KINGS lithium Battery combo - a legit fire hazard?

Hi all,
Today I picked up the Kings 12V 100Ah Lithium Battery + Battery Box combo
www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/batt...
lithium-battery-battery-box-small.html
Upon shooting a basic whats in the box first look at the items, this quickly turned into a warning video for those of you who purchase the same or a similar combo deal from kings.
Whilst there are no issues with either product individually, however the box itself is very cheaply made.
It's the combination of the 2 items as a bundled from the 4x4 super centre that has issues.
As you will see in the video, the battery is capable of delivering 100A output continuously.
The battery box however, has wiring which connects directly to the battery terminals that is only capable of handling 45A.
There is also no protection on this same wire.
If a customer were to draw over that 45A that the supplied battery is more than capable of , this would heat the wire and depending on how long the load runs for, could very easily start a fire.
Whilst I very much dislike being negative with products and only like to share items I'm happy with and like to promote, this information needs to be out there, so customers can manage their expectations of this combo and avoid a possible fire hazard inside their vehicles.

[@camjohnson2004]

Ok so couple of things, first off nice review. 1) 30A fuse of 30A wire. While the wire is stated to be 30A max, that is the the safety rating and not the cables ACTUAL load carrying capacity. In fact that wire can handle around 36A, the rating has to be below the wires failure point, so yes 30A is pushing it, but it won't melt providing the fuse does it job (some don't). 2) Replacing the 30A fuse with a 50A fuse. Now yes i can totally understand your concerns with people slapping a 50A fuse on the Anderson plug lines, however, in the standard blade fuse size, which that blade fuse is, 30A is the max. If you wanted 40A or greater you have to go up to the larger fuse size, which will not physically fit into that plus, so that fear is mitigated. The thing i have an issue with is the 8AWG cable used from the battery. As you stated that cable can only carry 48Amps. This means that you can't use every single plug/socket on that box all at once. If you use both Anderson plugs at the same at MAX capacity (30A) then you will be drawing 60A off a 48A wire, not a good scenario there. 3) Residual voltage. When you set the isolation switch and you detected the residual voltage that would have been coming from the USB chargers as they have capacitors on them to keep the voltage smooth and ripple free.

[@DENMONKEY]

Hey cam, All valid responses and thanks for taking the time.hoping I can remember them and respond at the same time, so I'm trying to recall on the fly as I type. Re the fuses, I've seen quite a few incidents where these cheap blade fuses that are now on the market are not blowing at their stated rating. Some even going twice their rating before doing so. Assuming the location of production and continuing with the standard of the item, my expectation is the fuse would not work as required and the wire would not handle it's rated current ... You know the result 😁 again, all assumptions here outside of the info in the video. I can tell you though that I do have some 40A blade fuses in my stash. I believe they came from an old battery charger if I recall. I don't think I've even seen anything higher than that though. So thank God for small mercies . Got that in the residual voltage. Didn't think of them. Re the 8awg battery connection. You're 100 correct and I don't think I made that clear enough in the final edit of the video. I was absolutely blowing up when I found it, but cut that out because of my language at the time 😁. That's about all I can remember. Clearly you're not the end user that I had in mind when I voiced my concerns in the video. I imagine it's only a matter of time and frankly I'm amazed I haven't heard of it yet. One has to wonder about the legality of the whole scenario.

[@camjohnson2004]

@@DENMONKEY Thanks for the reply. On the fuses i only buy Recommended Automotive brands like Narva which i have found usually give out at the rated amps, but who knows what brand Kings used, knowing their products, probably cheap Chinese ones that you can put 3x the current through and still have them work. As for teh 40A blade fuses, never seen them in for that size holder on any of the shelves or the electronic shops i use (im an Elec Engineer) so i do a lot of hobby stuff, Maybe they are special order ones but your average joe don't be getting it from Jaycar or Repco etc. My advice for Kings would be to use some 100A rated wire from the Battery to the isolation switch (which needs to be replaced) This would allow the 2 Anderson plugs to be used at the same time without burning the wires out, Also the Ciggy socket and the USB charger need to be on separate Breakers. Also the wire going to the Andersons needs to be upgraded the 8AWG to allow a safer 30A load. While the current ones are safe for 30A, if the fuse goes to 40A before it blows then the cable will be beyond its tolerance

[@DENMONKEY]

I believe the 40A fuses I have either came with a 240v 12v charger or maybe one of my 12v power supplies for ham radio. So an onboard type scenario. There is also the possibility they came in a cheap variety pack likey from the same place kind gets their stuff. They could be anywhere in the shed. I'll see if I can locate them. Here ya go m did a quick Google to make sure I'm not losing my mind. Here's a link to narva ones www.repco.com.au/globes-batteries-electrical/electrical-accessories/fuses-circuit-breakers/narva-standard-blade-fuse-40a-orange-5-pce-52840bl/p/A8756991?rgfeed=true&cid=google-shopping&region_id=100009&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA84CvBhCaARIsAMkAvkIDQRDCS_iBOyCgV1D1iOYugXfsOUPcOWHzSJ9m-xmhUgXD9pdjx9IaAkqpEALw_wcB

[@DENMONKEY]

why do you think people make youtube videos if not to get views.

