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  1. #1
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    Progressive Dynamics Pendant

    We bought our 2022 GD 280RS in July. The spec sheet shows that the converter is a WFCO 9855 - even gives a serial number.

    I’ve started planning for changing to lithium batteries and wanted to see what’s going to be involved with changing the converter to lithium compatible.

    Today I pulled the panel out of the basement and was surprised to find that it is actually a Progressive Dynamics PD9260C. According to PD, the PD9250C can be used to charge lithium batteries by adding their pendant.

    Does anyone have experience with adding the PD pendant with switching to lithium batteries? Has been effective?

  2. #2
    Paid my dues 😁 FT4NOW's Avatar
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    Looking at the PD website, the 9260C is designed for lead acid batteries. The pendant available is a status monitor, but it says you can use it to manually charge lithium batteries. I'm guessing the manual operation let's you select one of the different stages of charging that are offered, and it's up to the user when to stop the charging. Click image for larger version. 

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    2023 Momentum 398M-R
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  3. #3
    Long Hauler huntindog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FT4NOW View Post
    Looking at the PD website, the 9260C is designed for lead acid batteries. The pendant available is a status monitor, but it says you can use it to manually charge lithium batteries. I'm guessing the manual operation let's you select one of the different stages of charging that are offered, and it's up to the user when to stop the charging. Click image for larger version. 

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    It has been around for quite some time. I had it on my 2001 Wilderness. IIRC, you can manually select whatever mode you want. But I think it timed out at some point. Now that lithium batteries are being used, I guess PD is just pointing out that this option COULD be used for them.
    I think it was around 80.00 back then.
    I do not see a reason to go this route now, unless you forsee going back to LAs at some point.It would not be a charging system that would work automatically. You would have to babysit it to get the batteries properly charged in most cases
    2021 398M Full Body Paint 8k axles. LRH tires. Disc brakes.
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  4. #4
    Site Sponsor SolarPoweredRV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TexasBR549 View Post
    We bought our 2022 GD 280RS in July. The spec sheet shows that the converter is a WFCO 9855 - even gives a serial number.

    I’ve started planning for changing to lithium batteries and wanted to see what’s going to be involved with changing the converter to lithium compatible.

    Today I pulled the panel out of the basement and was surprised to find that it is actually a Progressive Dynamics PD9260C. According to PD, the PD9250C can be used to charge lithium batteries by adding their pendant.

    Does anyone have experience with adding the PD pendant with switching to lithium batteries? Has been effective?
    While I don’t have experience with your particular Converter, I had a Progressive Dynamics Converter that had the pendant option. What the pendant allowed me to do was increase the charging voltage up to 14.4v (+/-) which reduced sulfication on the lead plates inside the battery. I was able to purchase the pendant for $20 and it was well worth the money spent. Installation was a simple matter of plugging the pendant into the Converter and routing the wire.

    In your specific case "Is it worth buying the pendant" for your Lithium batteries? I think it depends on how often you will be boondocking and need a full charge on your batteries. For example: if you were at a campground and knew you would not have an electric hookup after you leave the campground for a night or two, then it would be beneficial to press your pendant and get your batteries to full charge before you left the campground. On the other hand, if you primarily boondock and rely on your Generator to keep your batteries charged it might become a chore to always remember to press the pendant button.

    Certainly as a temporary solution to charging your new Lithium batteries until you upgrade your Converter or install an Inverter/Charger investing $20 in a pendant would be a wise choice.
    David and Peggy
    2019 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.7L Diesel, Dually, Long Bed
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  5. #5
    Long Hauler huntindog's Avatar
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    I just looked it up on ETrailer.
    Cheap at 12.00. Unfortunatly after reading their Q & A section it works as I thought. It only stays in the mode you select temporairly. It switchs back to automatic to prevent battery damage. And since it is progammed for LAs, it will switch into float too soon for lithiums as they run at a higher voltage. You could sit there and keep putting it back into boost to eventually get them charged. but that would get old fast. And E trailer doesn't reccomend it for lithium batteries.
    2021 398M Full Body Paint 8k axles. LRH tires. Disc brakes.
    Two bathrooms, no waiting 155 fresh, 104 black, 104 grey 1860 watts solar.
    800AH BattleBorn Batteries No campgrounds 100% boondocking
    2020 Silverado High Country 3500 dually crewcab Duramax Allison

  6. #6
    Site Sponsor ajg617's Avatar
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    I am going to order the Pendant - caveat, I installed the 9160ALV which is Lithium only and purchased through BattleBorn. Why do I want the pendant? The Jaboni solar charger apparently over-charged at a rate higher then the PD expected which kept the 9160ALV permanently in float mode that I could not change. That was the supposition after 40 minutes with PD tech support.

    I had to disconnect all charge sources and run the batteries down to get the PD to recognize that it was supposed to be in bulk mode. If that occurs again, the pendant would allow me to switch from float to bulk and the PD would then do its think normally. It may not happen since Jaboni replaced the controller (which is set .2V less output then the original). But we were on an extended trip and over a week including connected to shore power, I could not get batteries charged above 70-75% which forced me to juggle at power consumption to run the furnace on nights we stayed without power.
    Robin & John
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  7. #7
    Long Hauler huntindog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ajg617 View Post
    I am going to order the Pendant - caveat, I installed the 9160ALV which is Lithium only and purchased through BattleBorn. Why do I want the pendant? The Jaboni solar charger apparently over-charged at a rate higher then the PD expected which kept the 9160ALV permanently in float mode that I could not change. That was the supposition after 40 minutes with PD tech support.

    I had to disconnect all charge sources and run the batteries down to get the PD to recognize that it was supposed to be in bulk mode. If that occurs again, the pendant would allow me to switch from float to bulk and the PD would then do its think normally. It may not happen since Jaboni replaced the controller (which is set .2V less output then the original). But we were on an extended trip and over a week including connected to shore power, I could not get batteries charged above 70-75% which forced me to juggle at power consumption to run the furnace on nights we stayed without power.
    If your Jaboni goes kaput like mine did, get a Victron I have two of them and they play nice with my PD lithium converter
    2021 398M Full Body Paint 8k axles. LRH tires. Disc brakes.
    Two bathrooms, no waiting 155 fresh, 104 black, 104 grey 1860 watts solar.
    800AH BattleBorn Batteries No campgrounds 100% boondocking
    2020 Silverado High Country 3500 dually crewcab Duramax Allison

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor SolarPoweredRV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by huntindog View Post
    If your Jaboni goes kaput like mine did, get a Victron I have two of them and they play nice with my PD lithium converter
    From what I have read about the Jaboni Solar Charge Controller, I would recommend upgrading to the Victron Solar Charge Controller anyway.
    David and Peggy
    2019 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.7L Diesel, Dually, Long Bed
    Running with 20k Reese Goosebox (Love It) and Ford Factory "Puck" system.
    Stopping with 8,000 lb Disc Brakes and Titan Hydraulic over Electric Brakes system.
    Powering all this fun with 1200 Watts of Solar, two Tesla, Model S, battery modules, 24 volt Victron Inverter.
    2018 Solitude 310 GK

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