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Lion Lithium Batteries / Added SmartShunt installation

JT4JT4 Member Posts: 42
edited August 2020 in Battery/Electrical & Solar
I have a Lithium Battery question for the group. We pick up our 2021 320S BD tomorrow. My dealer was asking me if I wanted to upgrade the batteries to the Lion Lithium at a reasonable price. Yes, I realize they are not simply lithium but honestly I forget the proper chemistry at the moment. I realize Costco has a deal right now on the same batteries. Can anyone tell me what that is and will they ship?  I do not have a Costco nearby.  I am just thinking about possible options.  The other question is will the charger in the unit charge those batteries or do I need a different charger. I am open to any thoughts and comments. Thanks!
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  • blueangelblueangel Member Posts: 14
    This video compares Battle Born lithium batteries to the Costco brand.  It concludes that you get what you pay for in these batteries.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRe9TWEEoI0
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  • Tundra57Tundra57 Member Posts: 640
    I dont know what charger comes with your Tab, you should check if it has the lithium battery option. A lead acid charger will not charge a Lithium battery correctly. If you have factory solar, you will need to change its settings too.
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  • mrericmreric Member Posts: 154
    what is the reasonable price they are talking about?  
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  • JT4JT4 Member Posts: 42
    Tundra,  lately for the most part we are boondocking.  So we are not charging on AC very often with the onboard charger.  Yes, I am aware the stock charger does not charge Lithium's properly.  That mod will be for the future when I come up with a plan for that.  Yes, we have the Victron solar charger and yes I have set it for Lithium batteries.  I do appreciate the advice but I am techy kind of guy and have done a bunch of research.  I am sure many out there are not aware regarding the proper chargers.  My next mod is installing the Victron SmartShunt.

    Mreric,  I did not pay a great price but I drove away with the right battery already installed and I did not have to properly get rid of the standard  lead acid battery.  It saved me that headache.  I think I paid $800.  It was more convenience than anything else.

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  • MarcelineMarceline Member Posts: 1,610
    edited July 2020
    @JT4

    Sorry I missed this post. I installed a LiON Energy UT1200 in January and I've been happy with it so far. I camp mostly without hookups so I haven't done anything about the WFCO converter. IMO it's not worth it to go lithium if you mostly camp with hookups and if you mostly camp without hookups there's no point in switching out the converter. My 100w suitcase solar panel seems to top the battery up. If I were buying solar I would get a little bit more (160-200w) though. I'm still pretty miserly with my power use.  I also installed the Victron SmartShunt.
    San Francisco Bay Area
    2013 CS-S us@gi
    2015 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double Cab
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,760
    I know nothing about these Lion lithium batteries (or any other lithium battery), but is there a different direct battery charger that can be used to charge them?  I thought that may be a more economical way to get a full recharge if solar is iffy and the stock converter is in place.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    Yes, a Lithium approved charger unit is available to replace the one on the TaB.
    You can also use a stand alone lithium charger, if needed.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,760
    A stand alone charger is what I mean.  Good to know.  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • MarcelineMarceline Member Posts: 1,610
    Sharon_is_SAM said:
    A stand alone charger is what I mean.  Good to know.  
    Yes. I have a Duracell battery charger that has a lithium setting. My plan is to use it to top off the battery if I can’t get the battery fully recharged on winter weekend camping trips. The battery only weighs 20+ pounds so it’s easy to pull it out and bring it home when I leave the trailer where I store it. 
    San Francisco Bay Area
    2013 CS-S us@gi
    2015 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double Cab
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  • Tundra57Tundra57 Member Posts: 640
    edited July 2020
    There is a drop in replacement for the charger in the power distribution center. It has a lithium setting
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  • JT4JT4 Member Posts: 42
    Thank you Tundra!  I was gonna reach out to them.  It is good to know that something is available.
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  • Tundra57Tundra57 Member Posts: 640
    When i get home ill look up the replacement and send the part number. Its not expensive. They sell on amazon, but i webt direct to a supplier as they were very helpful.
    You disconnect the old one out of the distribution panel, pull it out and replace it with the new one. The updated unit has more current. And comes with a little led monitor so you can see what mode its in and force modes.
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  • JeffroNCJeffroNC Member Posts: 366
    @tundra You are right that the Progressive charger has more power! 67% to 97% in two hours of generator run time. It pulled 45 amps when I started the gen.
    2019 T@B 400 BDL 2017 F150 3.5L Ecoboost
    Jeff & Amy
    Now in Manistee, MI

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  • N7SHG_HamN7SHG_Ham Member Posts: 1,261
    One often overlooked benifits of LiFePo4 is the faster charge ability AND that is important if boondocking and using a generator. A much shorter run time required if you have a capable charger. Also you don't have to worry about partial charging shortening battery life. Depending on your use case, it may very well be worth a replacement converter.
    2019 T@B 400 Boondock Lite
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  • JT4JT4 Member Posts: 42
    Tundra57 said:
    When i get home ill look up the replacement and send the part number. Its not expensive. They sell on amazon, but i webt direct to a supplier as they were very helpful.
    You disconnect the old one out of the distribution panel, pull it out and replace it with the new one. The updated unit has more current. And comes with a little led monitor so you can see what mode its in and force modes.

