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  1. #11
    Seasoned Camper Flip94ta's Avatar
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    I’m definitely gonna pass on lead acid after what I have read lately. The thought of toting an extra 100lbs over 12000ft passes doesn’t seem like a good idea.

    Those Valence are getting harder to find at the $200 price point, I think they’re great but I realistically need three and at $750-900 that’s a lot for used product.

    Thanks for posting the Lion battery, I’m very interested in those and like prismatic cells, I was tempted to build one but for a few hundred more it’s complete and has a warranty.

    My next concern is the solar, it seems those Renogy solar cells only make about 80% of their rating. So I don’t think 160 watts will cut it. I already have 5-6 gas powered appliances so I’m really trying to avoid a generator. I know I won’t have AC, microwave or a hairdryer for the wife but I’m fine with that. I’m leaning towards Richsolar’s flexible panels, they are supposed to put out a true 100 watts and are ETFE coated which is supposed to be better than the initial wave of shorter lived PET coated panels. I’m thinking of putting 3-4 panels on the roof and using the Victron MPPT with Bluetooth?

    I like the flexibles over the regular panels for the weight savings, over 10lbs per panel, and the aerodynamics. I think I would just butyl tape down the flexible panels?

  2. #12
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Used Medical LiFePo4 Batteries?

    Quote Originally Posted by Flip94ta View Post
    ... I like the flexibles over the regular panels for the weight savings, over 10lbs per panel, and the aerodynamics. I think I would just butyl tape down the flexible panels?
    Let us know how those work out for you.
    According to Will Prowse the flexible panels are fragile, have horrible efficiency due to not having any way to relay heat and don’t last very long at all.
    Their output declines quite a bit over a short period of time and since they only represent a small portion of the market they’re more expensive than solid panels.
    Most of which, like mine, have a 25-year warranty.
    According to my research flexible panels shouldn’t be used unless there simply isn’t any other alternative for a specific application.

    I know Richsolar makes a good solid panel but I don’t have any data on their flexible panels.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by DaveMatthewsBand; 01-22-2020 at 02:53 PM.
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


  3. #13
    Seasoned Camper Flip94ta's Avatar
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    This was the video I watched,

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PBUat-Drilw

    I’ve read elsewhere that the ETFE material is superior. I only plan on having the camper 9 more years so if they made it that long I’d be happy.

    With that said I looked up the wrong flexible panels on amazon, I found some for $130 but they were the ones that degraded quickly. The better ones are $160 each. Ouch!! The heralded rigid glass 100W poly Richsolar’s are only $76! Those seem to be some of the best panels available.

    So I either need to decide to drill holes in my roof, or pony up for the $160 fancy flex panels, or maybe just make my own suitcase with two Richsolar panels. (Wonder if they’ll stow behind my couch)

  4. #14
    Seasoned Camper Boom 'r Bust's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DaveMatthewsBand View Post

    I have 400ah of lithium myself and would never go back to lead acid, BUT, if I was just now putting my system together I would have gone with Lion Energy batteries instead of my 4 Battle Borns. Check them out, they use prismatic cells as opposed to cylindrical, which is still lithium iron phosphate (LiFeP04) but this type of chemistry allows their batteries to be about 30% lighter and smaller than the typical Lithium of the same output.
    Will Prowse did a recent video on their 105ah batteries and they were perfect. THIS is a link to that video.
    They have lifetime warranties and weigh even less than the BB.
    Since they’re substantially smaller you can fit more of them in the same space.
    I could fit 5 in the space my 4 batteries take up.

    They're currently $899 each Lion Energy 105ah Batteries
    I just bought and installed 2 Lion Lifepo4 Safari 1300 batteries. Along with a new Lithium Charge Controller and 2000W Aims inverter. I tested it for one night. Ran our 40in tv, 3 lights and stuff that turns on automatically when the DC is engaged. Ran all that for 4 hours and the furnace for 12 hours. Batteries showed 80% the next morning.

    Plus it only took 1 hour to get them back to 100% when plugged into a std 15amp outdoor plug. As others have said, it's not just the battery. You will need an new controller, inverter, and some way of making your cables for hooking everything up. So far I'm about $2700 into this project before getting a generator. But we can now look at spending 2 nights boondocking without any problems. Once I add a generator... much longer. Hope that helps.

  5. #15
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boom 'r Bust View Post
    I just bought and installed 2 Lion Lifepo4 Safari 1300 batteries. Along with a new Lithium Charge Controller and 2000W Aims inverter. I tested it for one night. Ran our 40in tv, 3 lights and stuff that turns on automatically when the DC is engaged. Ran all that for 4 hours and the furnace for 12 hours. Batteries showed 80% the next morning.

    Plus it only took 1 hour to get them back to 100% when plugged into a std 15amp outdoor plug. As others have said, it's not just the battery. You will need an new controller, inverter, and some way of making your cables for hooking everything up. So far I'm about $2700 into this project before getting a generator. But we can now look at spending 2 nights boondocking without any problems. Once I add a generator... much longer. Hope that helps.
    Nice.
    How did you know your batteries showed 80% the next morning?
    I just ordered 2 AIMS LITHIUM BATTERY 12V 100Ah LiFePO4.

    Thanks, KEN
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

  6. #16
    Seasoned Camper Boom 'r Bust's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by orbiker View Post
    Nice.
    How did you know your batteries showed 80% the next morning?
    I just ordered 2 AIMS LITHIUM BATTERY 12V 100Ah LiFePO4.

    Thanks, KEN
    The Lions have a built in guage showing percentage of charge remaining. Increments of 20%. Plus I have a basic battery monitor attached to the batteries. Neither are tremendously accurate, but they both showed about 80% charge remaining. Plus it only took 1 hour to recharge both batteries. Others have stated that you can get about 20% per hour of charging with a properly sized system. That is three different data points that seem to confirm the same thing.

    Some day I'll get a real monitor that tells me all that...

  7. #17
    Seasoned Camper Flip94ta's Avatar
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    It seems I’ve decided on a battery. I’m waffling on the solar panels, my wife looked and my and said “your gonna drill holes in our roof!?!”

    I’m considering 4 100 watt richsolar panels now. I’m assuming 32 holes? I’ve watched a couple videos on installing them and it seems they silicone the spot, put the screw in, then use the self leveling sealant? Anyone have a solid link on a how-to they can post?

    And the wires, I’m considering putting the battery in the pass though and mounting the solar charger and an inverter in there on plywood. What’s the best way to run the wires from the roof to the pass though.

  8. #18
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Used Medical LiFePo4 Batteries?

    Quote Originally Posted by Flip94ta View Post
    It seems I’ve decided on a battery. I’m waffling on the solar panels, my wife looked and my and said “your gonna drill holes in our roof!?!”

    I’m considering 4 100 watt richsolar panels now. I’m assuming 32 holes? I’ve watched a couple videos on installing them and it seems they silicone the spot, put the screw in, then use the self leveling sealant? Anyone have a solid link on a how-to they can post?

    And the wires, I’m considering putting the battery in the pass though and mounting the solar charger and an inverter in there on plywood. What’s the best way to run the wires from the roof to the pass though.
    Lots of examples and photos here:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/sola...granddesignrv/




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by DaveMatthewsBand; 02-02-2020 at 09:43 AM.
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


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