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Lithium batteries

Can someone point me to the steps needed to get lithium batteries.
Also would appreciate detailed steps and what you have used.
I see battle born for $2500 and then the libatery for $499 why the 2 k difference.
LiTime 12 Volt 280Ah Plus Deep Cycle Lithium Battery – LiTime-US.

Thank you

2003 Foretravel u320 build 6066
cummins 450 ism
2008 Jeep Cherokee Toad
former Country Coach Owner.
Part time Rv er
Never afraid to learn.

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #1 –
Call and talk to Lithium Pros out of Indiana,can find them on line,very honest company.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #2 –
I'm sure others will chime in with more constructive help than me,but.... I will tell you that whatever route you chose will likely be cheaper and / or partially obsolete next year.    For example shortly after we bought our 100 amp lithium we found out they had re-evaluated them and they were actually 90 amp hr so i now had 720  rather 800 amp hr so...we are 5 years in on our lithium battery pack and there are bigger, better and cheaper solutions out there for sure but no regrets here.  So much better than conventional batteries that we constantly abused. We often discharged them beyond what your supposed to.
  These lithium are supposed to be good for like 3000 charge cycles and after 5 years I'm at 76 total charge cycles so,,they're lasting forever the way i see it.  After 5 years the most important thing for me would be service after the sale. Lion Energy has been good. Answered every question. 
      Just pull the trigger...
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #3 –
The other question I have is my current batteries are  3 8d 245 ah Agm

Will I need the same size in lithium  or can get away with less ah??
2003 Foretravel u320 build 6066
cummins 450 ism
2008 Jeep Cherokee Toad
former Country Coach Owner.
Part time Rv er
Never afraid to learn.

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #4 –
I'm no expert (still using old school AGM's in our coach) but a quick Google search answers your question.

3 times 245 Ah (AGM) = 735 Ah, but you can only use 50% of the AGM capacity, so that leaves 368 Ah useable.

You can certainly pull any LiFePo battery down to 20% SOC on a regular basis without doing any damage.

So the 368 Ah (useable) in your AGM's would be equaled by 460 Ah in lithium batteries.  (460 Ah times .80 = 368 Ah)

If you want to pull the lithiums even harder, like down to 0% SOC, then 368 Ah of lithiums would be equal to your AGMs.

Easy!
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #5 –
Really depends on how you use your Rv.  Do you dry camp, have you replaced your frig or cooktop with electric appliances?  Or do you only camp in campgrounds plugged into 50amp? 
Lithium charges way faster than lead acid or agm. With your original battery (agm or lead acid) you can only us your batteries down to 50% SOC.  With lithium you can use 100% of the batteries AH. So in theory a 100AH lithium will allow you to use it for the same time as 200AH of agm or LA. 

Plenty of old threads about the conversation.


Another lithium upgrade.

Love my lithium and can't imagine going back


2000 GV320 4010 build #5712  2019-?
1999 Bounder 2000-2008
Bardstown, KY
🥃The Bourbon Capital of the World🥃

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #6 –
12V 460Ah Heated & Bluetooth LiFePO4 Battery - Epoch Essentials

 
i went with  Epoch Essential 460 amp 8 d batteries.  I would go with 2, I put in 3 but I have a coach that sucks power.  Overnight with heat running with take them down to  75%.  There are coupons for 10% off. If you can not find one, let me know and I will dig one up for you.

These batteries have Bluetooth and heaters when they get cold.

Two other things you need to also plan on are:
1.Charger/Inverter. Is the one you have, can it be programed with the charging curve that the batteries you are getting .
2.Alternator  or B2B charger.  The 3  batteries I have when low will take around 170 amps. I have a 340 amp alternator so I am not worried about this load but if you have a smaller one you will need a battery to battery charger so you can charge the house batteries at a lower amp so it will not tear up your alternator by overheating it.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #7 –
What brand you buy is something you have to decide based on your evaluation of what is on the market. Do as much research as you can on the companies and their products before you decide. If you do, or want to do, any camping where you are not hooked up, you should get as much capacity as you can afford and fit in your coach, especially if you anticipate going solar at any point. I try to avoid running my generator, so there have been times I wished I had more capacity. I have had lithium for four years now and have never regretted it.
Dave and Kathy Bennett
2004 U270
Build #6253
1600W Solar
700 AH Battle Born Lithium
2015 Jeep Wrangler

No matter what happens, remember you always get the trip out of it.