[@sayhello2pedro]

100Ah or 100 Amp hour refers to storage capacity not drawing capacity. Most of these cheap batteries are only rated to draw 50 amps continuously. Thank you for covering these issues with cable sizing and continuous draw, people need to do a check over on all this gear before putting loads on it

[@DiHandley]

As always you are extremely fair in your reviews. I must admit I have purchased a 140 solar panel from Kings and its all good so far. However, what you presented today put a shiver up my spine. The whole thing is a bomb waiting to go off! P.S. I’m so glad you got Titan into the video. Dear old man he is. I will miss him too. Give him a big hug from me!

[@DENMONKEY]

Cheers Mr D. I was fearful it was coming across as too negative. So I edited it a bit to cut out where I was going off about what I found. I'm not concerned the final edit didn't get across just how easily things could go wrong with this set up. So thanks for the comment. At least I'll have lots of footage of me ol mate helping me make videos. 😁 Good times. Ps cuddle delivered.

[@frankvarga374]

Well it's safe to say that you know absolutely nothing about 12v systems and how they operate. Instead of looking up things on youtube how about you do some reading on the products directly from the supplier. I'm not sticking up for kings but that battery box will do 100Ah if you could fit a 200ah battery in it its the same thing but it will do it at max 30A at a time what don't you understand about that? Ps if you need me to explain it in more detail I'm happy to do so. That box in no way a fire hazard if opperated as directed by the manufacturer if you want to overload it well that's up to you don't expect your insurance provider to cover you after they inspect it

[@garyweir5635]

What a great clip and explanation in normal terms so everyone can understand thank you veru much for sharing as I'm about to purchase a 120 amp lithium from kings

[@diverD73]

if you want run an inverter with it, use the cable that come with the inverter and bolt directly to the battery terminals not the box terminals , cables will run under the lid, sit the inverter next to it, the BMS inside the lithium battery will protect the battery and inverter

[@DENMONKEY]

cheers Gary, I hope to put it to the test in the future, time permitting. I honestly dont expect it to fail since most rating have some head room built in but I'm also aware of the lower quality of some of the components which may negate that head room. I guess there is only one way to tell it is happily running my fridge in the car though and has been for the past few days. I do believe it can be used safely, so long as you don't ask to much of it. the stand alone battery reviews seem to be over all quite positive. I wouldn't want to influence your decision on that one.

[@DENMONKEY]

that would be the smart way yes, but I hope to test it the stupid way and see what happens :)

[@CheeseNoodleOZ]

G'day Brett been a while. Nice review as usual mate. Was great to see the lil brick is still kicking on! Can't wait to see the new snorkel on the Paj mate. Cheese!

[@DENMONKEY]

Gday right back at ya. The nugget is good. I think he may possibly live forever . Looking forward to the snorkel too. Should be back next week. Safe travels

[@TheSilmarillian]

A fair and honest assessment, hello from remote NSW off grid here I have built all my current systems DIY made mistakes in the early days coming from the cities was a steep learning curve but worth it.

[@DENMONKEY]

cheers mate, that's what I was going for despite the flaws of the item. i was meant to be just a quick look and talk video but then it turned into this. cheers for the comment

[@robbiecryer]

Very informative cobb As always Thanks for sharing 👍😎

[@DENMONKEY]

Cheers ol bean.

[@galen__]

Looking forward to seeing the results of your tests. Will the 8 AWG cable stay cool while charging the battery at 30A for 30mins, or will it become too hot to hold? 😅

[@DENMONKEY]

I've already been charging at 30A via the Anderson plug with no I'll issues but I didn't open it up to check anything inside. I just need it to work until I get a chance to mess with it. I just spotted big w has a 100ah lithium slim unit for $500. Might grab one of them and test them both. See if one is better than the other.

[@heftymerv]

I got the same box however with the 120ah battery, I also did the same thing and pulled off the lid and checked all the wiring. Then looked at what I could use and what size charger so that it was within the spec of what they wired up with. One thing over time and research we found on the 12v camping group on fb, that the rating on the anderson plugs is for live disconnect values, not the actual current pass-through. This was translated from the anderson webpage. Great review, and what is really needed, like you said for those guys that believe what Kings are advertising without knowing what they are getting into.

[@DENMONKEY]

Yeah that's correct on the Anderson plug. These however are knock offs 😁 so non genuine. We can probably assume a lot rating. Either way, they're still rated way above what the unit is capable of from the wiring inside. I reckon there would be heaps out there getting used. Customers were literally loading trolleys with all this gear. Everyone loves a good bargain and I'm all for it too, if it's safe.

[@LockyourHubs4WDing]

I agree, the unprotected outlets are dangerous, the 30A fuses aren't going to pop for a long while with a partial overload and will it be long enough to save or sacrifice the wiring? I was amazed with the restraint you showed, considering it's sold as a bundle, it's not even close to being "fit for purpose". King's can be hit and miss I've found, the box at least, is a big miss.

