Lithium RV Batteries: The TRUTH You Need To Know

[@EnjoyTheJourneyLife]

WHAT DO YOU THINK? LINKS & CHAPTERS BELOW!🔋Save 5% OFF Enduro Power lithium batteries enjoythejourney.life/enduro or mention 'Enjoy the Journey' if you call 303-968-1366 Companion blog post enjoythejourney.life/rv-lithium ✅ SUBSCRIBE: enjoythejourney.life/KZbin ➡ Subscribe by Email: enjoythejourney.life/newsletter All Solar & Lithium videos enjoythejourney.life/lithium All Amazon links amzn.to/47C9g3F Webb's install video kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaqQdnutjayFjtE Inverter enjoythejourney.life/inverter Our Solar Set Up enjoythejourney.life/solar Shunt enjoythejourney.life/shunt welding wire amzn.to/46kZiTd lugs amzn.to/3QLYkcR heat shrink tape amzn.to/47l7cx7 wire cutters amzn.to/3MKPquP Hydraulic Cable Lug Crimper amzn.to/49VU5V5 heat gun amzn.to/40Srqfh Victron Energy Lynx Power In amzn.to/3G66EPJ & Distributor amzn.to/49VUneD BIM amzn.to/47zk4zo DC to DC charger amzn.to/40NjtrW T Fuse Holder (holder only) amzn.to/47b6mD7 T Fuse 300A amzn.to/3R6hCv2 & 400A amzn.to/3MQyROt Blue Sea On/Off Cutoff switch (350A rated) amzn.to/46tJIF2 & (600A rated) amzn.to/49FN9Lr CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 02:04 Where to start with an RV Lithium battery upgrade? 02:21 Why Do RV Manufacturers Under Size Battery Installs? 02:48 Why does my RV battery keep running out of power? 03:00 Why Does My RV Refrigerator Keep Running Out Of Power? 03:53 How Long Will A Typical RV Battery Last? 04:42 Why Do RV Batteries Fail? 04:50 Voltage Profile Lead Acid vs AGM Battery 06:13 Why RV Lithium Batteries Are Better 06:35 Must Have Cheap RV Upgrade! Battery Monitor With Shunt 07:06 Advantages of using an RV Battery Monitor With Shunt 07:34 Why Upgrade From Lead Acid To Lithium RV Batteries? 08:18 How much RV lithium batteries do I need? 08:30 What Is The Minimum Battery Size I Need In A Travel Trailer? 09:07 What Is The Minimum Battery Size I Need In A 5th Wheel RV? 10:03 Most Basic RV Lithium Battery Upgrade 11:17 Enduro Power RV Lithium Battery Upgrade Coupon Code 11:45 RV Battery Wiring: Balanced vs Unbalanced Connection 14:04 Where To Wire A Battery Monitor With Shunt 14:59 Wiring Guide: Parallel Wiring In RV Battery Upgrade 17:39 3 best practices when installing RV batteries 21:39 How Much Battery Power Do I Need For My RV Refrigerator? 22:08 How Many RV Batteries Do I Need To Dry Camp or Boondock? 22:22 Is My RV Charger/Converter Lithium Compatible? 24:19 How Much Does A Battery Monitor With Shunt Cost? 25:24 RV Battery Upgrade Hack 25:56 RV Energy Audit - Build An Energy Consumption Profile 26:27 Save Your RV Batteries! 26:42 Discharge Floor 27:29 You Don't Need An RV Battery Upgrade When Camping Like This! 28:19 Should You Buy The Cheapest RV Lithium Battery On Amazon? 29:37 Battle Born, Epoch, Enduro Power? Which RV Battery Is Better? 31:47 How Do You Maintain An RV Lithium Battery? 32:20 How To Store An RV Lithium Battery 33:14 RV Lithium Battery Install Hack 34:19 How Long Do RV Lithium Batteries Last? 37:39 Do You Need A Heated Compartment For RV Lithium Batteries? 40:09 RV Battery Mistakes 40:21 Power Out In RV Park! 41:04 Why Did My RV Battery Cable Have A Melt Down? 41:53 What Happens When You Have An Undersized Cable 42:42 RV Battery Mistake Fire Warning! 43:19 RV Lithium Battery Install Mistakes (DIY, Beginners & Pros Still Make) 45:03 Common RV Battery Mistake: Wrong Gauge Of Wire 46:21 Biggest RV Battery Mistake! 50:34 12 Volt RV Battery Wiring: Parallel vs Series Connection 1:12:02 Can I run my RV air conditioning on a lithium battery? 1:12:18 How to run RV A/C when generator is not allowed 1:12:57 Why fewer RV lithium batteries is better 1:13:49 Why resistance is a challenge for an RV lithium battery install 1:15:04 Our BIG RV lithium install mistake 1:15:30 Is the Go Power IC 3000 inverter/charger worth it? 1:15:51 Our Go Power RV solar set up 1:16:26 How we run our RV A/C with lithium batteries 1:16:59 RV Battery Cable Upgrade 1:17:41 Why you need a battery monitor with a shunt 1:18:12 Where to install an RV lithium battery system 1:20:30 RV Battery Upgrade Wiring Schematic 1:20:45 Our RV lithium battery install plan using a bus bar 1:20:58 How to properly wire your RV lithium battery system 1:22:54 A common mistake when installing RV solar system 1:23:30 Our cable size mistake 1:24:012 tips for wiring an RV lithium battery bank 1:24:25 Why you need to ground your RV lithium battery system 1:24:52 Why our fuse didn't protect our system 1:26:51 How to keep refrigerator on during install 1:28:03 Removing old LifePo4 batteries 1:28:43 How much do RV lithium batteries weigh? 1:29:04 DIY battery cable tips 1:29:14 Why you should use welding cable in your battery install 1:29:32 What tools do I need for a DIY RV battery install? 1:30:48 Heat shrink tape vs electrical tape? [e-mail] Lake Effect Media 14870 Granada Avenue 1037 Apple Valley, MN 55124

