??? RV converter swap LiFePO4
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I had the IOTA Engineering 55 amp converter in my RV for about a year and half. It worked, was safe, but it didn't charge the battery bank as quickly as I would have liked (on generator). I removed it from service when I upgraded my system to include an Multiplus inverter/charger.
The Meanwell converters seem to be getting good posts here on the forum.
The Meanwell converters seem to be getting good posts here on the forum.
Consider that you may not need one at all, just a 120V charger instead. Depending on your loads and your battery capacity, your house circuits can simply run off the battery with your solar array charging them each day. That's now mine works. In the upgrade process I did source a 'lithium compatible' converter-charger, but ended up using it as a fixed voltage power supply that I can turn on when needed with shorepower or generator. So far we haven't used it.
I also added a DC-to-DC charger from the engine starting batteries (motorhome) for when we're driving. It's an 18A Victron Orion and works really well.
I had a whole thread on the new Powermax lithium series converters, and after a lot of discussion and testing we all decided a charger where needed would work just as well or better.
My recommendation is for either a Meanwell NPB series as Jim mentioned, or a Victron IP22 series. Both can be configured for LFP, and both can be set to terminate charging based on settings/parameters. Victron has a very slick BT app interface for settings and control.
The problem with most converter/chargers is they either don't put enough current through, or too much, or at too high or low of a fixed voltage, or they don't terminate charging, but float too high.
Old converter discussion thread here:
diysolarforum.com
I also added a DC-to-DC charger from the engine starting batteries (motorhome) for when we're driving. It's an 18A Victron Orion and works really well.
I had a whole thread on the new Powermax lithium series converters, and after a lot of discussion and testing we all decided a charger where needed would work just as well or better.
My recommendation is for either a Meanwell NPB series as Jim mentioned, or a Victron IP22 series. Both can be configured for LFP, and both can be set to terminate charging based on settings/parameters. Victron has a very slick BT app interface for settings and control.
The problem with most converter/chargers is they either don't put enough current through, or too much, or at too high or low of a fixed voltage, or they don't terminate charging, but float too high.
Old converter discussion thread here:
New PowerMax Lithium Series Converter/Chargers
Newly released 2-stage converter/charger specifically for LiFePo4 batteries. Optional 3-stage for others if you need/want that option. On doing a ton of research on updating my RV charging systems for a new lifepo pack I found these. Just got off the phone with them there today, they just got...
diysolarforum.com
Looks like a converter to me. AC in, DC out. It doesn't look very configurable.
I've heard - but haven't confirmed - that the charge profiles are the same. Amperage appears to be the same. One is rated for full humidity (100%) while the other has a lower rating (98%). If it was my install, I probably would go with the IP22 since the charger would be going inside my RV.
When doing my system upgrade I simply could not wrap my head around not having a converter. If you research elsewhere on the interwebs there are plenty of people that say you HAVE to have one. They've been putting them in RV's for half a century, so how could one do without???
The truth is most RV's plug into shorepower at a RV park. So the converter supplies 12 volts to the unit and charges the smallish lead-acid house batteries, RV deep cycle if they're cheap, or a bank of golf-cart 6 volt ones in series to make 12 volts. This latter is what we've had for the past seventeen years we've owned the coach. Except most of our camping has been off grid, and a single pair with a usable capacity of about 100Ah got us by.
In building a 230A lifepo4 battery we doubled our usable capacity, in half the space and a third the weight. Only the old convert/charger that was ideal for lead acid just wasn't for LFP. So I went looking for a replacement.
You don't get the deep discharge in your house battery if you have solar panels - they keep them rather charged up if you have enough of them. Still, having a way to add some juice back in when you DO plug in, or if you run your genset for air conditioning, then it makes sense to have a 120V LFP compatible charger. Simply put, you want to have another charging source in the case of multiple cloudy or rainy days where you don't get good solar charging.
I ended up plugging my converter/charger into a switched outlet so I could switch it on if I really needed a 120V charge source. So far over the past year, I have not. Solar and driving the rig has kept it charged up.
The truth is most RV's plug into shorepower at a RV park. So the converter supplies 12 volts to the unit and charges the smallish lead-acid house batteries, RV deep cycle if they're cheap, or a bank of golf-cart 6 volt ones in series to make 12 volts. This latter is what we've had for the past seventeen years we've owned the coach. Except most of our camping has been off grid, and a single pair with a usable capacity of about 100Ah got us by.
In building a 230A lifepo4 battery we doubled our usable capacity, in half the space and a third the weight. Only the old convert/charger that was ideal for lead acid just wasn't for LFP. So I went looking for a replacement.
You don't get the deep discharge in your house battery if you have solar panels - they keep them rather charged up if you have enough of them. Still, having a way to add some juice back in when you DO plug in, or if you run your genset for air conditioning, then it makes sense to have a 120V LFP compatible charger. Simply put, you want to have another charging source in the case of multiple cloudy or rainy days where you don't get good solar charging.
I ended up plugging my converter/charger into a switched outlet so I could switch it on if I really needed a 120V charge source. So far over the past year, I have not. Solar and driving the rig has kept it charged up.
What are you doing for an inverter?
Where I was headed with that is if you plan ahead, buying an inverter/charger means you don't need a converter at all.
I'm very pleased with my Victron Multiplus. I can run my air conditioner and my microwave, but not at the same time. My main goal was to run the microwave. That I can run the air conditioner is a huge bonus.
Is yours the 3000w model?
Mine is the 12/3000. But it's 2400 watts, not 3000 watts. The 3000 refers to Volt Amps.
I've run my air conditioner 100% off of the batteries (560 Ah of LiFePO4) using my Multiplus. I think my air conditioner is the Coleman Mach 15 (15K BTU).
The Multiplus has also assisted on a 15 amp shore power circuit, pulling a few amps from the batteries.
Jack Rabbit Off Grid
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I own one like that and it works good. Mines the Eg4 name brand. But they are all made in China.
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Jack Rabbit Off Grid
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oops miss post
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Jack Rabbit Off Grid
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I have the older model of this In a 100amp In my R/V.
powermaxconverters.com
PM3 Lithium Plus Series - PowerMax Converters
PM3 Lithium Series is designed to correctly charge and float a Lithium LiFEPO4 battery using a Specific 2-Stage charge profile
powermaxconverters.com
Jack Rabbit Off Grid
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I personally really never use my A/C much but I’m still planning on installing a soft start at some point. I’m currently acquiring the parts to build a soft start for may clothes washer and freezer for my house. My Magnum 4448 don’t like them much.
Do you use a soft start on that 15k a/c?
Well, looks like I’ll be adding a Multiplus 12/3000 original design.
Looks like I’ll be adding a Multiplus based on experiences shared here. Thank you for taking the time to share what you know.
Are you using eg4 batteries? If so what do you think?
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