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Thread: Battery options

  1. #1
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    Battery options

    Even though it is in my signature I will state I have a 231rk. It has the solar package on it. I have the battery that the dealer gave me. It is an Interstate 24M-XHD. I want to understand this a little better. I would like to add another battery just to have a little extra power in case I need it.

    So do I go with a second battery of the same make? Or do I go with a lithium battery. What I was told with the lithium battery is that the solar package doesn't charge it that well. Don't know because I am old school electronics. Back in the day computers went "CLICK" and took up many floors in a building. I know what lithium is and it is the better choice but if it doesn't charge that is not good.
    Upstate NY
    2022 Ford F150 with trailer tow package
    2022 Transcend Xplor 231rk
    2021 Shih Tzu Millie

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    Quote Originally Posted by docque View Post
    Even though it is in my signature I will state I have a 231rk. It has the solar package on it. I have the battery that the dealer gave me. It is an Interstate 24M-XHD. I want to understand this a little better. I would like to add another battery just to have a little extra power in case I need it.

    So do I go with a second battery of the same make? Or do I go with a lithium battery. What I was told with the lithium battery is that the solar package doesn't charge it that well. Don't know because I am old school electronics. Back in the day computers went "CLICK" and took up many floors in a building. I know what lithium is and it is the better choice but if it doesn't charge that is not good.
    If you go with a second battery, go with the same Ah rating and type, flooded lead acid or AGM.

    Do not mix LA and AGM with LiFePO4 batteries!

    If you decide to go LiFePO4, you will have to upgrade your converter/charger as well, to take full advantage of LiFePO4. Otherwise, your existing converter will only charge them to about 80%.
    Mark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
    Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
    Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel

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    Quote Originally Posted by MoonShadow_1911 View Post
    If you go with a second battery, go with the same Ah rating and type, flooded lead acid or AGM.

    Do not mix LA and AGM with LiFePO4 batteries!

    If you decide to go LiFePO4, you will have to upgrade your converter/charger as well, to take full advantage of LiFePO4. Otherwise, your existing converter will only charge them to about 80%.
    I figured no mix and match. Lithium will be in the future (or future RV). May just get another Interstate and be done with it. I assume it will still charge them both to full capacity?
    Upstate NY
    2022 Ford F150 with trailer tow package
    2022 Transcend Xplor 231rk
    2021 Shih Tzu Millie

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    Quote Originally Posted by docque View Post
    I figured no mix and match. Lithium will be in the future (or future RV). May just get another Interstate and be done with it. I assume it will still charge them both to full capacity?
    Yes. The chargers SHOULD be able to support up to 4 batteries. We currently have 2 AGM batteries. Just make sure the Ah (amp hours) are the same.
    Mark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
    Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
    Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel

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    Site Team Soundsailor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by docque View Post
    I would like to add another battery just to have a little extra power in case I need it.
    So a couple of things here, it would be good to know what your needs are for "a little extra power." Do you regularly camp off-grid? What sorts of things will you be powering with this "extra power"? It looks like your model (Transcend Xplor 231RK) comes with a 12-volt refrigerator. Do you know how much power that uses? I'm guessing in the range of 3 Amps per hour. If you were camping off-grid, the refrigerator alone would use about 70 Ah of power per day. You'd also want lights and the water pump. So for one night, you might get by with an additional 100 Ah lead-acid battery such as the stock unit. The charge controller you have is probably an MPPT which would support a lithium battery if you choose to go in that direction. Bottom line, there are a number of options depending what your needs are.
    Stephen and Judy
    2022 Reflection 150 Series 260RD (Stella)
    2017 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD (Blue)
    Traded - 2018 Forest River Rockwood Minilite 2104S

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    Quote Originally Posted by Soundsailor View Post
    So a couple of things here, it would be good to know what your needs are for "a little extra power." Do you regularly camp off-grid? What sorts of things will you be powering with this "extra power"? It looks like your model (Transcend Xplor 231RK) comes with a 12-volt refrigerator. Do you know how much power that uses? I'm guessing in the range of 3 Amps per hour. If you were camping off-grid, the refrigerator alone would use about 70 Ah of power per day. You'd also want lights and the water pump. So for one night, you might get by with an additional 100 Ah lead-acid battery such as the stock unit. The charge controller you have is probably an MPPT which would support a lithium battery if you choose to go in that direction. Bottom line, there are a number of options depending what your needs are.
    It may sound odd but I am one of those, "what if" people. it is more of an Emergency thing. What if we are stranded on the road for an extended period of time? What if the power goes out in the house? Things like that. We looked at Generators for these cases and just felt it was not something we wanted. So it boils down to it would be nice to have double the capacity just in case.
    Upstate NY
    2022 Ford F150 with trailer tow package
    2022 Transcend Xplor 231rk
    2021 Shih Tzu Millie

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    Site Team Soundsailor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by docque View Post
    It may sound odd but I am one of those, "what if" people. it is more of an Emergency thing. What if we are stranded on the road for an extended period of time? What if the power goes out in the house? Things like that. We looked at Generators for these cases and just felt it was not something we wanted. So it boils down to it would be nice to have double the capacity just in case.
    I'd go with an additional battery matching the original battery (flooded lead acid) as closely as possible.
    Stephen and Judy
    2022 Reflection 150 Series 260RD (Stella)
    2017 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD (Blue)
    Traded - 2018 Forest River Rockwood Minilite 2104S

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    Quote Originally Posted by Soundsailor View Post
    I'd go with an additional battery matching the original battery (flooded lead acid) as closely as possible.
    I really wanted to do a Generator but it seems that many campgrounds don't want you running it at the times you need it. But off grid is not a thing we plan on doing any time soon. We plan on going full time eventually.
    Upstate NY
    2022 Ford F150 with trailer tow package
    2022 Transcend Xplor 231rk
    2021 Shih Tzu Millie

  9. #9
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    Do not mix your batteries. We just changed our batteries to 6 lithium batteries with two large solar panels. We are so impressed with the recharge time of the lithium batteries. Batteries were down to 60% in the morning and by 10:30 am they were back to 100%. We just installed and haven’t used it but a couple of times so still testing it out. So far very impressed. If you can, I would switch to lithium batteries if possible. Nice not having to deal with a generator.

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    Site Team Redapple63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Soundsailor View Post
    I'd go with an additional battery matching the original battery (flooded lead acid) as closely as possible.
    I agree with this approach. It is the simplest way forward and you can do it tomorrow with no ups and no extras. Nice and simple , double your battery storage capacity.
    2019 GMC 3500 SRW Sierra Denali Duramax
    2020 Reflection 315RLTS

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