[@DENMONKEY]

Hey Si, my lack of restraint was edited out. I seriously lost my shit in the footage that didn't make it to the final cut 😁 problem was I ranted and jumped up and down for so long it would have been an hour and a half video of wtfs and you can't be F'ing serious. Fit for purpose is exactly what it ain't

[@LockyourHubs4WDing]

@@DENMONKEY hahaha, yep been there specifically with my frustration about Travel Buddy and their lack of innovation with their products.

[@morphshag]

I have that kings box in the boot of my commodore, with an 80ah AGM from Kmart. 190W house panel on the roof going through a Renogy MPPT and also the kings dual battery isolator/VSR. It runs the fridge 24/7 and phone chargers. When we go camping we attach a 10m Anderson extension to the camper trailer to run lights and phone chargers in the trailer. some of the terminal connections inside my kings box where things bolt to the back of the switch/overload we’re lose and all needed tightening. I also added to the box the Renogy shunt with external display, Engel socket and Merit socket.

[@DENMONKEY]

Ive ordered the renogy dcdc charger and will stick with that. here's a question, is your commodore a sedan? how did you mount it down ? I havent found a food way yet. I think I'll just drill into the floor . theres no tie down points in mine with the spare wheel over there.

[@evil17]

@@DENMONKEYmaybe consider rivnuts if ur drilling holes & of course dont drill thru any pipes, wires or tanks on the other side, many do.

[@tamarachumbley8722]

I made the right decision about building my own 12v power box with fuses and thicker cables, you proved that my instincts about the kings battery box were correct

[@DENMONKEY]

at least you know what's in it then

[@tamarachumbley8722]

@@DENMONKEY well no fuses is a super big red flag

[@OnCountryWithMick]

One of the fun parts of working out a 12v system for your 4wd is always working out wiring & fusing. Where I can I try to rate my fuses below my wires, 20amp wire, 15amp fuse for example, if the product requires 20amp then I up the gauge of the wire. I would sure be sceptical about using that box for higher powered items. In my latest build I have made sure to boost some of my wires as I am now running a 500w inverter so I knew I was going to need a little stronger than I had.

[@DENMONKEY]

That's where they have the money by limiting the size of the wire. Don't get me wrong, it would be hard to make one up for that price but with a few simple tweaks it could be a good thing. For an AGM it would be fine, just not for a lithium capable of greater than 50A output.

[@OnCountryWithMick]

​@DENMONKEY just little things but as it sits it could be a fire waiting to happen.

[@DENMONKEY]

egg zachrey naked michael

[@OnCountryWithMick]

@DENMONKEY Brett I'm sorry you got so turned on over my video at Birdie Beach lmfao. I don't see the appeal in my naked body but anyway lol. Sorry but I don't swing that way mate lmfao.

[@cwilliams4227]

Thanks for that. It would be interesting if you could do a capacity test. The kings 120ah has several reviews on youtube but this is the only 100ah kings battery I have seen. Cheers

[@DENMONKEY]

I'll get around to that for sure

[@roblewis5875]

Hi will you be doing a similar review on the hardkorr battery box?

[@DENMONKEY]

do you think they look different to the kings ones or same same ?

[@roblewis5875]

@@DENMONKEY Hi, and this was a very fair and informative review. I was thinking a review on the Hardkorr would be useful, as it seems to be the next step up. It claims to be a heavy-duty battery box and has a 175A Anderson-style outlet, which would be handy for connecting an inverter, too.

[@DENMONKEY]

I think you can be hard hardkorr at bcf now can't you? I'll duck in and have a look.

[@ramblinonandon]

Two things to note. I bought the 60 amp version, and the base packaging fitted exactly in the box, so the battery doesn't move and has protection from being dropped. Also, the ciggy lighter socket pushes through when you use it, luckily I had a spare to fit. I also have the power going through a 30 amp circuit breaker from the battery,mine is only for fridge and lights so that is ample.

[@DENMONKEY]

I didn't know they had a smaller battery box than this one. I could have gotten the bigger box again for the same price as a bundle

[@frankvarga374]

So all the people with adventure kings battery boxes all of their cars and camper trailers are catching fire? I don't think so 🤔

[@DENMONKEY]

You clearly haven't been on the 12v forums or been paying attention to people who have had those experiences. It's not my job to try and convince you, I'm simply sharing my experience with this specific product.

[@PangNSmitten]

12:05 - Another thing to add is, you can't get a "mini blade fuse" higher than 30A. As he stated, "people may put a higher rated fuse in the holder" This is not possible..... you can't get higher than 30 in mini blade fuses.

[@DENMONKEY]

I have blade fuses in 40A rating. Never seen higher than that though.

[@mindofown]

Excellent review

[@DENMONKEY]

Thank you

[@craigvk2paw17]

There are problems with all these types of things , my Hardkorr distribution block you have pull it apart to change the fuses , which is annoying

[@DENMONKEY]

Likely come from the same factory 😁

[@DazGeary]

I bought a very similar version from another large outdoor store. I ended up replacing a few bits on it that were dodgy as. Then I reversed over it on a camp trip, best thing I could have possibly done. Very budget system, questionable safety. Thanks for making me feel better about killing my one.

[@DENMONKEY]

Yeah daz, I've had a few others tell me about different brands being very similar after this video. As well as those power boards that seem to be popular these days. I'm not trying to single kings out, it's just the one I had access to.

