Fitting a lithium battery

[Ditcha]

This is worth a read/ watch explaining about VE Networking.

1. Introduction

www.victronenergy.com

 

[lorger]

Had a measure to make sure the KS battery will fit and to help me decide what to go for, also took some pics of my system just now.
This is my battery area the battery in is borrowed until my new on arrives, it’s 34l-19h-16w and space for another the same.

This is under bench directly above batteries and current solar controller is directly above in cupboard.

This is my Dometic charger under passenger seat

Loads of room under the drivers seat but the ALDE heating pipes would prevent fitting anything large or heavy

Think it would be easiest to stick with current location for batteries, just need to decide if it’s one high AH or two lower AH ones.

 

[Ditcha]

A roamer under seat unit would fit in your battery locker with room for manoeuvre.

Roamer 230SEATBASE4 - 12V 230Ah Seatbase LiFePO4 Lithium Battery

The Roamer 230SEATBASE4 is a low profile 12V 230Ah LiFePO4 battery for install under a campervan seat. Includes 300A continuous discharge, active balancing, Bluetooth and plug and play integration with Victron. Free delivery, Roamercare, 10 year warranty and 5 star support from the UKs leading...

roamerbatteries.com

 

[peterc10]

Had a measure to make sure the KS battery will fit and to help me decide what to go for, also took some pics of my system just now.
This is my battery area the battery in is borrowed until my new on arrives, it’s 34l-19h-16w and space for another the same.View attachment 642063
This is under bench directly above batteries and current solar controller is directly above in cupboard.
View attachment 642064
This is my Dometic charger under passenger seatView attachment 642066
Loads of room under the drivers seat but the ALDE heating pipes would prevent fitting anything large or heavy View attachment 642065
Think it would be easiest to stick with current location for batteries, just need to decide if it’s one high AH or two lower AH ones.

You probably need a low profile (LP) battery. Looking at K&S site you could get 2 x 120Ah LPs, which are the ones I have, and which are the same dimensions as the battery you have in there. Or you could get one 200Ah LP one which will cover most but not all of the space you have. I wanted to go for the 200Ah one but I did not have one continuous space available that was big enough.

Edit - I like your Alde heated seat arrangement.

 

[lorger]

Thanks for all your replies and advice, I feel I have a better understanding of what I want/need going forward. I will order a battery from KS tomorrow with the hope it’s here for heading off next weekend, if not we’re away the following weekend too and then we’ll have a chat with my man regarding the installation so will probably be back a few times with more questions.

peterc10 the under seat heating does make a difference to the cab area in winter.

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[peterc10]

Thanks for all your replies and advice, I feel I have a better understanding of what I want/need going forward. I will order a battery from KS tomorrow with the hope it’s here for heading off next weekend, if not we’re away the following weekend too and then we’ll have a chat with my man regarding the installation so will probably be back a few times with more questions.

peterc10 the under seat heating does make a difference to the cab area in winter.

K&S do next day delivery.

I bet it does make a difference. We have an A class so our Alde system extends into the cab area, with a couple of radiators in the dashboard at the base of the windscreen. Also have heating under both seats, but not as big as yours. Must say we love the Alde system and would not go back to Truma.

 

[lorger]

These are the batteries I'm thinking of, apart from power is any better than the other. If I go for the compact one it's slightly wider so might struggle to get a second one in eventually.

KS-C155B 12v 155AH Compact Series Bluetooth High Power lithium leisure battery - KS Energy UK

KS-C155B 150AH COMPACT SERIES 12V High Power/High Capacity – with integral Low Temperature Protection and Bluetooth Remote Monitoring 155AH premium lithium-iron phosphate deep cycle leisure battery featuring an ultra compact footprint of the 100 and 120 super series batteries. Bluetooth...

www.ksenergy.co.uk

3b KS-LP120B 12v 120AH Low Profile High Power Bluetooth lithium leisure battery

<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span class="wysiwyg-font-size-large"><b><b>120AH Low Profile High Power/High Capacity </b><b>- </b><b>with integral Low</b><b> Temperature Protection and Bluetooth Remote Monitoring</b></b></span><span class="wysiwyg-font-size-smaller"><b> </b></span></h1><span...