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #8 –
Quote from: danilaprepeleac –
The other question I have is my current batteries are  3 8d 245 ah Agm

Will I need the same size in lithium  or can get away with less ah??
I've learned that what my solar installer is so true. " too much is just right ".  My DW needs to turn on every light in the coach and it took me forever to teach her.....  let me know if your microwaving something and ill hit the geny for a minute. Even though the batts will handle it.  We seem to be real power hogs.  And don't get me started on using the lithium's for the AC.
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #9 –
I shopped around for a long time before buying a 300AH battery from Walmart online for $469 in August. I'm real happy with it and just did a quick search for 300Ah Lifepo4 batteries and see my battery is now only $389.
There are others for even less.

300ah lifepo4 - Google Search

1993 U225 Build #: 4285
500 Watts Solar
Honda CRV AWD
Former 1981 Foretravel Travco
Retired, Full Time Off Grid Snowbird

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Bob & Sue –
I've learned that what my solar installer is so true. " too much is just right ".  My DW needs to turn on every light in the coach and it took me forever to teach her.....  let me know if your microwaving something and ill hit the geny for a minute. Even though the batts will handle it.  We seem to be real power hogs.  And don't get me started on using the lithium's for the AC.
I am building a new coach with Lithium batteries.  I am putting 45KW in and they will run two DC powered ac units overnight.  I believe it will be a 24 volt system not 12 though it will step down to 12 for the AC units.  I will also have 1800 watts of solar and an engine driven Generator and a dc powered fridge.  The only ac powered things will be the microwave the ice maker and the washer dryer.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #11 –
Quote from: John S –
I am building a new coach with Lithium batteries.  I am putting 45KW in and they will run two DC powered ac units overnight.  I believe it will be a 24 volt system not 12 though it will step down to 12 for the AC units.  I will also have 1800 watts of solar and an engine driven Generator and a dc powered fridge.  The only ac powered things will be the microwave the ice maker and the washer dryer.
John, Please keep us updated with your progress and what you come up with. 
Jan & Richard Witt
1999 U-320  36ft WTFE
Build Number: 5478 Motorcade: 16599
2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited w/Air Force One
Jan: NO5U, Richard:KA5RIW
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Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #12 –
Quote from: John S –
I am building a new coach with Lithium batteries.  I am putting 45KW in and they will run two DC powered ac units overnight.  I believe it will be a 24 volt system...
Do you mean you will have 45 kWh of battery capacity?  45 kWh at 24V is about 1875 Ah.  That is a lot of lithium battery.  :thumbsup:

We have 30 kWh of LiFePo batteries as part of our whole home backup PV system.  This is only enough battery to run our whole house for about 12-14 hours - but will get us through the night until solar (hopefully) comes online the next day.

Of course, everything in our house is AC powered, and your coach will be running mostly on DC.  You won't have the conversion losses we do with our home system.  Our batteries can output AC power of 11.5 kW continuous, and 17 kW peak for 10 seconds.

Keep us updated on your project - should be very interesting!

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #13 –
Why would you use 12 v ac ?  Needs huge cables and near 60 amp. Each. 
The inverter to 120 minisplit will use less total power even considering the transformer cost .

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #14 –
Would like to jump in here, so if putting in two of the LiTime 280AH batteries, can that be a straight swap out without any alternator issues or other issues?  I know I would need to reprogram my inverter to Lithium.
Mark & Bev
2001 U295 36' Slide
Cummins ISC 8.3 350HP
Build #5802
Jeep Wrangler Toad

Re: Lithium batteries

Reply #15 –
Mark , my 2 cent is you would at least have to also replace the 24yo isolator with a B2B charger. Your 160amp alternator is not made to run full out for long extended times. So you need the battery to battery charger to regulate that.

2000 GV320 4010 build #5712  2019-?
1999 Bounder 2000-2008
Bardstown, KY
🥃The Bourbon Capital of the World🥃