A
arklife
VIP Member
I am investigating upgrading the AGM leisure batteries on my 2022 T6.1 Ocean 4Motion to lithium batteries with an inverter and adding solar panels with the aim of being off EHU for longer periods of time, which was problematic last year (mostly due to trying to keep a power hungry gaming laptop (not mine!) charged and operational).
I have decided on the solar solution (one of Roger at Solar Camper Solutions’ 300W kits) and will be getting this installed shortly, before I install the lithium batteries.
I had almost decided to push the button on the 200Ah (2 x Super B Epsilon 100Ah) lithium battery package from Car Electric / Philippi in Hamburg (https://www.camperelektrik.de/collections/vw-t6-1) who are mentioned in other threads and seem to be well regarded, but, because this is quite a large financial outlay, I investigated a bit further.
I turned up two very similar but slightly different systems, both using 2 x Saftkiste 170Ah batteries:
I am a reasonably technical/handy person but 12V electrics is a dark art to me so my first question is is it feasible that with just the LIN Bus connection the CCU can display the correct and accurate battery information? It just seems to be a little too good to be true.
My second question is does anyone have any experience with the Saftkiste batteries and/or the lithium packages offered by Saftkiste or Califaktur?
Car Electic only offer a supply and install package, so would require a trip to Hamburg (not unappealing in the slightest but a bigish time commitment). Both Saftkiste and Califaktur only offer their packages as self install kits and will not ship to the UK. Given my experience/competence with 12V systems, it is not a project that I would take on myself in any case. Both have Partner Workshops where the kits can be shipped to and installed. Again, these are all in mainland Europe but there are options in both Belgium and Netherlands, which are much quicker to reach from Calais. I have been looking at Van Hoe in Gent. Has anyone used Van Hoe previously and would you recommend?
Thank you in advance for your responses.
P.S.: I have searched the forum threads for other mentions of Califaktur/Saftkiste lithium batteries and not been able to turn anything up but if this query is more appropriate as part of another thread, please let me know and I will update.
I have decided on the solar solution (one of Roger at Solar Camper Solutions’ 300W kits) and will be getting this installed shortly, before I install the lithium batteries.
I had almost decided to push the button on the 200Ah (2 x Super B Epsilon 100Ah) lithium battery package from Car Electric / Philippi in Hamburg (https://www.camperelektrik.de/collections/vw-t6-1) who are mentioned in other threads and seem to be well regarded, but, because this is quite a large financial outlay, I investigated a bit further.
I turned up two very similar but slightly different systems, both using 2 x Saftkiste 170Ah batteries:
- Saftkiste themselves offer a package (https://saftkiste.com/products/autarkiepaket-pro-volkswagen-t6-1-california?variant=52247993549064) which, like the Car Electric solution, requires an update to the software for the CCU to display the battery information correctly.
- The Califaktur package (https://www.califaktur.de/products/califaktur-lithium-paket-vw-california-t6-1-coast-ocean-340ah) is almost identical but, in an email discussion with Clifaktur, they confirmed that no software update for the CCU is required for the correct battery information to be displayed: the LIN Bus connection from the battery sends the relevant information to the CCU and it is a true “plug & play” and easily reversible solution.
I am a reasonably technical/handy person but 12V electrics is a dark art to me so my first question is is it feasible that with just the LIN Bus connection the CCU can display the correct and accurate battery information? It just seems to be a little too good to be true.
My second question is does anyone have any experience with the Saftkiste batteries and/or the lithium packages offered by Saftkiste or Califaktur?
Car Electic only offer a supply and install package, so would require a trip to Hamburg (not unappealing in the slightest but a bigish time commitment). Both Saftkiste and Califaktur only offer their packages as self install kits and will not ship to the UK. Given my experience/competence with 12V systems, it is not a project that I would take on myself in any case. Both have Partner Workshops where the kits can be shipped to and installed. Again, these are all in mainland Europe but there are options in both Belgium and Netherlands, which are much quicker to reach from Calais. I have been looking at Van Hoe in Gent. Has anyone used Van Hoe previously and would you recommend?
Thank you in advance for your responses.
P.S.: I have searched the forum threads for other mentions of Califaktur/Saftkiste lithium batteries and not been able to turn anything up but if this query is more appropriate as part of another thread, please let me know and I will update.
