Need New batteries, ??
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
One thing I forgot to mention is if your rig is off warranty quite a while back the manufacturers all started making power boards that plug and play for competitors distribution panels so that might be another possibility when thinking of making a change.
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 424
Likes: 201
I did a little reading on the forest River forum. You guys that have responded to my questions have been great, so I thought I’d run this by you, what do you think….
Get a Li battery and do nothing to the controller/converter. It should charge the battery to 80-90% and I can just get a $50 Noco lithium charger to top the battery off. Would that be an option? To not have to tear into the panel at all if I ever went back to lead acid.
Get a Li battery and do nothing to the controller/converter. It should charge the battery to 80-90% and I can just get a $50 Noco lithium charger to top the battery off. Would that be an option? To not have to tear into the panel at all if I ever went back to lead acid.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,719
Likes: 12,861
From: Wyoming
If you don't spend much time connected to shore power then the converter doesn't come into play much. On the other hand, if you're on shore power for many days at a time the converter could overcharge the LiFePO4 battery. My understanding is that the gel or AGM charge profile is the least worst for LiFePO4. If you turn off the converter periodically then there's a lot less to worry about.
The BMS in the LiFePO4 battery will protect against charging beyond 14.6 volts. However, holding a LiFePO4 battery at 14.6 volts is likely to reduce the life of the battery. I don't charge mine beyond 14.2 volts and float at 13.6 volts.
The BMS in the LiFePO4 battery will protect against charging beyond 14.6 volts. However, holding a LiFePO4 battery at 14.6 volts is likely to reduce the life of the battery. I don't charge mine beyond 14.2 volts and float at 13.6 volts.
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 424
Likes: 201
@MAX4utah so how do use the trailer. On grid or off?
thank you!
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
I think the suggestion would everything from the purchase to the selection of components and modification depends on intended use. Most folks envision camping off the grid, although research suggests that happens frequently only for the minority.
solar for example is pricey and of lessor value for shade seekers. Same thing is true for batteries and you name its.
solar for example is pricey and of lessor value for shade seekers. Same thing is true for batteries and you name its.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,719
Likes: 12,861
From: Wyoming
It's a lot cheaper to add to an existing lead acid battery bank (or even go to AGM) than to upgrade to LiFePO4 and solar. Adding a set of portable, ground deployed, solar panels to an existing lead acid battery bank is a good way to extend a camping trip.
My boondocking to campground ratio is about 90/10. I don't know that there's a magic number where going to LiFePO4/solar makes sense but I think you would have to be a closer to 50% and those boondocking outings would have to be more than just a couple days.
I have a number of reasons for upgrading to LiFePO4/solar. The main reason is the ratio mentioned above. Most of my boondocking is more than 7 days in one spot, up to 10 days. One other reason is that I didn't want to have to remove my batteries in the winter and wanted them to stay charged. And finally, I just got tired of worrying about the state of charge of the battery bank. With the 560 Ah battery bank I have now, leaving the lights on isn't a big deal.
My boondocking to campground ratio is about 90/10. I don't know that there's a magic number where going to LiFePO4/solar makes sense but I think you would have to be a closer to 50% and those boondocking outings would have to be more than just a couple days.
I have a number of reasons for upgrading to LiFePO4/solar. The main reason is the ratio mentioned above. Most of my boondocking is more than 7 days in one spot, up to 10 days. One other reason is that I didn't want to have to remove my batteries in the winter and wanted them to stay charged. And finally, I just got tired of worrying about the state of charge of the battery bank. With the 560 Ah battery bank I have now, leaving the lights on isn't a big deal.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Well said. Our usuage varies from right now in the Keys in a state park with full hookups to diverisifed out West, so we really have a soup to nuts mix. For us that means mixing solar with a small genny. We have been camping for decades and really have our water and power usuage down. We are on the road anywhere from four or five nights to 2 to 5 months at a time. There is simply no one size fits all, but we got to this point spending a lot on stuff we never needed. We have learned over time to keep things as simple as possible and we do camp year round, just not where it is cold! 
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,684
Likes: 4,801
From: Itinerant
Thanks for asking. Mostly off grid. I’ll have a portable generator when we need to use the A/C, micro and TV. But ide say 75% of the trips will be off grid. We’re talking one 4 day trip a month most likely. Since you’re asking, please tell me what you’re thinking if it was the other way around too.
thank you!
thank you!
Our particular rving/ lifestyle we went solar/ lfp and it has paid back a couple times over the initial cost.
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 424
Likes: 201
Unless you have $$ burning a hole in your pocket and you're happy using the gen for larger loads and gotten along with what you've been doing probably better adding batteries of the same kind you have now.
Our particular rving/ lifestyle we went solar/ lfp and it has paid back a couple times over the initial cost.
Our particular rving/ lifestyle we went solar/ lfp and it has paid back a couple times over the initial cost.
Looks like I’m getting the good ol’ trusty lead batteries. Thanks for all your guys help on this!
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 324
Likes: 115
I am on my second camper with my current set. When I retire in 5 years I will go Li ion batteries but until then no way am I spending 2K for a couple 100 ah Battleborns. Beside maybe in 5 years when these need replaced Liion will be even cheaper.
https://www.samsclub.com/p/duracell-...c2/prod3590228