House battery

[Marina]

Hello all, have a 2018 Jayco RedHawk 26. Need to change the house battery, only one on this rig. Would like your opinions on the Universal 12V 100Ah AGM Sealed Lead Acid Battery UB121000 Group 27. Thanks! Steve

[TaftCoach]

Steve, what demands will you be placing on the battery? Always on hookups? Boondocking for long stretches?

[tom35758]

The biggest question is whether you have an old charger with one voltage charge or a newer one that is automatic 3 stage voltage charge.
The battery specifically says 'constant voltage charge'

Have looked at this battery, looks good except the constant voltage thing, I am in the process of upgrading the electrical system in my '05 one of the things I am changing to is the three stage charging.

[Marina]

2-3 days boondocking. Have generator.

[Marina]

Have 3 stage charger

[Scoutmaster253]

Originally Posted by Marina

Hello all, have a 2018 Jayco RedHawk 26. Need to change the house battery, only one on this rig. Would like your opinions on the Universal 12V 100Ah AGM Sealed Lead Acid Battery UB121000 Group 27. Thanks! Steve

Last year I replaced my 31FS' original wet 12V with a sealed AGM of slightly more capacity. I did this to free myself of the need to monitor the water level in the wet battery. The change has been good.

[billcf7]

Originally Posted by Marina

Hello all, have a 2018 Jayco RedHawk 26. Need to change the house battery, only one on this rig. Would like your opinions on the Universal 12V 100Ah AGM Sealed Lead Acid Battery UB121000 Group 27. Thanks! Steve

For a couple hundred $ more you can buy a 100 a/hr lithiun with a warranty and have 100 a/hrs of usable power

[Brian_HR]

Originally Posted by billcf7

For a couple hundred $ more you can buy a 100 a/hr lithiun with a warranty and have 100 a/hrs of usable power

I'd love to be able to update the house battery to lithium but I just haven't found a good option to fit in the space reserved for the house batteries under the entrance stairs. I live in CO and am concerned about damaging a lithium battery by charging it when it's below freezing. Since the stairway battery well is open to the environs it gets quite cold in there in the winter. The stock PD charger that comes with the 24B has a lithium switch so it will provide 1the correct voltage for a lithium battery but it doesn't have the smarts to cutoff the charging when its below zero and I haven't found a group 24 sized Lithium Battery that has a BMS with low temp cutoff. Maybe I'm overthinking the situation but I don't want to spend $500+ on a battery that will be damaged unless I remove it from the rig during the winter months.

AGM is definitely an option and comes with lower maintenance until I can move the batteries somewhere inside the rig (maybe under the bed?) and redo all the wiring. That's not a small job though.

-Brian

[billcf7]

The BMS inside the lithium battery will not allow it to be charged below freezing. Most BMS s are set at 27 F

[RGD615]

Originally Posted by Brian_HR

I'd love to be able to update the house battery to lithium but I just haven't found a good option to fit in the space reserved for the house batteries under the entrance stairs. I live in CO and am concerned about damaging a lithium battery by charging it when it's below freezing. Since the stairway battery well is open to the environs it gets quite cold in there in the winter. The stock PD charger that comes with the 24B has a lithium switch so it will provide 1the correct voltage for a lithium battery but it doesn't have the smarts to cutoff the charging when its below zero and I haven't found a group 24 sized Lithium Battery that has a BMS with low temp cutoff. Maybe I'm overthinking the situation but I don't want to spend $500+ on a battery that will be damaged unless I remove it from the rig during the winter months.

AGM is definitely an option and comes with lower maintenance until I can move the batteries somewhere inside the rig (maybe under the bed?) and redo all the wiring. That's not a small job though.

-Brian

Brian, Regarding location for Batteries. Did you see the photos I posted. I also posted them in the posted Photos Section in an Album "Lady Grey" I don't know where the other post went that had the info. Richard

[Swill4wd]

Battleborn now offers a heated lithium option.

[Fork in the road]

Originally Posted by Brian_HR

I'd love to be able to update the house battery to lithium but I just haven't found a good option to fit in the space reserved for the house batteries under the entrance stairs. I live in CO and am concerned about damaging a lithium battery by charging it when it's below freezing. Since the stairway battery well is open to the environs it gets quite cold in there in the winter. The stock PD charger that comes with the 24B has a lithium switch so it will provide 1the correct voltage for a lithium battery but it doesn't have the smarts to cutoff the charging when its below zero and I haven't found a group 24 sized Lithium Battery that has a BMS with low temp cutoff. Maybe I'm overthinking the situation but I don't want to spend $500+ on a battery that will be damaged unless I remove it from the rig during the winter months.

AGM is definitely an option and comes with lower maintenance until I can move the batteries somewhere inside the rig (maybe under the bed?) and redo all the wiring. That's not a small job though.