www.ksenergy.co.uk

3a): KS-C125B 12v 125AH Compact Series Bluetooth lithium leisure battery

<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span class="wysiwyg-font-size-20"><b>KS-C125</b><b>B 125AH COMPACT SERIES 12V High Density </b><b>- </b><b>with integral Low</b><b> Temperature Protection and Bluetooth Remote Monitoring</b><b> </b></span></h1><span class="wysiwyg-font-size-smaller">125AH...

www.ksenergy.co.uk

3): KS-LT120B 12v 120AH Super Series Bluetooth High Power lithium leisure battery

<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span class="wysiwyg-font-size-large"><b><b>120AH SUPER SERIES High Power/High Capacity </b><b>- </b><b>with integral Low</b><b> Temperature Protection and Bluetooth Remote Monitoring</b></b></span><span class="wysiwyg-font-size-smaller"><b> </b></span></h1>...

www.ksenergy.co.uk

Thanks again for your help.

 

[lorger]

I’ve decided to go for the 120ah low profile as this means I can fit a second if required.

 

[lorger]

Battery should be here tomorrow, had a read of my Dometic charger and it says it has a Lithium setting suitable for the Dometic lithium battery. Until I get the work done in a week or two should I change the settings? If so how?

 

[Pausim]

Battery should be here tomorrow, had a read of my Dometic charger and it says it has a Lithium setting suitable for the Dometic lithium battery. Until I get the work done in a week or two should I change the settings? If so how?

I know little about the Dometic charger but I think it has dip switches for changing settings. What model is it?

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[lorger]

I know little about the Dometic charger but I think it has dip switches for changing settings. What model is it?

It’s a MCA1225

 

[lorger]

Battery arrived today so fitted it when I got home from work, it came about 84% charged. I changed the better settings to lithium in my Victron solar controller, even up here in Scotland it charged away until I stuck the mains on as I want the fridge cold for heading away tomorrow.
It did get over 100 watts a few times even on a cloudy day.

This is the KS app

 

[Steve and Denise]

If your motorhome has a smart alternator it will already have a B2B. Check what size it is. As Vanbitz has worked installed the present solar, ask eddievanbitz as he will probably know.

I think you need more solar and more battery capacity. The more the better if you are planning to use it in winter in Scotland. As for the inverter the largest load will be the hairdryer. If your wife uses a small travel one you will get away with 1500W.

I recently fitted 2 x125Ah K&S lithium batteries as direct replacements to existing AGMs. I also added a B2B because my motorhome did not have one and uprated the solar controller. I already have 250W of solar, but I may add another 100W panel to give it a boost.

You only spotted Denise using her hairdryer and your good lady was hooked, hope it lives upto your expectations if not you can plug into ours

 

[peterc10]

You only spotted Denise using her hairdryer and your good lady was hooked, hope it lives upto your expectations if not you can plug into ours

My good lady had been hooked many years before. My instructions were to get her a hairdryer when we first started motorhoming in 2013. That is why I bought the inverter she is still using. The only difference now is that I am using better batteries so she can use the hairdryer more often

In any marriage a man needs as many brownie points as he can earn..................

 

[lorger]

The hairdryer is on a wish list rather than a must have, we’ve been motorhoming 12 years with only occasional use, it’s when we retire and use the van more she would like option.

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[Lenny HB]

The hairdryer is on a wish list rather than a must have, we’ve been motorhoming 12 years with only occasional use, it’s when we retire and use the van more she would like option.

We have a small hairdryer in the van probably gets used about once every two years, we also have a gas styler that gets used about once a year.
We also have an excellent hairdryer that gets used all the time it's called a towel.