[@joereedsmith1531]

Try sucking it dry on a 40 degree day when inside the boot is 65 degrees and watch it go BOOM no air flow. Hows the box supposed to discharge heat?

[@DENMONKEY]

There are 2 openings on it that would allow for air flow, so it's not completely sealed. The battery itself says it has temp protection on the BMS. When I get around to testing the battery I'll report back.I might even chuck it on a victron shunt and that should tell me if it shuts off in the heat when parked up. Otherwise it's hard to track

[@stevenbrewer4576]

is a battery box really needed ?

[@joereedsmith1531]

@@stevenbrewer4576 Its something you can pop the fire extinguisher in

[@richarm66]

Great review mate. You're 110% right... It isn't fit for purpose and is, in my mind borderline criminal to be marketed as an 'X amp' battery box.

[@DENMONKEY]

hey Rich, I think it either has to be one of 2 things. it's made that way because they don't know any better or they do know better and just don't care. I don't know which is worse

[@rjl110919581]

THANK YOU FOR VIDEO

[@DENMONKEY]

welcome

[@Nicksbf109]

Good questions

[@DENMONKEY]

Indeed. I'll have some answers in a future video

[@armandocirene1453]

Some of the kings gears is not too bad, but I’m like you, a little wary of their electrical gear, yet again mate, thanks for an honest review

[@DENMONKEY]

Cheers Mando. If when you see work like this that makes you worry about the things you can't see on their gear. It's just such an obvious flaw. Either they don't know what they're doing, or they do and are ignoring it. Either way, its pretty poor.

[@danssv8]

The same as your Commodore it might have a 80 amps alternator but it doesn't mean it put out 80 amps ( it will blow your battery up and you lol) you'll find it only charge your battery at about 10 to 20 amps till the battery gets fuller and the amps drops off as the battery gets to it's fully charged state.

[@DENMONKEY]

I've seen anywhere between 80-120 so not sure yet. I'll have to look. The dcdc charger I ordered is specifically because I can switch it between 40 and 20A charge rates. That way I can adjust it depending on what alternator is in the commie.

[@Bobtubeau]

I have this setup for a couple years (AGM 115ah) and I just do fridge phone, charge some lights. Works fine. I'm thinking about a kings lithium battery just for the 1/4 of the weight.

[@DENMONKEY]

From most reports their batteries go ok.

[@evil17]

@@DENMONKEYi can 2nd that, have 3 x 200A work great, good cells & BMS.

[@campingbegins]

That Isolator switch is a 300a switch. (just because I stripped one down to use as an Isolator for my solar panel which was cheaper that buying a switch lol). And if I recall, the 'breaker' is only for the USB and Ciggy 12v sockets.

[@DENMONKEY]

there's not much to the switch so it wouldnt surprise me that its over 100A. it just doesnt feel like it's gonna last long.

[@evil17]

It also switches the Anderson connectors as many people do not realise that the isolator switch must be on if you want to charge through these ports using solar or dcdc. Regardless of rating I wouldn’t expect it to take more than 100A continuous for long at all, at 300A Im guessing this would be more like a fuse and blow.

[@peterwillan5018]

well done mate

[@DENMONKEY]

thanks Pete

[@vlfreak]

Thru those battery box screw terminals, I WOULD NOT be pulling 100A. (I've got one). Actual ando plugs are rated at 125a (50a is the disconnect rating). You're right, the box is an incorrect solution for that battery..

[@DENMONKEY]

Exactly right. It's cheap but it works but that's not the problem. Like you said, wrong solution for those batteries and THAT is what could catch someone out in a big way.

[@vlfreak]

thats it. as an aside, ive found the push button to be a bit dicky on my battery box, if you get a wierd (low) voltage reading, give the switch a bit of a wriggle. No need to do a battery break down mate, simon has done the disassembly 👌👌 kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5K5co2Ehqufr80

[@howardiknow1133]

The fuse thing.....mostly why i have circuit breakers about 50mm from the postive terminals on all my set ups....and the right fuses for the whatever im running a close as possible to the positive....minimum amount of unprotected wire anywhere.....

[@DENMONKEY]

To their defense.... The only unfused terminals are the lugs on the front. Which I guess is the same as anyone connecting direct to the battery terminal which would offer no protection either. Wire still is underrated though .

[@davidwright1752]

That kings is a do it your self at $400 you appeared to compare it to blue Eddie etc at about $2000. It would be totally useless to buy that battery to be discharged over 1 hour. (With heavy duty terminations it maybe ok but why) It’s meant for camping etc to be discharged over 12 hours or more then charged during the day with a solar cells during the day. Or car dc dc charger. When you fill your vehicle up with fuel for weekend camping you don’t expect to use all the fuel in 1 hour I have made up my own box with spaces etc with a 1000 watt inverter connected to it with my own terminals connected Directly to the battery terminals and Rated for the current.

