Upgrading solar

[Scambo1]

I have the small stock solar panel and two lead acid 6 volt batteries, stock. I have read other threads on the topic of switching over to lithium batteries which is what I plan to do.

I have no problem upgrading the solar panel BUT:

Can I just hook up “balanced” lithium batteries to my existing solar charging system OR is there more to the process?

If it’s been hashed out in the past, can someone point me in the right direction to the thread.

If it’s not spelled out completely elsewhere, I would be happy to be the Documenter with tech assistance from one of the savvy electrical gurus.

 

[J.J. Mercer]

I would suggest you do an energy audit just to ensure any investment meets your requirements in the end. That aside I am sure you would be aware the charging profile / algorithms for lithium are different to lead acid so your current equipment will need to be reprogrammed with this in mind. In addition there has been some improvement in efficiency with solar panels over the last few years so you should confirm the specs of your current panels and have a look at what the newer panels offer. The other item I would recommend you check is the current limitations of your setup (wire size and fuses) to ensure your switch to a lithium setup will fit within those limitations.

 

[quidoi]

I have the small stock solar panel and two lead acid 6 volt batteries, stock. I have read other threads on the topic of switching over to lithium batteries which is what I plan to do.

I have no problem upgrading the solar panel BUT:

Can I just hook up “balanced” lithium batteries to my existing solar charging system OR is there more to the process?

If it’s been hashed out in the past, can someone point me in the right direction to the thread.

If it’s not spelled out completely elsewhere, I would be happy to be the Documenter with tech assistance from one of the savvy electrical gurus.

Howdy-- i am attaching my conversion to lithium this fall and worked great on the road.... i did not wanted panels on the roof so i have hinged together two 100 w panels that i can move where ever i am to chase the sun-- in addition i have a 200 w panel on the tv connected when traveling or parked in lieu of thru the 7 pin which i disconnected .. i did change out the converter to accept lithium... i am no expert and i am sure there are folks that will have input on what i did but i feel pretty good about my setup ... includes a 3000 w inverter ... two week trip i was satisfied.... hope that helps -- i also changed out my wiring to heavier ,,,

 

[alanmalk]

If it’s been hashed out in the past, can someone point me in the right direction to the thread.

With apologies to the real-estate industry -- Research, research, research.

Don't start until you can list all the pros and cons of lithium. And you will need to use all fingers and some toes.

 

[iamunique127]

I have the small stock solar panel and two lead acid 6 volt batteries, stock. I have read other threads on the topic of switching over to lithium batteries which is what I plan to do.

I have no problem upgrading the solar panel BUT:

Can I just hook up “balanced” lithium batteries to my existing solar charging system OR is there more to the process?

If it’s been hashed out in the past, can someone point me in the right direction to the thread.

If it’s not spelled out completely elsewhere, I would be happy to be the Documenter with tech assistance from one of the savvy electrical gurus.

You don't mention the specifics of your trailer or your reasons for wanting to change to lithium. If it is a newer trailer or you have installed a 12V-only fridge you have plenty of reason right there for changing. But if you just want to change because it seems like the latest thing to do you may not really need to.

I ask because we have a similar battery and solar set up to you and find it totally adequate. Our system more than meets our needs for our style of camping and travelling. Ours is a 2015 Escape with a three-way fridge which we operate on propane nearly exclusively, never on 12V. Our power consumption is very low, we don't have or need an inverter and our two 6V batteries are fully charged again by mid-morning every day.

Your needs may be different from ours but as someone above mentions: do an energy audit first. Including your trailer information in your profile would also help others to help you.

 

[fudge_brownie]

Some good advice from those posting above. I have investigated switching to lithium for the past two years. It is a daunting task with many implications. My 2014 is not ready in any way for lithium. The batteries are the easiest part, though more options in that arena create more decisions. The solar panels need to be more robust and generate greater wattage, the solar controller should be upgraded to MPPT, the WFCO might need to be replaced if you wish to charge on shore power, then wiring, fuses, kill switches etc. need to be designed into the system to follow accepted practices for safety.

You need to have some serious need for battery storage to take this on, there is not a simple module that you can install and be up and running lithium.

 

[Perry Butler]

Since you have solar you do not need to upgrade your WFCO charger. We've been running without a charger since 2020, with solar providing for all our needs including balancing.

