Lithium battery upgrade

[tgundy]

We have owned a 2002 Greyhawk 24SS for four years. We love it, but I am considering upgrading from my 2 Deep cycle battreries to 2 Wattcycle LiFePO4 Lithium Batteries 12V 100Ah.

My question is about charging. It looks like Wattcycle has a proprietary charger. Will the usual method of shore power, engine running, or generator work to charge or do I need to incorporate their (or a) charger into my system?

Thanks, Tim

[RogerR]

Because your rig is a 2002 the built in charging system may not have a lithium setting. In that case you will get to 80% or a bit better but a full charge may need one of several options. Replacement of the whole system or possibly an upgrade to the current one is the most obvious. Using a proprietary charger will work when you have enough electricity to power it from a generator or shore power. Last would be solar which would be my choice if you boondock much.



Note, Renogy says charging to 80% will not hurt anything on the battery and may extend the life. In your case your new batteries at 80% are way more than your old lead batteries in total capacity. your new batteries at 80% are way more than your old lead batteries in total capacity

[billcf7]

There is one thing I have learned about not charging lithium to 100% and that is if your lithium battery only has "top balancing" over time the cells will decrease in voltage to the lowest cell

Your Greyhawk probably has a BIM {BATTERY ISOLATION MANAGER} and you need to swap it out with a LIBIM
https://www.amazon.ca/Battle-Born-Ba...5560888&sr=8-1

[Ann-Marie]

In our 2019 Greyhawk, we were able to fit a single 300 Ah Lithium battery in the same space after removing the divider.

The battery is higher than the original batteries so we replaced the steel step with a wooden one just in case something shorted.

Shore power and alternator voltages were all compatible without any changes.

We replaced the charging/boost solenoid with a Smart Shore Marine 200 amp Lithium Battery Combiner. This allows the alternator to charge both batteries but isolates them when there is no charging source. It has the bonus of maintaining the starting battery when on shore power and also monitors the alternator load to allow cooling time if the lithium battery draws too much current.

[Stadden18]

Ok so I have to ask because I recently purchased a 2002 eagle. What exactly is the purpose for the battery? Mine did not come with one. For a couple weeks now I've just been plugged in, would a battery be for emergency power or when your off the grid? Thanks

[Glamper64]

Goggle and u-tube are a great source of RV info...you'll get answers and how to videos immediately...it's how I learned everything RV

[RogerR]

Originally Posted by Stadden18

Ok so I have to ask because I recently purchased a 2002 eagle. What exactly is the purpose for the battery? Mine did not come with one. For a couple weeks now I've just been plugged in, would a battery be for emergency power or when your off the grid? Thanks

Your battery does 2 things, powers the electric brakes on the trailer if you have them and provide power when not plugged in.

If your RV is permanently parked than the only use would be emergency power. If you travel the battery is great for camping where there is no power. It may also, based on your specific equipment, be needed to make the fridge work when on propane while traveling.

We often camp where there is no power. Then the battery pumps water from our tank, runs lights, furnace and vent fans.



I don't know if the 2002 Eagle has electric brakes but if it does there is a legal requirement by some or all states to have a battery to operate brakes in case of the hitch failing and the trailer rolling on it's own down the highway.

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by Stadden18

Ok so I have to ask because I recently purchased a 2002 eagle. What exactly is the purpose for the battery? Mine did not come with one. For a couple weeks now I've just been plugged in, would a battery be for emergency power or when your off the grid? Thanks

If you're in a Class C - then the house battery is there to power your 12V systems when you're parked, not plugged in and generator not running. This would include your propane detector. Your 'fridge (which needs 12V even when on the propane setting.)

You don't need a house battery. In fact lots of people remove them when the put their RV in storage.

If your engine is running then your alternator is the source of 12V power.
If you're plugged in, then it's the converter.
If you're running a generator, then its the same as being plugged in.


Pretty much nothing in my 2016 works without some source of 12V. Sometimes we pull off the road late at night to stop over and don't want to run the generator. In those instances, our 12V house batteries power the coach, run our CPAPs, keep the 'fridge cool, lights, etc.