Lithium Batteries

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Bert the Welder,

I have AGM's because I got rather tired of laying down in the snow to check electrolyte levels in seven Group 29 12 volt jars, totaling 875 amp-hours.

There is only one Li formulation that can work at -40. It is still, as far as I am aware, not available in a 100 amp hour battery.

The other issue is HEAVY inverter use. AGM's are a bit better than Li at that. I often draw 190 amps from the battery bank.

My particular AGM's are telcom batteries that are 4 years old and were "reconditioned" pulls from Cell phone towers. They were purchased because of price. New, they would cost about the same as SiO2.

My next bank, unless I can find something better, will be SiO2 and that will probably happen in July or August 2021. I'm debating whether to get 600 amp-hours, or 400.

I have a lot of respect for Itinerant 1. He has done his research carefully.

I wanted my RV to behave as if it were plugged into shore power, without generator use. I mostly succeeded and for the first five years I did not own a generator.

I wish I had not caved in and gotten a generator. It has, since I started, cost me over $12000.00. Considering that I use the generator less than 100 hours per year, it is a pretty pricey item. For that, I could have had a rather large solar array with slide out "wings" and actuators to move them in and out.

If I had known in 2005 what I know now, I would have moved to a 48 volt battery bank.

Having a beer budget is quite a pain sometimes * grin *.

P.S. I have no relationship with *any* company that is selling anything.

SiO2 are not perfect. No battery is. But with a potential 16 year life span, and my recent change back to part time, they essential for me at age 72, have a life time guaranty. Their cost per cycle, lower initial cost, and the flat dead 620 times are icing on the -40 cake.

Thanks Don! Makes sense if your AGM's are still working, no sense replacing them before they're time is up. Interesting regarding getting the cell tower batteries. Didn't realize they ran on those. I assume they are a back up power source and are swapped out as part of routine maintenance.
And I do thank you for your postings re the SiO2's. I'd not heard of them and am completely ignorant when it comes to TC electrical, batteries and solar so rely heavily on the experience and info sharing of others. So again, thank you. :C Good to have a Canadian source for info too since availability for us can vary greatly compared to south of the boarder. As well as limited selection.