iTechWorld 120X Lithium Battery | 6 month review | CAPACITY TEST | Under bonnet, engine bay mounted
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2024
- It’s been 6 months and several gruelling trips since I installed the 120X lithium battery in my Landcruiser. It hasn’t exploded yet, but how is it performing?
When fitting a lithium battery under bonnet in Landcruiser, I received many doubting remarks regarding its performance, longevity and safety. It’s been 6 months now and I’m pleased to say the 120X is still installed and performing well, but just how well?
In todays episode we are going to be talking the physical condition of the unit, how I’ve tested, used and stored the battery, conduct a peak discharge test, capacity test and what pro’s and con’s I’ve detected.
This video is created to assist you in determining whether or not lithium, specifically under bonnet is right for your setup. I hope I can provide some useful information and appreciate your support.
Here are some links to some of the products I used in today’s video:
Battery Discharger - ebay.us/7WBaB8
Victron BMV712 monitor - ebay.us/NH5hJZ
Victron Lithium 15A Charger - ebay.us/jTCs6k
00:00 - Introduction
01:24 - First Impressions
02:22 - Physical Condition
05:20 - Testing conditions
08:16 - Peak Discharge Test
11:57 - Capacity Test
16:31 - Charging
17:54 - Pro’s and Con’s
20:00 - Conclusion
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Absolutely a great review! Thanks for taking the time to do all the tests.. I think a lot of people will be convinced that lithium batteries are the future, despite the cost.. cheers Nathan 🤙🏼
Cheers Simon 🙏
I am enjoying discovering these results for myself too.
Many doubting comments and criticisms have been received, but so far it’s working well.
I hope you have been keeping well.
Cheers, Nathan.
Hey Nathan.
I installed my 120X into my van 9 months ago.
To say I'm happy is an understatement. We recharge our 120X with 4 X 68W amorphous solar panels via a 30A regulator.
We have just returned from 3 month jaunt. In that time we utilised our Itech 30A 240v charger 1 night only, but wasn't actually required.
During our jaunt we got the chance to really test our battery. We had a period from Thursday to Tuesday of very heavy rain, extremely overcast and parked under trees eliminating any Solar oomph what so ever.
Now we run inverter, coffee pod m/c, frother daily, plus TV lights, water pump, extractor fans etc during these 5 days. I knew the weather forecast was predicting sunshine on Tuesday, so that morning we ran everything as per normal, our battery dropped to 11.59v but once the sun hit our panels, oomph, the battery voltage began its climb. The whole of Tuesday we ran the inverter recharging aux batteries in toothbrushes, vacuum cleaner, drills etc. By days end we had a completely reinvigorated battery plus all aux items recharged.
We'd never achieved this with our previous AGM batteries, cannot praise this Itech 120X enough.
At the conclusion of our holiday we spent 8 days on a powered site, but I deliberately shut my 240v charger off as Solar was keeping battery 100% charged. Luv Luv Luv my 120X.
My test bench was just use it and trust it, no fancy gadgetry in our van.
Thanks for your dedication to this product testing, Ian.
Awesome Ian. It's great to hear people are having such good success with these batteries in real world scenarios.
They certainly are much more powerful and longer lasting that their AGM competition! And soo much lighter at that too!
Here's hoping that they will continue to perform for a long period into the future, even in my under bonnet application 🤞
Awesome update thanks very informative. I look forward to the 12 month review,
Awesome information and very well explanation.
Thank you very much to share with us mate appreciated it!
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it 🙏
Another quality video! Thanks, looking forward to the 12 and 18 month equivalent.
Awesome, thanks mate 🙏
Good review 👍. Finally a quality lithium that the average punter can afford . My 120X has been doing what it should for over 12 months and works a treat .
Awesome, good to hear your experience has been positive. Can't complain if it's working exactly as advertised and designed!👍
Fabulous review Nathan, I have been running one for over 18 months now and could not be happier, I run a fridge non stop, a travel Buddy with step up and a 70amp compressor on and off all the time without my alternator running and it has not skipped a beat
Thanks mate 🙏
Glad to hear positive reviews for long term use. Are you also running your battery under bonnet too?
Looking forward to many more years to come 🤞
Absolutely brilliant review
I replaced x2 100amp hr deep cycle agm’s with x1 of these lithium 120x in the front of the caravan about 12 months ago. Huge weight and space saving. Similar output to the 2 agm (a bit less of course) but when factoring in having to buy the two agm’s to get the output I want and pretty much get from this x1 lithium battery I wasn’t that much more out of pocket.
