FAQs

Hub Lion lithium batteries contain a BMS (battery management system) that is the brain of the battery.  This system needs to go into sleep mode while your vehicle or boat is in storage in order to ensure that it doesn’t continually drain the battery’s energy while in storage.  The best way to ensure that the batteries do not drain while in storage is to:

1. disconnect the battery or batteries from the electrical system via a battery disconnect switch (assuming no loads circumvent this switch) or
2. disconnect the positive wire from all of the batteries or
3. if the batteries are easy to access and remove, remove the batteries from the vehicle and store indoors until the next use.

BMS – SOC mis-calibration

Over time, it is common for a lithium battery’s built-in BMS to become inaccurate, where it displays a % State-of-charge (SOC) that is different than what is actually in its cells. This can be caused by a number of normal factors such as:

• Coulomb counting errors / margin of measuring accuracy
• Cell age & condition
• Temperature-related effects on capacity
• Self-discharge (internal within the cells)

Fortunately, it is very easy to re-calibrate the BMS so that it once again displays an accurate SOC. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Warm battery to room temperature (if cold)
2. Charge the battery fully using a compatible lithium battery charger until internal voltage of 14.4 to 14.6V is achieved (bulk and absorption charge should be set between 14.4 and 14.6V.)

Once the battery has been completely discharged and recharged using the steps above, the SOC displayed by the BMS should read close-to, or at 100%.

Multi-battery installations – SOC’s are not the same across all my batteries

It is normal, under certain circumstances, for lithium batteries within a battery bank to display different SOC’s. The reasons can include:

• Battery bank contains batteries of different ages, condition, capacities, models, or brands
• SOC mis-calibration (as noted above in BMS – SOC mis-calibration)
• Differences in wiring and connection resistance throughout the battery array
• Temperature differences across a battery array (especially when internal heating is activated)

The procedure to re-calibrate the batteries and BMS’s is the same as before, and ideally should be done to each battery individually.

1. Warm each battery to room temperature (if cold)
2. Charge the battery fully using a compatible lithium battery charger until internal voltage of 14.4 to 14.6V is achieved (bulk and absorption charge should be set between 14.4 and 14.6V.)

Battery Model	Battery Voltage	Bulk Charge	Absorption Charge	Float Charge
HUB AGM	6V	7.3V	7.3V	6.85V
HUB AGM	12V	14.7V	14.7V	13.6V
HUB CARBON	6V	7.3V	7.3V	6.85V
HUB CARBON	8V	9.73V	9.73V	9.13V
HUB CARBON	12V	14.6V	14.6V	13.7V
HUB LION	12V	14.4V	14.6V	14.0V
HUB LION	24V	28.8V	29.2V	28.6V
HUB LION	51V	56.8V	58.4V	57.6V

It depends on the amount of current being drawn from the battery. You can use the following table as a starting point.

 

 

Part Nos	Discharge Rate	FV	Discharge Time in Mins	Discharge Time in Mins @ 10.5V Cut-Off (HP Vers)	Notes
HUB LEAD CARBON
HC6-220	75A	10.5	120	117	discharge in pairs (6V x 2)
HC6-240	75A	10.5	150	146	discharge in pairs (6V x 2)
HC6-420	75A	10.5	240	247	discharge in pairs (6V x 2)
HC12-75	75A	10.5	25	24
HC12-100	75A	10.5	35	32
HC12-115	75A	10.5	40	37
HC12-140	75A	10.5	45	44
HC12-250	75A	10.5	150	137
HUB AGM
HBGC2-220	75A	10.5	120	110	discharge in pairs (6V x 2)
HBL16-420	75A	10.5	240	233	discharge in pairs (6V x 2)
HB27-100	75A	10.5	35	32
HB31-120	75A	10.5	40	37
HBGC2-170	75A	10.5	90	82
HB8D-260	75A	10.5	120	117
HB4D-200	75A	10.5	90	87

All the battery charge algorithms for charger / shunt / battery monitor / shunt settings in a chart – for Hub LiOn / Hub Carbon / Hub AGM – for the various setting(s) :

• Bulk
• Absorb
• Float
• Temperature compensation (calculated out by common bank voltage : 12 / 24 / 48
• Any of those other settings that appear in various Victron (and/or Halcon) product menu’s. – See notes & screen-caps on right side (and scroll down, there’s more than one) of Hub Carbon vendor page in OneNote