113 replies to this topic

[PaulT]

Costco has a short time sale on a 105 aH LiFePO4 group 24 battery for $700. 

https://www.costco.c....100535965.html

 

 

Lion Safari UT 1300

https://lionenergy.c...-safari-ut-1300

 

I know nothing about this company or battery, but the specs looks pretty good and the price is attractive.

 

Paul

[ckent323]

Here is a review of the previous version of it by Will Prouse

[kmcintyre]

Looks like some of the links still don't work.  My AGM battery is on it's last leg.  

 

Looking at a LiFePO4 system but it appears that I'd need a DC-to-DC charger to protect my alternator from over heating.  I currently have a BlueSeas ACR and not sure if that'll protect the house battery from pulling to much charge and over heating as the ACR has a 20amp fuse???? So confused :-)

 

I'm thinking that a Renogy DC charger is the way to go and remove the BlueSeas????

 

Thanks for any help

[rando]

You don't necessarily need a DC-DC charger.   Depending on your alternator output and the wiring gauge between the truck and camper your current maybe OK, or even a little on the low side (as mine is).     I would buy the lithium first, then see how much current the battery actually draws.    

 

If you do need a DC-DC charger, then yes it would replace the  BlueSeas ACR.  For the DC-DC, I would strongly recommend the Victron offering over the Renogy offering.   The Victron ones are fully configurable for the specific profile your battery wants using their bluetooth app, and are a higher quality and better supported product. 

[Vic Harder]

+1 for the Victron Orion DC-DC charger.  I have that installed now an it works well.  Camping in the deep shade of the Canadian Rockies, my 330W solar panel doesn't get much of a chance to charge the 200AH Battleborn batteries.  30A at 14V gets me 420W of charging during my short drives to trailheads, where I may or may not get sunshine.  Made a big difference in our battery SOC on our last short trip.

[kmcintyre]

Ok... I decided on what I'm going to do.

 

I've decided I'm going to build my own LifePO4 battery!  It's not much more than buying a new AGM although I have to source cells from China :-(.

 

I will do a 120Ah battery and based on what I have found it really is a lot more efficient and probably equal to about a 240Ah AGM battery.  We don't use much power anyway.

 

The other positive is that it will weight about 20lbs max.

 

I'll let you know when it's done.  It could take a month to get the cells.

[rando]

Sounds like a fun project!  Keep us abreast of how it all goes.   

 

Three years ago when I was working on my lithium batteries, the bare cell cost for prismatic cells was not enough less than the cost of drop ins to make that option worthwhile.  Thus spending a lot of hour assembling old stock cylindrical cells into a bigger pack.   Recently that has all changed and prismatic cells are now a fraction of the cost of battle borne and the like:

$580 for 280Ah@12V delivered.  

 

Budget another $100 - $200 for the BMS,  bus bars and enclosure and you are still 1/3 the cost of 3 battle born batteries with a lot less work. 

[buckland]

That is a remarkable deal if all is as it says. Wow. I took weeks soldering 120 cells into four packs. This is so easy looking. I have a Battleborn and my dyi in the camper and for the weight and longevity I can’t imagine otherwise. Great deal it looks to be.

[buckland]

Just went back to site and the tech sheet said these are lithium Ion batteries.... same as LiFePi4?

[Vic Harder]

Just went back to site and the tech sheet said these are lithium Ion batteries.... same as LiFePi4?

says LiFePo4 right in the description