New Lifeline Batteries But battery posts are different

[danleininger]

I have just purchased 8 Lifeline GPL-4CT AGM batteries for my 2019 MA, replacing the original Harris HBDAGMGC6-B. However, the position of the posts are different than on the original Harris batteries.

Knowing that many Newmar owners have replaced the Harris batteries with the Lifeline battery how did you deal with the distance difference for the 4 Copper Bars?

Thanks in advance!

[d23haynes57]

New bus bars or cable jumpers. I prefer the cable jumpers as they allow for movement. Not a good day when a battery terminal flails internally. Also, the cable with a bit of slack allows the use of a clamp on amp meter allowing each of the pairs to be tested during charging or discharging.

[JohnRR]

Per your picture I’d opt for a ready made cable of a good length with a battery post on one end and a stud mount on the other as the easiest way

[C.Martin]

There are different terminal types available. Must specify when ordering.

I ordered copper bar from online metals and proceded to cut then to length, drill terminal post holes, and put heat shrink around the bars to insulate the bare metal away from the terminal contact areas.

[NewmarDave]

Originally Posted by danleininger

I have just purchased 8 Lifeline GPL-4CT AGM batteries for my 2019 MA, replacing the original Harris HBDAGMGC6-B. However, the position of the posts are different than on the original Harris batteries.

Knowing that many Newmar owners have replaced the Harris batteries with the Lifeline battery how did you deal with the distance difference for the 4 Copper Bars?

Thanks in advance!

I ordered 4/0 cables from Battery Cables USA.
Took 2/3 days to get.
Lifeline reccomends cables for the movement.
We went with the GPL-6CT. they are taller but same width and depth.
If you do the 6CT, you need to get longer hold down starps.
Cheers

[danleininger]

Originally Posted by C.Martin

There are different terminal types available. Must specify when ordering.

I ordered copper bar from online metals and proceded to cut then to length, drill terminal post holes, and put heat shrink around the bars to insulate the bare metal away from the terminal contact areas.

The terminals are 8M studs with Nuts.

[d23haynes57]

So lets do some quick math.
The GPL-6CT, 300 A/H is about $500. Need 2 for 12 volt so cost is ~$1,000 for each 300 A/H Set. You have 4 strings there so you have a 1,200 A/H Bank at a cost of $4K.

Going Basic Lithium, the better ones are about ~$500 for 300 A/H. Some even less.
That puts you near 1/2 price for Lithium.
If your alternator and other charging systems can handle 1,200 A/H AGM you already have current controls in place even if that is just the size and length of cables. It is there and working. The 1,200 A/H of Lithium could be a drop-in replacement. Better yet the same performance could have been obtained with 900 A/H. Oh, and you could have saved about 360 pounds of weight.
Someone check my math please. Writing this being distracted.

[BPeas]

Originally Posted by d23haynes57

So lets do some quick math.
The GPL-6CT, 300 A/H is about $500. Need 2 for 12 volt so cost is ~$1,000 for each 300 A/H Set. You have 4 strings there so you have a 1,200 A/H Bank at a cost of $4K.

Going Basic Lithium, the better ones are about ~$500 for 300 A/H. Some even less.
That puts you near 1/2 price for Lithium.
If your alternator and other charging systems can handle 1,200 A/H AGM you already have current controls in place even if that is just the size and length of cables. It is there and working. The 1,200 A/H of Lithium could be a drop-in replacement. Better yet the same performance could have been obtained with 900 A/H. Oh, and you could have saved about 360 pounds of weight.
Someone check my math please. Writing this being distracted.

Unfortunately, the Silverleaf monitoring components and screens on the Ops coach and many others will only cleanly work with the Lithionics battery solutions, which would end up being three to four times the cost of the purchased AGMs.

Can you make other brand lithium batteries work, yes. Will it be as seamless with those other brands as with the AGMs and not add additional monitoring apps or panels, no. Many are working on making the other brands work with Silverleaf, but it is not yet ready for the less technical or those that want it as simple as possible.

[danleininger]

Originally Posted by d23haynes57

So lets do some quick math.
The GPL-6CT, 300 A/H is about $500. Need 2 for 12 volt so cost is ~$1,000 for each 300 A/H Set. You have 4 strings there so you have a 1,200 A/H Bank at a cost of $4K.

Going Basic Lithium, the better ones are about ~$500 for 300 A/H. Some even less.
That puts you near 1/2 price for Lithium.
If your alternator and other charging systems can handle 1,200 A/H AGM you already have current controls in place even if that is just the size and length of cables. It is there and working. The 1,200 A/H of Lithium could be a drop-in replacement. Better yet the same performance could have been obtained with 900 A/H. Oh, and you could have saved about 360 pounds of weight.
Someone check my math please. Writing this being distracted.

Dennis, I’m not considering Lithium for several reasons. The first is my age. We only have a couple more years of RVing left in us. Two, must Lithium upgrades involve considerable more equipment than a simple battery exchange which adds significant more expense. Third, the fire departments still haven’t figured out how to extinguish a lithium battery fire. And Fifth, my batteries cost $355.55 each or $3080.00 TTL.

[danleininger]

UPDATE!
The battery replacement went awesome. The amazing thing was how clean (no rust) the battery tray was. Years ago when I did a house battery change on my Dutch Star I spent 10 days scraping, painting and replacing rollers. None of that was needed due to the lack of gassing of the AGM technology. However, the battery bay needed good bath.

[Balentine]

If I ever had to replace multiply batteries I would make sure my new battery was one big one instead of 4-8 separate batteries. Having one battery eliminates all the extra cables for a cleaner connection. Cables can be expensive. 2 wires are better than 8-16 cables

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Dan-

Great-looking install!

One of the best choices I made was to replace the house FLAs with AGMs in both my coaches. Once or twice a year I wiped the dust/dirt out of the battery compartment. That's all the attention either set ever needed. I wish it was so with many of the other parts and systems!

[Mr.Goodbar]

Originally Posted by danleininger

UPDATE!
None of that was needed due to the lack of gassing of the AGM technology. However, the battery bay needed good bath.

Which is why I replaced my 6 GC2 FLA house batteries with AGMs. The out gassing was causing corrosion of the tray frame, especially the metal clips of the hold down straps. One clip broke while we were on our way home from a trip and i had to jerry-rig a ratchet strap to keep the batteries from bouncing around until I could get a replacement from the mfgr.

Battery compartment stays nice and clean, now.

[NewMar Mark]

I too have gone with the lesser cost batteries as I don't know how long I will be RVing in the future. I have the 8 batteries in transit and would like to know if there is a cheat sheet on the steps to do as you take the old ones out and put the new ones in?
I have a 2022 Newmar New Aire, and chatted with Newmar and they simply said turn off the Charger, turn off the chassis switch and turn off the salesman switch. Take a picture and change them out.

Is it that simple?

Mark