Best Of

So there is another option @Horigan!  That may be even easier to reach.  We’ll see.

I chose the easy way out and simply disconnected the charge line in the junction box behind the tub. I find that the solar panel on the roof of our T@B is enough to maintain the battery while on the road and I have a suitcase to top it off once at a dry camping location. No problems using this method with a 12V fridge running full time.

My initial concern was the different charging profiles between the LiFiPO4's in the T@B and the lead acid in our Jeep. Probably not much of a problem, but made sense at the time.

Well, WFCO is now sending me a jumper.  In addition to sending instructions for installing the jumper, their response also said:

"Once the charger is in lithium charge mode its maximum output is 50amps. The amperage that you will see will be entirely dependent on what the battery is asking for during the charge.

You will want to make sure that everything in that charge line/battery feed line is 60amps so you do not see any restrictions."

In my reply, I suggested WFCO add that information to the Operator's Manual.  NuCamp, if you're listening, it would be nice if you set up your products to accommodate this to truly make the trailers "lithium ready" rather than "lithium ready after required modifications".

While solar is my primary source for charging the batteries, I'm willing to go through the modification process so the T@B functions as originally intended (if my only option is to charge my lithium batteries using shore power) and so the next owner doesn't have to try to figure out what's going on with the charging system.  In my opinion, it's just better to fix it right and move on. 

GregR said:

In trying to be proactive before I switch out my AGM batteries for a lithium battery, I contacted WFCO trying to get a jumper.  Here is WFCO's response:

"The jumper is not a requirement to use your auto detect, it is more of a last resort. the install of the converter will play a part in the auto detect functioning correctly; in most cases it works just fine.

Check the size of your inline fuse and make sure it is a 60amp fuse.

Then you need to allow the converter the time to detect the battery. If you have any external chargers or solar you will want to disable these during the detection stage. Drain your lithium batteries down to 10-20% and then plug into shore allowing the converter to charge the battery back to full; towards the end of the charge cycle you will see the green LED change to a blue LED indicating the lithium charge mode."

So, is it how nuCamp initially wires the trailer?  Is it the 50A inline fuse (or maybe the 40A circuit breaker) that causes the auto-detect issue?   

There is no reason that someone should have to go through so many hoops for the WFCO converter to work. These units should have a dedicated switch to change the battery charging profile. Charge a bit more and make these units work correctly. There isn’t any good reason that there should be so many difficulties with these converters.

2 6V batteries at $170 each x 2 = $340.00 $340 divided by 115ah usable capacity = $2.96 per ah.
1 300ah Renogy at $850.00 divided by 295ah usable capacity = $2.88 per ah.

CatDaddy said:
My 320S has two, 6V, US2200 XC2, deep-cycle (not AGM) batteries in series. They're rated for 230Ah each. If I only discharge to 50% SOC, that gives me 230Ah of capacity.

Two 6V 230Ah batteries in series will give you 230Ah at 12V. Half of that is 115Ah of capacity.

6V times 230Ah = 1380 watts
1380 watts times 2 = 2760 watts
2760 watts divided by 12V = 230Ah
50% of 230Ah = 115Ah

None of that says you won't get a few day of boondocking from 115Ah.

You are actively charging. That is the voltage and amps for charging, not drawing. You are looking at the Victron inverter/charger screen.