Discover why
all OEM switch their batteries solution to Volthium
Over the past few years, most manufacturers have decided to switch from traditional technology to LiFeP04 technology. Many of them have chosen the lithium battery solutions offered by BattleBorn. Others have turned to the more advanced and more expensive Lithionics offering.
These companies are usually preferred over the competition because they falsely claim that their products are made in the United States.
While they may seem interesting, the solutions offered by these two companies have many problems, so much so that many manufacturing companies are now trying to find another lithium battery manufacturer.
This trend has been observed among Canadian manufacturers. Many are trading Lithionics and Battleborn products for those of the Canadian company Volthium.
Major problems
At Battleborn, the common problems with their battery solution are definitely the fragility of their internal Chinese electronic board, called BMS. This board breaks quickly when the batteries are coupled to an inverter. The plague of breakage is such that Battleborn has decided to stop honoring the warranty.
Battleborn's fragile electronics highlight two other problems.
First, these batteries cannot be repaired and second, the company is no longer willing to honor this problem under its warranty. Even worse, if the customer ever decides to simply buy a new battery, they will be faced with the fact that it is not recommended to add a new battery alongside an older one.
On the other hand, Battleborn is not an interesting choice for manufacturers looking to optimize energy in a limited space. Indeed, the space occupied by a Battleborn Groupe31 battery gives a capacity of 100AH, while the Canadian company Volthium produces 150AH for the same size, thanks to its cell partner, Volkswagen. That's 50% more energy than what the competition is offering!
Unfortunately, Battleborn does not see a solution to its electronics problems in the short or medium term. The answer given to customers by the company's engineers is that they have no control over the manufacturing of the electronics. Of course, this does not explain why the batteries have a disappointing energy capacity ratio.
Let's also note the absence of any communication protocol. It is impossible for the consumer to extract data from the battery, such as the actual state of charge level, the internal temperature and life level of the cells, or the number of accumulated cycles.
Other disappointing options
Over the past three years, RV manufacturers and outfitters who wanted a more professional option than Battleborn have turned to Victron's full-featured solution or to Lithionics.
At first glance, these two companies offer a highly advanced solution. In reality, the manufacturers who have adopted the complete solution of these two companies have quickly understood its limitations.
Of course, the BMS is no longer integrated in the battery (as it is the case with Battleborn), so it is more easily replaceable. And even better, it does not burn with the inverter. Be careful, though. These solutions remain a real nightmare for the consumer.
All the manufacturers who have integrated Volthium's products have given the example that the switch to the Canadian battery company was motivated by a desire to keep the electrical installation simple and to have only the advantages offered by the two or three big battery leaders.
Indeed, with Victron and Lithionics external component solutions, the bill quickly increases, as does the level of complexity for the customer who equips his RV, for example.
In an "electric" scenario developed from the Victron or Lithionics solution, batteries without an integrated electronic safety system (BMS) must be considered. We have to consider the installation of this device externally, in addition to foreseeing the purchase and addition of mechanical (or electronic) contactors in order to be able to deactivate the charging and discharging process, in addition to foreseeing a phenomenal quantity of cables so that all the externalized devices can communicate together. It is also necessary to program the charging devices and inverters so that they can receive the communication from all the external devices.
The result? Consumers complain that their electrical system is too complicated. Their RV is made for travel and when they are struggling with an electrical issue, too often there is no RV shop to help them. Customers are stressed to leave, consumed with anxiety; will their power system fail them, ruining their long awaited vacation?
The Volthium Revolution
Canadian Volthium batteries, in high demand in the United States, are the perfect balance between the offerings of different battery manufacturers. In fact, it is the only company that manufactures a hybrid solution, combining the advantages of competitors and leaving the shortcomings to others.
Designed in Canada, Volthium batteries stand out first and foremost because they provide much more energy than any other battery on the market for the same physical size. But that's not all.
They are very easy to install because the BMS is integrated in the battery. A real turnkey product! The big advantage, however, is that the BMS is accessible through an access door.
The internal electronics, manufactured by Texas Intrument, are considered a masterpiece by the connoisseurs of the market.
Indeed, the easy access to the BMS allows the customer to easily repair his battery in case of breakage. This avoids the need to replace all the batteries, because everyone knows that you should never mix new and old batteries. It's better to be able to repair and avoid having to change everything.
12V 130AH
The Canadian LiFePO4 battery has built-in communication ports that allow battery information to be sent to the Victron system, but thanks to the accessories developed by Volthium, it is also possible to add Bluetooth functionality simply by plugging the module into the DATA port on the battery.
The typical installation with Volthium batteries is extremely simple.
You install the batteries in parallel, connect the terminals together or bring the power cables to the BusBar. Then you connect an RJ45 cable to each battery to connect it to the customer's entertainment system or Bluetooth module. That's all there is to it!
For manufacturers looking to remove the generator, we even have a CSA UL1973 certified 8D battery that gives 5.12KWH (12V400AH). This one has a heating system, as well as a cooling system, of course easy access to the BMS for possible repair in 20 years, and connections for a wired ON/OFF button to control the battery remotely.
Volthium was the subject of an article in ScienceTimes.
12V 400AH