n-Depth RV Lithium Install & Wiring Film

LowOnCash · 11-29-2019, 08:31 PM

Hello Thor Owners,

With all the excitement and interest regarding the integration of Lithium Batteries to RV’s, Linda and I decided document our own independent installation and share it with other RV owners who might be considering a lithium upgrade to their coach. This install will apply to b B+ C and A RVs.

While there are many different levels of installations, our film shows a total conversion from flooded batteries, to a state of the art advanced lithium system. The film includes an overview of 12 & 110 volt wiring. It also covers our five different charging sources and most important, having the right RV appliances with a lithium coach.

The system also includes a Mastervolt’s Charge Mate Pro for charging from the stock Transit alternator, and Victon’s solar controller and 400 watts of roof panels. The film also includes installation of a Ring 4G alarm system with cameras and a lithium heating system.

Enjoy - Mike Mas

Click the link below for the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyAA...ature=youtu.be

taylorbob1 · 11-29-2019, 10:57 PM

very informative video.
thanks for posting.

how much does a set-up like that cost?
retail for supplies, without installation...

thank you

Bob Denman · 11-29-2019, 11:38 PM

http://www.thorforums.com/forums/att...1&d=1575070679

LowOnCash · 11-30-2019, 12:56 AM

Thanks for the replys guys - The cost of the systems can vary. I help my neighbor install a smaller system with two 100 ah batteries, his was around $2500. Needless to say lithium is still costly. Lithium upgrades are more in tune for someone who plans to keep the RV. A big system to run the roof air can cost upwards of $10K.

Generally speaking a 100ah battery now sells for around $725- $950. If you already have an inverter that can save you another grand.

Thanks - Mike

Bob Denman · 11-30-2019, 01:48 AM

But the prices are starting to drop a bit...

Your video was very thorough and informative... Thanks!

Bob Denman · 12-01-2019, 03:32 PM

I was finally able to figure out a coherent-sounding question to ask:
Since Lithium battery packs save so much space and weight: How much more "battery", can you pack into a place currently being filled by two Type 27 batteries?
(Under the entry steps...)

LowOnCash · 12-01-2019, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

I was finally able to figure out a coherent-sounding question to ask:
Since Lithium battery packs save so much space and weight: How much more "battery", can you pack into a place currently being filled by two Type 27 batteries?
(Under the entry steps...)

Generally speaking most AGM batteries are 85-100 ah but you can only discount them 50 % so they are really only 45-50 ah each. Depending on which lithium battery you select, you'll safely get around 250 ah. keep in mind these can be discharged to around 95%, so you'll get the useful power of 4 - 5 lead or AGM batteries and they last for 20 years or more.

Mike

Bob Denman · 12-01-2019, 07:21 PM

Mike,
You're gonna get me in trouble for sure! Thanks for.this info.

cbach · 12-01-2019, 09:43 PM

Thanks for sharing Mike...I now know the answer to "what do I want for Christmas"

ducksface · 12-01-2019, 10:17 PM

Your vid is going to be priceless to me.

Bob Denman · 12-01-2019, 11:16 PM

I would call it rather "Price-Full"!

The rig is in storage until the end of March: I've got four Months to work up a plan...

saddlesore · 12-02-2019, 04:19 AM

Hmmmm.......
Have 4 8-D Lifelines... wonder how many of the biggest Lithiums I could fit into the available space............HMMMMMMM......(No solar)

howzball · 12-03-2019, 07:41 PM

By purely dumb luck while browsing Amazon's Cyber Monday deals yesterday I found a sale on Renogy 12 volt 100 AH Lithium batteries for $220 less than the regular cost.
It was one of those timed events so, it had to be a snap decision but since our original lead acid batteries are going on 5 years old now I was likely going to be replacing them soon anyway and for that price, it seemed wrong not to go with lithium.
Now the only kicker will be to see if the Magnum charger/inverter will work on these. I'm hoping this a drop in change ......... if there is such a thing.