I have run it flat x1 trying to power the 3 way fridge on 240v via the inverter as a bit of a test, but hooked up the jump starter and it started charging no worries and it has been working well for us since. Only issue is when lithium do run out of juice, like you said, they just stop dead without much warning and it can leave you in the dark all of a sudden, just got to keep a closer eye on consumption is all. Every battery sort has its foibles.
Good review. Been using 2x 120x itechworld batteries in my campervan for the past year. They perform flawless. Running 1500 w inverter powering microwave, kettle, induction stove, toaster. 95 L fridge freezer running 24/7.
Charging with Victron 30amp DCDC and 20 amp solar controller and monitoring with Victron 712. 2x 170w hardcore panels.
Paid $700 each, not that expensive for the luxury it provides. Renogy is perhaps a good alternative for around $1300 for the 200 amp new bt battery.
For my setup I love it.
Awesome mate, so glad to hear other positive stories from those using these units. Hopefully my units can hold up to the prolonged use in this under bonnet setup 🤞
Sounds like your units are getting smashed with some high draw appliances too!
I agree, high initial cost, but the advantages are well worth it for setups like the one I'm running 👍
Cheers, Nathan.
Excellent thorough review, thank you
Thanks mate, glad it was helpful!
I put one in my 2013 150 just after you did. I took it up to Dirk Hartog for 8 days at the beginning of August, and it performed flawlessly. I was able to charge drone batteries, gopro batteries, phones, power banks, fridge freezer, and lights. We stayed at the block, and didn't move for 3 days, and i didn't even have to charge it once with solar or turning the car on. Would never have been able to do that with my old 75Ah lead acid.
Like you, I leave mine on storage... Although I just have a circuit breaker in the line from the bcdc, and I flip that off at around 70% and leave the battery there without it getting charge. Will invest in a lithium charger one day
Awesome, glad to hear that it worked out for your setup. Definitely agree with you regarding their performance. They can power so much more than the standard AGM setups!
Cheers
That exhaust sound 😍 👌
So good!! 👍
Awesome review mate, a lot of good info there which helps, thankyou.. I read on their website that it is good to remove and replace no mods required, I wonder if my older Redarc SBI12 will still be suitable lol.. 9 months since you posted, how's it going, still going strong? Side note, stoked to see Bremer in there mate, a lot of good memories growing up in that area 👍🍻
I put one of these under the bonnet of my 100 series at about the same time you did. Two more in caravan. No problems whatsoever and I’ve never had it so good with power. Also put their lithium crank battery in and I’m absolutely stoked. So much for the idea of it not working. Technology has moved with the times😁
Awesome to hear. It’s great to see others with positive experiences too!
Hopefully they continue to hold up for us 🤞
They sure improve the power supply in our setups 🤙
Cheers, Nathan.
@@XploringOz have you reinstalled the crank battery and sorted out the V drop issue?
@@antonievanwyk8942 Sure have, its currently in use and underway for a longer term review and test 👍
Great review thx Nathan. I am yet to use mine on anything other than my 60lt fridge and compressor and a few LED lights but good to know it stands up to real world abuse. Let's hope it lasts a few more years.
Cheers mate, glad you enjoyed it 👍
I have been happy with the performance thus far. As mentioned, wouldn't plan to use it quite as hard as tested in this episode, but very glad to see it performs when pushed!
Here's hoping it lasts 🤞
Thanks for the review Nathan. However we have had a different experience with this battery in our LC200 in the Simpson Desert this year. On the Madigan Line the battery shut down 4 days in a row whilst we were driving slow over the sand dunes. The engine heat eventually penetrated through the silver insulation and would shut the BMS in the battery down by lunch each day, loosing all auxiliary power (fridge). The battery would come back to life in the evening after the bonnet was raised the battery cooled down. Capacity was good however. We must have got a bad battery, because iTech had never seen any heat related issues with this battery🤷🏻. They did warrant the battery, but this was a drawn out 4 week process. I have now reverted back to a lead acid Century Dual Force.
Thanks for letting us know about your experience and sorry to hear lithium didn’t work out for you in that setup.
Just out of interest, what sort of ambient temps were you driving in?
In regards to the warranty claim, did you choose a refund over a replacement unit?
