Maximum recommended cell size.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by GILow

Thanks guys, I'll see if the budget can extend to those brands.

Look up Julia Yu on the forum. She has the highest reputation and sells Winston cells from Hong Kong. Often people get together to share shipping costs.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Look up Julia Yu on the forum. She has the highest reputation and sells Winston cells from Hong Kong. Often people get together to share shipping costs.

On this forum?

[Wotname]

^^ Username Winston Batteries

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...re-231221.html

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Wotname

^^ Username Winston Batteries



https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...re-231221.html

Hmmm... a clue in the name I think?

Thanks mate.

[rabbi]

From a performance perspective Eve are top tier IF you can find a supplier selling genuine A grade cells.
Not if you buy the cheap stuff sold as eve without qr codes and without test report
They just have a different (more fragile) cell form factor than winston.

Winston has a good marketing especially in the yachting area and here on CF. But you pay for that.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by rabbi

From a performance perspective Eve are top tier IF you can find a supplier selling genuine A grade cells.

Not if you buy the cheap stuff sold as eve without qr codes and without test report

They just have a different (more fragile) cell form factor than winston.



Winston has a good marketing especially in the yachting area and here on CF. But you pay for that.

I have found what appears to be a legitimate vendor of Eve cells here in Australia. He claims to be selling new cells, but what are called storage grade. He says they are cells that have failed quality control in China for electric vehicles. All new, all QR coded and all wth warranty.

In his favour is that he is somebody who actually answers the phone when you call him. Something that is increasingly rare these days. He also has a physical address that checks out.

On balance, I think I trust what he is selling.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by GILow

I have found what appears to be a legitimate vendor of Eve cells here in Australia. He claims to be selling new cells, but what are called storage grade. He says they are cells that have failed quality control in China for electric vehicles. All new, all QR coded and all wth warranty.

In his favour is that he is somebody who actually answers the phone when you call him. Something that is increasingly rare these days. He also has a physical address that checks out.

On balance, I think I trust what he is selling.

Really?! Omg

Have you heard of fake QR codes?

I recommend you search Youtube for the Australian offgrid garage channel. He has done many reviews of these.

The manufacturers only put QR codes on cells that meet quality requirements. When you can buy such cells, they are 2nd hand. Factory rejects are faulty cells, deemed good enough to sell to people who want cheap.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by GILow

I have found what appears to be a legitimate vendor of Eve cells here in Australia. He claims to be selling new cells, but what are called storage grade. He says they are cells that have failed quality control in China for electric vehicles. All new, all QR coded and all wth warranty.

In his favour is that he is somebody who actually answers the phone when you call him. Something that is increasingly rare these days. He also has a physical address that checks out.

On balance, I think I trust what he is selling.

There is no such thing as "storage grade" cells. Cells either pass or fail. One of the things that I think keeps EVE out of the top tier is the uncertainty of the supply chain. I firmly believe that some "Grade A" suppliers in the US just buy a lot of 500 or 1000 cells off Alibaba, run capacity tests to make sure they appear as grade A, print some test sheets, and call them Grade A. And they support the grade A claim because the supplier they bought them from claimed them grade A.

And 100% certain, "grade A" suppliers in China do this. There are videos floating around that show them ripping off the blue shrink, laser etching over top of the QR code, either etching a new code or putting a sticker on it, then rewrapping in new shrink and a new plastic top cover. The cells look brand new, but who knows the history?

There are claims that EVE _ONLY_ cells new cells to auto manufactures, and that any EVE cell you buy is either a used auto cell (perhaps never used, but once sold to an auto manufacturer and then not ever installed in a car) or reject cells that EVE sells to dealers at low prices in China, and are then resold as whatever they want to call them.

Others claim that isn't true, and that EVE sells new cells to suppliers that will sell them to the US market. The problem is that no one can really prove one way or another. There are enough middle men involved that many dealers can't even know for sure.

