Lithium Batteries

AGM vs flooded is similar and ergonomically latched in framiliar simiarity. Lithium cannot be just jammed in where old technology batteries used to be twist on the cables and away you go. A larger bank needs a management system.

LI in RVs is still in its infant stage. You can buy ready made stuff but it's really expensive. DIY is cheaper but you need to research and be comfortable in what you know.

Its dropping, but not quite an easy pill to swallow, yet.

Check out this "drop in" 100 AH in a group 31 jar:
http://store.starkpower.com/12V-100AhStarkPower-UltraEnergy-Lithium-Ion-Battery-LiFePO-Energy-Storage-Battery_p_24.html

Imagine that. Needing to program the solar controller to turn off completely once the lithium batteries reach 14.6v., or stopping it well before that, as there is no need to get the thing to 100% daily.

I tend to cycle usually no more than 65 AH nightly and need a group 31 flooded Deep cycle that cost me 162$ with tax. I am hoping for 450 cycles from it, and am in the 330 range now.

If the 3000+ claimed cycle life of this lithium battery can be trusted, it'll be cheaper to get the lithium, and I'd have more AH to cycle safely.

Thats a pretty big IF.

Tell you what, I'll start a paypal account and take donations and be the guinea pig and post detailed results and cycle the urine out of it every day till it fails. 340 cycles a year.

Very similar responses to AGM 10 years ago. Being on my 9th year with Lifelines, I'm usually not one to bite the 1st corn dog at the fair, but I too would like to try them. I despise battery maintenance.

There's an RV podcast (American RV'er) that did a really good story on these batteries several years ago, I'm sure it's still out there.. The owner made a deal with the company that he would beta test it for the manufacturer and at some point they would figure out what to charge for the unit. Mex is right on the management system since that battery technology dies on a cliff, not a ramp so when it dies it's right now.

Liberty Coach has been using them for awhile. I was just at a Prevost Stuff show in Tampa and there was a company there called Volta that was selling Lithium batteries, generators, inverters, and DC/DC converters. They had samples of each and they looked very polished. The have taken electric car technology (300 vdc) and scaled it down to 48 vdc. The batteries are 48 vdc and the generator charges the batteries at 48 volts. This reduces i squared r drops and improves efficiency. The DC/DC converter is used to power 12 volt stuff used in the RV.

Their web site (volta) says it was started by a fellow out of Johnson Controls. AGM's were originally proven in Military aircraft and then migrated down to us. Lithium has been used in military and electric cars/buses and will migrate down to us. The density and efficiency will drive that.

09FLSTC wrote:
How long before they are mainstream like AGM in RVs? Seems AGM finally got a fair shake for their great performance but was a little skeptical at first until I tried them. Now thinking Its just a matter of time for Lithium.

I think it will be a while. (6 to 8 years before it becomes mainstream) and that will depend on up and comming tech. I believe that Lifep04 prices will drop notably in the next two years. When this happens then you will see it start its "mainstream" climb. Personaly i have decided to wait for the prices to drop. However i chose my solar charge controller with this "future" mod in mind.

Hi Landyacht,

For $500 you can do 4 of these: 100 amp-hours 4 needed

They will "make them up" so a 200 amp-hour battery is $1000.00 Six weeks lead time are needed. Since 160 amp-hours are useable this is competitive price wise with a 320 amp-hour AGM bank.

Here is their entire line up:

all LI Note the 90 amp-hour 12 volt is $470.00

landyacht318 wrote:
Its dropping, but not quite an easy pill to swallow, yet.

Check out this "drop in" 100 AH in a group 31 jar:
http://store.starkpower.com/12V-100AhStarkPower-UltraEnergy-Lithium-Ion-Battery-LiFePO-Energy-Storage-Battery_p_24.html

Imagine that. Needing to program the solar controller to turn off completely once the lithium batteries reach 14.6v., or stopping it well before that, as there is no need to get the thing to 100% daily.

I tend to cycle usually no more than 65 AH nightly and need a group 31 flooded Deep cycle that cost me 162$ with tax. I am hoping for 450 cycles from it, and am in the 330 range now.

If the 3000+ claimed cycle life of this lithium battery can be trusted, it'll be cheaper to get the lithium, and I'd have more AH to cycle safely.

Thats a pretty big IF.

Tell you what, I'll start a paypal account and take donations and be the guinea pig and post detailed results and cycle the urine out of it every day till it fails. 340 cycles a year.

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Landyacht,

For $500 you can do 4 of these: 100 amp-hours 4 needed

They will "make them up" so a 200 amp-hour battery is $1000.00 Six weeks lead time are needed. Since 160 amp-hours are useable this is competitive price wise with a 320 amp-hour AGM bank.

Here is their entire line up:

all LI Note the 90 amp-hour 12 volt is $470.00

landyacht318 wrote:
Its dropping, but not quite an easy pill to swallow, yet.

Check out this "drop in" 100 AH in a group 31 jar:
http://store.starkpower.com/12V-100AhStarkPower-UltraEnergy-Lithium-Ion-Battery-LiFePO-Energy-Storage-Battery_p_24.html

Imagine that. Needing to program the solar controller to turn off completely once the lithium batteries reach 14.6v., or stopping it well before that, as there is no need to get the thing to 100% daily.

I tend to cycle usually no more than 65 AH nightly and need a group 31 flooded Deep cycle that cost me 162$ with tax. I am hoping for 450 cycles from it, and am in the 330 range now.

If the 3000+ claimed cycle life of this lithium battery can be trusted, it'll be cheaper to get the lithium, and I'd have more AH to cycle safely.

Thats a pretty big IF.

Tell you what, I'll start a paypal account and take donations and be the guinea pig and post detailed results and cycle the urine out of it every day till it fails. 340 cycles a year.

Keep in mind that the way Lifep04 and lead asid batteries are rated are different. As an example a 200 amp hour lead asid battery could be replaced with a 100 amp hour Lifep04 battery.

You can get Lithium for your RV today if you wish.. OF course there is a question as to which will cost more,, The batteries,,, or the RV without the batteries.

Lithium still has a few issues to overcome before they are practical for RV use, one is the cost, another is something called thermal runaway. (They tend to catch fire if this happens).

That said, they do look promising.