theroamincatholic
New Member
- Joined
- May 7, 2021
- Messages
- 2
So I was introduced to this forum by Will's Youtube channel, and was immediately enthralled with the knowledge offered there. First, a little background. I have a 23' travel trailer that I upgraded with two 6V 230ah batteries, and a Progressive Dynamics PD4655V 55 amp converter/charger. I also have a Victron BMV-712 battery monitor installed. I mostly camp in very shady areas, so solar has been a relatively low priority for me. I have a single 100-watt ground-deployed "briefcase" solar panel with a Renogy 20A PWM solar charge controller that has served my needs. I am a part-time RVer at this point, and rarely spend more than 3 nights off the grid at a time.
My dual 6V batteries are just over four years old and still working great, and still hold an excellent charge. I have made sure I have never discharged them below 50%, as measured by the BMV-712, so I am sure that has aided in their long lifespan. That being said, I would like to replace these batteries with lithium, add a pure sine wave power inverter to occasionally run AC devices, and add an automatic transfer switch. Since my solar power is relatively limited, I want to make sure that I have a reliable AC charging method, plus I plan on installing a 40A DC-DC Renogy charger with dedicated charge line from my towing vehicle.
So, I have a few questions that have come up during my research:
First, I plan on using the Ampere Time 300ah battery currently available on Amazon. They seem to be a fairly well-built battery, except for the lack of low temperature charge protection. I rarely camp in below freezing temperatures, and the battery is going to be mounted inside the RV, so it should never be below 32 Fahrenheit while charging. The trailer is placed in storage every winter. Is there a better battery available at a similar $/wH out there that I may not have thought of?
Second, I'm not sure what I should do for charging. Opinions seem to vary as to whether my existing Progressive Dynamics PD4655V can support a lithium battery or not. The maximum output voltage of my PD4655 is 14.4 volts. The float voltage is set at 13.2 volts, and the absorption phase is 13.6V. PD recommends I purchase their lithium compatible 91xxALV series charger to charge LiFePO4 batteries, but I've heard conflicting information. I certainly don't want to damage my shiny new lithium battery with the charger, but if I can use the charger I have, then I will. Eventually, I would like to replace or move the charger anyway, as it is currently located approximately 15 feet away from the batteries, and has a 6AWG wire running to the batteries, and I suspect I could make the charger more efficient by moving it closer to the batteries. The lithium battery will help this slightly, as it will be approximately 5 feet closer to the charger than it is now.
I know this was a lot for my first post, so sorry for all the stupid questions. I am a low-voltage/audio-visual design engineer by trade, but not terribly familiar with the specifics of lithium batteries.
My dual 6V batteries are just over four years old and still working great, and still hold an excellent charge. I have made sure I have never discharged them below 50%, as measured by the BMV-712, so I am sure that has aided in their long lifespan. That being said, I would like to replace these batteries with lithium, add a pure sine wave power inverter to occasionally run AC devices, and add an automatic transfer switch. Since my solar power is relatively limited, I want to make sure that I have a reliable AC charging method, plus I plan on installing a 40A DC-DC Renogy charger with dedicated charge line from my towing vehicle.
So, I have a few questions that have come up during my research:
First, I plan on using the Ampere Time 300ah battery currently available on Amazon. They seem to be a fairly well-built battery, except for the lack of low temperature charge protection. I rarely camp in below freezing temperatures, and the battery is going to be mounted inside the RV, so it should never be below 32 Fahrenheit while charging. The trailer is placed in storage every winter. Is there a better battery available at a similar $/wH out there that I may not have thought of?
Second, I'm not sure what I should do for charging. Opinions seem to vary as to whether my existing Progressive Dynamics PD4655V can support a lithium battery or not. The maximum output voltage of my PD4655 is 14.4 volts. The float voltage is set at 13.2 volts, and the absorption phase is 13.6V. PD recommends I purchase their lithium compatible 91xxALV series charger to charge LiFePO4 batteries, but I've heard conflicting information. I certainly don't want to damage my shiny new lithium battery with the charger, but if I can use the charger I have, then I will. Eventually, I would like to replace or move the charger anyway, as it is currently located approximately 15 feet away from the batteries, and has a 6AWG wire running to the batteries, and I suspect I could make the charger more efficient by moving it closer to the batteries. The lithium battery will help this slightly, as it will be approximately 5 feet closer to the charger than it is now.
I know this was a lot for my first post, so sorry for all the stupid questions. I am a low-voltage/audio-visual design engineer by trade, but not terribly familiar with the specifics of lithium batteries.