Imagine exploring the beautiful, rugged landscape of the United States from your van when—crickets—you’re off-grid. Although the untapped silence might be exactly what you set out to find, what happens if you have troubleshooting questions about your Expion360 lithium battery? Lucky for you, our team of expert technicians is always a phone call away. But if you need some quick help to get started, we’ve detailed the top five troubleshooting questions and answers.
Ongoing Support For Your Expion360 Lithium Battery
When we started the company, we wanted to differentiate ourselves through our premium Expion360 lithium battery and exceptional customer support. We proudly have a team of U.S.-based technicians ready to answer any and all customer questions.
We also know that our customers are go-getters, always digging deep for the best products, resources, and tools. So to support this thirst for education, we’ve created a robust customer resource page that includes warranty information, product registration, spec sheets, manuals, and more.
But if you’re in a pinch and need help now, start with these top five questions.
Weather & Temperature
At what temperature do I need to charge/discharge my Expion360 lithium battery? Are they weatherproof?
The charging temperatures of our batteries range from 32 ℉ to 140℉ (0 to 60 C). The discharge range is -4 ℉ to 140 ℉ (-20 C to 60 C). At 140℉, the battery will automatically shut down for safety. And, if you have amperage going into the battery, that will shut down at 32℉. However, if resting or amperage is drawn, the shutdown will occur at -4 ℉.
Additionally, our Group 24 and Group 27 battery cases have an IP66 (ingress protection) rating. This weatherproofs our batteries from total dust ingress and high-pressure water jets from any direction. Our batteries are not meant for total liquid immersion.
Proper Battery Wiring
Should I wire my batteries in series or parallel?
The answer depends on the application itself. Wiring in parallel maintains the same voltage as each identical with the addition of the current rating of each battery. Wiring in series adds the voltage of each identical battery but maintains the same current rating.
To determine the correct wiring process, refer to your application’s voltage and current requirements. Please note this could mean a combination of series and parallel wiring.
Battery Bank Attachments
Does it matter where I attach my inverter leads in a 4-battery bank? What about battery bank limits?
We commonly see customers making the mistake of wiring parallel banks of batteries. As a rule of thumb, if you connect positive and negative system leads to one end of a parallel connected battery bank, your battery can become overworked and overcharged. In comparison, the battery on the opposite end of the chain will be undercharged.
The banks have a four-battery limit, but if wired correctly, there’s technically no limit to parallel connections. We recommend that you limit ten batteries in parallel per string of batteries. However, it’s crucial that you never mix batteries of different ages, sizes, or manufacturers within a bank.
Discharging Expion360 Lithium Batteries
Is it true I will cause permanent damage if I don’t stop discharging at 50% SOC?
Your Expion360 lithium battery can be discharged down to 9.5V DC. This equates to 100 percent of its amp hour rating without long-term effect. And ultimately, means a more efficient battery built for the long run. However, if you adjust your charging and discharging to utilize an 80 percent depth of discharge, you can increase the battery’s life cycles.
Replacing Lead Acid With Lithium-Ion
Can I hook up my Expion360 lithium battery the same way I did my lead acid battery?
Replacing a lead acid with a lithium battery is not necessarily an exact swap. We suggest verifying every installation's wiring configuration and performance capacity for optimal safety. If you have improper wire sizing or loose fittings, it can cause poor performance or even hazardous conditions (such as fire risk due to overheating). Please also verify the other components in your system to make sure they’re sized correctly for the amount of current your new E360 batteries provide.
