We are finally going to do it…put in our new LiPo batteries! That’s right, we finally made a choice as to what LiPo battery to install into our 2014 Tiffin Alegro 45LP Bus! Best thing…David and his techie bud Michael are going to do the swap out LIVE on our YouTube Channel!
What batteries did we choose and why? Is it easy to do? Is it worth it? All of this and likely more will be answered tomorrow, Friday July 30th, starting at 4:00PM ET. You can even ask questions in the live chat and we will try to answer them as we work along.
And if you can’t join us live, no worries, you can always take a look later. But it is more fun when live as you may care to take part. :)
Here is the link…And you can even click it now and then click on SET REMINDER and receive a notice from YouTube when the time is close. https://youtu.be/RsBXJy4e2gw
Hope you can join us!
We installed LiPos in our travel trailer. Best thing we ever did! The way they provide power is amazing. It costs a lot more initially, but the savings from then on is amazing.
David, that pictures cabling looks very wrong… Are you intending on making them 36v by just extending them paralleled?
That photo shows me topping off the batteries, one at a time, to balance the cells before putting them into parallel thus providing 600AH of 12V. LiPo’s can only be shipped at 50% charge and thus you want to charge them fully before install. That way when used, you do not have one at 40% and one at 50% or what have you and thus being unbalanced in use. We just happen to have an inverter handy so used that vs just a battery charger.
David, please remind us of how much solar you have to feed these new batteries. Thanks
Hi…I do not really use solar as we have just two 180 watt panels.
Did you change the house batteries also?
Thanks
Hummm…Not sure what you mean as these are the house batteries. If you mean the chassis batteries (engine)…then no we did not.
Yes that’s what I meant, I realized it when I hit post! lol. Do you have a parts list. We are about to head out for 14 months and have been doing research on replacing the batteries before we head out.
The only parts you really need are the batteries and an external battery charger that is able to maintain at least 14.2V or higher for the initial balance of each battery. All batteries comes 50% charged or less per transport rules, thus you need to charger them fully first before you put them in and connect them together so then they are all at the same charge level.
You usually can use the original cables that are on you current batteries, we just made new jumpers so the ends were the proper size but the other ones would have also worked.
You also have to be sure your inverter/charger can be set for custom charge settings as most LiPo’s require an Absorb Charge of about 14.5v and then be able to Float Charge at 13.7v. Thus you need to be sure you can set the charging settings. (No idea what you have coach, RV, or what…so wanted to mention it.)
If you buy LifeBlue, tell them we said hello. :) (We get nothing mind you.)
Good luck!
Hi David, I’ve been following you guys for quite some time now and have taken you up on much of your advise.
Couple of questions:
Have you had any issues with the batteries since installing them?
I have now watched your install video at least 4 times now.
Second question, because I don’t happen to have an extra inverter hanging around, can I just pull my existing batteries out, Drop in the new Lifeblue’s and bring them up to full charge individually before connecting them in parallel?
Enjoying our 2016 Mountain Aire
Hi…
The batteries have been great and I would buy them again. I would also be sure buy the heated batteries as we surly them in the cold we have been in!
As far as the inverter, that would work fine, just hope that you do not lose power during the time of the charge or you will be running off that one battery. :) (Unlikely) But it should top off fairly quickly and you can move on to the next one. Once done, then connect them as they should be and you will be golden.
If you purchase, tell them I said hello. :)
David
Hi David,
Will do.
I had been looking for batteries that would work in my bay & these are a perfect fit.
I hadn’t thought about the different heating parameters until I saw your install.
This is the only thing that really makes any sense to me.
For the small up charge for heated on these it is well worth it. Like you, we have no real plans for being in the cold weather, but poo happens as you found in Texas.
We are from Canada so plan to be north again this summer visiting family & friends, then heading south in September, which can be dicey over mountain passes that time of year.
We had several nights with temp’s in the mid 30’s last year coming south.
BTW, congratulations on your recovery & thanks for your advice.
Jim
Glad to read my reply helped. As far as temps, right now as I write this at 6:08am CT, it is 26F out in Gallatin TN!!!! So yes, you never know and thus having the protection is the best thing! And it coming from the charging side vs using battery power for the heating, is even better! Even though it is that cold out, checking LifeBlue app on my phone the batteries at a nice 51F. It is not a heated bay either as I hever sealed it. (Normally battery bays have openings for venting.)
Hey David
Another question for you.
I was talking to Larry at LifeBlue, he recommends hooking all positive battery connections to a power block or post. Same with all negative connections.
I know you guys did straight parallel connections on your 3 batteries.
I will be hooking up 4-200 a/h batteries, and don’t know if that would make any difference in the hookup.
He said something like pulling all of the current through the last battery was not a good idea, or something like that.
I didn’t catch in the video what size cable you used for connecting the batteries.
Thanks again
Jim
I’m about to buy the 300amp version . Now that you have had yours a year any regrets or issues?
Andre
Hi Andre…I am happy to report that I REALLY LIKE these batteries. They have been doing great from the time I and Michael put them in “live” and thus far have have performed without issue. AS you know, I have the 200ah units, but the 300 use the same cells so I would expect the same. If you order them, tell them I said hello. :)
I switched AGM for Li this summer! Amazing improvement! Much faster charging, lower tongue weight and steady 13.X voltage throughout the discharge. I wrote a whole article about my upgrade on my web page http://rvbprecision.com/rv-projects/rv-lead-acid-agm-to-lithium.html