Replacing battery with new LiFePO

[aospina001]

Hey guys!

I got my 2022 GD Imagine XLS 23BHE in May this year and I’m upgrading the battery with two new 12V 100Ah LiFePO batteries. Owners manual doesn’t provide much info on battery replacement besides it needs to be “Group 24 or Group 27.” I reached out to manufacturer and I’m not certain they understood my question. Can anyone please tell me if these batteries will work fine? Is there anything I need to know before installing these batteries? I greatly appreciate the help!

LOSSIGY LiFePO4 Battery, 12V 100Ah Deep Cycle Lithium 1280Wh Built-in 100A BMS, Perfect for Golf Cart, Trolling Motor, Marine, RV, Solar System

[traveldawg]

Welcome to the forum. You will get a lot of advice on your batteries. We have lots of information here should you decide to peruse some older threads by searching.

In the meantime, any 12v battery of any size you can fit in will work, be they 100ah or larger. How many amps and how large physically is really up to you - most any battery will work. And since you are going with lithium you don't have to worry about venting, so you can install it where you want.

There are better members here than me to advise on real detailed specifics.

One important step to take, even more important than the physical size, is the charger you choose. You want to be sure it will charge with bulk, absorption, and float rates that match the battery(s) you install.

[Second Chance]

There's a lot more to it than physical fit (proper converter-charger, for example). I'm not familiar with the particular battery you are describing - perhaps @SolarPoweredRV knows something about them.

Rob

[AZMike]

Hey guys!

I got my 2022 GD Imagine XLS 23BHE in May this year and I’m upgrading the battery with two new 12V 100Ah LiFePO batteries. Owners manual doesn’t provide much info on battery replacement besides it needs to be “Group 24 or Group 27.” I reached out to manufacturer and I’m not certain they understood my question. Can anyone please tell me if these batteries will work fine? Is there anything I need to know before installing these batteries? I greatly appreciate the help!

LOSSIGY LiFePO4 Battery, 12V 100Ah Deep Cycle Lithium 1280Wh Built-in 100A BMS, Perfect for Golf Cart, Trolling Motor, Marine, RV, Solar System

You should have a lithium compatible convertor (but not mandatory). The convertor that came in mine was not, but it was replaced under warranty because it killed my original battery. The replacement they put in was (low and behold!) the lithium version WFCO. The timing was perfect, as I had a lithium battery on the way before the trailer was returned to me. Since they gave me that convertor, you MAY also have a lithium compatible one (could be what they are installing by default on 2022 models going forward). The only way to be sure is to check the P/N. on yours.

[Second Chance]

Moved to Electrical Systems And Wiring.

Rob

[SolarPoweredRV]

Hey guys!

I got my 2022 GD Imagine XLS 23BHE in May this year and I’m upgrading the battery with two new 12V 100Ah LiFePO batteries. Owners manual doesn’t provide much info on battery replacement besides it needs to be “Group 24 or Group 27.” I reached out to manufacturer and I’m not certain they understood my question. Can anyone please tell me if these batteries will work fine? Is there anything I need to know before installing these batteries? I greatly appreciate the help!

LOSSIGY LiFePO4 Battery, 12V 100Ah Deep Cycle Lithium 1280Wh Built-in 100A BMS, Perfect for Golf Cart, Trolling Motor, Marine, RV, Solar System

One thing you need to know about Lithium (LiFePo4) batteries is that they can not be charged if the battery temperature is 32 degrees or below, you can discharge them, you just can't charge them.

There are two YouTubers that have several videos of themselves tearing down different battery brands. Search YouTube for: "Lossigy Battery Review" and look for videos by either: "DIY with Will Prowse", or "Lithium Solar". If you do find one of their videos, pay attention when they test the battery for low temperature cut off.

You can avoid needing to worry about Low Temperature Charging if you install your battery in a heated area inside your coach, i.e.: under a dinette bench, under the bed, or on the floor of a closet (a lot of 5th wheels have the batteries installed under the steps inside a heated hold). You can also avoid Low Temp Charging if you never camp when/where the temperatures might get below freezing. If you have a Solar system installed, you also need to ensure that the Solar system can't charge the battery(ies) during storage in low temps (also applies if you keep the camper plugged in while being stored).

With that being said; you will love how much better the Lithium batteries perform compared to the old Lead Acid batteries. For one thing, you can use the full 100 amp hour rating of the Lithium batteries versus only ~ 50% of the LA batteries (beyond ~ 50% discharge LA batteries get damaged internally). Lithium batteries also charge up quickly, so, they are advantageous if you are boondocking and are using a generator to recharge your batteries.

When it comes to charging, your existing Converter will charge the Lithium battery(ies), however to fully charge your Lithium battery(ies) you will need a "Lithium Capable" Converter. As someone mentioned above, your coach is new enough that it may have a "Lithium Capable" Converter, to check, find the Converter information in your documentation and look for "AD" at the end of the model number, this indicates the Converter is capable of "Auto Detect(ing)" if you have Lithium or LA batteries. If your Converter is not the Auto Detect model, then, to get the maximum from your Lithium batteries, you would need to upgrade your Converter to a "Lithium Capable" unit, I recommend choosing a Progressive Dynamics Converter over a WFCO Converter. I also recommend you increase the amperage of your converter to 80 - 100 amps because, Lithium batteries can charge so much faster than LA batteries.

Even if you choose not to replace your Converter you will be able to store much more usable energy in the Lithium batteries, than you could with the LA batteries. Consequently, you can wait to change out the Converter (or not if the Old Converter is performing adequately for you).

Good Luck and keep us informed how the new Lithium batteries perform for you.