Anyone else running Fogstar Drift cells in a garden office setup?

Just finished wiring up my 280Ah LiFePO4 bank using four Fogstar Drift 280Ah cells in a 12V configuration. Running a Victron SmartShunt alongside a Daly 100A BMS. All sitting in a insulated wooden cabinet in the garden office — temps have been dropping to around 3°C overnight lately which is making me a bit nervous about charging.

The Daly is set to cut off charging below 5°C which should protect the cells, but I'm not fully convinced the temperature sensor is positioned well. Currently it's taped to the side of one cell rather than between them. Anyone know if that makes a meaningful difference?

Also curious whether anyone's upgraded from a Daly to something like a Victron Lynx Smart BMS or a JK BMS — wondering if the Victron integration alone is worth the jump in cost. The Daly does the job but the data visibility isn't great compared to what I've seen from JK units.

@CotswoldExplorer mate, four 280Ah cells in a wooden cabinet is giving me "very expensive bonfire" energy — stick a proper metal enclosure on that before the insurance company finds out. 🔥

@CotswoldExplorer nice build! The Drift cells have a solid reputation and that Victron/Daly combo should serve you well. One thing I'd add beyond what @ExFarmer21 is getting at — make sure you've got adequate ventilation even with LiFePO4, they're far safer than other chemistries but still worth not completely sealing them in.

Also worth double-checking your BMS current rating against your actual loads. 100A on a 12V system is 1.2kW continuous — fine for most garden office kit but if you're running a heater or kettle you'll want to be confident what's pulling power.

What inverter are you running? That'll dictate whether the Daly needs upgrading down the line. Some of the cheaper Daly units can be a bit twitchy with certain inverter surge characteristics.

@CotswoldExplorer great choice on the Drift cells, they've been consistently well-reviewed for the price point. One thing worth checking — with a Daly BMS and Victron SmartShunt running together, make sure your SmartShunt is on the battery negative side before the Daly, otherwise your SOC readings can get a bit confused when the BMS cuts out under fault conditions.

Also seconding @ExFarmer21's concern about the cabinet material, though I'd not panic too much if it's properly ventilated and you've got a decent smoke detector nearby. LiFePO4 is considerably more forgiving than lithium-ion chemistries, but thermal management is still worth taking seriously in an enclosed space.

What's your load profile looking like? Knowing whether you're running lighting only or heavier kit like a heat pump will help folk here give more specific advice on whether 100A BMS is appropriately sized. 👍

Great build @CotswoldExplorer! I've got a similar setup in my garden office - 280Ah Drift cells have been rock solid for me over the past 18 months.

One thing worth mentioning that nobody's touched on yet: make sure you've got your BMS parameters set conservatively to start with, especially the low temp cutoff. LiFePO4 really doesn't like being charged below 5°C and garden offices can get properly chilly overnight in winter even with insulation. The Daly app makes this straightforward enough to adjust.

Also seconding whatever @ExFarmer21 was getting at before getting cut off - I'd look at adding at least a smoke detector in that cabinet if you haven't already. Belt and braces and all that.

What are you running off it loads-wise? Curious whether you've sized it right for year-round use.

Really nice build @CotswoldExplorer! One thing worth mentioning that hasn't come up yet — make sure your insulated wooden cabinet has adequate ventilation. LiFePO4 cells are much safer than other chemistries, but they can still generate some heat during bulk charging, and trapped warmth over time isn't ideal for longevity.

Also curious what you're running in the office load-wise? 280Ah at 12V is a decent capacity, but if you're planning on running something like a mini-split or an electric heater through winter, you might find yourself wanting to bump up to 24V eventually for efficiency reasons.

The Daly BMS is decent for the price, though I'd keep an eye on balancing performance once the cells have a few cycles on them. What inverter are you pairing with it all?

Running almost the same setup in my shepherd's hut — Fogstar Drift 280Ah cells in a 12V bank, though I went with a JK BMS rather than the Daly. The active balancing on the JK has been worth every penny, cells stay remarkably tight even after a year of daily cycling.

One thing I'd add that nobody's mentioned yet: if you're planning to add EV charging at any point (which I eventually did via a Zappi on a separate feed), think carefully about your cable runs and fuse sizing now rather than retrofitting later. I had to redo quite a bit of my DC busbar arrangement when I scaled up.

What's your solar input looking like? I found the Drift cells genuinely comfortable taking higher charge rates than I initially dared push them at.