[@DENMONKEY]

Unfortunately you can't assume that just because you would do it that way others will, and you sure as shit can't cut safety corners hoping that they do exactly that. youre right thought, I think most would use it under those conditions but my sister just picked up a little tinny with a trolling motor for which she was looking at kings for a cheaper option. her motor will pull about 60A . This set up would be exactly what someone in her position would look at . light weight, simple and easy to hook up. so she could already be over the wiring rating of the box. I will try and test it so we can know for sure. so it's not out of the realms of possibility that someone could push it beyond its safe limits. My 3000w renogy inverter is connected directly to my DIY lithium set up in the back of my 4wd. Like you I wouldn't do it any other way.

[@Max46423]

The facts are there to see I’ve learned something and that’s are good thing

[@DENMONKEY]

cheers Max

[@dazfromtaz.2406]

You also connect the battery to a regulator so your not using 100amps through your battery box.

[@DENMONKEY]

You could but it's a portable battery box. In kings videos they always show it set up on a table away from any Charging sources. So the unit would have to supply the whole lot.

[@davesparkz]

Most lithium batteries have built in overload and short circuit protection in the BMS. But you wouldn't want to rely on that alone.

[@DENMONKEY]

it may do but it wont see a hot wire because its undersized as a short unitl it's too late. it could be on fire by then :)

[@callingrantham2553]

So the box is hazard, is the battery any good?

[@callingrantham2553]

Sorry you did answer in the vid I was impatient.

[@DENMONKEY]

Only had it for a few weeks but I've been testing it and the battery is going real good. The box is ok but if you try and pull big loads through it, it's going to melt the wires inside. I've got another video coming where I test the battery and the box. If you're just running small stuff like a fridge and lights, it's all good.

[@callingrantham2553]

@@DENMONKEY Got you, i reckon I'll make my own box, even though my setup up is small just incase i have different future needs

[@Content-by-bear.]

a sb50 Anderson has a hot swapping rating of 50 amps and up to 120amps when not hot swapping

[@evil17]

Is that a 120A continuous rating?

[@DENMONKEY]

I thought it was about 125 but close enough. These aren't genuine Anderson's though. That said I've always used non genuine Anderson's on my projects . I've had the plastic covers fail and break and terminals corode prematurely and I've never pushed them over 50A so can't speak to their current limits in relation to the genuine ones. I'd suspect it has to be less though. Either way most people know them as a 50A plug. To fuse them and wire them at 30A I believe is a mistake.

[@Content-by-bear.]

@@evil17 yes

[@talrusan]

Hello mate how I can pm you?

[@DENMONKEY]

Just through these comments mate. That way I get a notification and will get it. Best to make it a new comment though otherwise, it doesn't always let me know about replies.

[@ben7020]

I nearly had a fire from a faulty relay that fused and melted the window motor, that was at 10 amps fused.

[@DENMONKEY]

it doesnt take much current to heat up and cause heat, if it's on the wrong spot you get a fire.

[@hsv03]

I’ve been running kings 120ah in this box for 2+ years no problem

[@DENMONKEY]

I'm running one now

[@paulargent1003]

I have the kings battery box , 100 agm Deep cycle , it runs a kings 75 l double fridge freezer on total loss . I charge the battery at home out of the vehicle . Your understanding of how batteries discharge os not spot on .

[@DENMONKEY]

Sorry Paul, not quite sure what you're getting at here.

[@mickwolf1077]

In all fairness to kings, if someone gets that combo and starts modifying the fitted fuses then thats on them, honestly the battery wont be lasting long capacity wise if they want to draw max allowed current (either box or battery). But i agree if they wack on a 50A capable plug then the wiring supplying it should be rated for that 50A. the max i've really drawn from my home built box is 10A and 25A charging.

[@DENMONKEY]

you;re right re the changing fuses but the amount of times Ive heard people on forums etc ask if they can just put in a bigger fuse because the standard one kept blowing is mind boggling. They simply dont understand why the fuse is there. For every one that asks, I'd be willing to bet there is 10 more out there that just did it.

[@adriang6424]

16:30 might help if you read the red writing at the bottom the page...."WARNING: The positive and negative terminals on the exterior of the battery box are not fused. Ensure that you install fuses or circuit breakers where necessary. There is a limit of 40 Amps through these terminals. Any high power loads should be connected directly to the battery terminals (via a fuse).".....how convenient an ommission

[@DENMONKEY]

Where are you seeing a statement regarding the 40A limit re the external terminals. If you read my other comments, I stated that the non fusing of the main terminals is no different to connecting directly to the battery terminal as you should still be required to apply your own protection. Still it's not an unreasonable expectation for it to be there and to not have to modify the item for use. Especially considering they boast the other protections built into the item. Additionally these items are sold as plug and play. So they're catering to a specific less knowledgeable market but expect them to DIY their own safety feature into the product? It's only because the bigger the fuse, the more costly. So it's a cost cutting choice. Nothing more. The main point is that ALL terminals and connectors are being fed from the battery via the single connection which does not support the max output available from the bundled lithium batteries. As a general rule it appears their lithium batteries are all 1C rated allowing a bigger discharge rates than these boxes can handle. Yes ratings tend to have overheads built in but you build things to their ratings not their possible limits. No point doing a review if you don't point out the flaws of the item. I've merely pointed out what I see as possible limits of failure. Also no need to turn into a conspiracy theorist with this 'convenient omission' I'm just a guy making a KZbin video of my experience, not some evil mastermind rubbing my hands together trying to come up with a grand scheme to ruin people's day. Either way, I still appreciate you taking the time to comment and watch. Cheers

[@adriang6424]

@@DENMONKEY fair points. Don’t get wrong we all throughly appreciate you taking the time to make these videos. Thank you and keep on posting.