-Brian

24B lithium switch? I have a 2019 24B. Was it standard on that year? Do you have a picture of this switch?

Thanks

[ledoyle]

I was looking at lithium batteries but they can't be used as backup starter battery so that eliminates that option for me. I modified my 2007 greyhack with new larger tray to support up to 4 batteries. I have 2 Trojan 6v and very happy with them. Larry

[arobinson6]

Originally Posted by Brian_HR

I'd love to be able to update the house battery to lithium but I just haven't found a good option to fit in the space reserved for the house batteries under the entrance stairs. I live in CO and am concerned about damaging a lithium battery by charging it when it's below freezing. Since the stairway battery well is open to the environs it gets quite cold in there in the winter. The stock PD charger that comes with the 24B has a lithium switch so it will provide 1the correct voltage for a lithium battery but it doesn't have the smarts to cutoff the charging when its below zero and I haven't found a group 24 sized Lithium Battery that has a BMS with low temp cutoff. Maybe I'm overthinking the situation but I don't want to spend $500+ on a battery that will be damaged unless I remove it from the rig during the winter months.

AGM is definitely an option and comes with lower maintenance until I can move the batteries somewhere inside the rig (maybe under the bed?) and redo all the wiring. That's not a small job though.

-Brian

I HAVE A 2020 REDHAWK 24 B, I added a second battery next to the house battery it came with, daisy chained them, when they go bad I will not get a lithium but rather two 12 v good marine deep cycle AGM, like optima or odyssey, or universal .

[craigav]

Originally Posted by ledoyle

I was looking at lithium batteries but they can't be used as backup starter battery so that eliminates that option for me. I modified my 2007 greyhack with new larger tray to support up to 4 batteries. I have 2 Trojan 6v and very happy with them. Larry

Some Lithium batteries can be used for starting purposes. The one I purchased and use for my primary coach battery is the Valence U27-12XP and it is rated for up to 300 amps discharge current. That is plenty to start the generator, and if the engine battery was dead, I would likely start the generator and hold the "Aux" start button in for a few minutes to charge the engine starting battery enough to crank the engine.

They are expensive however I bought mine off of ebay over a year ago for $250.00 (wish I had bought more). The seller claimed they were purchased for a project that fell through. Buyer beware for sure, however I have a lithium charge\discharge tester that connects to my laptop and the battery did have 100% capacity as advertised so all is good. I have also purchased some used and smaller Lifepo4 12v ~50amp medical batteries and have had good luck with them as well, most have at least ~85% of their original capacity, just need to wire them in when I have time to do so. ~CA

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by Marina

Hello all, have a 2018 Jayco RedHawk 26. Need to change the house battery, only one on this rig. Would like your opinions on the Universal 12V 100Ah AGM Sealed Lead Acid Battery UB121000 Group 27. Thanks! Steve

I have a 2019 Redhawk 25R Chances are you have the same Progressive Dynamics, PD 4060K, charger/converter I have. I verified with PD that it can not charge lithium, only lead acid flooded or AGM. Open your fuse panel and see.

You would have to buy a new charger/converter if you go to lithium. After researching the heck out of this subject I found that it would be best to buy an inverter with a built in charger/converter/transfer switch. Then you can upgrade to solar in the future if you choose.

The other issue I’ve found is a space to store the batteries properly. Lithium needs air flow to cool and on the flip side you can not use them below 25F with out a heater on them or buying the new BB lithium’s with built in heaters. My house battery is in under my 2nd step. Not much room there and it’s exposed to the elements. I might go with 2-6V AGM and stick with my PD charger/converter and put them in this foot print because I don’t want to give up any more compartments or space. Also be sure whatever you buy has enough cold cranking amps to start your generator!

Good luck keep us posted.

[craigav]

Originally Posted by Johnynorthland

I have a 2019 Redhawk 25R Chances are you have the same Progressive Dynamics, PD 4060K, charger/converter I have. I verified with PD that it can not charge lithium, only lead acid flooded or AGM. Open your fuse panel and see.

You would have to buy a new charger/converter if you go to lithium. After researching the heck out of this subject I found that it would be best to buy an inverter with a built in charger/converter/transfer switch. Then you can upgrade to solar in the future if you choose.

The other issue I’ve found is a space to store the batteries properly. Lithium needs air flow to cool and on the flip side you can not use them below 25F with out a heater on them or buying the new BB lithium’s with built in heaters. My house battery is in under my 2nd step. Not much room there and it’s exposed to the elements. I might go with 2-6V AGM and stick with my PD charger/converter and put them in this foot print because I don’t want to give up any more compartments or space. Also be sure whatever you buy has enough cold cranking amps to start your generator!

Good luck keep us posted.

