Lifeline AGM Battery Settings

[Fattman-Litlboy]

Glad you are happy. We were the people who posted the Batteryguys. Sure glad we have 5yr warranty with them vice the 1yr from Discover.

[wlf00]

The price from BatteryGuys.com looks pretty good compared to buying locally. But what do you do with the old batteries that were replaced?

[royals1212]

I took mine to the local battery store. Ask if they will buy your core batteries they get paid for recycling them. Sometimes you get lucky and they will. I wasn’t lucky yesterday.

[sweetandsour]

Check with local salvage yards that buys scrap metal . Most buy batterys. Some pay by the pound some pay per battery. Old batteries bring $10 each in my area.

[jestal]

Originally Posted by Fattman-Litlboy

Don, yes we replaced all our 8 batteries with the Lifeline GPL-4CT, and based on these posts, changed the charging settings to Custom, etc. Thanks to all for their input.

Jim, When you replaced the Discover batteries with the LifeLine GPL-4CT were they a direct replacement or did you have to change any cables/connections/hold down straps/etc?

I have 8 GPL-4CT batteries scheduled for delivery tomorrow and plan on starting the change out in the PM. I know I will need a couple of cable modifications for the Magnum battery monitor shunt as well as making provisions for positive battery disconnects for each of the hot leads.

Otherwise, I was assuming the batteries and factory connections would all transfer over to the LifeLine batteries...??????
Thanks,
AWC

[Fattman-Litlboy]

Originally Posted by jestal

Jim, When you replaced the Discover batteries with the LifeLine GPL-4CT were they a direct replacement or did you have to change any cables/connections/hold down straps/etc?

I have 8 GPL-4CT batteries scheduled for delivery tomorrow and plan on starting the change out in the PM. I know I will need a couple of cable modifications for the Magnum battery monitor shunt as well as making provisions for positive battery disconnects for each of the hot leads.

Otherwise, I was assuming the batteries and factory connections would all transfer over to the LifeLine batteries...??????
Thanks,
AWC

Replacement should be no problem. Easy swap out.

[jestal]

Jim, thanks for the reasurement!

My eight GPL-4CT LifeLine batteries arrived today. Drop shipped from the factory via Best Converter. My compliments to the shipper and expediter. Nicely packed in individual boxes. Everything padded and reinforced for shipment and banded to a pallet for security. They arrived in perfect condition...not even a torn or punctured box. Amazing considering my usual luck with ordering/shipping odd things.

Now to get the coach over and start the changeout from the OEM Discover batteries as soon as I can locate a local source for making several battery cables.

[MRUSA14]

Why do you need new battery cables? My Lifeline install went fine using the original cables.

[Fattman-Litlboy]

Roger that, we didn't require any replacement cables. What happened?

[757driver]

Al is adding a battery monitor which involves adding a shunt. The shunt usually does not have a tall enough post to take all the negative cables present so one or two new short ones need to be added.

[Smitty77]

Don - Wanted to ask to clarify your comment about AGM1 vs AGM2 settings, where you suggested AGM2 setting would be more appropriate in your response.

Was this because MoHoGo you were responding to (#22 in this thread) has non Lifeline batteries, still the OEM batteries which I believe are Discover AGM's, in his coach?

Or, due to the Lifeline change to 13.3V Float, you felt that AGM2 setting was better then AGM1 now for Lifeline's? (Assuming Custom parameters were not going to be used for some reason.).

Just over 1.5% increase in float value from 13.1 vs 13.3V. And just under 1.5% when going to 13.5 vs 13.3 increase.

I'm assuming MoHoGo has Discover AGM's?

+++++++++++

On a side note. Since many RV'er's have Lifeline's, and this is one of the better threads I've read about he change from 13.1 to 13.3V for Float, it would be nice to see this moved to a wider read section of the forum. Class A or maybe RV Systems & Appliances.. And this comment, was also meant as complement and thanks to you!

Best, from SOB owner,
Smitty

(On a off topic. I retired from Rohr, which became BF Goodrich, which became Goodrich Aerospace, which became United Technologies (I got out as UTC was taking over!. We built the struts for the 757, and I aways thought the 757 was one sweet jet!!!)

[jestal]

Exactly what I was planning on doing. Depends on the weather and how my broken leg is doing........ Worst case I just swap out the batteries and use all the OEM cables......which is why I wanted confirmation this was feasible.