I’m hoping I don’t have these issues, it happy to report on them if I do 👍
Thanks again, Nathan.
Nathan, we had it cold in the desert this year, ambient temps were 14-16 degrees with a cold southerly blowing. We tried driving with the bonnet propped open to release heat to no avail. The slow speed driving under load for extended periods shut it down eventually each day. Highway driving (with lots of air flow) was no issue. Lost confidence in the battery after this and opted for a partial refund. It wasn’t a load problem, it was really only running fridge, UHF etc
Also, FYI Ultragauge engine temps ranged between 79-81 degrees.
@@seanfrost5804 Thanks for getting back to me Sean. Hmm, this is sure interesting. I do hope this was a issue with the specific battery, rather than an inherent problem. I can't say that I've experienced anything like this yet, however I'll be hitting the road full time in a couple of months, so I'm sure I'll find out soon enough. Cheers.
Good morning. Love watching your detailed reviews on various products and look forward to seeing you adventures around Aus.
Question I have is what dual battery tray did you install with you itech battery and the heat shield you used. I have just purchased the same battery for my 200 series.
Cheese thanks mate, I hope you enjoy our new series! 👍
So I used the factory battery tray that came with the dual battery system in the LC200 from factory. I have a install video as part of this episode: th-cam.com/video/rXsaCAYvBz0/w-d-xo.html
The heat shield I bought was this one: ebay.us/Ti9ilY
Hope this helps, cheers Nathan.
You just convinced me to put my battery in the engine bay.
Awesome, glad this could be helpful. So far, so good in my experience. More reviews will be released over time 👍
Cheers, Nathan.
Hi Nathan another great report on the progress of the ITechworld lithium you certainly have given it hell, I think when I get around to installing one in the LC200 I will modify the clamp to give me support along the top edge of the battery to prevent the top pulling away can't be good getting water in this area that controls charge etc. Also heat protection will attach with velco. Could you also do a vid showing how you prevented the lithium feeding the second battery? Cheers
Thanks Ian 🙏
Good idea with the extra battery support. Although someone has tightened my one down a little too much, they don't need quite as much pressure as an AGM setup due to their light weight.
I will try and get onto something in regards to the lithium starter setup now. Finally have it working correctly 👍
Great work
Thank you so much 🙏
Great review as always. I would love to get one of these but it just wont fit in my Prado engine bay :-( I wish they made an N70 footprint version.
Great information with these lithium battery videos! How has it held up the past 4 months as your starter battery? I've been looking at the Dakota Lithium 135AH 1000CCA to use as my starter battery for my Tacoma.
Hey mate, so I'm using the 1420CA Pro as my starter battery and still running the 120X as my auxiliary. Both batteries are holding up very well and neither have any issues. 👍
Hi Nathan,
Nice review and infos.
For my understanding there are 2 issues to solve for the lads from itech to make it better work.
1. T avoid carnage the housing must be at least IP 67 or better 68, all those cars with top mount bracket as to find in Oz the housing must be made for it. It’s not there today and to handle the top mount like a raw egg is Not the right way. Vendor Must improve that the case not open and water can go inside. Look to Germany and Europe DIN Norm battery with foot rail mount is the go and Lithium battery vendor now have LiFePo4 batteries with DIN norm cases.
2. BMS in such batteries must have a self start when you hook them up to charge power as well Bluetooth. Guess the same story, back to the drawing board and fix the bms problems..
I am not convinced yet from what is current available in 🇦🇺 and think to let the AGM fullriver inside till it dies and the Lithium batteries in Australia have. Min 1 more evolution round.
Another subject for me is still the underbonnet position and heat and high power charging.
I have a massiv respect for that aspect. I am a trained fire👩🚒 and burned down a work bench with a Lipo battery during charging.
It’s no fun when they are on fire….
With small Lipo batteries for models is easy just put them in a plastic back and then in a SS bucket with 🥶 cold water then you can charge C25.
2 fire safety stick FSS100 in the cab plus a fire retardant blanket should be in any 4 WD today for safety.
Ok, that’s my thoughts, woul be interesting to listen what your audience has on opinions
Safe drive
Cheers
Hi Holger, thanks for your thoughts on the battery 👍 Some very good points there.
I went back and had a look at the spec's and iTechWorld do advertise the battery as IP67, however this is obviously no good once the orange top cap starts to bend away from the main housing.
I do like the idea of a self start function. This would make the battery just that much more convenient to use.
