Thinking of just biting the bullet and getting two BattleBorn 100Ah lithiums..

CCC

Question is have any of you done this by putting the batteries under the passenger side bench? Cost To install? Any downside other than cost? 2022 320 S Boondock. I am planning mixed trips with extended boondocks, 4-8 days. May need to get a small generator too. How long under generator power does it take to charge the batteries?

Another option is to get two Lion energy lithiums through Costco at $1400 instead of $1900 for the Battleborns.

kottum

Our dealer in Mesa, AZ installed two 100 ah BattleBorns in our 2022 320s Boondock front aluminum tub next to the propane tank.  Cost $1998 installed with cables, straps and battery boxes.  Neat install and I like them there.  There is no evidence the expensive batteries are in there as they are inside the aluminum tub and inside the battery boxes.  The BattleBorns protect themselves from charging in freezing temperatures, inside the tub and inside the battery boxes.

Ten year warranty on the BB's and we have had plenty of power boon docking along the way in our travels.  We may add a 100amp portable solar unit to supplement charging if needed.  We already have a Honda 2000 generator from past campers but I think two lithium batteries and solar charging makes the generator somewhat obsolete in this small, efficient camper (unless you need air conditioning).

Doug

pthomas745

Camp first.  Decide later whether you need a 2000 dollar battery setup.

Denny16

I,would,start with one 100-AmpHr battery and goe camping.  With the trailer’s solar charging system, and Lithoum ready battery converter/charger, you may fine a single 100 Amp Lithium will be enough.  I would also add a battery monitor like the Victron Smart Shunt, which will network with the Victron a solar controller.  

Cheers 

Dutch061

As others have mentioned, it is a good idea to see how things are performing based on how you camp before the investment. It is also important to know that if you were to buy 1 that you have up to 12 months to add additional batteries, as per Battleborn.

In answer to your question, I believe the 320's come equipped with a 35 Amp converter for charging the batteries. Depending on the distance between the converter and the wire size (I suspect 8-gauge), you may never be able to get the 35 Amp total output. If you were to use 180 Ah of your 200 Ah, it would take between 5 and 6 hours to fully charge at 35 Amps.

We have a 2020 400 BDL, that I have 4 x 100 Ah and I removed the OEM converter and installed a Progressive Dynamics 60 Amp within 16 inches of the battery junction block. I get the full 60 Amps when charging. I chose 60 Amps due to power limitations while at home. I am very pleased with what I have done, I never have any power concerns. 

Battleborn can be charged at 50% of the Ah capacity, so with 200 Ah you could charge at up to 100 Ah safely.

BB are expensive but they seem to be the battery that all other Lithium batteries compare themselves too (that I have seen anyway). There are other very good Lithium batteries available, do your research and choose the one that works best for you.

There was also a comment about using a temperature sensor with your MPPT Solar Controller. It is important to note that the temperature sensor only connects to the BMV-712 Shunt (or the Victron Smart Shunt) and the temperature information is shared via the Victron Network. Since I installed the standard BB's, I added this just in case. I can say that it is rare that the temperature is below 60 degrees at the batteries in our 400. BB's as mentioned, have an extremely capable BMS (others may also) and will shut down charging (below 25 degrees F) and will also shut down charging at high temperatures (above 135 degrees F). 

Lastly, it is also important to know that the batteries will generate heat while being discharged without a heating blanket. A lot of times, this is sufficient to maintain the temperature above that limit. 

Brad

CharlieRN

pthomas745 said:

Camp first.  Decide later whether you need a 2000 dollar battery setup.

This is very good advice. If, after you've done a few trips, you find you need more capacity, then you can start thinking about doing what is pretty expensive mod.

