries...but it does have a "factory default" mode which "suits most batteries"....enclosed a couple of images to show.

You will see that most of the charge profile fields are editable in "expert" mode but the default setting is:
Absorption 14.4v
Float 13.8v
Eq 16.2v (although eq is disabled as standard)

What is easily adjusted without entering into expert mode is the maximum charge current, which defaults to 15A.

When you enter the expert mode and other settings within the app like streetlight setting or network setup the app really comes into it's own...if you know what you are doing of course!

 

[Samebutdifferent]

How to create a battery profile

Absorption will be 14.8v and float 13.8v.

 

[Ragga]

The leisure battery as removed from my van. Located beneath left hand front seat.

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Have you found a 92Ah Varta battery?

 

[Grand Tourismo]

Have you found a 92Ah Varta battery?

No, I got stuck with two types of 95Ah from Varta or an OEM replacement...although I did find a 110Ah Varta AGM with the same dimensions and terminal layout which might make a nice upgrade.

 

[Ragga]

I purchased a replacement from Mercedes. You do have to be a bit persistent with the parts department (ie tell them the MB part No they should be looking for). Cost was £190 incl VAT.

 

[Samebutdifferent]

This is on my wish list which along this B2B charger would mean no more hook up, no solar cluttering the roof and no more electile paranoia

If only I could find someone with knowledge of the MP charging system. I'm traveling up country to have the Webasto fitted in a couple of weeks so will see if they can help.

 

[Grand Tourismo]

This is on my wish list which along this B2B charger would mean no more hook up, no solar cluttering the roof and no more electile paranoia

I like that idea a lot but does 110Ah mean no need for EHU? If under normal use you get 3 days then a 15% increase in available power should give you an extra half day.

If only I could find someone with knowledge of the MP charging system. I'm traveling up country to have the Webasto fitted in a couple of weeks so will see if they can help.

Can you give MB UK technical a ring? and if that bottoms out see if you can get MB DE involved?

 

[Samebutdifferent]

I like that idea a lot but does 110Ah mean no need for EHU? If under normal use you get 3 days then a 15% increase in available power should give you an extra half day.

Can you give MB UK technical a ring? and if that bottoms out see if you can get MB DE involved?

The AGM that's fitted has a maximum depth of discharge or usable capacity of about 50%
A lithium battery can safely be discharged to 80%-90%

50% of 95Ah = 47.5Ah useable capacity
80% of 110Ah = 88Ah useable capacity

Most users seem to say an AGM/LA battery needs to be twice the Ah rating. So a lithium 110Ah is easily = 180 - 200Ah AGM
The B2B also charges the battery extremely efficiently even on short journeys.

This is an interesting watch

Haven't driven my MP for a week and the voltage in that time is down from 12.7 to 12.2v (interestingly having recently posted about the Victron shunt, the SOC bar still says 90%??) so I need to decide soon whether to spend out what is quite an expensive outlay, but forget about battery woes for years. Or buy another AGM and have to replace in 2-3years time when lithium will be cheaper.

I'm hoping Tim Purslow (Webasto fitter} will be able to help but speaking to one of the tech guys when I booked it in I'm not sure, felt like I was speaking double Dutch when talking VSR's and B2B's with him.

 

[Grand Tourismo]

The AGM that's fitted has a maximum depth of discharge or usable capacity of about 50%
A lithium battery can safely be discharged to 80%-90%

50% of 95Ah = 47.5Ah useable capacity
80% of 110Ah = 88Ah useable capacity

Most users seem to say an AGM/LA battery needs to be twice the Ah rating. So a lithium 110Ah is easily = 180 - 200Ah AGM
The B2B also charges the battery extremely efficiently even on short journeys.

This is an interesting watch

Haven't driven my MP for a week and the voltage in that time is down from 12.7 to 12.2v (interestingly having recently posted about the Victron shunt, the SOC bar still says 90%??) so I need to decide soon whether to spend out what is quite an expensive outlay, but forget about battery woes for years. Or buy another AGM and have to replace in 2-3years time when lithium will be cheaper.

I'm hoping Tim Purslow (Webasto fitter} will be able to help but speaking to one of the tech guys when I booked it in I'm not sure, felt like I was speaking double Dutch when talking VSR's and B2B's with him.

I suppose by investing in the LiPo you might be able to forget about the shunt? and trust in the technology?

 

[Samebutdifferent]

I suppose by investing in the LiPo you might be able to forget about the shunt? and trust in the technology?

Yes especially in view of the discharge characteristics of lithium, very little voltage drop then falls off the edge of a cliff, so voltage readings aren't a guide like AGM. Unlike AGM no damage is done by over discharging them so I suppose a shunt is only useful if you want an accurate log of battery usage and data, much like the data you get from your solar regulator.