BFL13 wrote:
You can take a pair of 6s down below 50% without much penalty in number of lifetime cycles, so that would be the first choice IMO. However once that low you can only run low amp draws, not the inverter which will alarm off depending on load and how far down you are in SOC.
LFP (and SiO2 within reason) will be happy to go to a low SOC and still keep the voltage up to allow the inverter to operate.
The real problem is recharging the batts of whatever type when they need it if you only have solar and it is overcast. We have no room for a portable gen in our TC, so that leaves running the truck. Low amp long time recharge not so good.
LFPs are not going to change that. You could still be sitting there with the batts out of AH and no sunshine. You might get an extra overcast day out of it with LFP, but then what? If you have a portable gen, you could have used it two days ago with your pair of 6s.
Seems the LFP option would make sense given the right scenario though.
yup, I totaly agree, unless you have the ability to assemble your own LFP batteries, in that case you can make a 280 Usable AH battery that is 1/3rd the weight and less than 1/2 the size of thoes 6V batteries, with almost 3 times the usable AH, which even with out solare would give some one a extended outting. they allso will run an inverter right down to the bitter end with out it alarming depending on how the battery is set up. if your using every last AH, then they would go to about 10% before the inverter starts alarming.
in the truck camper would where we are all about weight, size and capacity, I dont see a better battery. Led acid if you are going for maximum life you can only use 50%, Sio2 are heavier and bigger than lead acid (just a bit) and let you use 80% of the capacity with out shortening the life. but LFP are lighter, smaller and give you 100% of the capacity for 4000ish cycles and more if you only use 80%.
Steve