I have a 2021 320S BD and after several outings, found the stock 80Ah FLA battery to be difficult to live with for more than a day or two of boondocking. I started considering various strategies for more capacity and eventually decided on going with a 100 Ah lithium. I was not in a hurry, and was able to get a BattleBorn at a substantial discount when they ran their "blemished" sale. A few months later, BB ran another sale, so I bought a second. While I spent substantially less than $2k on the batteries, they still put a pretty big dent in my wallet. I'm happy with BB: the batteries are well-built, their BMS is excellent, they provide a great warranty and they consistently rank at or near the top in comparisons of LiFePO4 batteries. Their Customer Support is also first rate. If you do want to go with lithium, you can find some good battery comparisons on the Will Prowse DIY Solar channel on YouTube.

I just completed moving the dual battery setup to the passenger side bench area. In my case, the mod was complicated by the addition of a Renogy DC-DC charger. Whether you need a charger is a matter of some debate, but I came down on the pro side of the argument for a variety of reasons. I posted some photos and remarks about the mod on the forum last week, and you can find that info here.

kottum

O.P. states he has "2022 320 S Boondock. I am planning mixed trips with extended boondocks, 4-8 days."

The fridge in his camper is electric only.  He lives in north Georgia (not the sunny Southwest). Should he really expect a satisfactory 4-8 day boondocking experience in his new T@b 320s with the standard battery/solar system?

We put two Battleborn 100 ah batteries in the factory position.  If we ever trade campers (and many of us do), we can easily take our $2000 batteries and their 10 year warranty with us.  If we supplement the solar system with a portable solar panel, we can easily take that with us as well.  That makes it a 10 year investment to ensure we have plenty of battery power.

Doug

Horigan

I think another really good battery to consider that's less expensive is the SOK battery.  You can get a 206aH battery for close to the cost of a 100aH Battlehorn.  Will Prowse gives it a thumbs up.  I have this in our boat.

CCC

That SOK battery seems good. They have a model with a built in heater that allows it to charge down to -.04 F where the other model cuts off charging at 32F
https://www.us.sokbattery.com/product-page/sok-12v-206ah-lifepo4-battery-bluetooth-built-in-heater

bergger

If you want to save $ and still get plenty of power I would consider 2 Harris golf cart batteries in series for 224 amp hours like they use in the 400.  That gives you a minimum of 112 usable amp hours and if modern AGMs are drawn a bit below 50% it's not detrimental to the battery life.  With a good solar set up and good sunshine we've never come close to drawing the batteries down.  Don't have to worry about heating the battery either.  Another option is to invest $1000 into something l like a Goal Zero Yeti 1000.  You get a 91ah lithium battery that comes with a mppt, and mulitple ports to power things.  Plus it's portable so you can take it with you on road trips where you don't have the trailer, you can use it in the house when the power is out.  A very flexible system.  Just another thought.

VictoriaP

As @bergger notes, you can always charge with a big enough portable battery pack, Goal Zero, Bluetti, Jackery, and a few others make good ones. You do lose quite a bit through conversion though; I ran some tests on this over the winter with a Jackery 1500 and found it cost around 30 watts for every 70 the trailer was getting. That’s fine for my purposes—emergency backup charging only—but it’s definitely something to consider.

bergger

As @VictoriaP mentioned you can charge a trailer with a portable pack but it is very inefficient.  But nice knowing you can do it.  My thought would be to upgrade to a single 105 ah AGM which should handle most of the trailer functions if properly charged with solar.  Then use a Yeti or similar for other items around camp, ie a fridge, tv, coffee pot, cpap or any other high energy device.  And yes if needed you can charge the house battery also.  There are many options out there for electrical setups and each needs to find the one that works best for them.  We use the dual AGM 6v batteries and have a jackery 1000 as well. 

Funny thing is that last year I spent 30 days through hiking the Colorado trail with only a Nitecore 10000mAh battery to recharge my cell phone.  The most content 30 days I've probably had my entire life.  Sometimes less is more.  Sometimes not!

kottum

Battle Born 100ah lithiums now on sale for $875, Amazon or Battle Born.