A report on using Lithium batteries in an MH for 3.5 years.

This is just loose tough that I had researching solar panels for my house.
Solar companies hardwire the system to utility power line and seal all the boxes. You have to draw your power from the street line and only tricky math gives you some discount for having panels on your roof.
I ask saleswoman if in case of emergency I could tap into system and use the solar power directly. She never heard about it.
Same can be with more and more common electric cars.
Would manufacturer make those batteries easy removable, I bet lot of big RV owners would run to buy electric cars and use the batteries in RV, while leaving the car at home.
Toading electric car and wiring it batteries to coach might be the option too.
Than you cover your RV with solar panels and not only you power AC for no additional cost, but the reserve charge will let you drive the car to the city for no extra charge.
At home your recharge your commuter from RV -without plugin into house power (assuming you are home at daylight)
Just dreaming. I know "for liability reason" that ain't going to happen.

Kayteg1 wrote:
4 - golf cart batteries should give me 20 minutes {of A/C}.
So let's talk numbers.
The 4 batteries cost me $184 and lasted 12 years for annual cost about $15.
How that part comes on lithium?

Can't beat annual cost of flooded.

As to the A/C...
20 minutes of A/C is nothing, a "teaser" like they call a free 2-minute clip of a new movie. Not long enough to enjoy.

With Li usable energy density 3 times higher and no Peukert, 260 lbs of Li battery would run A/C 5-6 hours. Can't beat that.

Though, there is unclear picture with lifespan of Li. Not the number of cycles but exactly the number of years before it croaks. Statistics for electric cars isn't much useful, a car is re-charging often. OTH, people with e-bikes report that average Li life is max 5-6 years even when used as a spare, i.e. used infrequently and maintained properly. In active use it can be as little as 2-3 years.

Leaving Li battery disconnected for 6-7 months like you do with AGM is also a no-no.

I have a 20-ton capacity 10-wheel bus with 10.00X22.5" tires. Lithium to me would be far less an issue than other folks.

I have a herniated disc. Hauling a group 31 lithium battery up to my hotel room would be soooooooo nice.

But up jump da debil widda price tag.

I did run 15k AC out of my flooded battery bank just fine.
Never stretched it, but my calculation was that 4 - golf cart batteries should give me 20 minutes.
So let's talk numbers.
The 4 batteries cost me $184 and lasted 12 years for annual cost about $15.
How that part comes on lithium?

Safe Li battery banks are cycle for cycle cheaper than AGM, however they have a long ways to go before reaching the price point of flooded jars.

The 2 stumbling blocks are initial price, and cold weather operation.

Where and when should be included. Truth or Consequences is a heck of a lot different than Albuquerque, and inverse in the opposite solstice. I tolerate 95F moderate humidity with a fan. Many others would melt.

Some rigs look like Times Square after sundown, and many have VCR's and large panel televisions going damned near all day and night. I average 2.1 kWh daily using a 14 CF Freon refrigerator freezer. What does this all say? Beats the hell out of me. Others should not assume their lifestyle will be similar to anyone else.

What works perfectly for me will fail utterly for a majority of other folks. 4.5 kWh divided by 12 = 375 usable ampere hours. 415 watts of solar theoretically 100% efficient yields 35 amperes for an average of what (?) 6 hours daily? 35 X 6 = 210 ampere hours X12 = 2,510 VA daily. of course these calculations are all based on theoretically impossible efficiency calculations.

I met a cruiser who happily sailed the Pacific in a tiny sloop using a single group 27 battery. Long before the days of LED lighting. A Delco 7127 63 ampere 10SI alternator.

Dozens of factors have to be appreciated, factored, calculated, deduced and decided upon before an intelligent battery choice can be arrived at. Especially a choice that involves thousands of dollars.

Son Cary installed 415 W of solar, 4.5 kW-hrs of LFP etc on our recently purchased 2002 Roadtrek and we have been on road with it for six weeks (Labrador and Newfoundland) and it has worked extremely well. Have not plugged into line power and exercised generator twice since it should be run for 30 to 60 minutes each month.
Reed and Elaine

Agree with Mena. Have been using 9 kW-hrs of LFP for 2.5 years and no hiccup. There is a thread at Sailing and Cruising that to be over 4000 responses and there was no mention of overheating.
Reed and Elaine

toolttime wrote:
IMO I don't believe the lithium batteries are safe enough yet from fires. Look a the hover boards lately that are burning up. The Boeing Dream liner that caught on fire was from the lithium batteries burning. They have away to go yet to perfect them.

Lithium Ion is a battery "family" not a single chemistry. Some are a LOT more volatile than others. You and I can't buy the 787 batts. The one's we can are a lot safer and much less energy dense.

IMO I don't believe the lithium batteries are safe enough yet from fires. Look a the hover boards lately that are burning up. The Boeing Dream liner that caught on fire was from the lithium batteries burning. They have away to go yet to perfect them.