Start with one battery, then add more over time as $$ allows?

[hydrosteve]

Hello,

My lead acid batteries on my popup camper are needing replacement (with LiFePo4). I estimate I need roughly 50AH/day to run the lights, water pump, furnace blower and charging of phones, etc. I would love to be able to get a 50AH battery now, knowing I will want to add more at some point, but Im not ready to pony up the $$ for LiFePo4 100AH battery yet.

So, my question is, assuming I can mod the campers electrical system to run lights from one battery and everything else from another; can I charge more than one (independent) battery using the same panels? I have seen at least one charge controller that is wired for two independent batteries, but I prefer to not be locked into a limited choice of controllers. I assume I will need one controller per battery (true?), but can I somehow hook up the same panels to both controllers; or does each controller need dedicated panels?

Any advice for how I can use one set of panels to charge more than one battery (bank) would be great! (and/or advice on how to grow the battery bank over time - I assume it is not wise to introduce a new battery into a bank of older batteries).

Thanks in advance,
Steve

 

[svetz]

This thread discusses that, although a slightly bigger scale...
Incrementally adding DC batteries

 

[offgriddle]

I'm increasing the capacity of my lifepo battery bank one twenty amp battery at a time. Just make sure that you use the manfactuer's recommended battery model for connecting in series and/or parallel.

 

[Deleted member 783]

I'm increasing the capacity of my lifepo battery bank one twenty amp battery at a time. Just make sure that you use the manfactuer's recommended battery model for connecting in series and/or parallel.

LIFePo is not at all the same as FLA when adding old to new.

 

[offgriddle]

LIFePo is not at all the same as FLA when adding old to new.

For sure, I missed the FLA on hydro's post, ty.

 

[hydrosteve]

My Bad, I wasnt very clear, I want to switch from FLA to LiFePo. @offgriddle - thx for the mention of the manufacturer. I was thinking of just getting some used cells off eBay and building a single 50Ah 12-volt w/BPS now. Then in a year or two do it again - BUT - ill probably be hard pressed to find the same cells. Can I ask what manufacturer/battery you are using?

 

[offgriddle]

My Bad, I wasnt very clear, I want to switch from FLA to LiFePo. @offgriddle - thx for the mention of the manufacturer. I was thinking of just getting some used cells off eBay and building a single 50Ah 12-volt w/BPS now. Then in a year or two do it again - BUT - ill probably be hard pressed to find the same cells. Can I ask what manufacturer/battery you are using?
[/QUOTE Hello, in retrospect, I guess that I understood that you were going to migrate to lithium ion phosphate. I purchased my batteries here, just be mindful that if for example you want to connect your 12 volt batteries in series to create for example 24 volts, make sure that the manufacturer recommends series connection for the particular battery model selected. FYI, I am extremely happy with the performance of my lifepo batteries compared to my former, much higher amperage lead acids. Good luck! https://ampedoutdoors.com/collections/lifepo4-battery