Buy double the batteries you think you need. We thought 200 ah's of LiFePO4 would be enough, but then we added a 2,000 watt inverter and now plan to cook with an induction plate. We now have 412 ah's of batteries and 600 watts of 24V panels on the roof.

I bought 200 ah's of SOK batteries at the same time a friend bought 412 ah's of SOK's. He tried to talk me into buying 400 or more ah's but I chose not to listen. He upgraded his SOK's to Victron batteries and traded me his 412 ah SOK batteries for a expensive camper cover (nearly $1,900 if bought new). This spring I'll be selling our two 100 ah SOK's that we no longer need.

Before the inverter, 200 ah's were plenty, but then we decided to remodel our kitchen and use an induction plate. We ripped out our stove/oven and microwave and don't miss either. We'll be adding two drawers where the oven used to sit a new single bowl sink, and the countertop now has five times the prep space.

Switch out your old-school GoPower PWM controller for a modern Victron controller, and let your solar do the balancing. We've been doing this since 2020. We camp without services about 120 nights a year and many times in full service sites don't hookup our AC, choosing to use our batteries/inverter instead. If you need more solar, add a second panel or change out your rear 170-200 watt panels for a 320 watt 24V panel.

You can easily add DC-DC if you feel you need it, but remember it only works when your tow vehicle is running. Solar works all the time. Yesterday, December 2, 24F, we had essentially total cloud cover, but our 600 watts of panels put out an average of 50 watts for six hours. In normal cloudy weather our 600 watts of panels put out around 150 watts in the same six hours.

You can always add a second 320 watt 24V panel if you start using more and more electrical items in your Escape.

Food for thought,

Perry

 

[dstreight]

Repeat what Perry stated above: "Buy double the batteries you think you need". And ditto for solar panels (they are basically "trickle chargers during the winter months for most locales in the USA/Canada). 5-years ago I did all the calculations and still came up short for battery & solar power. Let me qualify this: My 15A is all electric (+ diesel air heater).

June through September is a non-issue for my current system...it performs to expectation and need as long as we have sun at least every other day. But, I do like to camp throughout the year: The relative inefficiency of the battery & solar system during colder temperature and lower sun angle months is where I didn't have enough experience to right-size the system accordingly. For me, the next system, which I'm already dreaming about , will be either 24v or 48v battery system.

As with everything, it all starts with YOUR application and needs...

 

[llmccall]

I recently upgraded my 2021 21NE with a single, large 460 Ah Lithium marine battery made by Epoch, and added the following Victron equipment -- a Cerbo GX, a Touch 50 monitoring screen, a 3000 watt Multiplus inverter, and a MPPT solar charger controller which was wired to the two 190 watt solar panels on the roof of the trailer. The RV technician who installed the system suggested I keep the existing two 6v lead acid batteries and WFCO charger, which will continue to supply power to my 12v charging outlets and appliances (my marine fridge/freezer, fan, water pump, etc). We also left the PWM GO Solar controller in place, but it is now only wired up to the side port of the trailer in case I choose to use a portable solar panel in the future.

The new lithium battery/inverter system provides "shore" power to the WFCO charger, which in turn continues to keep the two lead acid batteries charged, while also supplying 120v power to my 120v electric outlets, microwave/convection oven and one burner induction stovetop.

I'm really impressed with the reporting features of the Touch 50 monitoring system, and the Victron Remote software that is available as a phone app. I'm planning on a multiday boondocking trip to Death Valley and the Mojave Desert later this month to see how many days i can make it with this new system during the winter months.

 

[GinoandLinda]

You will probably do well as long as you don't depend on your rooftop panels too much. This time of year the low sun angle combined with the near horizontal orientation of the roof mounted panels makes the output of panels greatly diminished. We camped in southern NM about this time last year and our 130watt portable panel out performed our two 190watt roof panels.

 

[llmccall]

You will probably do well as long as you don't depend on your rooftop panels too much. This time of year the low sun angle combined with the near horizontal orientation of the roof mounted panels makes the output of panels greatly diminished. We camped in southern NM about this time last year and our 130watt portable panel out performed our two 190watt roof panels.

What brand of portable solar panel did you choose? I'm exploring suitcase panels now.