Adding the shunt for the battery monitor on the negative cables involves a couple of short connector cables. I was also going to upgrade to 4/0 welding cable for grounds to the batteries to make sure the negative cables are adequate and gain some flexibility with the welding cable. The mods may have to wait in which case I can just unload the battery racks to get room to work in the battery compartment, I was planning on doing this in the spring when time was less a factor but the totally dead batteries incident hastened the demise of the chassis and discover AGM's so I'm doing it now before we leave for Florida for the winter.

[757driver]

Originally Posted by Smitty77

Don - Wanted to ask to clarify your comment about AGM1 vs AGM2 settings, where you suggested AGM2 setting would be more appropriate in your response.

Was this because MoHoGo you were responding to (#22 in this thread) has non Lifeline batteries, still the OEM batteries which I believe are Discover AGM's, in his coach? Yes, this is because he has non Lifeline batteries. They are Discover L-16 batteries.

Or, due to the Lifeline change to 13.3V Float, you felt that AGM2 setting was better then AGM1 now for Lifeline's? (Assuming Custom parameters were not going to be used for some reason.). With Lifelines change of the Float voltage to 13.3v from 13.1v Custom is the only way to achieve this. If no Custom setting was available AGM1 would be better than AGM2 for Lifeline batteries.

Just over 1.5% increase in float value from 13.1 vs 13.3V. And just under 1.5% when going to 13.5 vs 13.3 increase.

I'm assuming MoHoGo has Discover AGM's? You are correct Discover L-16 batteries.

+++++++++++

On a side note. Since many RV'er's have Lifeline's, and this is one of the better threads I've read about he change from 13.1 to 13.3V for Float, it would be nice to see this moved to a wider read section of the forum. Class A or maybe RV Systems & Appliances.. And this comment, was also meant as complement and thanks to you!Your welcome!

Best, from SOB owner,
Smitty

(On a off topic. I retired from Rohr, which became BF Goodrich, which became Goodrich Aerospace, which became United Technologies (I got out as UTC was taking over!. We built the struts for the 757, and I aways thought the 757 was one sweet jet!!!)

It was a delight to finish off my career flying the 757. It was an absolute rocket ship with all that power.

[jestal]

I don't mind saying.....that rack of 8 LifeLine GPL-4CT's is pretty impressive. I'm going to start leaving the cargo bay door open just to show them off

Took the opportunity to wire brush, sand and repaint the battery trays and slides. Looks great (if you like looking at batteries..!) Also rebuilt the battery tie-down straps as the OEM straps were already rather tattered and nasty. Found black nylon 1 inch webbing at a Joanne fabric and got a local upholstery shop to sew the new strapping to the old hardware.

I did add the shunt for the Magnum battery monitor when we changed the batteries out. I mounted the shunt to the rear side wall of the battery compartment. This way the module is on the other side of the wall so a simple hole provides the pass-thru for the leads.

The two big ground leads to the actual batteries were routed to a chassis ground stud where the two ground wires to the inverters connected together.

I made an 18 inch 4/0 jumper cable out of welding cable and connected the load end of the shunt to the chassis ground stud. I used the two OEM battery ground cables from the shunt to the batteries. Normally this presents a problem as the Magnum shunt does not have long enough bolts to accommodate two lugs.

After talking to the techs at Magnum I found a 1/2 inch longer brass 3/8 bolt which easily accommodated the two OEM cable lugs on the battery end of the shunt. This actually allows a neater cable routing to the batteries as the cables swing from the side and tangle less with the positive cables.

The biggest change was fabricating a filler panel for the floor of the battery compartment. Entegra leaves a hole 8 inches by 20 inches which is open to the road and right behind the front tire. The battery compartment was filthy with dust, mud, leaves, etc. Filled the opening completely with a piece of 3/16 sheet polypropylene. Siliconed all joints and gaps so hopefully those new LifeLines will stay cleaner and better protected. Also improved the Entegra plastic panel with more screws, fender washers and a strip of aluminum to backup the plastic. The original floor was cracked and about to blow away as happened to someone else.

Sorry no pics. Will try to get some later but we did good to get the changeover completed as it was....... The batteries them selves are nearly an exact replacement but sorting all the details, cleaning all connection lugs, finding plastic panel, etc. took much longer than it looks on TV....

Thanks to cruzer for his how-to article in MotorHome magazine. It helped me get some of the material ready ahead of time. I simplified his routing by putting both the battery cables directly onto the shunt with the longer bolt. And, thanks to don I was able to immediately reprogram the Magnum inverter settings.

So.....all new inverters, all new house and chassis batteries......I am hoping for no further electrical anomalies!