TracerPower battery pack - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 08-18-2015, 02:37 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2016 19 / Toyota 4Runner 2019
Posts: 343
TracerPower battery pack

Anybody tried one of these for backup power? looks like an amazing amount of energy in a lightweight package, although quite costly.

TracerPower.com Tracer LiFePO4 Battery Packs
__________________
Hugh
hughharden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 03:15 PM   #2
Commercial Member
 
tractors1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 - "Felicity"
Posts: 2,945
Quote:
Originally Posted by hughharden View Post
Anybody tried one of these for backup power? looks like an amazing amount of energy in a lightweight package, although quite costly.

TracerPower.com Tracer LiFePO4 Battery Packs
Wonder if they're sold anywhere outside the UK. Shipping could be costly and complicated due to the chemistry involved.
__________________
Charlie Y

Need custom storage to your design? Don't drill holes!
www.RVWidgetWorks.com
tractors1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 03:23 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2016 19 / Toyota 4Runner 2019
Posts: 343
Quote:
Originally Posted by tractors1 View Post
Wonder if they're sold anywhere outside the UK. Shipping could be costly and complicated due to the chemistry involved.
I've done a quick search but can't find any North American suppliers. Shipping is about $100 from UK.
__________________
Hugh
hughharden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 03:30 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Bill and Earline's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Signal Mountain (Chattanooga), Tennessee
Trailer: Escape 21 November 2014; 2022 GMC 1500 3.0L
Posts: 681
Quote:
Originally Posted by hughharden View Post
I've done a quick search but can't find any North American suppliers. Shipping is about $100 from UK.
Try an Amazon or Google search using the battery chemistry:

LiFePO4

You'll find some choices. No knowledge about these, but am curious.

Bill
Bill and Earline is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 03:58 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2016 19 / Toyota 4Runner 2019
Posts: 343
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill and Earline View Post
Try an Amazon or Google search using the battery chemistry:

LiFePO4

You'll find some choices. No knowledge about these, but am curious.

Bill
Found one supplier in Ontario Canada,
Smart Battery
24AH 12V is $472 CDN plus shipping

The 25AH UK one was $399US (507 CDN) plus shipping
__________________
Hugh
hughharden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 06:43 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Trailer: 2013, 17B 'Mini Pearl' and a 2010 Highlander
Posts: 400
They are a slightly different chemistry than LiPo batteries.
LiPo are used in remote controlled cars and airplanes and mostly, now, drones.
If LiPo batteries are punctured or over charged or under charged they give off a very high temperature stream of gas.
I believe around 600 degrees.

These batteries have none of those problems.
They were used in the Dewalt battery powered tools for awhile before the company building them almost went bust.

The company was A123 and I think they were rescued by a Chinese company.
Check their website www.a123systems.com

They use a very different charging system than the ones we have on our trailers.
__________________
____
John
jxoco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 06:56 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2016 19 / Toyota 4Runner 2019
Posts: 343
Quote:
Originally Posted by jxoco View Post
They are a slightly different chemistry than LiPo batteries.
LiPo are used in remote controlled cars and airplanes and mostly, now, drones.
If LiPo batteries are punctured or over charged or under charged they give off a very high temperature stream of gas.
I believe around 600 degrees.

These batteries have none of those problems.
They were used in the Dewalt battery powered tools for awhile before the company building them almost went bust.

The company was A123 and I think they were rescued by a Chinese company.
Check their website www.a123systems.com

They use a very different charging system than the ones we have on our trailers.
Wasn't thinking of using them to replace the escape batteries just as a power pack to use if the batteries on the escape get too low after extended time without driving or sunshine. Would charge at home before I left.
__________________
Hugh
hughharden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 07:12 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Trailer: 2013, 17B 'Mini Pearl' and a 2010 Highlander
Posts: 400
Quote:
Originally Posted by hughharden View Post
Wasn't thinking of using them to replace the escape batteries just as a power pack to use if the batteries on the escape get too low after extended time without driving or sunshine. Would charge at home before I left.
I would think the cost is prohibitive.