[@Ted...youtubee]

they are probably all the same. i bought mine from RTM. first thing i did was put in circuit breakers in every feed that pulls current.

[@DENMONKEY]

Does your box appear any sturdier though?

[@AndrewWilsonOz]

Came for the battery box review, stayed for the dog. :)

[@DENMONKEY]

He is my big draw card

[@ericklein5097]

You’re not understanding how copper wire is rated. The insulation plays a role in the rating. Silicone insulated 8 AWG is rated for over 100A

[@DENMONKEY]

Based on the quality of the rest of the item, do you honestly thing they used heat rated silicone wiring ? I think. If I can find the time, I'll pull the wiring out of it and run some tests on it and we can find out for sure.

[@MudducksTouringAustralia]

Im glad Im not buying one. Cheers Steve

[@DENMONKEY]

You'd be overdue for a rewiring job wouldn't you

[@DiHandley]

Me too. Very substandard!

[@KentuckyFriedChicken99]

I've never had a problem with it but have to admit that the flimsiness of it scares me a lot.

[@DENMONKEY]

are the projecta ones better quality ? Cant say Ive seen one in person.

[@KentuckyFriedChicken99]

@@DENMONKEY Weird I think that last part of my sentence wasn't supposed to be there and was intended for another comment somewhere else.

[@steevo1500]

Whats with that Beard mate😁

[@DENMONKEY]

You don't like it? No kisses for me?

[@dustinfrost5214]

There just fine for camping and running your fridge and charging your phone but definitely not for a inverter

[@DENMONKEY]

Exactly

[@craigvk2paw17]

My 150amp lead acid weighed 45kg , my 120amp lithium is 12kg

[@DENMONKEY]

It's definitely heavy for the capacity. Still lighter than an Sla.

[@cybermatstrikes7557]

$30 battery box- seems like you got what you paid for. It fails safe based on what you showed. Its appropriate for safe DIY- if people go harder they will needf to know what they are doing. Anderson plugs are only rated to the wiring put to it.

[@DENMONKEY]

Even if it has the ratings marked on it somewhere would be at least something. You're correct on the wiring, but I think more people would know them as a 50A Anderson rather than being admitted to eyeball that wire as 10 gauge and know the current rating of the cable. Either way 😕

[@-PORK-CHOP-]

This is typical of any Kings electrical product, they use cheap components that are just enough to do the job, no more, they sell to the person who does not have an in-depth understanding and just want's a plug and play, this setup is ok for basic fridge and and a few small lights, Be careful of these batteries, there are tear downs of the internals and they are not good, you get what you pay for, the reason it sounds hollow is because there is big pieces of foam etc inside, the internal construction of the batteries is rubbish, there are other brands out there that are only minimal extra cost over a kings battery that are built to a standard with 5 year warranty.

[@DENMONKEY]

They defo cut corners to make money. I don't know why they don't make them smaller instead of packing them out.

[@oldbloke204]

Buy once cry once. I would rather have less things and save up, if necessary, than chuck in all cheap stuff and have to replace it or have it fail when I need it tbh. There's generally good reasons why some things are cheap and something that can burn your vehicle or house down by cheaping out is false economy imo.

[@DENMONKEY]

Gotta try these things for my viewers. Keep the fans entertained. You're right though OB wisdom comes with age 😁

[@oldbloke204]

@@DENMONKEY Not sure that some would agree with the wisdom stuff in my case. I have found that it's way cheaper to learn from the mistakes of others for sure though.

[@craigvk2paw17]

You know why I use the timber box I made

[@DENMONKEY]

you and your bloody timber

[@craigvk2paw17]

@@DENMONKEY yes but it needs no extra packing

[@vinod_thomas]

​@@DENMONKEY😅😅😅

[@southo69]

3 Mins in........Expect to be wired correctly - Yes..... (ohh hang on, it's a KINGS) Nope, Nope, Nope....

[@DENMONKEY]

yeah I know, it still surprised me that it was such an obvious flaw. a few simple notes in the manual or markings showing rating on the actual connections would be all that are needed to make it safe.....well safer.

[@southo69]

@@DENMONKEY YEP, - BUT - The biggest problem is what you alluded to. The majority of people that buy kings are not those that are fully edumacated in electrics and will just see 100 Amps and go "bewdy... let's rip" - so even with all the warnings in the world, there will still be plenty sitting by the side of the road / track / campsite watching their pride and joy burn to the ground....

[@DENMONKEY]

@southo69 exactly what I'm worried about. Could happen all too easily

[@stratocaster1978]

100Ah battery is rated at a constant draw of 5A over 20 hours to discharge it, thats is the C20 rating. You cannot suck 100Ah load from it. continuously it doesn't work that way.

[@DENMONKEY]

This battery has a 1c rating which is a continuous output current of 100A . It states this on their website. I think you're confusing the discharge rates they use to test battery capacities, not the continuous output, since you referred to an Ah rating.

