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Old 03-20-2021, 02:35 PM   #1
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Replace Lead Acid Batteries

Solar newbie here. I have four 6 volt golf cart house batteries installed on 5er that I want to replace with LiPo. Installed solar system is 1200 W GoPro with 3000 W inverter. Current batteries are Interstate GC2-ECL-UTL 225 Ah @ 20 Hr. Recommendations for Lithium batteries needed.
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Old 03-20-2021, 04:06 PM   #2
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You might think about where you want to put the batteries, and look for batteries that fit that space best.
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Old 03-20-2021, 05:27 PM   #3
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It is a great idea if you can find a space inside your RV that will be heated in the coldest months.

I have seven 100 amp-hour Battle Born batteries and run my air conditioner off them in the summer months with my 1440 watts of roof top and 640 watts of portable panels. I also have a pair of 50 amp-hour Battle Born batteries that I use for astronomy. The 50 amp-hour batteries are charged with a panel on my Leer cap over my truck bed.

LiFePO4 batteries will charge up fast if you have the solar or inverter/charger with the amperage to charge them rapidly. The recommended charge amperage for the 100 amp-hour Battle Born is 50 amps per battery.
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Old 03-20-2021, 05:35 PM   #4
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I ask the following questions not to discourage you as I have Lithiums and won’t have an RV without them, but to understand your needs before answering as there are many options.

Are you comfortable making your own battery out of individual cells and creating your own BMS? It’s relatively easy. Or are you looking to buy prepackaged batteries with their own individual BMS’s?

What benefits do you see switching to Lithiums.

Do you camp in freezing weather and if so do you have a place for them to keep them above freezing?

You mention an inverter, is it a charger as well? And does it have a Lith/Lifepo4 setting or an AGM setting?
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Old 03-20-2021, 05:54 PM   #5
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Do not wish to build my own. Weight reduction, no maintainence and ability to discharge below 50% would be main benefits. Minimal camping in below freezing temps but plan to put the batteries in a heated area.


The inverter is also a charger with AGM1 and AGM2 settings. AGM2 is absorption and float with no equalization.
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Old 03-20-2021, 06:59 PM   #6
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Deep cycle batteries are designed to discharge below 50%.
The deep cycle GC2 batteries are built for golf cars. There is no 50% cut off on them.

If you want more capacity, go ahead and take them down to 20%. That's about what you would take lithiums down to.

If you replace your 470 AH of batteries with 235 AH of lithium, when you get to 10%, they shut down. Now you got nothing.

Here is a chart from Lifeline. 1000 50% discharged or 500 90% discharges.

500 discharges is a lot of dry camping.Click image for larger version

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Old 03-21-2021, 06:26 PM   #7
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Old 04-10-2021, 07:49 PM   #8
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Husband is building 6 100AH lithium batteries for $1200 including some type of controllers. Says he’s saving a lot of of $$ instead of spending $5,000. Soldering ends on wires, has stuff on several tables and making a mess. Is there that big a savings?
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Old 04-11-2021, 06:18 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandy12 View Post
Husband is building 6 100AH lithium batteries for $1200 including some type of controllers. Says he’s saving a lot of of $$ instead of spending $5,000. Soldering ends on wires, has stuff on several tables and making a mess. Is there that big a savings?
That difference sounds like comparing a home-assembled system with the most expensive off the shelf batteries. (His savings is likely exaggerated some.) You can save significant money by doing your own assembly though. Hopefully he's keeping in mind the high level of current through those solder joints, and using a quality BMS system. The BMS system is a large part of the higher cost of those expensive batteries. Cheaper is only cheaper if it works...
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Old 04-11-2021, 06:52 PM   #10
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I like Will Prowse. Unfortunately when he does a tear down and likes the battery, they become hard to find even at higher prices.
Also, China has a shortage of shipping containers. The port of Los Angeles has been backed up because of covid. Many ships are just sitting and waiting. Demand for lithium is high. China is drowning in floods.

Don't bother with long wait times, you might get cancelled like my SOK order. Stick to 2-3wks delivery, US warehouse shipping.
Most LiFePO4 BMS do not have full protection. Low temp charge and discharge cutoff. Poor low voltage cutoff. The warranty requires shipping to China.

All said, Battle Born is well built with a good warranty.
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Old 04-11-2021, 07:03 PM   #11
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Quote:
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Husband is building 6 100AH lithium batteries for $1200 including some type of controllers. Says he’s saving a lot of of $$ instead of spending $5,000. Soldering ends on wires, has stuff on several tables and making a mess. Is there that big a savings?

I am building a 280AH LiFePO4 battery.

The BMS is Overkill Solar brand with features I like such as: Bluetooth, Low temp charge and discharge protection etc. $130. Not available now and they may take a while to be restocked due to chip shortage (flooding?).

I ordered 4ea Littokala 280AH Prismatic cells for $599 on Feb 19th. They might arrive April 2 to 28th. They are now $799 on Amazon with faster shipping so the higher priced ones must be coming from US warehouse.
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