This would be super handy – any chance of a basic sketch @Vortex Radar if you have the time..?
What would cause voiding a warranty? Using a different brand of battery and dashcam? It's not a big deal? I run my A329S on a B130A and it works fine. 🙂
So I don't think that's officially supported, but Thinkware has a diagram in their iVolt Xtra manual that explains how to wire up to batteries in parallel like this.
No, I meant in reference to parallel wiring of the batteries…!
This is super helpful, Thankyou!
So for official Expansion unit solutions ie Cellink Neo, which is effectively a daisy chained setup, I presume the current flow restriction isn’t there, due to the dedicated connection port…?
Parallel connection is a direct unrestricted connection of positive to positive, negative to negative, without any resistors and/or diodes.
Edit:
The BBMC Powercell 8 also allows for expansion batteries with the Cellink Neo expansions.
It is quite difficult to get a high current when you connect two LiFePO4 batteries, since the voltage difference between nearly empty and nearly full is very small, and if one is fully empty, or fully full, then although the voltage difference is bigger, almost as soon as you connect it, the voltage difference will become small, so the resistance of the output cables, which are not all that thick, is probably enough to make it safe and no warning is necessary. WARNING - This doesn't apply to other battery types!
I think the reason is that with the expansion pack attached, most of the batteries take 90+ minutes to charge, and not many people regularly drive for long enough to make them worth having, thus sales of expansion packs are going to be quite low.
Vehicle alternators are quite capable of providing the load, however they are not designed to provide that much power continuously, so you can get issues with overheating and prematurely worn bushes. It is a serious warning for smaller vehicles, but like batteries, the more you use them, the faster the alternator will wear out, if you use them a lot then don't expect a normal lifespan. A new set of alternator bushes is generally a lot cheaper than a new battery, although these days, cars don't tend to be designed for them to be easily replaced, and a complete new alternator is a significant cost.
The maximum voltage range of a 12V LFP battery is 10-14.6V, which corresponds to an initial difference of 4.6V when the two batteries are connected in parallel.
I’ve briefly read the Cellink manual and also seen a few guides here and there – I think when you connect one expansion unit the battery (and App) is capable of auto calculating the new capacity…However, if you then connect further expansion units, it’s not capable of the auto calculation for some reason, hence you have to manually adjust within the App…(note: the auto set up is dependent upon using the specific In/Out port on the expansion battery, labelled Auto)
Yes, I was aware of the BBMC unit, but I tend to see them as same same as the Cellink…!
If the current flowing out of the battery pack exceeds its capabilities or safety limits, there should be some form of protection built into the battery pack, you can't assume that nobody is ever going to short circuit the output, so this shouldn't be a safety issue, only an issue of if you will trip the protection or blow a fuse.
14.6 is the maximum charge voltage, when you stop charging, if the battery is 100% full, the voltage drops to 13.6, and when you put a load on it, the voltage drops further, and the voltage on the charging battery will increase.