Lithium Batteries still smart idea if NOT boondocking or two 6 volts?

[ajg617]

I have observed this many times while camping on my Victron shunt/monitor...

Related to a discussion on another post which referenced the Victron monitor Progressive Dynamics charger (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...dvice-Needed):
"I would add a victron battery monitor as well. You really cannot tell the status of LiFePo4s very well by voltage.
Do that and the basics are covered."

Seems like some of the other LiFePo4 manufacturers have a built in bluetooth capability that would appear to eliminate the need for the battery monitor but wanted to get your take.
Thanks,
John

[huntindog]

Related to a discussion on another post which referenced the Victron monitor Progressive Dynamics charger (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...dvice-Needed):
"I would add a victron battery monitor as well. You really cannot tell the status of LiFePo4s very well by voltage.
Do that and the basics are covered."

Seems like some of the other LiFePo4 manufacturers have a built in bluetooth capability that would appear to eliminate the need for the battery monitor but wanted to get your take.
Thanks,
John

I do not lnow anything about what the Bluetooth does on those batteries. I do know that the Victron stuff is really good. My monitor does much more than just tell me what the state of charge is. My faovorite feature is it computes how much time I have left at the present draw. Turn something on or off and it recalculates it.
I am sold on Battle Born batteries, so some extra features on another brand, would not sway me. Will Prowse has done a few You Tube battery tear downs to see what is inside. Battle Borns are made differently than all of the others I have seen so far... And in a good way.

IOW, I think that they make the best battery at this point, and so does Will.

[ajg617]

My monitor does much more than just tell me what the state of charge is. My faovorite feature is it computes how much time I have left at the present draw. Turn something on or off and it recalculates it.

That is a very useful capability in and of itself. I've watched some of Will's videos in the past just don't recall the tear down of a BattleBorn - I'll find it.
Thank you.

[Dale B]

Check out the space under the steps and behind the hutch. Behind the hutch is the spot I was originally going to mount my Inverter, this is also the spot the OEM mounted the Converter, so it was a simple matter of taking the Converter wires to the battery bus-bar to power the entire coach.

The only issue you would have with this simple installation is powering your emergency brakes (due to the OEM disconnect switch being turned off) an easy fix for this is to place a disconnect switch next to your new batteries and eliminate the OEM disconnect.

This solution also eliminates the issue with charging in the cold weather because everything is inside the heated hold. Just be certain your new Lithium batteries have protection from charging below 32 degrees because you will have Solar on your new coach.

PS: Congrats on your new 310 GK, we really love ours.

Thanks for those tips, under steps behind the hutch sounds like the perfect home for a couple of 200ah smart Renogy batteries. Solves the low temp charging as well as you suggested.

I will need to re wire the microwave, my understanding is the factory solar excludes running the microwave. My fridge will be propane mode so the little 2000 watt inverter should be happy.

I'm not following the brake away wiring problem, a wiring diagram would help sort that out right away. When I get closer to possession I will try & source that.

Having those areas apart, I can get it all done @ the same time.

Tx's again

[SolarPoweredRV]

Thanks for those tips, under steps behind the hutch sounds like the perfect home for a couple of 200ah smart Renogy batteries. Solves the low temp charging as well as you suggested.

I will need to re wire the microwave, my understanding is the factory solar excludes running the microwave. My fridge will be propane mode so the little 2000 watt inverter should be happy.

I'm not following the brake away wiring problem, a wiring diagram would help sort that out right away. When I get closer to possession I will try & source that.

Having those areas apart, I can get it all done @ the same time.

Tx's again

I don't know which Inverter you are purchasing, however, I would suggest an Inverter that can be Hard Wired into your Breaker Box, the Breaker Box on the 310 GK is inside the Hutch, since you can install your Inverter right behind the hutch (there is plenty of room behind the hutch). This way, you can power 1/2 of your Breakers and have 120v for your most necessary appliances and outlets.

