Replacing My Battery....Will This LifePO4 Work?

**roegs01** · 04-03-2022, 02:37 PM

I've been reading Lithium battery posts till my head spins. The big walk-aways I've seen are replacing the converter to Lithium compatible and making sure there is cold charge protection.

My battery needs?
1. Does not discharge while our trailer is in storage. I do not have access to 120 volt outlet.
2. Light weight - my back is not the best and lifting heavy batteries is something I avoid.
3. We do not boondock and have no need for solar.
4. Support an occasional overnight run of our furnace if we do a quick night at a TruckStop.
5. Around the $500 mark.
6. We do not have inverter option on our trailer - just the standard refrigerator etc.

I'm thinking that the Renogy battery below might be a good candidate. Has Bluetooth and appears to support cold weather issues. Renogy is selling these on ebay for $479 which to me seems good, but then again I'm new to the whole Lithium world.

https://www.renogy.com/12v-100ah-lit...y-w-bluetooth/

**xrated** · 04-03-2022, 03:35 PM

It may or may not support running a furnace overnight. It will depend on a couple of things.....how many other 12V devices are operating....lights, tank heaters if applicable, and how much use the furnace sees, in other words how cold it is and how often it runs and for how long. The huge advantage of LFP batteries vs. FLA is that you can get almost all of the battery's AHs usage, whereas with a FLA, you really shouldn't run them below a 50% State of Charge (SOC).

**A.Texas.Yankee** · 04-03-2022, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by roegs01

I've been reading Lithium battery posts till my head spins. The big walk-aways I've seen are replacing the converter to Lithium compatible and making sure there is cold charge protection.

My battery needs?
1. Does not discharge while our trailer is in storage. I do not have access to 120 volt outlet.
2. Light weight - my back is not the best and lifting heavy batteries is something I avoid.
3. We do not boondock and have no need for solar.
4. Support an occasional overnight run of our furnace if we do a quick night at a TruckStop.
5. Around the $500 mark.
6. We do not have inverter option on our trailer - just the standard refrigerator etc.

I'm thinking that the Renogy battery below might be a good candidate. Has Bluetooth and appears to support cold weather issues. Renogy is selling these on ebay for $479 which to me seems good, but then again I'm new to the whole Lithium world.

https://www.renogy.com/12v-100ah-lit...y-w-bluetooth/

Nearly ANY reputable LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) with a built in BMS battery will work for you. That Renogy would work just fine for you and is a well known brand. Cold weather basically just means don't charge below freezing and don't discharge too much below freezing. There's some variables to this (like charging in itself creates heat, as does discharging).

I wouldn't invest in upgrading your converter for your situation. For and occasional use over a single night, you'll likely have enough capacity for it with the OEM converter.

Hope that helps.

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**Ynot4me2** · 04-03-2022, 06:08 PM

Can you expand on points 1 and 6? By discharge do you mean leaving both the battery and the battery disconnect connected? If so, how long are we talking about?
By regular fridge, do you mean a residential fridge?

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**roegs01** · 04-03-2022, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by Ynot4me2

Can you expand on points 1 and 6? By discharge do you mean leaving both the battery and the battery disconnect connected? If so, how long are we talking about?
By regular fridge, do you mean a residential fridge?

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No problem expanding....

Item 1 - Storage. My understanding is that I would not need a battery maintainer / trickle charger when the trailer is in storage. The battery would be disconnected from that coach at this time, but no maintainer would be needed. Worst case timeframe would be November through February.

Item 6 - Regular fridge is the typical RV fridge. We do not have the residential refrigerator

Thanks!

**xrated** · 04-03-2022, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by roegs01

No problem expanding....

Item 1 - Storage. My understanding is that I would not need a battery maintainer / trickle charger when the trailer is in storage. The battery would be disconnected from that coach at this time, but no maintainer would be needed. Worst case timeframe would be November through February.

Item 6 - Regular fridge is the typical RV fridge. We do not have the residential refrigerator

Thanks!

One thing to keep in mind when storing LFP batteries...or in you case, one battery. Do not charge the battery to full SOC and leave it. LFP does not like to be at full charge then sitting idle. When it come time for not using the battery for a few to several months, make sure the SOC is down between 40-70%.

**jmbopp** · 04-04-2022, 06:57 AM

For your intended useage I'd get a pair of 6V batteries and install a master disconnect switch.

**roegs01** · 04-04-2022, 10:58 AM

Thanks each of you guys for the replies! My only question is long term storage and not having the battery at full charge. A.Texas.Yankee mentioned that I could get by not replacing the converter which I assume keeps the battery below full charge. If so, is that enough of a reduced charge for storage? I plan to use the existing battery cutoff switch in our 2930 during storage periods - but am also planning to ensure that its wired to completely disconnect the battery from everything in the trailer. I may just install another cutoff in the front storage area right next to the battery (vs the Grand Design location in the mid-basement. To validate amperage needed for an overnight stay, I also plan to measure battery draw when the refridge is on propane and heater running to ensure that 100aH will carry me through one night.

**JKellerJr** · 04-04-2022, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by roegs01

My only question is long term storage and not having the battery at full charge. A.Texas.Yankee mentioned that I could get by not replacing the converter which I assume keeps the battery below full charge. If so, is that enough of a reduced charge for storage?

I would ask the manufacturer. FWIW Battleborn recommends charging to 100% before storage.

**Ynot4me2** · 04-04-2022, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by roegs01

No problem expanding....

Item 1 - Storage. My understanding is that I would not need a battery maintainer / trickle charger when the trailer is in storage. The battery would be disconnected from that coach at this time, but no maintainer would be needed. Worst case timeframe would be November through February.

Item 6 - Regular fridge is the typical RV fridge. We do not have the residential refrigerator

Thanks!

Just wanted to be sure that you weren't expecting to leave everything plugged in and expecting the battery to keep up and that you weren't referring to a regular fridge as a residential. In this case lithium would work and a fraction the weight of other battery and will last an extremely long time. Over 10yrs. But as @xrated mentioned, lithium don't like to be fully charged and stored. Bring it between 30 and 50% before disconnecting it for storage.

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