[@TheBlackLeprechaun]

Wow! Thank you SO MUCH Harrison! I could sit in your class all day listing to you. Thanks Tom for having him back!

[@TImberwolfadventures]

I have a truck camper with an AC fridge, with 400amp hours of battery, I have 1200watts solar, I am in Canada in the summertime its great, every morning before 11am, the battery fully charged, at the winter month, the 400amp hours will last me about 2 days, no sun, I would recommend for off-grid, like me minimum 600 ah or better yet 800 ah. I run my lights, tv, cooktop, kettle and fridge with an inverter off of my ac connect. I have (2) 200ah batteries, I recently added a 3rd battery. If you can go with a 24 or 48 volt system advantages are smaller wires. I also have a DC to DC charger from the truck which helps when driving

[@Okydowky]

I agree with the biggest lithium bank you can afford and fit. I am not a huge solar fan, to many variables. Need sun, need good angle sun, parking to the sun, parking in the sun, so on a hot day you cant hide in the shade. Big battery bank, big inverter/charger, and for $1500 a generator. Every 2nd day run geny rain or shine and full charge no matter where we park. $10000 for solar package doesnt add up…..?

[@lifequest7453]

The inverter is your highest load on the battery. I know they try to say the load is the same if you have a 12 v applicance vs a 120 v appliance but actual use sees the inverter kill batteries faster. long life seems to be using low voltage applicances such as 12v tv, computer, lights rather than power up an inverter. It is truely a test by trial and error to know what you have. but this info from @Timberwolfadventures is a good starting point..

[@melissamullen9179]

Now THAT was super helpful. Nice to see a KZbinr who doesn’t insist on the camera being on themselves constantly. THIS will help me greatly because there’s no ego and he explains things SO well. Thank you!