I hear you with your concerns about the heat. I guess I'm hoping to find out exactly how this unit will react to long term exposure. I'm hoping it will last, but it is widely confirmed that lithiums don't like heat.
Your advice regarding fire safety is very important. It these units were to combust, I understand they are hard to put out. No something you want to be dealing with in the bush...
Great review
Cheers mate 👍
Great review Nathan, just wondering where you got the rubber insulation from that you put on the battery thanks in advance
Thanks mate, so the exact product has sold out, but I purchased this material online. Very similar to this listing here: ebay.us/kvgR3b.
Cheers 👍
A metal case around the battery might be a good option instead of the tape if you can find one mate. My battery supplier gave me some from the full river HC series batteries that I then used on the full river DC series batteries under bonnet to help protect them from heat. I’ve had a DCS lithium under bonnet now though for about 15 months with no problems
For sure, something that sits off the battery would be ideal. The only trouble I have with this setup is the space. The battery is right up against the components around it. I'll look into what options are out there though 👍
NICE ONE AGAIN NATHAN .. TECHNOLOGY HAS COME ALONG WAY WHAT WILL WE HAVE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS ..
WHATS YOUR GUT FEELING ON THE BATTERY SAY IN 5 YEARS? ALL THE BEST TOM
It absolutely has! And with so much emphasis placed on the importance of electric vehicles these days, I can only imagine the investment that will be spent on improving battery technology and renewable resourcing.
My gut feeling is mixed. I sincerely hope that this battery holds up to the test of time. Personally I feel as though this battery will last longer and perform better during a longer time period than my AGM, however I also feel as though the lithium battery is a little more vulnerable to faults. Containing a BMS and more electronic circuitry, when comparing to an AGM that consists of only battery cells, there is definitely more that can go wrong.
I try to stay away from opinion and guessing and only report on my findings that I've personally experienced and tested, but there it is anyway 👍
I hope you are keeping well 🙏
As a every day user and avid 4x4 ' er you did a great job on this one giving more than the basic facts for the average 4x4 owner which all your content is about . Look forward to the 5vyear report :) tom
Good followup review Nathan. I had two questions, one of which you answered in your conclusion about not having the heat protection around the battery, so it will be interesting to see if you find any material difference in performance or longevity with it. The other question related to using the 120 was I thought you were also using it for your cranking battery but had removed it due to some charging issues. Had you overcome these and using it again as a crank battery or not? I like your methods of pushing these items to the limit, good work. 👍
Cheers Andrew, glad you enjoyed it.
Yes, will be interesting to see how the next 6 months go and see whether the results are consistent.
So yes, I have re-installed the 1420CA Pro lithium cranking battery back into the cruiser and currently testing this unit. I ended up installing a ignition fed relay to cut power to the Redarc BCDC charger when the vehicle is off. So far it's working perfectly 👍
I'll probably do another followup on this unit either after 6 months or 1 year of use.
Cheers 🙏
@@XploringOz Thanks for that update. Sorry to appear daft, but what does cutting the power to the charger achieve or prevent when the vehicle is switched off?
@@crispyinasia61 No problems, not at all. So because of the higher voltage in the lithium battery the Redarc charger kept trickle charging my auxiliary because it couldn't understand that the starter was a lithium. I explained this issue in this video in more detail - th-cam.com/video/1P2CFuf6c6I/w-d-xo.html
Fitting the relay means that when the ignition is off, the Redarc won't and can't access power from the starter battery. Essentially it's isolating the starter to prevent a flat battery in the morning.
Hope this makes sense, let me know if I can explain anything further 👍
Although not as scientific as your tests mate, my 2 DCS lithium under the bonnet of my 200 have been faultless in the real world for almost 2 years, including heavy winching, heat, corrugations, deep water crossings and the usual accessory loads including charging multiple cameras for filming. Great review. Cheers Steve
Awesome Steve. Great to hear positive experiences and stories from others using lithium in under bonnet applications 👍
Cheers
Cannot beat the DCS
Have a 120x that's installed underbonnet of my FZJ105 Landcruiser which are notorious for having a hot engine bay. Been there since april and the only issue is a slightly more warped case due to over tightening of the battery tie down.
Hasn't let me down yet!!
Awesome, good to hear! Heat was always my biggest concern 😬
Thanks!
Always very highly appreciated Tom 🙏
Many thanks
Good review. How do you rate the JS80 jumper pack? Did you consider the itech2000a portable jump starter?
Hey mate, probably something I'll do a quick 5 minute review on down the track, however here's a couple of things.
The JS80 has performed well, I have started the cruiser from it (flat battery installed) with no issues, so very confident it can do this no problems. Further, I've used it quite a few times to 'jump' the auxiliary lithium, again this is nothing for it and has worked well.
I've jumper two other vehicles (not mine) running standard AGM setups, again no problems here.
I haven't run deep cycle type appliances from it though, things like 12V fridges, I'll probably test this in the future however.
It seems like a capable and handy unit to have, however it's not tiny, but still retains a lightweight.
I did have a drama with a second unit I ordered (ordered a second as sold my first on the road to family 😆). The unit failed immediately upon delivery. I email iTechWorld and they were relatively quick to have it replaced. Took about a week and a half to have anther unit delivered. No problems moving forward.
I haven't had any experience with the 2000A Jump start, but I'd think it would have no problems starting the cruiser. Further, if you just wanted to wake up a flat lithium auxiliary, it could most definitely do this.
Hope this give you a little more info 👍
Cheers, Nathan.
Had my lithium under bonnet for over 3 years no issues at all. Another brand charging with redarc 1240d
Awesome, great news. Good to positive experiences from other 👍
I have a question in regards to the rear seats in the 200 series land cruiser when you remove them do you need to get a engineer certificate to say they have been removed properly and then take that to the registration office and change the rego to 5 seater from a 7 seater otherwise your insurance is not valid is that true?
Hey mate, I can't comment on the insurance side of things, however in Western Australia it's still a bit of a grey area. Modifications need to be certified if they are a permanent modification. My drawers can be removed with 4 bolts and the rear seat re-fitted with another 4. I wouldn't say my setup in a permanent modification. Probably would be helpful to check with your particular insurer in regards to their policy's.
Cheers, Nathan.
As i have just bought the same aux battery,your reviews are reassuring. Question, why not just use the alternator from the car to charge aux do you really need a dc2dc? Cheers and look forward to your next review.
Hey mate, I haven't done much research in charing direct from the alternator. I would probably check with the manufacturer first, just to make sure the internal BMS is rated to accept that current 👍
I fitted one under tray on ute. It filled full of water and BMS failed !!! Its was 9 months ago. It was under there for just under a year. Worked well before failure.
I replaced it with another brand which which performs just as well.
Hey mate, sorry to hear about your experience there. I just got your email, so I'll reply soon 👍
Great video, thanks. A question. I have the 120X lithium battery. It's quoted as 120 amp hours. ITechworld inform me that 15 amp hours are reserved and unavailable, to prevent complete discharge. Therefore, they say that the battery has 105 amp hours available to the user. You stated a couple of times that it has a claimed 96 amp hours. Can you explain this difference between what ITechworld claim and your figure please?
Hey mate, so you are correct there, 120Ah capacity, 105Ah usable. So my quoted 96Ah was from previous documentation that has obviously been changed in recent times. When I purchased my 120X the wording was 20% of the battery total capacity is reserved for protection. 20% of 120 = 24 therefore leaving 96Ah remaining. Since then iTechWorld have updated their claims and now state 105Ah.
I would probably go off what iTechWorld are specifying at the moment, however saying that I was only achieving 99Ah on my brand new battery 👍
Hi Nathan
Interesting review. Just wondering how is the battery performing currently ?
Got a few questions
1. What type /specs of the primary battery you are using? And have you changed the vehicle alternator?
2. Considering that I’m based in the Middle East (Oman) where the weather during summer is on average 40-45C extreme might hit 50C. Obviously the engine bay will be higher. Australia has similar climate in the desert areas. Have you experienced such climate and if so how did the battery perform?
3. I have contacted I tech via instagram unfortunately they don’t have distributors in ME and don’t ship out globally. Do you know any alternative brands with similar performance.
Thanks.
Nathan, I have to ask about your peak discharge test - during which the starter battery voltage dropped to 12.0V. That means your DC-DC charger was pulling current (maybe 40A) from the starting battery while you were running the accessories from the Lithium. Why is it so? Thanks for the good honest videos.
Morning Phil, so this is probably something I should have explained in the video. It’s just the way my Victron is wired up 🤦♂️ the batteries are the wrong way around.
The starter is the aux and vice versa. So although confusing, I’m used to it and this should make more sense.
