Lithium conversion question

[dedmiston]

Hey Friends,

It's been a while. I hope y'all are well.

Today we added 400 more watts of solar, added a monitor shunt, and removed the four GC2 batteries and replaced them with one 280AH Lithium battery. My installer is a good guy and I've been happy with his work for years, but I don't think he's familiar with Lithium setups.

My question is about reconfiguring my systems for Lithium. I found the setting on the Jaboni solar controller and changed it from "WET" to "LIT". The rig is in storage and only charging off solar, so this isn't urgent until the next time we connect to shore power. My question is, where do I find my converter to set the shore power charge to Lithium?

I'll be converting my other fiver to Lithium next week, but I found the setting on the panel for this one.

Any idea what I need to configure on a 2021 Montana 3120RL?

Thanks!

 

[Daryles]

You can do nothing to the converter and the lithium batteries will be fine. The converter will charge then to about 85%.
This is what I do. Then the solar is set to lithium mode will top them off.
I only fully charge them if we are going boondocking.
They will last longer (lifetime) if you stay between 20% and 80%.

Your converter does have a lithium switch under the cover. LI for lithium.
LA for lead acid.

The most important thing to remember is DO NOT CHARGE lithium batteries when they are below freezing. The batteries must be warmed up first before charging.

Excellent article
How to find happiness with lithium batteries

How to Find Happiness With Lithium-ion batteries (LiFePO4)

Lithium-ion batteries, (LiFePO4) how to charge, discharge, maintain and prevent damage for maxium life and capacity.

www.solacity.com

 

[dedmiston]

You can do nothing to the converter and the lithium batteries will be fine. The converter will charge then to about 85%.
This is what I do. Then the solar is set to lithium mode will top them off.
I only fully charge them if we are going boondocking.
They will last longer (lifetime) if you stay between 20% and 80%.

Your converter does have a lithium switch under the cover. LI for lithium.
LA for lead acid.

The most important thing to remember is DO NOT CHARGE lithium batteries when they are below freezing. The batteries must be warmed up first before charging.

Excellent article
How to find happiness with lithium batteries

How to Find Happiness With Lithium-ion batteries (LiFePO4)

Lithium-ion batteries, (LiFePO4) how to charge, discharge, maintain and prevent damage for maxium life and capacity.

www.solacity.com

This is great. Thanks Daryles.

Dumb question though: Where do I find the converter? Is it in the breaker panel?

 

[Carl n Susan]

Yes, the converter is in the Power Panel with the fuses and breakers.

 

[dedmiston]

This is a huge help. Thank you both.

 

[dedmiston]

I don’t see a lithium setting on mine. Am I looking at the right place on the right board?

 

[Daryles]

What model is your converter?
PD????
It may not have a lithium setting.
I see the picture of the jumper
"Lead" and "gel".
If not, it's not the end of the world.
As I said above, my converter is NOT lithium ready. We converted to lithium 7 years ago (love boondocking). The converter gets it to about 85%. The solar tops it off to 100%.
When not boondocking, I try to keep the batteries at 85%. Read that article I referenced above. Using the batteries between 20-80% gives them longer life.

 

[MandK]

Here is your picture that you posted above.
Look where I circled in red. Hopefully my memory hasn’t faded to much.
If you have the same converter/ charger we had in our 2021 3121rl you don’t have to take it apart to see it.

 

[dedmiston]

Here is your picture that you posted above.
Look where I circled in red. Hopefully my memory hasn’t faded to much.
If you have the same converter/ charger we had in our 2021 3121rl you don’t have to take it apart to see it.
View attachment 2413697

Fantastic. I’ll go up to the storage yard and check this morning once the sun is up.

 

[dedmiston]

The most important thing to remember is DO NOT CHARGE lithium batteries when they are below freezing. The batteries must be warmed up first before charging.

Excellent article
How to find happiness with lithium batteries

How to Find Happiness With Lithium-ion batteries (LiFePO4)

Lithium-ion batteries, (LiFePO4) how to charge, discharge, maintain and prevent damage for maxium life and capacity.

www.solacity.com

Question about this…

I was thinking about adding a temperature sensor to my monitor shunt for this, but then it got me thinking about the solar side of it. Are solar chargers smart enough to pause charging below freezing if they’re configured for lithium?

And can you power the coach on shore power without charging the battery at freezing temps?

 

[MandK]

A few questions to help us help you.
Is your new battery self heating?
Does your new battery have a bms that has cold temperature charging lockout?
Is the new battery Bluetooth capable?

 

[dedmiston]

Here is your picture that you posted above.
Look where I circled in red. Hopefully my memory hasn’t faded to much.
If you have the same converter/ charger we had in our 2021 3121rl you don’t have to take it apart to see it.
View attachment 2413697

WINNER WINNER.

I checked this morning and found the switch right where you said it would be.

Thank you very much.

 

[dedmiston]

A few questions to help us help you.
Is your new battery self heating?
Does your new battery have a bms that has cold temperature charging lockout?
Is the new battery Bluetooth capable?

Good questions.

I dug deeper into the docs and found that yes, the BMS will prevent the battery from charging at low temps, but no it doesn’t have active heating to warm it back up.

 

[MandK]

So you can plug into shore power in cold weather and the converter charger will run your small/average loads and the battery will help with big loads like slides and hydraulic jacks down to about -4 F. The bms will prevent the charger from charging the battery and hurting it until it warms up. So you could be good for like a night or two moving south in the winter from up north. If you like cold weather camping, you should swap out your batteries for self heating ones or move your battery to the pass through that gets heated with the furnace or make your own heater out of a heating pad wrapped around the battery maybe?
If you have blue tooth, the app will tell you the cell temperatures. I don’t think the solar is a help with temperatures because the charge controller temperature is irrelevant, it’s the cell temperatures inside the battery case that is important.

 

[MandK]

WINNER WINNER.

I checked this morning and found the switch right where you said it would be.

Thank you very much.

 

[Daryles]

I made my own battery heaters

Lithium battery heater using tank heater pads

LIthium battery heater Lithium batteries do not like to be charged at freezing temperatures. I have a 5th wheel RV. The battery compartment is the forward compartment under the overhang. It is not heated. First, I added extra insulation. Two layers of 1' styrofoam board. I used an RV tank...

www.montanaowners.com

 

[dedmiston]

According to ChatGPT, Jaboni solar controllers stink.

ChatGPT - Jaboni solar charger issue

It’s funny, I came here before I went to ChatGPT to see if there were any resources. I found the documentation here, and it turns out that I’m the one who saved it here. Thanks, Me.