Lifepo4 batteries?

[DMS1]

Wow, you are in it deep with all this tech! I feel like I’m doing good, but still on the porch with the pups vs. running in the yard with the big dogs! Lol. My Son likes the Victron controllers too, he just ordered a new one as he is upgrading his setup to 24v on his tiny house off grid system. I bought his 12v MPPT Victron controller, to help him towards funding the 24v one he wants. Funny how as I learn and get into this, I am inheriting his “hand-me-downs”. Even at second hand prices, piecing these components together is NOT an inexpensive process. I will still be in it for over a $1000, a-lot of money these or any days, but that is still a deep discount over what new retail would be for folks wanting off-grid power for home/recreational use. And to think, I thought I was doing pretty well getting involved in collecting Coleman lamps, stoves and gear years ago for similar reasons. Ha!

I live in my trailer and have 800 watts of solar and 4 - 6 Volt Golf cart batteries and all Victron charge controllers and other electronics because they work good and work good together.. I am upgrading my trailer to 1200 watts of solar and the 4 SOK batteries I mentioned above that I bought in July. Getting the proper bus bars has been an issue but finally got them. Will be doing the upgrade in January.

 

[K12]

I live in my trailer and have 800 watts of solar and 4 - 6 Volt Golf cart batteries and all Victron charge controllers and other electronics because they work good and work good together.. I am upgrading my trailer to 1200 watts of solar and the 4 SOK batteries I mentioned above that I bought in July. Getting the proper bus bars has been an issue but finally got them. Will be doing the upgrade in January.

Are you running everything off the batteries (including AC)? if so what is your run time like in summer with the AC going? what panels are you using and what the charging efficiency on them with the charge controller? (eg. 1200w rated, but actually getting 900w/hr)

 

[shoredreamer]

Been running a 100AH ReLion HP LiFePo4 battery for the last year or so as my House battery. We run a compact setup for my family of 4 in our FZJ80, but this easily powers all our needs with no worry. Running 100watts of solar on our roof and have a foldout 100watt panel also if needed. 25 amp dc to dc charger when the truck is running and upgraded my alternator to help with the extra power needs.

 

[DMS1]

Are you running everything off the batteries (including AC)? if so what is your run time like in summer with the AC going? what panels are you using and what the charging efficiency on them with the charge controller? (eg. 1200w rated, but actually getting 900w/hr)

I run everything but my AC from solar. I have my trailer setup so I can run everything on 110 shore power, or everything but my AC on solar, and third mode I can run everything off solar except AC but run that from my generator. You need close to 1000 Ah of battery and a lot more solar panels than my trailer can hold to run the AC on solar, but some people do it. Most who do run mini splits or the new AC units that run on DC power and are more efficient, but they cost around 2K to 3K right now, hopefully they drop in price in the future.

 

[K12]

I run everything but my AC from solar. I have my trailer setup so I can run everything on 110 shore power, or everything but my AC on solar, and third mode I can run everything off solar except AC but run that from my generator. You need close to 1000 Ah of battery and a lot more solar panels than my trailer can hold to run the AC on solar, but some people do it. Most who do run mini splits or the new AC units that run on DC power and are more efficient, but they cost around 2K to 3K right now, hopefully they drop in price in the future.

This is what I am planning for my HQ19 when I go full time in it hopefully later this year. I want everything setup prior but dont think I will have the cashflow until I sell the house.

I was looking at those DC batteries the other day and my jaw hit the floor. They are expensive but more efficient and appear to be quite a bit of a lower profile than the standard units as well.

Do you have a battery heater installed for below freezing temps, or is this not needed in your area?

 

[Viking1204]

Keep Ebay in mind when looking for Lithium batteries. I picked up a 138ah Valence Lithium Battery about 3 years ago to build my own solar generator and it's still going strong. They sell a lot of slightly used batteries at discounted prices compared to new, seems some industries only use the batteries for 1 year before replacing them and we all know Lithium batteries last up to 10 years!

 

[Mike W]

Keep Ebay in mind when looking for Lithium batteries. I picked up a 138ah Valence Lithium Battery about 3 years ago to build my own solar generator and it's still going strong. They sell a lot of slightly used batteries at discounted prices compared to new, seems some industries only use the batteries for 1 year before replacing them and we all know Lithium batteries last up to 10 years!

Ya, i have seen that you can get b-grade cells for cheap, used ones... and they tend to work pretty well.

 

[Viking1204]

Yeah I took a chance 3 years ago, wanted a single battery with it's own BMS over 100ah. At the time any battery that had 100ah was selling for over a $1k, i was able to pick up a 138ah Valence battery for $500. I think the key to lithium batteries is keeping them charged, I use a 100 watt solar panel and a Redarc DC-DC charge to keep my Valence battery topped off and for 3 years now it has done a great job at powering my 65 quart dual zone IceCube fridge/freezer as well as charging my phones and powering some LED Lighting I have at the back of my truck.

 

[4Rover]

This is my standalone setup. The half milk crate holds a 92Ah Trojan Trillium LiFePO4 battery that provides power to a Blue Sea Systems 12V fuse block, which currently connects to one 12V cigarette lighter outlet. The battery also connects to a 1200W Giandel pure sine wave inverter via an ANL fuse. The inverter has a ground wire that connects to a ground point on the vehicle chassis.

This system worked well powering a 12V fridge/freezer on a couple recent 2-day trips (I didn't need the inverter on those trips).