LiFePo4 vs Lead Acid...Some points of interest.

There is no RV converter that is a best charger for LFP that I am aware of.
I am not even convinced many of the lithium chargers are really that good including that NOCO.

3 tons wrote:
... to allow for cell balancing - this is where a LiFePo4 compatible smart meter is helpful (like a Victron Smart shunt, BMV 712 or equivalent) as you can watch the voltage and current balancing act work it’s mojo...Having said that, due to LFP’s wide breadth of usable operating range, there’s really little need to fully charge a LFP except for an occasional BMS cell balancing which also allows for SOC meter re-sync.

If building your own pack I would highly recommend the overkillsolar BMS with bluetooth. This way you can easily check on the state of your battery with your smart phone or tablet. Also the Victron Smart Shunts are pretty expensive for what they do. I would recommend the AiLi current meter which is only $44 now on Amazon.

https://overkillsolar.com/

https://smile.amazon.com/AiLi-Voltmeter-Ammeter-Voltage-Motorhome/dp/B07FGFFHC6

The downside to the Aili is that it doesn't communicate with my other Victron products and it has no bluetooth capabilities, but I'm fine with that. I can see all the information about the battery from the BMS app.

Browsing Marine how to site... I thought this was an interesting "test" using .2c & .4c charge rate on a Lifeline GPL-31T battery.

https://marinehowto.com/how-fast-can-an-agm-battery-be-charged/

"This battery only saw an approx 12 minute difference in a 5.5hour charge period but yes it did charge “faster” at .4C than it did at .2C."

"SUMMARY: In this portion of the testing 50% to 100% SOC, on this AGM battery, the difference between a .4C and a .2C charge rate, netted a 12 minute total charge time difference."
;)

You definitely need a DC-DC charger for charging from your alternator. The LFP batteries will take as much as the alternator can give and will shorten the life of most alternators. Sometimes very quickly. For solar, you need a charge controller anyway and it's best to use an MPPT charger. For shore charging, most of the newer converter chargers have a lithium setting. I had to upgrade my Power Dynamics Mighty Mini to charge the LFP battery. If you have a new camper everything should be LFP capable, except for the DC-DC controller. Those are usually not included in campers.


And also if you have an LFP battery you are going to want an inverter. That was the very last thing I bought. I kept convincing myself I didn't need one but now that I have it I feel foolish for resisting getting one. It's really nice having a bunch of home cooked meals ready to reheat in the microwave and being able to do it without firing up the generator. It also makes every day living so much easier in my rig, which was already wired for AC.

On those trips where it has been mostly overcast and we've been using more juice than we made, we can fire up the generator and take a hike for an hour and come back to a battery that has an additional 50AH in it. But I haven't had that happen since I upgraded my panels.

“Do the LiPo4 batteries require a special charger? If so, you should include the price of that item also.”

I many cases no, all you’ll need is a charger that puts out 14.x volts (not to exceed 14.6v, the BMS cutt-off) constant voltage and constant current...My plain Jane Progressive Dynamics 9245 will do this (14.3v at the battery) while using the optional Charge Wizard dongle set to the Boost mode...Just avoid equalizations and you’ll be fine, while floating the battery (say at roughly 13.6v) is neither necessary, nor harmful...

After reaching a ‘steady’ end of charge14.x volts, allow charger to continue for say 20 or so minutes to allow for cell balancing - this is where a LiFePo4 compatible smart meter is helpful (like a Victron Smart shunt, BMV 712 or equivalent) as you can watch the voltage and current balancing act work it’s mojo...Having said that, due to LFP’s wide breadth of usable operating range, there’s really little need to fully charge a LFP except for an occasional BMS cell balancing which also allows for SOC meter re-sync. Unlike FLA batteries, once charge is completed, discontinue charging...

3 tons, Emancipated from Generators:) (thanks to a higher harvest receptivity)!!

Do the LiPo4 batteries require a special charger? If so, you should include the price of that item also.

There are varying opinions on that,some say yes and others say no..The seller I bought mine from said any modern charger will work just fine and a lithium setting is a plus..Some say the Gel setting is close enough also and others the AGM..I already had a modern charger with a lithium setting..

Here is a question on just that to Expert power whom makes Lifepo4 batteries..

Question was: Can the lifepo4 be charged with a standard lead battery charger? If not Lead acid charger, then please link to what should we use?

Answer..Hello!

The charger must be LiFePO4 compatible-- we typically recommend NOCO Genius chargers.


Hope this information helps! see less

ExpertPower Direct Seller · October 15, 2019

Gjac wrote:
Jayco creek said: With the price getting so low for Lifepo4,I can't see a reason not to switch when there about the price of a quality lead acid...JMHO,.. So what is the current price comparison?

There was three different lifepo4 100ah batteries for $399,looking now there in the $450 range while quality lead acid AGM's are $300 plus each..One needs to shop and catch the deals because the prices are changing weekly on them..

StirCrazy wrote:

for making your own you can build a 280 usable AH for about 600 bucks now. to get that in deep cycles batteries you probably over 1000 for high quality and about the same in cheep on sale (these prices are CDN).

other advantages besides price now days is weight that would be about 46LB and it would give me more capacity than the 240lbs of 6V I have now that only have 235AH usable. also the size, this one Li battery is the side of one of the 6V batteries. so 1/6th the weight and 1/4 the size.


Steve

They're selling cells with 310 AH now with the same dimensions as the 280s.

StirCrazy wrote:

Gjac wrote:
Jayco creek said: With the price getting so low for Lifepo4,I can't see a reason not to switch when there about the price of a quality lead acid...JMHO,.. So what is the current price comparison?

for making your own you can build a 280 usable AH for about 600 bucks now. to get that in deep cycles batteries you probably over 1000 for high quality and about the same in cheep on sale (these prices are CDN).

other advantages besides price now days is weight that would be about 46LB and it would give me more capacity than the 240lbs of 6V I have now that only have 235AH usable. also the size, this one Li battery is the side of one of the 6V batteries. so 1/6th the weight and 1/4 the size.


Steve

Do the LiPo4 batteries require a special charger? If so, you should include the price of that item also.

Gjac wrote:
Jayco creek said: With the price getting so low for Lifepo4,I can't see a reason not to switch when there about the price of a quality lead acid...JMHO,.. So what is the current price comparison?

for making your own you can build a 280 usable AH for about 600 bucks now. to get that in deep cycles batteries you probably over 1000 for high quality and about the same in cheep on sale (these prices are CDN).

other advantages besides price now days is weight that would be about 46LB and it would give me more capacity than the 240lbs of 6V I have now that only have 235AH usable. also the size, this one Li battery is the side of one of the 6V batteries. so 1/6th the weight and 1/4 the size.


Steve