winter projects
just wondering what everyone has planned for repairs or upgrades on their truck campers over the winter.
for myself, I have to finish the new LiFePO4 build, but I keep making it more complicated ...
Forum Discussion
Not sure what brand of campers you guys have but why not just put (2) LifePo4 cell battery’s in the same battery storage compartment that is allready there?
I have a 2019 AF 990 and a couple of years ago replaced my original lead/acid group 29 battery’s with some 280ahr LifePo4 cells giving me 560ahrs total. I was able to fit in a 200a BMS as well as (2) 150a rated terminal blocks for all my branch wiring.
I was also able to install a 1/4” foam box completely around the battery’s as well as having a top cover to provide thermal protection from the elements.
I even placed a temp sensor inside the battery’s compartment as well to a display that I can monitor the actual temp inside and last but not least cut in a small vent cover to allow heat and a small circ fan to circulate ambient warmer cabin air into the battery’s as well box if needed.
Never have needed it and have camped in snow conditions a few times.
thats one option if you have a newer camper, for me it isn't an option at all.
if you see the smaller door on the back by the jack head that is the factory battery compartment. it is big enough to hold a package of the leveling lego's so 12x12 and about 14" tall so it won't even hold a real battery and that is just a thing fiberglass door skin. I could insulate that if it was big enough, but then I would have to figure out how to insulate all around it, as it is right up to the wet bath shower wall and the bathroom isn't heated. when I first got it I put two 6V into the compartment below it.
so this worked until I built my first battery, and now that I have a new battery built i want to set it up properly inside the conditioned space then I never have to worry about it.
I am building my own out of 304AH cells, so that is equivalent to 3 of the batteries average people buy and takes up about 1/3rd the space, but I see your familiar with that using 280 cells like my old one. I only used 150amp BMS, but in reality I am building four of these 304AH batteries, one to power the camper (that gives me about 10 days capacity winter camping if the solar fails) and three of them for the 5th wheel. I am moving the battery location from the front storage of the 5th wheel to inside under the stairs where there is space and it is in the return air path to the furnace so it will keep them heated also in the winter. so I will have the ability to put all 4 on the 5th if I figure I need it for a big trip, or take one of the 3 out of the 5th and add it to the camper for over 600AH in there. I am thinking of buying a different BMS for them all, just waiting for it to be released so I can see the final specs on it.
the other reason for the location is because of where it is. it is right beside the power center and because everything is only going to be 8" tall I will lose only the bottom foot of the closet, which is just used for spare propane canisters, paper towel, and such anyways so by incorporating a shelving setup into the battery holder I will probably end up with more organized storage instead of everything just thrown in there. also I use the useless factory battery space for storing my leveling bricks and a 15 foot water hose. and by moving the battery inside I can take the platforms out of the bigger outside storage I made for the original 6V batteries and use that as storage again. Well I don't know if either spot was really made for storage but rather for maintenance access. It is not like the newer campers that have actual storage, but for its time it was a luxury model. Also, when I add an inverter the home will already be there for it and it will be about 6" from the batteries so the cables will be 1 foot long 18" at most, so I can go bigger than I need and minimize voltage drop. all in all it is a win win.
now when we upgrade the camper, if we get the one we are looking at I will do exactly what you say, well I won't buy two batteries, but I will move my battery into the factory battery location after I seal off and insulate the outer door some more and put a vent into the inside of the cabin and depending on the power usage of the camper we upgrade to, I may build a second battery to add and fill up that space.
