How fast can you charge this type of battery?

[alban]

Hi
Q for the electrical engineers - amateur or pro.
Considering buying a LiFePO4 batt 36v 10AH. 36V-10Ah-LiFePO4 It's a pouch type. The manufacturer's data on the specific model says 'Speed up charge:5A (Invariance)' and also gives the Standard charge at 2A - the latter 2A fig. the supplier states also. I want to be able to charge the batt as quickly as poss when out and about, say at a pub. Otherwise charge at home at 2A. So,
1. Is it poss to charge the batt at 4A with a standard LiFePO4 4A charger now and then without harming the batt - or me!?
2. Is there a special type of charger required rather than the bog standard ones you can obtain?
3. What's the 'Invariance' bit mean? To do with constant current rather than pulsed or something? I've read a bit but it's as clear as mud to me!
Thanks

 

[jerrysimon]

Quite frankly I think you would be better off buying one locally (I assume you are in the UK) from Kudos

.: Kudos Cycles - e-bikes with style :.

You will get better support, a proper guarantee and be able to return it easier if needed.

I can fast charge my larger A123s (Cylindrical LifeP04) at 10amps though higher life cycles are achieved if you charge them slower.

I am not familiar with specific BMS technology but do these circuits restrict charge current ?

PS that battery looks very simlar to the Kudos one in terms of the controller fitting at the end ?


Regards

Jerry

 

[Scottyf]

In theory yes you can fast charge the battery.
If its 5amp fast charge then it should allow up to a 0.5c charge rate.

If the BMS as detaioled above actually lets it.

But as long as the new charger is at the correct voltage and higher amperage it will work.

 

[JuicyBike]

It might be worth considering that the slowest "part" of the charge is always the final part.

For a 4 hour complete charge, the first 30 mins of charging provides a third of the capacity of the battery (approx), first hour provides half, next 2 hours only another third and it takes the most time to "fill" the last little bit of charge.

 

[alban]

Thanks all. Actually it was Kudos I was going to get it from Jerry as it's that model but I didn't make that clear! Just wanted to see if I could charge it faster than they advertised.
I suppose the BMS could maybe limit it to 2A but if it did why would they put that bit about 'Speed-up charge 5A' I wonder?