I just upgraded my trailer to the Progressive Dynamics 4655 Converter (then, I decided I wanted to upgrade to LiPO4 . . . ). On shore power, the converter charges at 14.4 volts in boost mode to 90% of the lead acid battery capacity and then floats at 13.6. At the push of a button, you can manually make it stay at 14.4 as long as you want and drop when you want it to. So, basically, it'll charge LiPO4 to 90%. I am also installing a renology 40 amp DC-DC charger that will top off the battery while I'm driving.
Alternatively, I can replace the converter with a 4655VL. That has all of the choices of the 4655 in standard mode but also has a lithium mode. In lithium mode, it sits at a constant 14.6. Using the battery isolator, I can manually disconnect the batteries when they hit 14.6 on my battery monitor. I assume the victron has some kind of alarm I can set; or I can just pay attention.
I'm currently going with a 4S 280 AH DIY Eve battery which will run a max load of 6 twenty amp dc circuits (120A potential load) (no inverter). Thoughts on installing the VL or not. It's a wash cost wise because I can return the one i don't use. It seems smart to use the boost charge at 90% and manually move the charger to float when necessary. But there's a certain ease at getting the batteries all the way to the top at 14.6in Lithium mode and having the choice of using the standard mode as well. Thoughts?
Also, would you rather 2 100 ah batteries in parallel or 1 280 ah battery in a camper that goes for 1 week or 2 weeks trips several times a year? I like the redundancy of the 2 (which will already double the capacity of my 184 ah lead acid agm power); but the extra capacity of the one that will take me 5 days without a charge (more with the 4 100 watt solar hooked up or alternator charging). Cost; the 280 ah battery is about $650 after i build it. Depending on the 100 ah, it's probably about $1200 (for Fortune cells build); or $1,000 for premade Ampere Time. We're pretty conservative and I think i use about 50 ah a day +/-.
Thanks in advance.
Alternatively, I can replace the converter with a 4655VL. That has all of the choices of the 4655 in standard mode but also has a lithium mode. In lithium mode, it sits at a constant 14.6. Using the battery isolator, I can manually disconnect the batteries when they hit 14.6 on my battery monitor. I assume the victron has some kind of alarm I can set; or I can just pay attention.
I'm currently going with a 4S 280 AH DIY Eve battery which will run a max load of 6 twenty amp dc circuits (120A potential load) (no inverter). Thoughts on installing the VL or not. It's a wash cost wise because I can return the one i don't use. It seems smart to use the boost charge at 90% and manually move the charger to float when necessary. But there's a certain ease at getting the batteries all the way to the top at 14.6in Lithium mode and having the choice of using the standard mode as well. Thoughts?
Also, would you rather 2 100 ah batteries in parallel or 1 280 ah battery in a camper that goes for 1 week or 2 weeks trips several times a year? I like the redundancy of the 2 (which will already double the capacity of my 184 ah lead acid agm power); but the extra capacity of the one that will take me 5 days without a charge (more with the 4 100 watt solar hooked up or alternator charging). Cost; the 280 ah battery is about $650 after i build it. Depending on the 100 ah, it's probably about $1200 (for Fortune cells build); or $1,000 for premade Ampere Time. We're pretty conservative and I think i use about 50 ah a day +/-.
Thanks in advance.
