Lithium Battery Revives After Months of Inactivity—Possible BMS Reset?

[IBTripping]

I'd installed a Newtipower 12 volt 300 ah battery on my travel trailer. It worked find for a few months and then gave an error message on its screen monitor. I tried everything to wake up the BMS. Nothing worked. So, I set it aside and didn't get back to it for about 3 months. Today, when I was carrying the heavy thing to my truck to take it to the hazardous disposal site, the screen showed no error message. My lithium battery monitor showed it is working fine and near full. So, I fixed it by ignoring it. Maybe the threat of taking it to the dump scared it into working.

In the mean time, I had installed a Humsienk 12 volt 280 ah lithium battery which Will Prowse had given the company positive reviews. I'll keep the old one as a spare. That along with my other batteries and power stations gives me way more capacity than I'm ever likely need or use, over 15 kilowatts.

 

[Derby6]

Yep it’s official. UBTripping.

 

[Lou Schneider]

I had the same thing happen with my microwave - I accidently ran it with nothing inside and it died. After several attempts at trying to revive it I unplugged it and went shopping for a new one. I didn't see anything I liked so when I got back home I decided to try the old one one more time - I plugged it in and it started right up and has been running flawlessly ever since.

I later found out that some self resetting circuit breakers stay locked out unless power is removed for several minutes. They have a small heating element that keeps the breaker open unless you unplug the device long enough for it to cool down. They're mainly used in electric heaters so if the heater gets knocked over or has it's airflow obstructed and overheats they'll stay off instead of the heater cycling on and tripping the breaker again.

 

[DonTom]

They have a small heating element that keeps the breaker open unless you unplug the device long enough for it to cool down.

I discovered the same thing in a vacuum cleaner. They are very slow to reset, took many hours.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[RayIN]

What was that battery temperature when you noticed the error message, and temperature when it did not show the message?

 

[garyb1st]

Works for me. Will save a lot of time researching various fixes. Anyone care to suggest a time period?

 

[John From Detroit]

That "hold open" circuit breaker saved me a hair cut or two as well (You pull it out you don't need to cut it) till I figured it out. Mine was the dash HEVAC blower.. what's worse the fuse block said it was a fuse (Clearly labled heater) not a Short Stop Breaker (Aux circuit) They hooked to the wrong terminal

 

[IBTripping]

What was that battery temperature when you noticed the error message, and temperature when it did not show the message?

I think it was in the 30s as I remember. Battery is supposed to have a low temperature cut off. Your question makes me wonder if the shut off activated and the BMS forgot to turn it back on. I worked on it for over a week before I set the battery aside.