here is a 26Ah 12v
BT-12V26 | 12 Volt - 26Ah Rechargeable SLA Battery

$106 cdn.
but it weighs 20 lbs.
but a cheap Canadian Tire charger can charge it up for you.
__________________
____
John
jxoco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 07:16 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2016 19 / Toyota 4Runner 2019
Posts: 343
Quote:
Originally Posted by jxoco View Post
I would think the cost is prohibitive.

here is a 26Ah 12v
BT-12V26 | 12 Volt - 26Ah Rechargeable SLA Battery

$106 cdn.
but it weighs 20 lbs.
but a cheap Canadian Tire charger can charge it up for you.
That looks like a great alternative. Thanks for that.
__________________
Hugh
hughharden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 07:22 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
alanmalk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Arvada, Colorado
Trailer: 2015 E'21 - 'Velocity'. Tow: Toyota Tacoma V6, 4X4, manual.
Posts: 1,684
Quote:
Originally Posted by jxoco View Post

here is a 26Ah 12v
BT-12V26 | 12 Volt - 26Ah Rechargeable SLA Battery

$106 cdn.
but it weighs 20 lbs.
but a cheap Canadian Tire charger can charge it up for you.
For those lucky enough to live in the land of the dollar:
12 V, 26 Ah, SLA Battery

$66 US.

Everything else is the same as the above.

--
Alan

(Info tidbit: SLA is short for Sealed, Lead-acid. Same basic chemistry as ordinary batteries but no water to check, very low self-discharge, doesn't leak when on its side. Charge once or twice per year and ignore it.)
alanmalk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 07:41 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Trailer: 2013, 17B 'Mini Pearl' and a 2010 Highlander
Posts: 400
Quote:
Originally Posted by alanmalk View Post

$66 US.

That's a Good deal.

What DO you Americans do with all of your savings?
__________________
____
John
jxoco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 07:41 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
Guess I don't get the point, besides needing there own charging setup, they are very low Ahr, meaning you'd need at least a few of them to amount to anything significant. Do they have the same 50% drain limits? if so you only have 12Ah usable per battery. A bit more then that on the SLA's.

Wouldn't it be more cost effective to just add another full size battery? What are we talking, another 40 or so pounds over the Lithium?

Something like these I can see, at least if the price comes down.200 Amp-Hour Lithium Battery | Lithium Batteries
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
padlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 08:49 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
alanmalk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Arvada, Colorado
Trailer: 2015 E'21 - 'Velocity'. Tow: Toyota Tacoma V6, 4X4, manual.
Posts: 1,684
Quote:
Originally Posted by hughharden View Post
Wasn't thinking of using them to replace the escape batteries just as a power pack to use if the batteries on the escape get too low after extended time without driving or sunshine. Would charge at home before I left.
Quote:
Guess I don't get the point,...
As a power pack for a couple of hours - it would probably do the trick. On a regular basis? Not very practical.

Personally - I'm waiting for that 40 pound lithium battery with 200 Ah that costs $99.

Still waiting...

--
Alan
alanmalk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 08:50 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
alanmalk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Arvada, Colorado
Trailer: 2015 E'21 - 'Velocity'. Tow: Toyota Tacoma V6, 4X4, manual.
Posts: 1,684
Quote:
Originally Posted by jxoco View Post
... What DO you Americans do with all of your savings?
Buy trailers...
alanmalk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 10:46 PM   #15
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
Quote:
Originally Posted by jxoco View Post
What DO you Americans do with all of your savings?
We save them for a trip to Canada.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2015, 10:56 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Lithium batteries - including these LiFePO4 types - do need special treatment. A nice feature of those packs from the UK is that they are not just batteries:
Quote:
Integrated Electronic ‘Battery Management System’ (BMS) provides the following protection:
  • Overcharge & over-discharge protection
  • Thermal protection
  • Over current protection
  • Short circuit protection
Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin View Post
Do they have the same 50% drain limits?
No, it seems generally agreed that these lithium batteries can be safely discharged repeatedly down to a few percent of their capacity - that's about half of their advantage over lead-acid (the other half being that they are less dense so the same volume of battery weighs much less).

I agree that the cost/benefit situation doesn't yet favour lithium for most RV purposes.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:05 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.