Sorry for the confusion 🙏
Cheers, Nathan.
@@XploringOz if I understand correctly how you have wired that up then the victron shunt won't be calculating power correctly. It is possible that this also affects other readings and other functions in general.
@@XploringOz Thanks Nathan, I understand now!
How's the 1420CA cranking battery going? That's the one that piqued my interest. The 120X is being used in quite a different way to how the 1420CA would be. The thermal insulation would invalidate any temperature / degradation tests really, but if people are aware they can do it, perhaps that is a counter argument. The alternator would be saved by the DC-DC charger on the 120X too. It wouldn't be roasting itself when the engine is at low RPM trying to satisfy the demands of a flat, or even half discharged, lifepo4 battery.
For sure, I agree with you there in regards to the charging protection on the 120X and the thermal insulation. I guess these are points that need to be considered if using one of these batteries in similar circumstances to me.
In regards to he 1420CA, it's still going well at this stage. It's only been testing for a couple of months at this stage, however no major issues yet 👍
Still plenty of testing to be conducted though...
Just a quick question did you get the Itechworld cranking battery working correctly or still a work in progress?
I would like to know also how it as starter/cracking battery performance and durability as well. Thank you
Hey guys, so yes I did get that 1420CA Pro lithium battery back into the cruiser.
I didn't take my chances with the new setup on the Pilbara - Chasing Adventure series, however now that I'm back, the battery has been re-installed. A ignition fed relay was installed cutting power to the BCDC charger when the vehicle is off and so far it has been working well.
I'll do a review on this unit down the track once I have some more testing under my belt 👍
@@XploringOz I had a swap out itech lithium starter battery that has now been replaced with a century lead acid
After 2 years my new starter motor died, I’m guessing it was all those extra cranking amps overloading it
Also the dcdc charger does not work with this battery unless you get a voltage regulator, unfortunately most die at temps above 60
I can’t afford to have my car not start in some remote location, so it’s back to lead acid for now
My aux batteries are lithium so far so good
@@michaelhermans4753 power and current will NEVER over supply. Thats can only be under supply. Some fundamental of physics need to be learn ya.
@@mozilla0119 just buying into comments here.
I can understand thoughts that lithium starter battery may have been cause of starter motor failure, as when I installed mine, my immediate thought was "what's that going to do to my starter motor" as the cranking speed is greatly enhanced, but in theory it shouldn't be a issue, but the thought was there.
4 months experience only this far for myself, but swear by my Itech 1420CA as cold weather starts are instant. I too seperate my Itech 1420CA from the Redarc BCDC by a ignition activated relay, working wonderfully well. My 3 X Itech 54amp (162amp) auxiliary batteries have performed flawlessly since installing them 9 months ago.
Absolutely wrapped in my choice to go 100% Itech lithium, expensive but perform flawlessly and recharge soo quickly.
Where did you buy the heat proof wrap for the battery?
Hey mate, I just got it online: ebay.us/Ti9ilY
How well Do these batteries charge via non lithium profile dcdc chargers like stated by the manufacturer
Hey mate, this would depend on the charger's profile settings. I briefly talked about this in my first lithium battery video. For example the Redarc BCDC1240 AGM profile A would be fine charging the lithium as the float and absorption rates are very, very similar. However I also ascertained that charging profiles B & C would not work as they hit the maximum charging rate of 15V, which the lithium BMS won't accept.
It would just pay to check the charger's specifications and then compare these values to a lithium charging rate (maybe use the Redarc BCDC lithium profile as a guide).
Cheers, Nathan.
You don't need to wrap it. Just get some heat shield and make a bit of a barrier to block the corner of the engine bay off where the battery is
For sure, can do this too. I just found it easier to have some adhesive on the battery rather than trying to fabricate a shield around this very tight area. The shield would probably work a little better though with some space between the barrier and the battery 👍
You stated earlier that your AGM was a 70Ah so it did perform as rated.
So the AGM is officially a 105Ah battery, the ~70Ah refers to the 'usable amp hours that can be drawn from the unit. The lithium is a 120Ah that provides 99Ah, so much better efficiency and better capacity in a similar sized unit.
It might be worth getting a lead acid battery after 6 months of similar use and doing the discharge test.
I suspect you'll find the capacity is significantly reduced as it will have gone flat a few times...