[@EnjoyTheJourneyLife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@RVEnthusiast]

Great info. Good too hear the Dc/Dc not needed from truck to 5th wheel. That question I have heard both answers. Harrisons explanation seems to be the most reasonable I have heard. Thanks Tom for the video. WIll be doing the lithium conversion eventually. Yep bookmarked video for further use.

[@Okydowky]

I disagree! If your a RV resort to resort kind of person I agree dont do the DC to DC. In a case like us, we camp and typically move every 4 days never plugging in. The 60AMP DC to DC charges our batteries on travel days in a couple hours, also keeps our fridge operating not on propane. IF we choose we can also turn electric hot water on while we are on the road. And we keep our Starlink on also while we travel. DC to DC is a game changer for such little money.

[@RVEnthusiast]

@@Okydowky Help me understand your disagreement please. Do I need a DC/DC between my truck and my lithium battery? I don't care if Its only pulling a few amps from the truck alternator or more than a few. I am using the 7 pin connector and am not adding a larger wire from truck to 5th wheel. Harrison said its not needed and it makes sense to me. Im not interested in more than a few amps while I travel doown the road. My concern is burning out the alternator.

[@Okydowky]

@@RVEnthusiastif you only want or need a trickle charge don’t do it! I currently charge my batteries at 75amps while travelling. I will be upgrading this as well to a bigger inverter/charger. We like to arrive with 400amp in lithium at 100%, fridge didn’t use any propane and if we want to we can have hot water on arrival. Best $150 in wire and 2 hrs to run the wires to my trailer! We are consider changing RV units and 1st upgrade is the batteries/inverter/DCDC .

[@kevinwest7912]

Using 12volt is more expensive due to the need for larger gage wire. Go to 24volt. Yeah you have to rewire some, but it's worth it.

[@gtj2020]

Very important to adhere to torque spec.s on connections

[@SuperSushidog]

Yes, and check them often in a mobile application as they will vibrate loose over time. I had a connection loosen up on a 50a charge controller that I didn't check in over a year of FT use. It loosened up and melted the connection. I was able to repair it, replacing the wire, and screw type connector with a bolt that I could torque down, but it could have caused a fire.

[@DarrellBroome-pc5bl]

Loved this video lots of information very well needed

[@EnjoyTheJourneyLife]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful.

[@blaquenubia]

Great video.....thank you so much ❤️

[@chrisbarnes2823]

I have an Ibex 19MSB which came with one 24 series deep cycle battery, I immediately put in 2 iron phosphate 100ah batteries, the trailer comes with a 12 volt compressor fridge. When driving I use a 20 amp Dc to Dc charger to keep the batteries charged. I also have a 200 watt solar panel.

[@silverblue233131]

I had a Furrion 12v fridge, which are COMPLETE crap by the way, I tested the power usage before with a killawatt usage meter. It used on average 1.4-1.6kwh per day. I replaced it when it died, the 3rd one by the way, with a whirlpool 4 door and it uses LESS power, only 1.1-1.2kwh per day.

[@williamslyer318]

Great video Tom and Harrison, very informative 👍

[@EnjoyTheJourneyLife]

Glad you liked it!

[@silverblue233131]

Quality lithium batteries tend to have heaters in them. We have eg4 powerpro batteries and they have built in heaters that turn on at freezing and keep them at right temp no problem.

[@jamesdevries674]

Hi you guys 🙃 🌱 It’s James from Rosemary lol your videos are amazing. I’ve dabbled in solar a little bit. I used to have a lithium power queen 200 ah with a victron smart solar mppt 100/50 and a 2000 watt inverter lol I used to watch a lot of will prowse to learn how to connect everything.

[@EnjoyTheJourneyLife]

Thanks so much James! Yes, Will Prowse! Great stuff!

[@scottm4977]

highly recommend Enduro Battery and Harrison. He helped me with my 24V lithium install and was very patient with all my questions.

[@connietomgiordano7756]

Is it ok to disconnect lithium for the winter and leave them in freezing temperatures if you’re not using them.

