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Old 10-22-2020, 04:42 PM   #1
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Lithium Batteries Inside Without Venting

As lithium batteries become more common, placing them inside motorhome initially by RV manufacturer/factory has advantages since they don’t need venting, and cold weather won’t affect them as much if inside heated living space.

Apparently there was concern that if lithium batteries were installed inside motorhome, someone would later replace them with lead batteries which could produce hydrogen gas.

Anyway, a new standard has been adopted that allows batteries to be installed inside without venting to outside.

It will be interesting to see if that helps accelerate shift to lithium batteries, or is higher initial cost still the main disadvantage?

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Old 10-22-2020, 05:50 PM   #2
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Thanks for this information.
I guess that time will allow this to be sorted out...
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Old 10-22-2020, 06:19 PM   #3
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Forgot to link news article.


https://rvbusiness.com/rv-industry-m...ium-batteries/


Question is now what manufacturers may install under the entry steps.
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Old 10-22-2020, 07:27 PM   #4
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The battery box under the entry steps has always been pretty open.
Perhaps now; they can,close things up a bit more...
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Old 10-22-2020, 09:52 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chance View Post
As lithium batteries become more common, placing them inside motorhome initially by RV manufacturer/factory has advantages since they don’t need venting, and cold weather won’t affect them as much if inside heated living space.

Apparently there was concern that if lithium batteries were installed inside motorhome, someone would later replace them with lead batteries which could produce hydrogen gas.

Anyway, a new standard has been adopted that allows batteries to be installed inside without venting to outside.

It will be interesting to see if that helps accelerate shift to lithium batteries, or is higher initial cost still the main disadvantage?
At a $1000 a piece the cost would be the deal breaker for me!!!
The price of 2 lithium 12 volt batteries would keep me in FLA batteries for the next 40-50 years.
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Old 10-22-2020, 11:17 PM   #6
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It's true that they ain't cheap...
But they do offer a pretty fair amount of benefits.
Once the prices drop a little bit...
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Old 10-24-2020, 03:08 PM   #7
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Regarding new rigs versus replacement

Quote:
Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans View Post
At a $1000 a piece the cost would be the deal breaker for me!!!
The price of 2 lithium 12 volt batteries would keep me in FLA batteries for the next 40-50 years.

Agree higher initial costs for lithium iron phosphate batteries is a significant disadvantage. However, I wonder if marketed as a luxury design feature that adds value to the camping experience, whether the cost difference will be that much of an obstacle.

For the typical motorhome with two flooded or AGM batteries under the step, switching to a single lithium battery of equal “usable” capacity should presently cost less than $1,000 based on retail prices, and RV manufacturers should beat that by buying in volume.

Larger motorhomes with 4 flooded or AGM batteries (which are more common to power residential refrigerators) should be upgradable to lithium for less than $2,000.

No doubt that is significant incremental costs, representing roughly 1% of motorhome price. However, if financed over many years like most RVs are purchased, buyers may gladly pay $5 to $10 extra a month if it means faster charging (less generator use), less work watering, longer storage, higher occupant and cargo carrying capacity, etc.

I expect most motorhome buyers will soon expect lithium in new rigs just as they expect other luxury features that are technically not necessary for camping; like inverters, solar, slides, leveling jacks, etc. Let’s hope that placing lithium batteries inside motorhome will make them fully functional even in winter (particularly during and after cold storage).

As with most things, entry-level motorhomes should take much longer to switch to lithium batteries based on lower initial cost alone, regardless of new standards to make adoption easier.
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Old 10-24-2020, 03:23 PM   #8
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I wonder how the weight savings works out?
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Old 10-24-2020, 03:41 PM   #9
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Two flooded or AGM batteries rated at around 200 Amp-hours combined will weigh in range of about 120 pounds, more or less. If limited to 50% depth of discharge, they can be replaced by one lithium battery in range of 30~40 pounds, depending on manufacturer’s rating and recommendations.

For rigs that are overweight to start with, every bit helps. And for newer motorhomes attempting to eliminate the generator and are therefore installing as much as 600 Ah of lead batteries, switching to lithium would save even more weight — although at even higher incremental cost.
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Old 10-24-2020, 05:42 PM   #10
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That's where the easy marketability lies: weight savings!
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