    Tundra,  I am looking forward to getting that charger info when you have a moment.  Thanks!!


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  • kbdigitiqekbdigitiqe Member Posts: 163
    @Tundra57 can you please post the part number for the drop in converter or even what terms to search for on Amazon, would be much appreciated thanks in advance  =)

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  • ChrisFixChrisFix Member Posts: 739
    @jt4 @kbdigitiqe
    I'm pretty certain this is the charger you are looking for:
    https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Converters/Progressive-Dynamics/PD9130LV.html


    After two years of looking and considering...finally the proud owner of a 2021 T@B 400 Boondock!
    2023 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E with Redarc Trailer Brake Controller
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  • kbdigitiqekbdigitiqe Member Posts: 163
    Yep @ChrisFix that's what I suspected thanks!
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  • Tundra57Tundra57 Member Posts: 640
    I used the part number pd4655 MBA from wildkat power products. Tel 888 828 1893 Has the parts to make the swap easy.
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  • JT4JT4 Member Posts: 42
    Thanks!  My WFCO is a WF-8735P.  The PD4655 looks like it is for an 8955.  I will probably call them.

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  • kbdigitiqekbdigitiqe Member Posts: 163
    @JT4 very curious to hear what they say as this would be much cleaner than the design I am thinking about (see other post)
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  • kbdigitiqekbdigitiqe Member Posts: 163
    @JT4  and @Tundra57 just FYI - I spoke with Progressive Dynamics tech support and they definitely do not have a drop in converter for the WF8700 series, only the 8900 series. Will have to be an outboard charger.
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  • kbdigitiqekbdigitiqe Member Posts: 163
    Marceline said:
    @JT4

    Sorry I missed this post. I installed a LiON Energy UT1200 in January and I've been happy with it so far. I camp mostly without hookups so I haven't done anything about the WFCO converter. IMO it's not worth it to go lithium if you mostly camp with hookups and if you mostly camp without hookups there's no point in switching out the converter. My 100w suitcase solar panel seems to top the battery up. If I were buying solar I would get a little bit more (160-200w) though. I'm still pretty miserly with my power use.  I also installed the Victron SmartShunt.
    @Marceline do you run your 12v fridge off that setup? Just curious what kind of life you get out of the LiON Energy 90ah in terms of days out boon docking

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  • MarcelineMarceline Member Posts: 1,610
    kbdigitiqe said:
    @Marceline do you run your 12v fridge off that setup? Just curious what kind of life you get out of the LiON Energy 90ah in terms of days out boon docking

    Yes, I upgraded to a lithium battery so I can run the fridge. I just got it in January and with everything going on in the world I haven't done any extended boondocking this summer. Just 2-3 days at a time. But theoretically, as long as there is sunshine, the battery should be replenished every day, so there is no real limit on the number of days. Assuming that there is no opportunity to replenish the battery at all (no solar) I would guesstimate that the 90ah lithium would last a couple of days with the fridge running. I'll be at the beach next week and I expect it to be foggy, so I'll report back after that. 

    San Francisco Bay Area
    2013 CS-S us@gi
    2015 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double Cab
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  • JT4JT4 Member Posts: 42
    Hi everyone.  Just a followup.  I will not say we have not camped that much yet but in a short time we have camped quite a few times. Almost every weekend except this last one.  We have yet to connect to any pedestals or hardwire connections.  We have only boondocked using the battery and have been very pleased with it.  The refrigerator runs great!  It has been on without shutting it off for several days without any issues.  We have also run the lighting and water pumps all off the batteries.  It has been quite the success.  Just weekends so far, two or three nights.  We have a full house at the moment so I had a recent visitor stay in the T@B a few blocks away for the night with no issues either.   I am in the process of installing the SmartShunt for this weekend's outing.  Looking forward to that.
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  • Tundra57Tundra57 Member Posts: 640
    @kbdigitiqe my mistake, i did not realise there had been a change in the distribution panel.

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  • kbdigitiqekbdigitiqe Member Posts: 163
    @JT4 where did you wire in your Smart Shunt? would you mind posting a pic? Having a hard time figuring out where to drop it in (probably over thinking it lol)
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    It the shunt needs to be near the battery, and you need a short (less than 3-ft) heavy jump cable to connect the battery negative post to the battery side of the shunt.  The connections that were on the battery negative post are moved to the load side of the shunt.  Victron has very good video and instructions showing how to wire the shunt.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • MarcelineMarceline Member Posts: 1,610
    kbdigitiqe said:
    @JT4 where did you wire in your Smart Shunt? would you mind posting a pic? Having a hard time figuring out where to drop it in (probably over thinking it lol)
    FWIW, I replaced the original battery box with this bigger battery box and partitioned it so that I have the battery on one side of the partition and the shunt on the other.

    San Francisco Bay Area
    2013 CS-S us@gi
    2015 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double Cab
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,760
    IIRC, Someone had problems with the Bluetooth with the SmartShunt installed in the new, heavier metal front tub on the 2021 models.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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