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Old 02-24-2019, 02:21 PM   #41
makahaskipper
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Cold weather use

I see you’re from Salt Lake and you said you’d test them when the snow clears.
Lithium batteries cannot be charged below 32° The BMS will prevent charging. Cold weather camping will require the battery location to be heated. Pre-trip you’ll need to heat that area before topping them up.
 
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Old 02-24-2019, 03:01 PM   #42
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In general this is correct, not all lithium chemistries fall into that exact spec. BB batteries can charged down to I believe it's 27 or 24 F. The OP's choice is pretty new to the market and it's been difficult to find specifications. Keeping your batteries above freezing however is by no means an engineering feat. Hard styrofoam insulation, aquarium or 3D printer bed heating blankets along with a relay and thermistor... Voilà. If you camp in very cold weather often then I would recommend mounting them inside your coach in a more climate controlled area.
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Old 02-24-2019, 03:40 PM   #43
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The biggest danger with Li ion batteries is the requirement for a special charger. The standard converter in your unit may not be compatable with these needs.

"When lithium batteries first appeared, it was discovered that letting them float at 4.2V for a long time would eventually cause some of them to fail. When they do fail, they may vent gas violently, catch on fire, and even cause injury or property damage. The standard way to charge a Lion battery is CC (constant current) followed by CV (constant voltage) with current monitoring. Once the charge current drops to some low level, charge should be terminated. If charge current does not drop after a few hours terminate anyway. And in this case the battery may be bad."
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Old 02-24-2019, 04:49 PM   #44
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You can buy a lot of Centennial deep cycle lead acid batteries for the price of one lithium battery. I keep my Monty on shore power when stored at home. I rarely dry camp (once in 12 years). I got seven years of service our of the pair of Centennial batteries that came with my Monty. The Centennial is a maintenance free battery. Was disappointed that I could not get Centennial again when they failed and had to settle for Interstate. Now I have to check electrolyte levels every 2-3 months. Make sure your converter will change a lithium battery. Last I knew, it took a special converter so that adds to your cost.
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Old 02-24-2019, 05:33 PM   #45
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With all due respect in previous posts within this thread overcharging or more accurately the prevention thereof is handled by the built in BMS within the drop-in replacement LiFePO4 batteries we have been discussing. In addition these drop-in replacements CAN be used with the existing converter/chargers because the BMS will dissipate or retard what the batteries don't want.
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Old 02-24-2019, 06:09 PM   #46
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laverdur View Post
You can buy a lot of Centennial deep cycle lead acid batteries for the price of one lithium battery. I keep my Monty on shore power when stored at home. I rarely dry camp (once in 12 years). I got seven years of service our of the pair of Centennial batteries that came with my Monty. The Centennial is a maintenance free battery. Was disappointed that I could not get Centennial again when they failed and had to settle for Interstate. Now I have to check electrolyte levels every 2-3 months. Make sure your converter will change a lithium battery. Last I knew, it took a special converter so that adds to your cost.
The advantages of Lithium generally apply to those that want 400-500 ah of battery along with solar to support boondocking. Those that spend most of their time hooked up in a campground are not as likely to jump on the Lithium bandwagon.
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Old 02-24-2019, 08:04 PM   #47
gjennings
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Quote:
Originally Posted by makahaskipper View Post
I see you’re from Salt Lake and you said you’d test them when the snow clears.
Lithium batteries cannot be charged below 32° The BMS will prevent charging. Cold weather camping will require the battery location to be heated. Pre-trip you’ll need to heat that area before topping them up.
What mean by waiting for the snow to clear is melt away and get warm. We camp 8. The mountains and won’t have access until
June.

As far as cold goes there are ways to key them above freezing which I will do to protect my kids investment.
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Old 02-24-2019, 08:10 PM   #48
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Originally Posted by laverdur View Post
You can buy a lot of Centennial deep cycle lead acid batteries for the price of one lithium battery. I keep my Monty on shore power when stored at home. I rarely dry camp (once in 12 years). I got seven years of service our of the pair of Centennial batteries that came with my Monty. The Centennial is a maintenance free battery. Was disappointed that I could not get Centennial again when they failed and had to settle for Interstate. Now I have to check electrolyte levels every 2-3 months. Make sure your converter will change a lithium battery. Last I knew, it took a special converter so that adds to your cost.
There is a big difference between us, you don’t dry camp and that is the only kind of camping I do. I may hit a camp ground one weekend during the summer if we take the grand kids out otherwise I never connect to shore power.
And yes my batteries have a BMS in them and work with my charge controller but even if it doesn’t I am installing solar and already have my charge controller connect to my 5er with 1 panel drip charging the interstates the dealer installed.
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