New Renogy 200A Lithium Battery w/Bluetooth for Under $1K

dragonsdofly

@Sharon_is_SAM, we won't be in our dear t@b, but in the 30' travel trailer. It is a monster, but necessary, as I could not keep my most beloved momentos in the t@b. 42 yrs in the same house. Grandma's, dad's, brother's and lifelong friend's, cremains, all the full time necessary stuff, etc. 1,200 lbs of the solar install equipment alone. We needed a beast to carry our lifetime accumulations that we could just not part with, so sadly we leave the t@b here in Michigan for other family members to use and enjoy. At the moment, our t@b is in the north woods, serving as a weekend base camp for deer hunters in the family. We don't anticipate it's return (or ours) until early May. Gotta see mom on Mother's Day.

I had anticipated posting now and again about places we've been and things we've done. We will have similar, albeit a bit different concerns than when t@bbing. We will have to note (but probably not be concerned about) power consumption. In order to have 3,500 lbs of cargo capacity, our beast has very small holding tanks. Years of t@b travel have prepared us to be very conscious of water use and consumption. There will be many fewer places we can fit than before with an over all length of 54 ft. 20,000 lbs of combined vehicle weight will limit us too. 

We will not be taking everything in our household with us, but our tow behind will BE our house. All household members are going to be with us. Cats May, June, July and August as well as parrot Chico will be in for a lifestyle change. Chico particularly will have to adjust to a change of scenery, as Chico has been with us since 1983 and in stationary confinement at least 55 years as far as our info goes. The calendar kittens are a full feral born litter and have been with us since they were 8 weeks old at the end of June. They have spent as much time in the big trailer as they have in the house so they are already comfortable with that part of the change, but they don't like vehicular travel. Because of their young age, we hope they will adapt quickly. Chico is wise because of her/his age and has outlived at least 30 of our previous felines, so Chico is instructing the kittens in appropriate cat to bird relations. Chico rules the house and will rule the trailer.

We will still be part of this forum and community as we have been so extremely fortunate as to keep our t@b and have the monster to utilize for full time rving. During the few weeks home early next summer, the t@b will get a workout from us. The streamlined and uncluttered ease of camping the t@b provides is already missed.

We will report in about how the solar functions with us boondocking almost 100% of the time and let everyone know if the function and utility meet the hype.

And, we'll see what the future brings.

Jim & Denise

Sharon_is_SAM

Very exciting!  Where to first @dragonsdofly?

dragonsdofly

@Sharon_is_SAM, it's going to get very chilly soon here in the mitten. We are late departing due to the death of my brother in April. But we will be forced to leave soon because this beast of a trailer is not a t@b. It is not insulated like the newer trailers with a 4 seasons package, so, first west a bit then a bee line south. Probably folowwing the Mississippi River valley. Following the flood plain allows us to avoid colder temps at altitude.

We haven't decided to hover around the gulf coast (lots of space between Texas and Florida) or doing the stereotypical Arizona (Quartzite) thing. I have two aunts nearly as old as my mom there, one in Tucson and one in Scottsdale, so visiting them is on a list of must do things, but much depends on the weather. We all saw what happened in Texas last winter, so plans are very flexible although I have a cousin and family in San Antonio too.

We'll see, Sharon. We'll see. And let everyone know what we're up to and about.

webers3

@pthomas745 Glad to see that the AmpereTime fits in my 2017 320S (small tub). It was a tight fit but at least the battery won't move around much while driving, here are some pics of the battery in the tub with SmartShunt installed:

pthomas745

@webers3 Nicely done.  Where did you get the battery box?  I looked high and low for a box, after I determined the standard battery box was just too bulky to deal with.  I did find a nice battery box with smooth sides that slid in nicely.

webers3

@pthomas745 Thanks. It’s not a battery box but a bottom part of a plastic container I had lying around that fits the top of the battery perfectly keeping the terminals and SmartShunt out of the elements. I used the bottom packing foam that came with the battery as a tray, it sits snugly in it

pthomas745

@webers3 That is even better!  Those foam pieces are really nice.  I looked all over for something like that.

I found a box that fit nicely from All Battery Sales, the 31-HH.  (I think I've seen them here).

Jax0913

Resurrecting this thread from the fall. Did anyone purchase and install? Looks like now they have added details to their site, they explicitly state low temperature protection. This looks to be a 1 for 1 swap with the Group 24 225ah AGM that came in my 2018 Tab 400. Is there something you have to do to protect the converter? 

Denny16

No, just turn everything off, including solar charging on the Solar charge controller, and main battery switch.  Then disconnect the ground first, then the positive terminal.  Remove the old AGM out, which will require removing the wee bit of wood along the battery holding it in place.  Install the new lithium, hook up the positive terminal then the negative terminal last.  The WACO converter will only charge a lithium up to around 85% full,charge, which is fine for a maintenance charge.  Solar will top off the lithium battery to full charge once you have reconfigured the controller for a lithium battery.  

Whilst you have the battery out, if you do not have the little black square battery buss block, consider installing one, so the battery does not have four or five connections going to it, just the battery cables connecting the battery to the buss block, and make the various battery connections on the buss before connecting the battery.  Turn on the solar controller charging setting, and turn on the main battery switch.
 Cheers 

Jax0913

Thanks @Denny16! I don’t have a bus bar, probably should install one 

Denny16

Might as well while you are replacing the battery.  You can get some nice marine type bus bar kits from Amazon or a marine supply outlet.
 Cheers