150 Ah LiFePo4 in drivers battery box - my take

[Sodo]

[BrownLoaf]

[BrownLoaf]

[Butcher]

[Zeitgeist 13]

[Sodo]

Wives just want the danged refrigerator to work.
They tire of explanations, and purchasing foam coolers on the 2nd day of the vacation.
And they think that feller with the Sprinter over yonder has provided a functioning refrigerator for his wife.
When you get a functioning refrigerator she will think it’s “just normal “.
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Howesight]

Meanwhile, the Sprinter Husband is macking on your uber-cool Westfalia Syncro and wondering how he ended up settling for such a lame rig.

The grey water is always greyer on the other Van.
_________________
'86 Syncro Westy SVX

[Zeitgeist 13]

The problem is my lizard brain thought that if a TF65 provided fun refrigerating things, then one twice that size would provide twice those fun things. Choices have consequences. I was rewarded handsomely until I wasn't. Now I'm throwing the parts cannon at it, after the last trip up to Kalaloch didn't include a working diesel heater.

When Susan's not happy, ain't nobody happy.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Zeitgeist 13]

Since I have eyeballz on my plight, I'm installing two 100Ah LiFePo4 batteries and a DC-DC charger. My question is whether I can also keep my existing 120vac to 12vdc power supply/battery charger in the loop. I purchased this charger from a Samba celebrity a while back and it's done pretty good at powering our TF135 on 120vac, and attempting to charge the AGM batteries. My concern is whether it will be compatible with the lithium batteries.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[shagginwagon83]

Lithium does have a different charge profile/voltages. I imagine it will work - but will only charge your lithium batteries to a max of 80% (your charger will think it's fully charged).
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[dobryan]

[Zeitgeist 13]

It's a Renogy and claims to support them, so I'm hoping for the best...or maybe just 80% best. Perhaps.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Sodo]

How might a feller who had a few paltry AGM amp-hours last
month find a way to use 160 Ah this month?
What else has changed systemwise?

Retirement?

You have to camp in one place, never driving to the store or touring
for 2 or 3 days to consume 160 Ah.
This may require discipline & solar panel avoidance.

I’ve been using 150Ah of LiFePo4 long enough to know that I’d have to
add more appliances (and stay parked) for 100Ah to be a limitation.

And it’s a “soft” limitation.
But once you set out the rugs and tie off an awning that makes it easier to avoid going for a drive and (OMG!!!) charging the battery.

160Ah is a good amount of electricity and your batteries will last longer at 80%.
Instead of just 4,000 cycles you might get 5,000.
At 100 camping trips per year, 5,000 gets you to y2073.
You’ll be laughing when some other wasteful sap had to buy new batteries back in ‘63.

LiFePo4 is good at 100Ah.

I too was traumatized by AGM batteries.
And had a LiFPo4 cell leak&swell too, after a short time.
I’m a little afraid to look at my cells for van season 2023.

Dunno about the 3,4,5,000 cycles predictions when it comes to camping use.
I do hope it lasts for 10 years, and wonder what kind of battery technology is coming.
At 24 camps/year that would be 240 cycles in 10 years.
In y2033 the engine might be electric too.
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[JenEye]

[quote="BrownLoaf"][quote="Sodo"][img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/

These 132Ah LiFePO4 are $439 on AliExpress and "they say" there's US stock, 3-7 days.

I tried the above link and it now hops to a set of battery cells that = 135ah and are too big to fit in the battery box

Does anyone know if the 132ah cells that do fit are still available as of March, 2024? I can't seem to find them... the OP's link now hops to this: