Heater for Lifepo4 battery

[GeraldTheBonzai]

Looking for an opinion. I recently switched out my AGM batteries on my solar for a Lifepo4 battery. It has built in temperature protection - cuts off at -20C and can take a charge >= 0C. However it doesn't have a heater. The setup is outside, in a south facing shed.

So am in two minds. We never (in memory) get down to -20 or any where near it down here. However we often drop below 0. I want to be able to charge the bank over winter should we get any sun. As such, am thinking of adding on / building a heater (12v 25w gel pad). But not sure if this is overkill. Might be easier to just wait for the battery to warm up naturally.

Anyone got any experience of lifepo4 in cold environments?

[Yorkshire Andy]

Stick in diesel heater in the shed

They run on 12 v and sip diesel when on

I've a 2kw in my shed side mounted it soon warms it up 8x7ft pent shed the roof is insulated with 25mm celotex

[GeraldTheBonzai]

Was considering a diesel heater. From what I can see, they only use a few amps when up and running. Also occurred to me that, if the heater was outside and venting outside, could potentially use it as an alternative heat source, if the hot air was routed into the house. However not sure about emissions.

[ForgeCorvus]

Diesel heaters are often used in boats, trucks and assorted living vans, if they're set up correctly there should be no issues

[rik_uk3]

Lifepo4 batteries will discharge down to -20c but charging them below 0c can damage them. Insulate the batteries with polystyrene sheets and you can pick up silicone heat pads very cheap off ebay (less than a tenner) but they do draw about 80w-100w.

The cheapo diesel heaters work well, I've two, the first one is a few years old and cost me about £125, the second heater a few months back was under £80

[Yorkshire Andy]

Was considering a diesel heater. From what I can see, they only use a few amps when up and running. Also occurred to me that, if the heater was outside and venting outside, could potentially use it as an alternative heat source, if the hot air was routed into the house. However not sure about emissions.

[GeraldTheBonzai]

I eventually went down the road of some gel 12V pads and a couple of w1209's