[@lifequest7453]

To answer from what I have read, they seem to think you can as long as there is no charge, but the advise leaving them at half charge. Another vid suggests trying to keep them above freezing but both say not to let them go to zero volts as it can kill them.

[@jeffsteele1295]

Great information but thinking the statement use your lithium battery down to 80% of your battery has been proven wrong. Most people say its best to use the battery down to 90 and 94% of the batteries total power, and this will not shorten the life of the battery. There is a lot of great information here in the video, and thanks for sharing it with me. I myself would consider putting in a solar system that would power most of everything I needed to be off power. 12vdc would use a lot of higher current if you were going to do much with it, and the wire can become quite large in size versa say 48v dc solar system.

[@vitoconginejr3283]

Are you using the Lithium batteries to start your Generator? Is the starting motor damaging the Lithium Battery and or it's BMS?

[@connietomgiordano7756]

Is it important when wiring multiple batteries using a shunt that each set of cables be exactly the same length from battery to shunt? Does the length of each cable effect balance?

[@TheWandweringTurtleTale]

Nice video Tom. 2 hours? You must be making up for lost time...;-) I'll need to show you my new rig. Hope to see you again this year. " Fair winds and following seas"... THOM.

[@EnjoyTheJourneyLife]

Thanks, Thom! See you on the road!

[@SuperSushidog]

I have two LNEX battery monitor/shunts, one for my 560ah 12v battery and the other for my 48v 320ah battery, as we're FTers who boondock almost all the time. The price has recently dropped on Amazon to only $60 ea. They are an excellent value, but they do not have Bluetooth so will not transmit the readings to your phone. I did not desire this feature, as I am a proverbial dinosaur with an old "dumb phone," so they worked out perfectly for me. They are reliable, accurate and saved me money - which is important as we are FTers living on a tight retiree's budget. Since you can't easily determine battery state of charge by voltage with lithium like you can lead acid, you really need a battery monitor on lithium batteries, and for only $60 there's no reason not to get one. I have mine mounted on the wall right next to the charge controller's readout, so I can see exactly how much power is going into and out of the battery, not just how much my solar panels are making, as my RV will be using some of this power directly. For instance, if my furnace blower and TV are running, I might be using 10 amps, so even though the charge controller monitor is reading 35 amps, I can look at the battery monitor and see only 25 amps are going into my battery, as I am using the rest. www.amazon.com/LNEX-Portable-Automotive-Battery-10V-120V-Programmable/dp/B08V1VZNGH

[@pamelaolson3633]

What do you know about Silicon Dioxide SiO2 batteries? I understand they are better in the cold.

[@2hotscottpro]

Double crimp lugs! With tinned lugs and marine grade wire.It’s welding wire that’s tinned.😊

[@lyfandeth]

The strands in welding wire are thin, because AC current flows only on the surface of each wire, and this creates more surface area. Number 3 Machine Wire has slightly thicker strands, and battery cables has even thicker strands because DC current flows through the entire strand--not just the surface. Welding is normally done ashore, so expensive tinning of the strands is not needed. But any cable used in marine applications benefits from corrosion resistant tinning. Tinning has nothing to do with the wire type, it is for more corrosive environments. If you've ever seen green crud eating your battery cables, tinned "marine" grade wire would have stopped that.

[@carykern6079]

Great video.

[@drewskatmyselfdotcom]

Good video, but just like Battle Born batteries, these are too expensive at $400 for 12v 100AH. As all the cells come from China anyway, the going rate for a 12v 100AH is closer to $150.

[@fredbear2648]

Why are 24 & 48 Volts systems not used in RV's more? Why did the installer not used tinned lugs or rubber boots on the terminals?

[@2hotscottpro]

Why are we watching a 2 hour vid knowing we probably already know this info lol I’m 48v with tinned lugs and marine grade wire!