[@aron2199]

You are correct ! It must be said that usually 20c rating will give the biggest “capacity” or AHr - if you discharge at 1C and measure the capacity, it’s likely to bit a bit less than if it is measured at 20c with non lithium battery and less the case with lithium battery

[@stratocaster1978]

I see what you are saying but who is going to load up the battery to 100A continuously, you will get no more than an hours usage (if that). At that rate of discharge the battery box is (as you say) unsuitable and would fail. Perhaps I am looking at it all wrong but surely no one would try to do that and if you do, it should be direct to battery and away from your other things that you don't want to burn down. I am not having a go at you.@@DENMONKEY

[@ericklein5097]

That’s the only lead acid way of thinking. Standard in the lithium world is 0.2C rate or 5 hours to test capacity. However with LiFePO4 nearly every cell out there will discharge the same number of amp hours whether it’s 0.01C or 1C so long as the temp is reasonable. Under 15 Celsius you start to have loss of performance.

[@resenmkd]

This is a lithium battery, since it has a bms will be the limiting factor unless the cells are underrated

[@redwood1957]

I would say you need to check the c rating from manufacturer and what they say. In lithium i would say you could take this battrty to 20 ah or 80%.

[@DENMONKEY]

The C rating is the charge/discharge rate. Not the capacity, although it is given as a factor of the batteries capacity. They state a 100A continuous discharge rate, so a 1C rating based on the 100Ah capacity. They also state 2000 cycles down your 80% SOC. But ultimately it will be the BMS that will determine at what point you will be cut off. I can confirm this battery will allow me to pull 135A without cutting out (tested and video to come) .

[@hsv03]

You say your not a snob but you are this video

[@DENMONKEY]

Go watch the brands I deal with on my channel. I don't care what name is on the front. So long as it works.

[@danssv8]

Really mate the more I watch you. The strap is just to secure the lid not to carry the battery box. There is handles on the box if you have a nice look lol.ish

[@DENMONKEY]

That's right but it still needs to hold the battery inside the box. There is nothing else securing the battery inside other than a flimsy bit of plastic and a plastic buckle. Not really what I would call secure.

[@danielhaidar4802]

A lot of this video is wrong 8mm can handle up to 74amps if not more at short distances and 6mm does up to 51amps which is very good to handle 30amp fuses also you can’t open a fuse holder without pulling out the fuse. Too much miss information.

[@DENMONKEY]

I used the gauge of wire printed on the wire itself ( I didn't not reference the wires diameter) and then referenced several websites to get an average current rating. It can't be more clear than that. Even if we assume your numbers are correct. 74A is still well under the battery's 100A capabilities and the concerns are still valid. That said I provided you with the information and you can see it clearly in the video. You can make your own judgement.

[@johnmckenna7212]

“We’ve all heard lots of stories about Kings electronics and stuff catching fire…” at 8:43 and numerous petty little gripes and generalisations. Even calls Kings customers mentally defective drug users and on the piss…. at 15:12. This is as bad as these online time wasters get.

[@DENMONKEY]

If you've not heard of the issues with some kings gear failing, causing fires in community groups or social media groups and seen the pictures as proof you're not looking very hard. With regards to kings customers and drug and alcohol consumption, it's warning in kings own documentation supplied with the unit. The reason these things get added to manuals as warnings is because it has happened enough times to warrant a warning to be included. you will note i included myself in that demographic as part comment. It's merely an observation of the type of activities many campers enjoy and is not limited to kings users only. If you think my concerns are unwarranted, feel free to watch part 2 where I test the unit and you can see the outcomes for yourself. If you can't see why this information could be valuable to some users, I guess you might see it as time wasting.

[@frankvarga1502]

First of all Brett you need to educate yourself in the realms of the 12V world and stop spreading miss information.This box is rated and built for charging mobiles laptops running a portable fridge LED lights which if all connected at the same time will not draw any more then 10 to 15 amps and that is been generous in this case those 30amp positive and negative cables connected to a 50 amp Anderson plug will suffice and in no way will they be a fire hazard so stop talking scenario rubbish. At no time would Kings suggest or approve an inverter to be connected via any one of the Anderson plugs fitted to the box. No idea what you are considering running from the Kings box that draws 100 amps but that was just an uneducated comment. Also to touch on the solar panel you have praised so highly no one is interested in the amount of volts rather the amount of amps the blanket is feeding the Batteries as that is what actually matters and I suspect it would be way South of 10 amps on a good day. You seem to forget that there are always going to be new customers to the dual battery set up who are totally reliant on the information out there for them to make a rational decision, you do not give that opportunity to them with intentional gibberish as click bait.