Thoughts to share, related to Johny's comments and fyi based on this thread.

I have purchased everything I plan to install but haven't had time to do the install, so be sure to do your own research before considering that any of my comments here are tested and verified by actually installing everything I am mentioning.

The E450's (and E350's) have an oem option (at least in the cutaway versions) for 2 (maybe 3) frame mounted battery boxes. I ordered 3 of these over a year ago and haven't installed them as of yet, perhaps this spring (now that I am retired). Here is a link to what I purchased although at the time I paid about a third of this price. I contacted the seller at that time and did some online research, and was told and verified that the E450's haven't changed in regards to the frame and these oem battery boxes even up to the 2020 models, and that the frame already has cutouts and holes drilled at the factory for these battery boxes ready to go, so no frame drilling required (again, I haven't verified by installing these as of yet just what I read and was told).

Also, I rarely camp below freezing but did find that there are battery wrap heaters one can purchase which I may purchase as well, current plans are not to charge my Lifepo4 batteries when the temp is below freezing, it doesn't harm them however to discharge them below freezing, just with charging.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Econol...EAAOSwOQNeak5E

I also purchased an AIMS 2500 inverter/charger that supports Lifepo4 batteries, so all is good there. My current converter (not that I know for sure what I have) only puts out ~13.8~14v volts (according to my vom meter), so it is charging my Lifepo4 battery but not up to its rated capacity (requires 14.4~14.6 for full charge), so no harm being a bit undercharged, just never gets fully charged to its rated capacity at this point.

Also, if any of you did use a frame mounted battery box(es), I would certainly not place a standard lead acid battery in them as I feel certain checking the water level in those batteries would not be fun. I would go with AGM or lithium for sure.


~Craig

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by craigav

Thoughts to share, related to Johny's comments and fyi based on this thread.

I have purchased everything I plan to install but haven't had time to do the install, so be sure to do your own research before considering that any of my comments here are tested and verified by actually installing everything I am mentioning.

The E450's (and E350's) have an oem option (at least in the cutaway versions) for 2 (maybe 3) frame mounted battery boxes. I ordered 3 of these over a year ago and haven't installed them as of yet, perhaps this spring (now that I am retired). Here is a link to what I purchased although at the time I paid about a third of this price. I contacted the seller at that time and did some online research, and was told and verified that the E450's haven't changed in regards to the frame and these oem battery boxes even up to the 2020 models, and that the frame already has cutouts and holes drilled at the factory for these battery boxes ready to go, so no frame drilling required (again, I haven't verified by installing these as of yet just what I read and was told).

Also, I rarely camp below freezing but did find that there are battery wrap heaters one can purchase which I may purchase as well, current plans are not to charge my Lifepo4 batteries when the temp is below freezing, it doesn't harm them however to discharge them below freezing, just with charging.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Econol...EAAOSwOQNeak5E

I also purchased an AIMS 2500 inverter/charger that supports Lifepo4 batteries, so all is good there. My current converter (not that I know for sure what I have) only puts out ~13.8~14v volts (according to my vom meter), so it is charging my Lifepo4 battery but not up to its rated capacity (requires 14.4~14.6 for full charge), so no harm being a bit undercharged, just never gets fully charged to its rated capacity at this point.

Also, if any of you did use a frame mounted battery box(es), I would certainly not place a standard lead acid battery in them as I feel certain checking the water level in those batteries would not be fun. I would go with AGM or lithium for sure.


~Craig

I’ve seen these battery boxes that mount to the frame. Craig where exactly is the location of these mounting holes? And how long would your battery cables be once you remotely mount these battery boxes?

[craigav]

I will see what I can find a bit later in the evening as I saved (or thought I saved) the Ford website where I read up on this. Off the top of my head, I believe the frame has two locations ready to go almost directly under the passenger seat, and one location ready to go on the drivers side a little past (towards the rear of the rv) directly under the driver's seat. I plan to run separate cables to each battery, and will likely use the frame as the ground (so one longer wire and one short wire from battery to frame). I will also tie all of this in likely (likely as I haven't done this yet) in the storage compartment just rear of the generator so the overall cable length should not be too long. Just another fun project for sure. I will likely have a fuse and a switch to each battery so I can isolate each battery and check its voltage independent of the other batteries. ~CA

[Brian_HR]

Originally Posted by Fork in the road

24B lithium switch? I have a 2019 24B. Was it standard on that year? Do you have a picture of this switch?

Thanks

The 2021 24B has a PD 4060K "Mighty Mini" Power Center. Here a photo of the board with the Lithium Switch circle. LA = Lead Acid; LIK = Lithium.

Here is a link to the page describing the Lithium Switch.

There is a logo on the outside panel that identifies if the unit has the Lithium Switch. If you have the logo, you have the switch.