Lithium Battery and Converter/Charger Advice...please.

myjossi

@Denny16 I talked with the tech at WFCO, they don’t have anything in the smaller converters specifically set up for lithium. 

He did say they are developing one because people get hung up like the folks in this discussion and they want to meet that audience. But he confirmed the current 8725 or 8735 works well with lithium and my experiences are that I receive a full charge using it. 

Denny16

@Rich1941, yes, all the TaB400s and 320s have a breakaway harness switch to activate the trailer brakes in case of a trailer disconnect/uncoupling as required by law in most stares on trailers with electric brakes (and on trailers over a certain size/weight, on surge brake systems also).  The power comes from the trailer battery, and this is why the battery cutoff switch has to be switched on when towing.  Even my 1958 Kenskill trailer had a electric brake disconnect setup.  

Cheers

Sharon_is_SAM

There will be a YouTube Live Chat by Mike Sokol on lithium battery charging on Tuesday Feb. 2nd.

https://youtu.be/NPGw9vI5jDI

dsfdogs

Thanks @Sharon_is_SAM, I'll be sure to watch.

I am ordering the new 8735LiS from WFCO that has the lithium switch (since I have a Battleborn battery). With the stock WFCO 8735, it will only charge my battery to 13.42v without rest. Within a couple hours, it was at 13.34v at rest. While 13.42 is 99%, per the Will Prowse interview with the BB CEO, they need to charge to 100% for balancing. The rate is 14.4 while on the charger then immediately drop to 13.6 when removed. 13.6 = 100%.

I had to buy a new 10 amp NOCO charger to get the battery to 13.64. (I don't have solar). I had a 7.2 amp Noco but it wasn't pushing it beyond 13.3 (no rest). 

Tabnero

I would like to up grade as well so post some photos of your experience.

Mellow_Yellow

Hi @Tabnero I just had my first boondocking trip out with a new lithium battery. It is fabulous! 48 hours of light, but constant use and it is still near fully charged.
The vendor advised me to charge it in non-freezing temperatures using an external device that is compatible with 12V lithium, such as: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08NVG5ZT3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I also use a Bluetooth battery monitor on my smart phone to make sure I don't drain it down below 50%, if possible. The vendor also advised that lithium batteries should be disconnected from the trailer when not in use to prevent passive drain.
Update: you can also pull a fuse to disconnect the battery. Way easier. I'm just finding out which one to pull on a thread further down.

pthomas745

@Mellow_Yellow your lithium battery can be discharged much lower than the "old skool" batteries...which is why they cost the big bucks.  80 percent "depth of discharge" is the usual number I read.

Does your trailer have a battery switch?  You can just turn it off to "disconnect."  If not, and you don't want to have to deal with battery cables, just take out the fuse at the battery terminal.  (Don't misplace it!)  That will also "disconnect" your battery.

Mellow_Yellow

Thanks so much @pthomas745! My 2014 T@B  does not have a battery on/off switch. I am so relieved I don't need to disconnect the battery! Which fuse do I pull? the highest one? I think it's a "40". 
I'm just so thrilled with the lithium battery - that I can go anywhere for a long time. Oh and I got a set of  suitcase solar panels (Renogy) on a bit of a sale as well. I haven't tried them out yet! Maybe next trip

pthomas745

Good for you!  Your battery should have a little plastic fuse holder on the positive cable from the battery.  The little holder protects the battery fuse (which should be a 30 amp.....)  In this link there is a file for practically every fuse in the trailer, and the battery fuse is the very first one mentioned.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/3512/fuses-for-newbies/p1

You should think about how you want to monitor your battery.  Things still happen.....and a monitor might give you a little heads up.  Your lithium battery will just buy you more time before you notice that something might be wrong. 

Have you hooked up your panels yet?  Just another thing to practice before you find yourself out with the wrong screwdriver or the wrong cable so that things won't work.  The panels are another thing that some type of monitor will help you with.

Mellow_Yellow

Hi @pthomas745 - Thank you for this information. I'll have a look to see if I can find and pull the battery fuse tomorrow. The list of fuses was super useful. I just went ahead and found/ordered all of them, which came in handy when I recently blew one of the little Alde fuses. Thanks to the list, I had exactly the right replacement fuse on hand

I already attached a Bluetooth monitor to the lithium battery so I can keep track of its charge on my iPhone. I haven't yet tried out the solar panels, but I confirmed that I have the correct adaptor to plug it right into the Zamp port on the battery box. Hopefully there'll be a bit more sunlight to work with on my next trip.

There is so much to learn. Thanks for all your help and suppor!

jkjenn

dsfdogs said:

Thanks @Sharon_is_SAM, I'll be sure to watch.

I am ordering the new 8735LiS from WFCO that has the lithium switch (since I have a Battleborn battery). With the stock WFCO 8735, it will only charge my battery to 13.42v without rest. Within a couple hours, it was at 13.34v at rest. While 13.42 is 99%, per the Will Prowse interview with the BB CEO, they need to charge to 100% for balancing. The rate is 14.4 while on the charger then immediately drop to 13.6 when removed. 13.6 = 100%.

Who sells this?

Tabnero

I have not seen it anywhere. WFCO has been talking about it for 3 years now

dsfdogs

WFCO sells it. It's on their website. I reached out to them a few weeks ago and was told it will be in stock in a month.

Tabnero

very good, Thank you