[@DENMONKEY]

Hi Frank, you want education, well here is comes. The statements from within the video with regards to the wiring being fed from the battery by a single wire, which is incapable of handling the current of the 2 anderson plugs alone is all factual. I have done some testing and can tell you the internals get to over 80c .This will be in an upcoming video. This same wire begins to show signs of heating with as little as 25A. This was with the load connected to the battery terminals on the battery box and not via the anderson plugs. again the anderson plugs are fused at 30A each, so 60A in total. The wire feeding both of them from the battery is 50A. I'm hoping you can do the math on that one. With regards to KINGS not suggesting or approving an inverter to be connected to the battery box with insufficient wiring. I refer you directly to this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJjFnododrGjedU&ab_channel=AdventureKings and this one kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ-oqJ2Kna50i5I&ab_channel=4WDSupacentre which shows them doing exactly that via the box terminals. If you do your research you will find several official kings videos stating these lithium batteries are a match for their inverters or the other way around. Thus you will find my comment about running a 100A load of this 120A battery in the bundled box quite educated, as I HAVE taken the time to check . Additionally regarding the panel and 'no one' being interested in the voltage of the panel, and only the current output, It is BOTH of these figures that are used to choose the suitability of a panel for the desires system. Many of the solar generators have varied voltage inputs, as do solar controllers. it is equally important for those wishing to combine panels in a system as mixing voltages can result in a poor performing solar array. So whilst you may not be interested or understand the benefits of being aware of this data, it does not mean others are equally ignorant to its application. Unfortunately it has been comments like this that have proven my point exactly and that is that people with little to no understanding of how these things work are possibly at risk due to their lack of knowledge and this MAY result in a fire or worse. If you stick to sub 15A total loads in this set up I do expect everything to be ok, providing you also tighten up the terminals which I also found to be loose on further investigation. A good day is being had and cheers for the comment.

[@frankvarga1502]

@@DENMONKEY Listen to what you are saying dopey and you will stop talking rubbish.

[@robbot9877]

I'm pretty sure 99 percent of people only run a fridge and some led's. you're being a Karen or one of the people mentioned at the 15:00 mark. I couldn't watch past there.

[@DENMONKEY]

It's not the 99% of customers I'm concerned for.

[@robbot9877]

@@DENMONKEY the 1% are smart enough to know that they'll be running their high draw appliances through an invertor wired directly to the battery. Can't think of many 30+ amp 12 volt appliances that the average camper uses

[@frankvarga374]

So most fridge's take draw around 6A and a travel buddy draws around max 15A. And led lights take around 1.2A So even with two fridge's and a travel buddy going flat out you still well under the 30A. Name me one appliance that will draw 30 or more amps for that box to be a potential fire hazard ( and for your information mr non qualified electrician inverters get connected directly to the battery unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer for a specific battery box. This video is at best laughable. As for you China's solar panel how much amps is it actually putting into your battery?😂

[@DENMONKEY]

Ok this is the last time I prove your staments WRONG. what you need to comprehend is that simply because YOU wouldn't use it like that or understand why the video is accurate, it's doesn't make it incorrect. Most current model compressors, including the kings units pull over 30A .the thumper 2 is somewhere north of 80A. Thanks for the comments though, you've gone a long way to prove to others exactly the type of knowledge that is out there and how dangerous combining that level of ignorance with a product like this can be and how it can end very badly. I won't be investing any more time responding to you

[@scoobyblu5815]

Cheapest build Kings😅 What do you expect Watch all the kings sales reps now trying to justify their existence 😂

[@resenmkd]

That box is rubbish designed for lead acid not lithium my two cents 😂

[@DENMONKEY]

and THAT is exactly my point . on it's own for a SLA it would be fine. cheap and nasty, but fine. selling it with lithium batteries as a bundle and stating lithium compatible on the box is where I have the problem.

[@gutmincer2]

don't buy kings pretty simple

[@DENMONKEY]

It may be

[@Richo435a]

You should change your name to drama queen. Nobody in their right mind would run 100A anything from that box. Just because a battery can do 100A discharge doesn't mean you should pull 100A but it means 50A is well within its capacity and won't get hot. If someone is not capable or don't have the knowledge to do a dyi job like this then they should get advice. Most shops like kings, supercheap and similar are not advice centres.

[@DENMONKEY]

I don't know if I would consider dropping a battery in a box and applying 2 screws DIY as such. Kings even provides how to videos to do so, as well as more technical videos like how to install their power boards etc. So you can't say they don't offer advice because they do readily. If you want to hear it in first person, go into one of their stores on a weekend and hang around for 10 minutes and listen. plenty of kings staff offering people who don't know any better advice on such set ups. in their defese, the price of a stores products doesnt matter when it comes to this one much. most stores will tell you what you want to hear if it means a sale.

[@andrewbassett8210]

I think you worry too much, and you’re after rating for your KZbin channel.

[@jezzaodriscoll9798]

Your correct 😅

[@DENMONKEY]

Why else do you think people make videos and put them on youtube ? I like to think I worry just he right amount . either way, everyone else is big enough and ugly enough to make their own decisions. You'll note I dont tell anyone not to buy it. make your own choice and roll the dice. I'm simply sharing my experience.

[@danssv8]

It is a 100 amps hour battery not a 100 amps output mate. You need to do more homework and also on the contacts on the battery box.

[@DENMONKEY]

It's both mate. 100Ah and 100A continuous output. If you have a look at the website, you will see the info is available. This means it is a 1C rated battery. This means it can output the same rating on the output as the listed capacity. You will see this 1C rating appears across all of their batteries. The homework has been done mate and the info on this matter is indeed correct.