Hello all.
First post here but I have been lurking for a while. And have been watching Will’s videos for a few years now. ( when he lived in a trailer).
I have decided to make the switch to lithium batteries from AGM in my camper and Jeep. Just getting tired of worrying if I’ll run out of power.
I’ll detail what my setup is and then follow up with numbered questions. Hope that will make it easier.
The Jeep has a 125AH AGM that powers a Snomaster fridge/freezer and some device charging, which we will start doing more of. We try to charge when we are driving. We have a Redarc 25 amp DC to DC that is lithium ready. The Snomaster uses from a low of 30 AH a day to the high side of 75 AH a day. It depends on the ambient temperature and what we have the freezer set to. During long drive days I’ll put the temp at 0 then when we stop to 14 degrees. It’s probably a plus and a minus, but the cooling fan on the Snomastercan be used to keep the battery warmer. Last week we had lows in the high 20’s and never seen the battery temp below 43 degree. That may be a disadvantage in the warmer months. I am using a PowerMon to monitor the batteries now, has need working great.
I built the teardrop over the last four years. We currently have about 8,000 miles on it, both on and off road. Probably have taken to places we shouldn’t have. ? power use is LED lights, Propex heater, water pump, usb charging, Maxair fan. We use between 10 and 20 AH per day. Winter months we use more because of the shorter days and running the heater. The fan runs all night regardless of the temperature. We have a 55 AH AGM in the tongue box along with a CTEC DC to DC charger that is not lithium capable. We use while driving and as a SCC, same with the Redarc in the Jeep.
In the camper I carry two Renogy 100w portable solar panels. And on the tongue box a 30w panel that probably just makes the lid heavier. As you can see I don’t have the Real estate for more or bigger panels.
I am in the planning stages of what our next build will be. And I would like to be able to use the batteries I am buying now for that. But it will be a bigger off-road trailer or a camper van, of something built on a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. It will use much more power induction cooktop (which is something I would like to move to now), shower, toilet, and do I dare say AC? But the is 3-5 years down the road.
We mostly do weekend trips 3-4 days and 2-3, 7-10 day trips a year. We mostly disperse camp (some people call it Boondocking or dry camping). We rarely stay in one place more than 3 days. We are not opposed to staying in a campground for a few days either.
My plan for the teardrop, a battery big enough that we can go almost the full time without charging at all. Say a 230AH battery. I can put out 1 or 2 panels if we are getting good sun. I would need to add a SCC so probably a Victron 30 AMP.
The Jeep is a bit harder. I would like to use the same idea of not having to charge but am not sure I have the room for the batteries, or the funds to pull it off. So was thinking of a 280AH or a 304/310AH (from Amy, US stock) when they come in. That would give me 3ish days give or take, leaving 40%. We would have to drive after three days or put out solar. Or we could get a campsite for a night with electric.
Am I on the right track with my thinking?
Since most of my charging will be from AC can you recommend a good fool proof charger?
One other thing, I’m in the Phoenix valley, it gets hot here and the tongue box can easily get 140+ degrees in the summer, for storage would I be best to remove the batteries to store? I think this may be why I’m having problems with the AGM batteries.
I’ll come up with some numbered questions in another post, this one is getting long.
Thanks, Todd
First post here but I have been lurking for a while. And have been watching Will’s videos for a few years now. ( when he lived in a trailer).
I have decided to make the switch to lithium batteries from AGM in my camper and Jeep. Just getting tired of worrying if I’ll run out of power.
I’ll detail what my setup is and then follow up with numbered questions. Hope that will make it easier.
The Jeep has a 125AH AGM that powers a Snomaster fridge/freezer and some device charging, which we will start doing more of. We try to charge when we are driving. We have a Redarc 25 amp DC to DC that is lithium ready. The Snomaster uses from a low of 30 AH a day to the high side of 75 AH a day. It depends on the ambient temperature and what we have the freezer set to. During long drive days I’ll put the temp at 0 then when we stop to 14 degrees. It’s probably a plus and a minus, but the cooling fan on the Snomastercan be used to keep the battery warmer. Last week we had lows in the high 20’s and never seen the battery temp below 43 degree. That may be a disadvantage in the warmer months. I am using a PowerMon to monitor the batteries now, has need working great.
I built the teardrop over the last four years. We currently have about 8,000 miles on it, both on and off road. Probably have taken to places we shouldn’t have. ? power use is LED lights, Propex heater, water pump, usb charging, Maxair fan. We use between 10 and 20 AH per day. Winter months we use more because of the shorter days and running the heater. The fan runs all night regardless of the temperature. We have a 55 AH AGM in the tongue box along with a CTEC DC to DC charger that is not lithium capable. We use while driving and as a SCC, same with the Redarc in the Jeep.
In the camper I carry two Renogy 100w portable solar panels. And on the tongue box a 30w panel that probably just makes the lid heavier. As you can see I don’t have the Real estate for more or bigger panels.
I am in the planning stages of what our next build will be. And I would like to be able to use the batteries I am buying now for that. But it will be a bigger off-road trailer or a camper van, of something built on a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. It will use much more power induction cooktop (which is something I would like to move to now), shower, toilet, and do I dare say AC? But the is 3-5 years down the road.
We mostly do weekend trips 3-4 days and 2-3, 7-10 day trips a year. We mostly disperse camp (some people call it Boondocking or dry camping). We rarely stay in one place more than 3 days. We are not opposed to staying in a campground for a few days either.
My plan for the teardrop, a battery big enough that we can go almost the full time without charging at all. Say a 230AH battery. I can put out 1 or 2 panels if we are getting good sun. I would need to add a SCC so probably a Victron 30 AMP.
The Jeep is a bit harder. I would like to use the same idea of not having to charge but am not sure I have the room for the batteries, or the funds to pull it off. So was thinking of a 280AH or a 304/310AH (from Amy, US stock) when they come in. That would give me 3ish days give or take, leaving 40%. We would have to drive after three days or put out solar. Or we could get a campsite for a night with electric.
Am I on the right track with my thinking?
Since most of my charging will be from AC can you recommend a good fool proof charger?
One other thing, I’m in the Phoenix valley, it gets hot here and the tongue box can easily get 140+ degrees in the summer, for storage would I be best to remove the batteries to store? I think this may be why I’m having problems with the AGM batteries.
I’ll come up with some numbered questions in another post, this one is getting long.
Thanks, Todd