Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 10, 2025 ...

Re: Lithium Battery Insights from New Install

Reply #25 – May 09, 2021, 10:53:35 pm

LiFePO4 batteries my be shipped from China at 50% charge for safety reasons.  Most LiFePO4 batteries will lose about 2-3% of their charge per month when stored at moderate temperatures.  It is critical that these batteries do not get fully discharged. Storing LiFePO4 batteries starting at a SOC less than 100% when cells have not been balanced can be hard on individual cells. 

Battle Born says storing fully charged batteries up to a year is OK. Three to five months should be no problem if they are really disconnected.  Maybe not so easy on your start batteries

Do what your battery manufacturer recommends.  Whatever some other manufacturer says is probably not relevant to your batteries.

Sorry Randy, that your performance reporting got sidetracked by an unrelated subject, a good one, but it should have been moved to a different thread.

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Re: Lithium Battery Insights from New Install

Reply #26 – August 01, 2021, 08:27:40 pm

Update:  We're on the road now beginning our 4th month with the new energy management system.  One of the nice features, besides boondocking,  is what can be done with a 30 amp only hookup.

We're 3 weeks in Missoula with full hookups but 30 amp only electric. (Beautiful park - Jim and Mary's). We can set incoming power to 30 amps  and run the coach like 50 amps using the Victron "assist" function to supplement needed power from the Battleborns. This means both AC's during the hot (98-102) part of the day, electric fridge and hot water, supplemented by solar and, then as temps moderate, cutting to one AC with the result that batteries are at 100% before bed.

Any other high draw use...microwave, toaster oven, etc, are also "assisted by batteries during the day.

Basically we can run the coach like 50 amps all day with only 30 amps of service.

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Re: Lithium Battery Insights from New Install

Reply #27 – August 01, 2021, 10:06:17 pm

We love Jim & Mary's place.

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