[@jamesking1265]

I think to keep cranking out cheap trailers, I retrofitted out fifth wheel to run a 48V 300ah battery etc with buck converters for 12V and a hybrid inverter

[@tenlittleindians]

I'm not sure where he's getting his imformation but my LifePO4 batteries charge to 14.6 volts. Are you using plain Lithium batteries? He's great at bragging up these batteries but fails to point out their shortcomimgs in colder climates. There's a reason we don't use them in cars and trucks and that's because the power is not there in sub freezing weather and you can't charge them until they warm back up to a certain temp.

[@KyleEven]

Most new (high quality) lithium batteries have built in heaters so you can charge them in the freezing climate without issue.

[@tenlittleindians]

@KyleEven Very few from my experience. I just ordered 2 more batteries this week; different brands, prices and case sizes and no heaters. I'd bet 90% or more sold do not have heaters.

[@georgesrisomsak9650]

Not even that.big of a deal I have 2000ah at 12v and our temps have been near zero, and doesn't get above freezing in the day. Simple cheap solution. Diesel heater. One unit keeps my 43ft toyhauler mid 60's on the coldest nights. If I shut the door to the garage it'll stay over 70 no problem. I don't charge until I know battery temps are above 40 or so to make sure they aren't injured. They state low temp cut off, but I just make sure myself with a point and shoot hand held, and account for extra time to let the cells warm all the way through.

[@johnhines3591]

Sorry, Not watching a 2 hour video about batteries. 20 minutes maybe.

[@EnjoyTheJourneyLife]

@@johnhines3591 see the chapters and timestamps in the pinned comment and description for easy navigation of the video

[@1BigRiskTaker]

Good information but 2 hour video going over the shunt 4 times made it feel like an infomercial.

[@JeffC-t8m]

2 hour video? I don't have that kind of time. Edit

[@marthasundquist5761]

You can watch in bits n pieces if you want the Info.

[@JeffC-t8m]

@marthasundquist5761 are you certain this is possible?

[@marthasundquist5761]

@JeffC-t8m just pause and close you tube. .I watched half last night and half tonight.

[@rh-et2vv]

Or you can fast forward…..Like I did

[@gingermcintosh6545]

If you can tell me something I don’t know about lithium batteries, I will be surprised.

[@thomasharhen2168]

Lithium not good in the cold winters!!!

[@jimmycrumpler1853]

I can’t afford lithium batteries. I’ll keep my Trojans wet cell. I have four 6 volt batteries. I don’t boondock much and no solar. I have Honda’s

[@vitoconginejr3283]

Very Bad diagram for the Buss Bar Design. The diagram should have shown to separate Buss Bars. One For the Positive side and One for the Negative side. By showing only One buss Bar with Positive and Negative on the sam Buss Bar you take a chance of a DIY novice attempting something very dangerous.

[@lifequest7453]

If you talk cold weather, and most rvs are in cold weather at some point, The lead acid is not affected to a point where it wont accept a charge even in frozen cold weather. Lithium battery needs to be above freezing to work. If they freeze, you can still discharge without knowing you are in trouble. If you try to charge them, they wont accept the charge unitl it is above freezing temperatures. IF the electronics that protects the battery from charge during frozen weather, the battery chemistry can catch on fire or blow up. If you use the lithium battery up to 100 per cent of its capacity, you are cutting into the life of the battery. The most you should ever discharge a lithium battery is 80 percent but it is better for the lifetime of the battery chemistry, if you dont go below 50 percent. Likewise, the lithium chemistry does not like to be charged to 100 percent of the battery, again, it can damage the battery if you over charge it and continual charge to 100 percent can affect lifetime. Then if you repeat limited charges with lithium batteries, the chemistry can develope a memory, that is, the battery will begin to act like that area of charge that you have been stopping at, is the actual max charge of that battery. If you continue to charge a lithium battery after it is charged, the voltage will hook up when fully charged, and the power has to go somewhere so it begins to change the chemistry of the battery. This in time will destroy your battery. on yTube search Charge Lithium Batteries Correctly you must watch this kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZuskHqOgcaki5I