Not a bad idea, would be quite hard to keep the variable constant between the two, but you are right. Research would indicate that the AGM would be effected more significantly by total discharge, when compared with the lithium 👍
AGM batteries also lose shape due to over tightening i’ve noticed.
For sure, they absolutely too. This being said, the AGM's generally need to be secured a little tighter than the lithiums due to their heavier weight and potential energy. 👍
built a 4kwh (280ah) lifepo4 battery for my car for 320 bucks to replace my 15 year old AGM battery. replacment agm battery was 260 bucks so... not really that much different in price. lead acid batteries are monopolized here in the US, theyre made from 100% recycled lead by one company who basically gets the materials for next to nothing and then raises the price a flat 10% every year just because they can. remember the old days when you could refurbish car batteries? theres a reason you cant any more.
So can this run in the engine bay directly from the alternator? With a 4x4 like the 200 run 2 together.
No. See Victron’s TH-cam video on what happens to alternator when connected directly to a lithium battery.
@@filla5019 nothing if the battery is designed for it.... is multiple brands of underhood direct replacement lithium now.
@@filla5019 found it atlast.... it's under bonnet rated but only for non cranking.
Some bold claims as the best battery yet needs heat shelding and non cranking....
Hey mate, so this 120X model is designed to be used as an auxiliary battery only, however I do have a lithium cranking unit to. I have the iTechWorld 1420CA Pro lithium cranking battery and this is directly plug and play. It is charged from the alternator and the current is managed through the battery's internal BMS.
I'm still in the testing period of this battery and will be sure to provide updates down the track once I'm happy with my findings.
Cheers 👍
@@XploringOz cool will have a look at that model.
I really want duel cranking that are load/voltage cut off like DCS ones. But there price is extremely high for not a long warranty or battery that keeps being discontinue as has issues....
Lithium batteries don,t have on board vattery chargers they have a BMS too control the charging profile and shut down the battery so the cells don,t get damaged by being over discharged
Yes I agree, I realise now I could have presented this a little better. I was referring to the vehicles (Landcruiser's) on-board battery charger, being the REDARC BCDC1240D. Apologies for the confusion 🙏
Cheers, Nathan.
how about use LiFePO4 battery as starter battery?
I've got the lithium cranking battery installed now. Still testing and reviewing at the moment, but seems to be performing as expected 👍
@@XploringOz wait for your review ya
Have got extra batteries in the rear of the vehicle
Hey mate, negative. This under bonnet battery is the only auxiliary.
Cheers, Nathan.
Wh is a better measurement of energy especially when comparing batteries of different voltage and discharge characteristics. I think people are a little obsessed with "amps" 😉
Mate I agree entirely! I have tried to explain this and demonstrate it's advantages in previous video, specifically the Bluetti power station reviews, however this is not what the people want 😆
I think that the 'amp' measurement is so entrenched into today's electrical terminology, the watt hour measurement has been forgotten about.
Sorry to say but your test using the Victron shunt is giving you incorrect readings as you have the battery Voltage wires connected on the shunt the wrong way around.
Shunt needs the correct voltage to calculate the Amps.
Amps/watts shown in your test are not accurate. Can see this by dividing watts by voltage, doesn't match the amp output.
Hey mate, I probably should have clarified this in the video. My battery is wired up to reflect the ‘starter battery’ on the app.
As you can see, this shows 12.05V at 1622W and equals 134A. Obviously there is power loss in the regulatory system and circuitry, however this should make more sense. 👍
Apologies for the confusion 🙏
@@XploringOz your missing the point. 1622watts is a false measurement. That's not the actual power you are using. The shunt needs the correct voltage, that's how it calculates the power.
A shunt is simply a known fixed resistance. If you measure the voltage difference accross it you can calculate the Amps. By having the battery voltage connected the wrong way around, your watt/amps are not a real reading.
Swap it over, will most likely show your DCDC is actually outputing 40a
Has anyone noticed how similar this battery looks to the ‘Chins’ battery🤷🏻
Similar to most LiFePO4 batteries I've seen!
A
👍🍺❤️🇦🇺
Good review but very one sided. You need to do some more research on the product where a number of forums have tested the claim of these batteries only to find that they aren't what they are cracked up to be.
Ahh, yes the forums... Maybe it's not one sided, maybe it's just worked and been reliable through all the testing that I've done? I personally can't fault the battery in the last 6 months. My testing shows the usable amps and I'm happy with the result. If I wasn't, I would have mentioned something here.
