Lithium Battery Question
I am thinking about converting my 2020 lance to Lithium batteries. I want to do it as inexpensively as possible. (Battle Born ain't gonna happen) Can anyone tell me what specifications I should look f...
Forum Discussion
The standard PowerMax converter (LK models) is already adjustable voltage but not automatic. So a special Li version that is not adjustable would have to be one that has a timer or other trigger for dropping the voltage to Float level. Which is what is missing on the PD version even if the voltage were right.
EDIT--Bruce posted that his Iota Li dongle went to 14.6 so he was ok with his particular Lis. I think the PD voltage at the battery would depend on voltage drop until amps tapered right down, so you could choose skinnier wires to get the voltage you want maybe.
Bestconverters is/was selling their adjustable Boondocker (LKs) as "Li" ready.
If PMX made one for Li that is adjustable for the bulk stage voltage to suit various battery makers, you still need a trigger to reduce the voltage to float. It would be an LK with "Li" painted on it. :)
With adjustables, now you have to do the voltage drop manually when you decide it is time to do so from seeing that the battery is at the point you should do that (however that is decided in your set-up)
I don't know of a way to trigger a converter to drop to Float at the right time for various battery banks. You can do it with Flooded batts where it drops too early but still charges the rest of the way on Float. AGMs want that 0.5a/100AH, so dropping early is unsat.
Not clear on Li for dropping early, since it won't kill them to not get to full. However if you do want to get to full, you don't want to drop to float early unless they continue to charge in Float. But then you have to stop that too if they are still charging while on Float or get overcharged and ruin them.
That leaves having an adjustable voltage converter that you pick your own time to drop it to Float, and make sure the float voltage is low enough so it does not keep charging (temperature compensation needed there too).
We know most RVers prefer automatic, so "Sales" must be telling "Engineering" to invent something before the other company does. Also funny/sad that any adjustable voltage charger is already good for Li, but "Sales" knows that they must paint "Li" on it to be "with it".
EDIT--Bruce posted that his Iota Li dongle went to 14.6 so he was ok with his particular Lis. I think the PD voltage at the battery would depend on voltage drop until amps tapered right down, so you could choose skinnier wires to get the voltage you want maybe.
Bestconverters is/was selling their adjustable Boondocker (LKs) as "Li" ready.
If PMX made one for Li that is adjustable for the bulk stage voltage to suit various battery makers, you still need a trigger to reduce the voltage to float. It would be an LK with "Li" painted on it. :)
With adjustables, now you have to do the voltage drop manually when you decide it is time to do so from seeing that the battery is at the point you should do that (however that is decided in your set-up)
I don't know of a way to trigger a converter to drop to Float at the right time for various battery banks. You can do it with Flooded batts where it drops too early but still charges the rest of the way on Float. AGMs want that 0.5a/100AH, so dropping early is unsat.
Not clear on Li for dropping early, since it won't kill them to not get to full. However if you do want to get to full, you don't want to drop to float early unless they continue to charge in Float. But then you have to stop that too if they are still charging while on Float or get overcharged and ruin them.
That leaves having an adjustable voltage converter that you pick your own time to drop it to Float, and make sure the float voltage is low enough so it does not keep charging (temperature compensation needed there too).
We know most RVers prefer automatic, so "Sales" must be telling "Engineering" to invent something before the other company does. Also funny/sad that any adjustable voltage charger is already good for Li, but "Sales" knows that they must paint "Li" on it to be "with it".