To accomplish this, you would wire the Inverter output to one of the two 50 amp Breakers, then all circuits fed by that breaker will have 120V available while boondocking. You can move circuits (of the same breaker amperage) between the Inverter Powered Breaker and the non-Inverter powered Breaker; for example: you choose to power the 50a Breaker that feeds the Microwave Oven and you need to power your Bedroom outlets for a C-pap Machine, however the Bedroom outlets are powered by a 20a circuit breaker that is connected to the Non-powered Breaker, You simply choose a circuit that you do not need to be powered by the Inverter (i.e.: water heater) and swap the lines going into those two breakers. Now, you have an Inverter powered Microwave and an Inverter powered Bedroom outlet for your C-pap machine.


With regard to the Emergency Break-Away switch for your Brakes: Your coach will come with a battery inside the front hold (under the Pin Box) and there is a battery cut-off switch that will cut-off battery power to the rest of the coach to keep your battery from being drained during storage. The coach is wired to always provide power direct from the battery to the Emergency Break-Away switch (the cut-off switch does not effect this connection). Now, you are going to remove the battery from the front hold and place your batteries into the middle hold, your source of power for the front-hold area will now be supplied through the cut-off switch, if the switch is in the "cut-off" position, then power can not be supplied to the Emergency Break-Away switch. If the switch is on, then the Break-Away switch will have a source of power.

Two ways to solve this: One, eliminate this cut-off switch altogether (just extend the power cable coming from the coach and power up the buss-bar that is behind the original battery location. Two, provide the Break-Away switch with a direct power source.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

That is a very useful capability in and of itself. I've watched some of Will's videos in the past just don't recall the tear down of a BattleBorn - I'll find it.
Thank you.

Last tear down I saw was of a Renogy 100ah Smart model. He was very impressed and said the battery is in Battle Born territory for build quality and he would buy it.
From the way he said it, implies that BB is still the gold standard, but Renogy is closing the gap.

[Dale B]

I don't know which Inverter you are purchasing, however, I would suggest an Inverter that can be Hard Wired into your Breaker Box, the Breaker Box on the 310 GK is inside the Hutch, since you can install your Inverter right behind the hutch (there is plenty of room behind the hutch). This way, you can power 1/2 of your Breakers and have 120v for your most necessary appliances and outlets.

To accomplish this, you would wire the Inverter output to one of the two 50 amp Breakers, then all circuits fed by that breaker will have 120V available while boondocking. You can move circuits (of the same breaker amperage) between the Inverter Powered Breaker and the non-Inverter powered Breaker; for example: you choose to power the 50a Breaker that feeds the Microwave Oven and you need to power your Bedroom outlets for a C-pap Machine, however the Bedroom outlets are powered by a 20a circuit breaker that is connected to the Non-powered Breaker, You simply choose a circuit that you do not need to be powered by the Inverter (i.e.: water heater) and swap the lines going into those two breakers. Now, you have an Inverter powered Microwave and an Inverter powered Bedroom outlet for your C-pap machine.


With regard to the Emergency Break-Away switch for your Brakes: Your coach will come with a battery inside the front hold (under the Pin Box) and there is a battery cut-off switch that will cut-off battery power to the rest of the coach to keep your battery from being drained during storage. The coach is wired to always provide power direct from the battery to the Emergency Break-Away switch (the cut-off switch does not effect this connection). Now, you are going to remove the battery from the front hold and place your batteries into the middle hold, your source of power for the front-hold area will now be supplied through the cut-off switch, if the switch is in the "cut-off" position, then power can not be supplied to the Emergency Break-Away switch. If the switch is on, then the Break-Away switch will have a source of power.

Two ways to solve this: One, eliminate this cut-off switch altogether (just extend the power cable coming from the coach and power up the buss-bar that is behind the original battery location. Two, provide the Break-Away switch with a direct power source.

Very detailed Tx's, our 310GK is ordered with factory solar & gen prep. The 2000W inverter will handle our needs for now. We are 95% off grid & survived nicely with 1500W inverter the past several season.

I remember now the break away switch wiring installing solar in our current fifth wheel. As well as chasing those other pesky parasitic draws beating the batteries down when we were away.