And they are all shipping in cardboard boxes. My Calb cells arrived in a crate, with the shipping paperwork attached that the crate left the CALB factory, direct to the supplier I bought it from, and then on to me. And it had all the CALB paperwork and test data inside. There was no repacking into smaller cardboard boxes. I believe Winston cells are shipped the same way, but never having bought them I can't confirm it.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by rabbi

From a performance perspective Eve are top tier IF you can find a supplier selling genuine A grade cells.
Not if you buy the cheap stuff sold as eve without qr codes and without test report
They just have a different (more fragile) cell form factor than winston.

Winston has a good marketing especially in the yachting area and here on CF. But you pay for that.

In the US Current Connected is one of the few honest cell suppliers with US inventory. They sell EVE, CATL, CALB and Ganfeng, plus Victron, RECBMS and they are the USImporters for SOK. While Winston Cells are excellent, CATL (one of the biggestLFP makers in the world) and EVE make excellent cells if you don't get rejects and you install them correctly..

[GILow]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Really?! Omg



Have you heard of fake QR codes?



I recommend you search Youtube for the Australian offgrid garage channel. He has done many reviews of these.



The manufacturers only put QR codes on cells that meet quality requirements. When you can buy such cells, they are 2nd hand. Factory rejects are faulty cells, deemed good enough to sell to people who want cheap.

Yes, I’ve watched offgrid garage’s videos and he is saying exactly the same thing as the Australian reseller.

His results are perfectly acceptable to me. When it comes to $ per useable kWh these batteries are stacking up well. Of course I’d love to have the absolute best but there are other places on the boat where my money would be better spent.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by GILow

Yes, I’ve watched offgrid garage’s videos and he is saying exactly the same thing as the Australian reseller.

His results are perfectly acceptable to me. When it comes to $ per useable kWh these batteries are stacking up well. Of course I’d love to have the absolute best but there are other places on the boat where my money would be better spent.

I seem to remember that the qr codes were fake…

[UFO]

Originally Posted by wholybee

I think the top tier would be Winston, Calb, and Sinopoly. Eve might be the top of the cheaper cells that share the same 280Ah form factor. I would consider EVE 280Ah cells, but prefer one of the top tier. I wouldn't consider any other brand of 280Ah cells.

I agree with Jedi, 4 cells in series at the capacity you need is the preferred route. Not always possible, but that would be the ideal.

I installed the 280 Eve a couple of years ago (1120Ah 12V in total) and have circumnavigated Australia with them and they have not missed a beat


At the price difference between EVE and Winston, I think EVE is a no brainer - They will certainly outlast my ownership of the boat!


I clamped them between two sections of marine ply, reinforced on the outside with metal strips - Ran threaded rods and tightened them up to clamp the batteries.


I think you can get EVE 300Ah or maybe even 320Ah now?

[GILow]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I seem to remember that the qr codes were fake…

Can you point me to that episode? I’ve watched the three videos I could find from him that specifically mention his experience and there was no mention of fake codes.

He had one cell that has been problematic from the start but is still going ok after four years..

[GILow]

Originally Posted by UFO

I installed the 280 Eve a couple of years ago (1120Ah 12V in total) and have circumnavigated Australia with them and they have not missed a beat


At the price difference between EVE and Winston, I think EVE is a no brainer - They will certainly outlast my ownership of the boat!


I clamped them between two sections of marine ply, reinforced on the outside with metal strips - Ran threaded rods and tightened them up to clamp the batteries.


I think you can get EVE 300Ah or maybe even 320Ah now?

I would love to see more of your battery build.

FWIW, 280AH cells seem to be the sweet spot in Australia at the moment. Can’t speak for other countries.

[UFO]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

In the US Current Connected is one of the few honest cell suppliers with US inventory. They sell EVE, CATL, CALB and Ganfeng, plus Victron, RECBMS and they are the USImporters for SOK. While Winston Cells are excellent, CATL (one of the biggestLFP makers in the world) and EVE make excellent cells if you don't get rejects and you install them correctly..

You can buy EVE directly from the factory in China and import them yourself. Its a much cheaper way to go as you are not getting the middle man massive markup.