FYI Link to some good information on storage batteries

RF_Burns

RF_Burns

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Staff member
Sep 7, 2008
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Ontario Canada
Good overview. Thanks for posting! My coach has a 12v house battery up front and two 6Vs in the generator compartment. I need to replace them and I am
looking at options.
--
JD Lisenby- USAF Ret
1978 Royale-455
Electromotive Tec2 FI & ignition

Navarre, FL
 
I'm looking at going to LiIon iron phosphate next time. Cost is higher, but long term I think it will be lower (2500+ charge cycles, 80% depth of
charge etc), but also need to update the charging system at the same time. Different charging requirements, constant current (current limited) then
voltage cutoff with no trickle/float charge etc. So there will need to be a control from the engine charging as well. I see Progressive Dynamics has
a 120V converter/charger, but it seems to show the battery being in parallel with the load (loaded battery). From what I read, you need to monitor
the current into the battery to determine the charge/discharge state. I'm not sure how they are doing that, I don't see a current shunt in the
negative line to the battery.

I haven't seen a good solution for RV yet.

--
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
Hubler 1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
 
Bruce, (and any others interested on this thread)

A couple of three years ago I got rid of the onan, put 480 watts worth PV panels on the roof and hooked them up to 2-100 amp hour Lithium ion batteries. Ran it all through an Aims 1500 watt pure sine wave inverter that automatically switches from battery charging to shore power use depending on what’s plugged in. The whole shebang cost me a little shy of 3K. All has been working very well but I must add that we do not have a roof top AC. (being in western Canada so far so good)
The “package” was designed out by Dragonfly Energy out of Reno Nevada. They were great, well worth contacting. Try Denis Phares

PeterG
73-23ft
Calgary, Alberta
 
Thanks for sharing Bruce, I too enjoyed reading this article. I'm at the point, after recently purchasing an inverter, where I need to make a decision
on which battery set up to go with and this article provides good information on the Lithium battery as an option.

Thanks,
Mike
 
Good article and fairly even handed although some assumptions on their part may not totally jive with many of our requirements. Lithium batteries
look like a great newer technology for us but the jury is still out on them. From real world use there seems to be quite a difference in life
expectancy claimed and real world usage. Charging them can be an issue and if you make a mistake and really over discharge them you could kill them
off which would be a huge hit financially. Liquid technology batteries will typically recover from such a discharge although it won't do them any
favors as for life expectancy.
Although AGM's are probably best for those that don't take the time to maintain their batteries, the additional cost of about twice that of flooded
cell makes a cheap skate like me gravitate to the later. With a watering system in use it's a simple matter to keep H2O levels correct and there are
systems available that can also vent the batteries to a remote location if needed. Of course one must do the proper maintainence if you hope to
achieve good results. Contrary to popular belief a flooded cell battery can out live an AGM given proper care.
MPPT vs PWM chargers and Pure sine vs square wave inverters are also not easily answered questions with no one good choice for the masses. Everyone
must weigh their own circumstances, do their due diligence and go from there.
Just my thoughts, your's may vary.
Hal

--
1977 Royale 101348,

1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,

1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout
 
> While Googling around I came upon a website with a good primer on storage batteries in plain English. Its a good read for the newbies or those
> needing a refresher.
>
> http://amsolar.com/diy-rv-solar-instructions/edbatteries/

Bruce,

Thanks for the link. That is a great site.
If you read just the batteries it is a great site.
If you look at the topics on the left, you can productively kill a day...

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
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Applied GMC
Get your shine on at www.cruzingear.co

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