I don't know why everyone is getting on board with this 'not full 120 capacity' movement. These batteries need to keep reserve power to provide power to the BMS to prevent loss of firmware that controls the unit.
Further, have a look at any AGM, Calcium or traditional battery. My old FullRiver AGM battery was advertised as a 105A battery, I only got 74 usable amps from it @ 12V. No one says anything about this?
The battery is 120A capacity, with a useable ~105A, my one 99A.
They are a great battery that produces way more power at higher rates than any AGM could ever possibly deliver and I'm not complaining about a couple of amps.
If it dies tomorrow, then I'll create a video and present my results on the channel. I'm not sponsored or pressured to produce positive content for iTechWorld, however if it works and performs exactly as I expect it to, then my review will reflect this.
They are supposed to be 105 usable a/h
Wouldn't you be disappointed if you purchased a 105ah battery and it only has 99ah brand new???
I think they are supposed to be 105Ah capacity, however they require reserves levels to ensure the BMS doesn’t power off.
Cheers, Nathan.
@@XploringOz No they are supposed to be 120a/h batteries with 105 usable down to 10v
It's a marketing lie, advertised as 120 ah but stated in the fine print as 105 ah 'usable'. In reality you would be lucky to get 100 ah of capacity.
Not a bad battery just misleading information.
@@12v_obsession92 I understand where you are coming from, however may I ask why this only seems to be an issue with lithium batteries? My FullRiver American made, quality AGM deep cycle battery is a 105 amp hour, yet I only receive 74 amp hours from it due to the chemical makeup and design. No one seems to care about the AGM, calcium, lead acid market. Why does this not apply to lithium chemistry? Yes, the capacity is a 120 amp hour battery, however power reserves and account for power loss through circuits still needs to be accounted for in order to maintain the BMS and safe operational order.
Either way, the value for money in regards to the capacity compared to size and weight and the power that can be drawn at 12V is still leaps and bounds ahead of other more traditional battery makeups.
Should we start berating the traditional battery manufacturers for their 'misleading information' too?
Why are you so surprised when lithium batteries are designed to work for many many years?
Why, because lithium batteries and widely known not to be effective, safe or reliable in hot environments like under bonnet applications. Although they warrant this, its still generic technology that suffers from the same issues as everyone else and it's performing well 👍
Don’t tell Harry from fire to fork they’re any good.
He's not a fan? Or had a bad experience?
@@XploringOz he said something like they're cheap junk or something along those lines. I've learnt to only trust independent reviews from people like you. Love your stuff!
I've got the 120X as well. I tried running a Kmart induction cooker off a kings 1500w inverter on a 2 week camping trip. The battery did cut out once, boiling a pot of water at 1600w setting on the cooker. I assume it overheated because that was pushing it very hard. It was fine after 15 mins.
@@tbmich1976 Hmm, yeah that's interesting. It would be interesting to hear whether he's developed that opinion from rumours around the market, personal bad experience or perhaps he's sponsored by another company...
It is only early days for me at this stage and if they do fail or something goes horribly wrong I won't be afraid to report back. Here's hoping that it continues to perform though 🤞
Thanks, mate, glad you enjoy to channel 👍
@@tbmich1976 1600w would be about 150 amps out of your battery assuming 13volts and inverter about 80% efficient. Probably pushing it a bit hard?
If you don't open the battery to see how it's built this video means nothing.
Grow up
Well you failed to show the real puff daddy..... so your comment means nothing 🤣
Also is other videos of battery opening. Looking at the guts shows nothing compared to real life testing like this.
If u buy me 1, I will cut it up for u
Oh man!! Alot of donkeys here!
Yeah he did a capacity test...quite poorly though. And without opening to see how it's built the next test may be the one where the battery blows up due to dodgy Chinese manufacturing. The TH-cam channel DIY solar power with Will is a good one to watch to see how and why it should be done.
Ok, I disagree with the video meaning nothing, but as someone who wishes to see this kind of testing, what specifically would you like to see within the unit?
Opening the unit up will show us cells, circuitry and the quality of wiring however if it's all working correctly in reasonably difficult testing conditions, what will this achieve?
Further, I'm not against dissembling the battery and perhaps it's on my schedule in the future, however not something I'm going to destroy a battery for when its only 6 months old 🤷♂️ Still plenty of testing ahead and if/when the battery does finally give up, maybe this will give a better appreciation for the internal workings?
Cheers, Nathan.