Swapping to Lithium? CHANGE YOUR CONVERTER!!!!

[@georgebissenden9297]

I have used a few IOTA converter/power supplies. They use a personality module which generates the correct charging profiles for Lead Acid, AGM, LiFePo4 and other chemistries. The one I'm using to charge my 30 Amp LiFePo4 battery is a DLC-15 with a IQ-LIFEPO personality module. The combination will allow max draw of 45 Amps.

[@charlesklaus6290]

Very informative video! Thank you!

[@sandypidgeon4343]

I've watched two of your videos, and I feel very confident you guys really know what you are doing! I bought a new 2025 Forest River w/Beast mode NO-BO off road RV and had the RV dealer switch to an L-ion 100Ah battery at pick-up. It has 2-200 watt solar panels on the roof. I was able to change the charge from the solar to Li after some consternation with the settings. I have a WFCO 2000w inverter. >>First question: Do you have any shops on the east coast or in TX? >>Second: If so, what would be the cost to switch to the Victron 30amp converter as we want to get a 280Ah battery? We plan on being off-grid, but we do have a 5000 invertor generator. Your tech knowledge is tremendous. I worked with lead-acid and silver-zinc batteries on SEAL Delivery Vehicles, but Lithium has changed the game. I'm still learning (being a retired guy, now) the Li specs, etc. I'd rather have competent techs such as you all do the change-out. Thanks much. GOD Bless

[@ScottDLR]

I'd sure like to see Victron come out with some higher amperage chargers. BTW, You definitely want a Lithium charger (converter) for your Lipo4 batteries. Only those will put out a high enough voltage (14.2~14.6) to allow your new batteries to go into Balancing Mode. If you don't have them do this once in a while, their capacity will slowly degrade.

[@warrenhaugen5750]

Nice! Very informative. I have a class a motorhome with the single phase converter that is going to get changed now that I understand the difference! I assume that I keep the DC to DC charger inline or do I bypass it? Thanks

[@rvsolarconcepts]

@warrenhaugen5750 DC to DC chargers should be wired completely separate of your converter wiring...

[@donnahubler881]

I am very impressed with your tech savvy and your super sleuthing to figure out the problem. My question is: why can’t the converters be upgraded to accept lithium? Or something added on to support lithium?

[@rvsolarconcepts]

@donnahubler881 The converters are set to a specific voltage range from the factory that they are made in so the only way to change this is to buy a different one unfortunately... some converters that are coming in RVs now have a switch to change between LA and LI which has been a nice addition for some people.

[@cctknight84]

I recently switched out my two old 6v Trojan flooded batteries for a 280ah Lithium, and knew I had to change out my older WFCO converter to get full charge. After two attempts to get their autodetect feature working properly, I had them send me the jumper to make it a full time Li charger. (btw - the WFCO tech people were very friendly to deal with.) I still have an issue however, and that is that my 55 amp WFCO converter (same size as I replaced) starts out at 55 amps, then quickly drops to about 6. I believe it is because of the two auto reset breakers on my trailer, which are 50 amp. I'm going to replace them with 60 amp versions to see if that addresses my issue. (I also have a 40 amp external charger which charges them at...40 amps!)

[@poolman3939]

I have a wfco auto detec charger I believe it 30 amp. Can I go bigger and how much bigger can I go and still be safe and good for my lithium battery. Thanks

[@rvsolarconcepts]

@@poolman3939 your concern isn't going to be what your battery can handle but rather the size of wiring going from your converter to your battery. You'll need to look and see what gauge wire you have coming from the converter and what is rated for and make sure you aren't exceeding that limitation.

[@a.m.v.6938]

I have a 30amp built in style converter that takes forever to charge my two 6 volt batteries off my Honda EU 2000i generator when out camping. It will start off ok but quickly starts going down as time goes on, I think it’s like you say it senses the batteries at 60 - 70 percent so it slows way down. Will the blue 30amp Victron energy battery charger stay in the higher range so my lead acid batteries will charge faster. If not what would you recommend? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@rvsolarconcepts]

@@a.m.v.6938 How are you measuring this decrease in performance?

[@a.m.v.6938]

@@rvsolarconcepts with the knock off aili battery monitor.

[@a.m.v.6938]

It’s a knock off to the Victron BMV - 702, seems to work pretty well when I compare the voltage with my multimeter.

[@rvsolarconcepts]

@@a.m.v.6938 so you're using a shunt battery monitor to give you an amperage reading?

[@a.m.v.6938]

@@rvsolarconcepts yes

[@rstephens3683]

I am in the process of buying a class C Entegra 30amp and i am told there is a LA to LI (lithium) switch on the converter…is it ok to flip that switch and install 2 Lithium batteries with no other changes? Thank you.

[@rvsolarconcepts]

Yep that will work just fine as far as the converter goes, but you may still want to handle the alternator charging part of it so you don't prematurely wear the alternator out.

[@rstephens3683]

@@rvsolarconcepts thank you, what would you recommend to protect the alternator?

[@rvsolarconcepts]

@@rstephens3683 that would require either a DC to DC charger or something like an LiBIM.

[@ferraritoybox]

Thx

[@leeinwis]

Mono sound.