We don't spend a lot of time off of shore power so, I'm not too worried about the loss of amp hours switching to 12 volt batteries although from what I read it doesn't sound like you lose a lot going from 6 volt lead acid to 12 volt lithium when you factor everything else in.
One thing I'll be glad to lose is about 300lbs of battery weight.

Bob Denman · 12-03-2019, 08:37 PM

Glad to hear about someone getting a really great deal!

howzball · 12-03-2019, 09:10 PM

I more than made up for it on the $600 Lippert slide motor failure Thanksgiving weekend.

I guess someone above felt they owed me.

Bob Denman · 12-03-2019, 11:07 PM

Sometimes: the best you can hope for; is to break even!

Badmanrick · 12-07-2019, 09:51 PM

No one has mentioned that you also need t change your AC-DC converter to one that charges lithium batteries. An added expense. The original converter will not charge the lithium batteries past about 75%.

howzball · 12-09-2019, 11:20 PM

I can't speak for everyone's charger/inverter and wasn't sure about mine until I contacted Magnum and asked them.
Their answer was that my particular system, the Magnum ME2012 is capable of fully charging lithium batteries, I just have to go into the control panel inside the coach and change the settings to allow the voltage to reach 14.6v.

It was my understanding that by changing the battery type to "Custom" you are able to set the charging parameters to anything you want. Even if it's wrong.

I'm not certain what the max charge voltage is on a lead acid battery... 14.2 volts seems to ring a bell. If that's true, then you really aren't losing much even if you leave it set to 14.2 and don't fully charge your lithiums.

LowOnCash · 01-05-2020, 04:35 PM

Hey guys - We had another great “Off The Grid” trip in our Lithium RV over the Holidays on a ride to Cincinnati, Ohio to to pick up our new BMW i3. The trip was five days and we never plugged one time or stopped at a campground. The battery system operated flawlessly to provide plenty of heat at night as well as run the entertainment devices. The beauty of lithium RV conversions such as mine is they offer the ability to spend a night where you want to stay, rather than in a campground miles from your destination. For this trip we ended up staying two nights right on BMW dealers lot, surrounded by millions of dollars of new BMW’s as they prepped our new I3.

While on the subject of lithium, new technology in lithium chemistry is transforming electric cars and RV's. Using the same battery space my older I3, the new BMW i3 has almost tripled its electric mileage.

Our older 2014 I3 had a range of around 60 miles on battery and 58 miles on gas for an average good weather total of 120 miles. Thanks to this new lithium technology, the original 18 kWh battery has been replaced with a 42.2 kWh. / 120ah pack. The i3 can now travel 180 miles on electric and 85 miles gas for a total of 265 miles.

Should you run low on battery, the I3 RX version includes a gas powered range extender using a de-tuned BMW 650 motorcycle gas engine. So if you're going on a long trip you can either fuel up with gas or stop at a number of Walmart's new network of super chargers which can charge the i3 battery to 80% in 20-30 min.

Since we’ve been back the temperatures have been getting down to 25-35 degrees at night. Thanks to special venting I incorporated to circulate air from the trunk to the coaches interior, the 350 watt lithium heater in the rear trunk keeps the entire coach at around 45 degrees, eliminating a need for winterizing. In the image below you can see the open area on the firewall where it vents to the coach.

Regards - Mike

ducksface · 01-05-2020, 11:07 PM

I've been building racks for twelve 6v batteries just because I have them and was mooching on the $1,800 bucks they cost. I think I'll move them to the greenhouse solar array and just quit.
The 50% usage thing on lead acid just has me beat to the ground compared to the lithium ability.
I think I'll go your way with four lithium or a lithium pac from a wrecked some type of car.
I'd like the car pac. They're coming down in price considerably. I think there's even a clearing house in California somewhere.

I have the xantrex 3012 already wired in.
Just batteries for me. And maybe a dual alternator set up eventually. But I think the xantrex ags will handle anything I need.

AND
A big difference in chargers is the float isn't needed on the lithium batteries. I doubt you could even buy a nonself regulating lithium battery anymore.

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