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Originally Posted by rpgibbs
We are considering buying a 2020 Coachmen Beyond 22C Class B. The Rv has the Li3 system and I was wondering if RVs here had an opinion or experience with this system either Pro or Con. Thanks
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I have a Galleria with Li3 system, and I love it. I specifically did not want a generator, especially not a propane fueled generator, and use the van primarily as a travel van with all the creature comforts rather than a rolling house for living in for extended periods of time. Travel between western NY, FL, and TX, which is a lot of driving, with a couple of overnights on each leg, plus lunch breaks on the road and such.
The Li3 system documentation stinks. It's just a collection of Xantrex literature, with no actual wiring diagram or owner instructions from Coachmen. I don't think that's particularly unusual with RV's these days, but for a complex system like this, a real user manual with as-built electrical (and plumbing) schematic would be invaluable. Even the AC and DC panel legends are mostly illegible (see below), but I'm working on that too.
I found one of the three solar panels not connected, from the factory. The leads were laying in the overhead where the controls are, tucked into some insulation. That explained why I could even get 10A out of 300W (total) solar panels. There is a Cat5 cable that's not connected to anything in the wheel well where the BMS and other electrics are located. A wifi router that
is connected, for getting into the inverter/charger, which is of limited utility. I had to figure that one out on my own, from the pile of documents it came with. I'm not sure it's all connected together correctly, though. I'm still working on that.
It does some weird stuff, like the inverter trying to create 120V when the BMS and DC main contactor are inactive but the engine is running and the 280A second alternator is trying to charge the battery even though it's all off. Some contactor starts clicking in and out and my voltmeter nightlight goes on and off. Something ain't right about that, so I turn the BMS on and the battery charges. Even though I don't necessarily want it to charge, especially when I have it at 50% SOC for the winter but I have to run the engine to move the vehicle.
I'm sure there's more to complain about, but the positives outweigh it all. I can run the roof A/C off the battery for hours. I've never tried to see how long, as that depends on how much the compressor runs, and if the fan is set to cycle with the compressor. But for stopping for a couple of hours for lunch or whatever with the roof air running, it's great. I can also not even bother to plug in at an RV park if I'm feeing lazy. Just have to be careful, if running heat, to use LP instead of electric, as electric resistance heat will suck the battery down before morning if it's cold outside. But the inverter can easily handle either of those loads. And the cooktop. And the microwave. And the fridge/freezer.
I can also run the roof A/C while on the road, off the DC system and inverter, and the alternator can easily handle it (same as in the video above). The latest version of the Galleria and Beyond offer the 20kBTU Pro-Air DC air conditioning system, which doesn't require inverting battery power to AC, and runs directly off the battery. More efficient, plus it has higher capacity, which is important in hot areas (insulation is pretty thin). The standard A/C is 13.5kBTU, but I see they're using the Coleman Mach 10 NDQ, which should be much quieter than the Penguin II I have in mine. In case you're considering the non-Li3 version.
Being a LiFePO4 battery, you have to be careful about ambient temperature. They take a bit more care and feeding in extreme weather than lead-acid types. I use a heating blanket wrapped around mine in the winter, plugged into a flat extension cord out the back door, to keep it above freezing in the winter. The BMS will allow you to draw power down to around 0F, but it won't allow it to charge below 32F, and Xantrex says it's best to store it at approximately 50% SOC and 50F or thereabouts, so that's what I do. I use a wifi enabled thermostatic control and light dimmer to keep the heater power to about 40-50W, with the thermostat (with remote temperature probe) switching it on and off as needed. I could remove the battery I suppose, but it's pretty big and heavy, and I'm not as young as I used to be, so I button it up and heat it. I also put a trickle charger on the van battery via the dash power port, but only charge it every few weeks. Lead acid doesn't self discharge very fast when it's cold, and there's a better disconnect under the gas pedal (M-B - don't know about the Ford).
That's all that comes to mind at the moment. For my needs it's been exactly what I want. Your mileage may vary.
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