LiFePO4 Conversion

[Chappy133]

I made the conversion from lead acid to Lithium Ion Phosphate battery with our 21 RBS.  After dry camping in the Florida Keys for 5 weeks this summer with 8+ year old golf cart batteries it was time to replace them or upgrade to li-ion battery. The old batteries, two 6 VT, did fine running the camper but could not keep the Starlink and TV going in the evening without a taking the batteries below 50%.  Both TV and Starlink are 12VT. 

Went with the "LiTime 12V 280Ah Plus Deep Cycle Lithium Battery with Low-Temp Protection" that fit in the existing battery box.  Upgraded the converter-inverter with the "Progressive Dynamics Replacement Converter Inteli-Power 4000 Series 45 Amp Power Center" vs. replacing the entire inverter-converter. This is only five wires to change out.  Then added a "Victron Energy SmartShunt Battery Monitor (Bluetooth) - 6.5V-70V, 500 amp" with "Victron Energy Temperature Sensor BMV-702/712" to monitor the battery status on the phone app.

I have not had the chance to give it a good shakedown because I got FHUs the last two weeks in the Keys where we did the conversion.

I am told we increased by battery capacity by three times and lightened the tongue weight by 40 lbs. 

I will give an undated report later on how it goes.

 

[Merlin]

Outstanding! You really did it right. When my regular flooded lead-acid batteries age out, I'll follow your lead and do the very same thing. Thanks for the info on the power center. That makes it all a much more doable mod.

I know from experience with the VE Smart Shunt it's important to have the parameters set for your particular battery specs if you want to monitor precisely. Take the time to look up those specs and program the shunt via the app.

[Powder Hounds]

We also recently made the conversion from our x2 Trojan 6 volt AGM batteries to lithium. Very happy to reduce our tongue weight of approximately 100 pounds as well. Noticed a very nice improvement on towing.

For our requirements a 100 AMP heated lithium battery was imperative with a VE smartshunt. Initially the LiTime product was very appealing, but their BMS required an external power supply to engage the self heating function. Ok, how much power is required? A whopping 10 AMPs! All of our camping is off grid, this will not work.

Battle Born employs a true self heating function that uses low AMPs and cycles the heating element on and off, no external power required. It also has a toggle switch that you can turn the self heating function on/off. Why have the element on during the dead of night. We just turn it on at 7:00 AM and the BMS does the rest. Works perfectly. I don't worry about our legacy electrical system providing a full charge to the lithium battery because we are never plugged into shore power, always solar. Battle Born now has an all in one system, no shunt required. I saved some money and went with the traditional smart shunt and battery. System is installed in our exterior locked battery box. IP67 ratings were also required.

Watching old DVD's on the TV, running our diesel heater 14 hours and general trailer power consumption during the night we are averaging 20 AMPs.

We also purchased a Bluetti AC 60P. All in one do it all, we leave this outside to charge our fun devices including some heated seat pads. We hardly use our Honda geny anymore, only for the microwave and oven. The Bluetti is also charged with solar as well.

Happy so far no issues.

[Chappy133]

I was able to find the VE Shunt settings on YouTube.  The YT screen shot does not show that I set the discharge floor to 15%. 

Aware that you can't charge the LiFePO batteries below freezing.  I do not plan on camping for any extended times in below freezing weather.  I am a classic snowbird winter camper in the Florida Keys.  Usually we get one to two days of below freezing weather on the trip down.  The Navy campground has way more dry camping sites than FHUs especially since active duty military can now live in the campground for their entire tour at NAS Key West. I was dry camping for five weeks this winter and the 8 year old LE batteries couldn't keep up. 

Fan of the Bluetti too we have the AC 180 with 200 WT solar.  The AC 180 worked great for running the DC powered Starlink at night and for making toast in the morning without having to fire up the generator. 

[Powder Hounds]

I think we all naturally gravitate to the same types of setups. Inherently it just works, and that is what we want. Comfortable camping.

Pretty nice area to serve out a posting!

Here is a current pic of our camping spot. A tad different to the sunny Keys.

Have a great camping season with your updated power system!

[Chappy133]

Beautiful but brr. Back in the day I was a winter mountaineer.  Snowshoeing, XC Skiing, Arctic Soldier and Paratrooper.  Now in my post 60 years I have lost my joy of being cold. Got a brother in Vermont who still loves the cold but my old bones don't enjoy it anymore.