 

[Pausim]

It’s a MCA1225

The charge voltages are set using the DIP switches. KS say the maximum charge voltage is 14.6V and the recommended is 14.4V so you will need the lower Dometic switch over voltage of 14.4V. KS give the float voltage as 13.2-13.3V, the nearest Dometic float appears to be 13.5V, the alternative 13.8V is too high. The DIP switch positions are given in the manual but if your manual is not to hand here is a link to the online version.

https://epi.dometic.com/externalassets/mca1225_9600000029_71029.pdf?ref=2004178511

 

[lorger]

The charge voltages are set using the DIP switches. KS say the maximum charge voltage is 14.6V and the recommended is 14.4V so you will need the lower Dometic switch over voltage of 14.4V. KS give the float voltage as 13.2-13.3V, the nearest Dometic float appears to be 13.5V, the alternative 13.8V is too high. The DIP switch positions are given in the manual but if your manual is not to hand here is a link to the online version.

https://epi.dometic.com/externalassets/mca1225_9600000029_71029.pdf?ref=2004178511

Thanks, I had a look at that and just confused myself, is float voltage the same as retention? They also mention constant voltage.

I think I should have 1 and 2 on.

 

[peterc10]

The charge voltages are set using the DIP switches. KS say the maximum charge voltage is 14.6V and the recommended is 14.4V so you will need the lower Dometic switch over voltage of 14.4V. KS give the float voltage as 13.2-13.3V, the nearest Dometic float appears to be 13.5V, the alternative 13.8V is too high. The DIP switch positions are given in the manual but if your manual is not to hand here is a link to the online version.

https://epi.dometic.com/externalassets/mca1225_9600000029_71029.pdf?ref=2004178511

[/BG]

Are you sure that float voltage is correct? I have exactly the same batteries as lorger and K&S give the float as 13.3v - 13.6v.

 

[Pausim]

Are you sure that float voltage is correct? I have exactly the same batteries as lorger and K&S give the float as 13.3v - 13.6v.

I was going by the links at #67. 3 of the 4 links give 13.2-13.3V and I hadn’t spotted the one that gives 13.3-13.6V. It would appear that one model has a wider range.

Thanks, I had a look at that and just confused myself, is float voltage the same as retention? They also mention constant voltage.

I think I should have 1 and 2 on.

They do appear to use the term Float at one point and Retention at another. Very confusing but I think they must be the same thing. I agree it looks like Dip 1 on, Dip 2 on and Dip 3 off would be best. The Absorption phase seems to be controlled automatically by the tail current which should suit LiFePO4 well because they have a rapid drop off of Amps when they are full.

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[lorger]

Home after a long weekend in Pickering with no hook up and very little sunshine, we arrived with the battery reading 100%charged. Watched TV and charged a kindle from flat plus our phones and watches, plus some lights now and again. Woke up to the battery reading 94% and even on a dull day by the time we’d walked the dog and chatted with a few folk we came back to a full battery before lunch, not bad for a cloudy with bit of sun. We didn’t use much on Friday as we were out most of the day so battery only dropped a few %, Saturday was dull with the odd shower and Sunday was just about a washout, after both days we drained the battery down to 83% by this morning, mainly tv through the firestick with little going back in, within 1 1/2 hour of driving the battery was 100%.
Forgot we had the hot water on gas all weekend so the fan would be on occasionally.

Happy with that for first run out.

 

[David BW]

I've got a victron phoenix 12/500 PSW inverter as well - that is for charging e-bikes and other small electrical items.
Helen doesn't own a hairdryer!!!

Gerry - where have you fitted the inverter? We've got 200ah under the driver's seat in our Campscout & a Victron B2B, under the passenger seat is the Elctrobloc & a Victron mains charger. I'm wondering about under the rear seat but that seems a tricky route for cables.

 

[gerry mcg]

Gerry - where have you fitted the inverter? We've got 200ah under the driver's seat in our Campscout & a Victron B2B, under the passenger seat is the Elctrobloc & a Victron mains charger. I'm wondering about under the rear seat but that seems a tricky route for cables.

I removed the plastic louvre on the rear of the driver's seat and tapped 4xM4 threaded holes in the rear of the driver's seatbase and mounted the inverter on a marine ply plate.

Easy to wire with short cable run

 

[David BW]

I removed the plastic louvre on the rear of the driver's seat and tapped 4xM4 threaded holes in the rear of the driver's seatbase and mounted the inverter on a marine ply plate.

Easy to wire with short cable run View attachment 680325

Thanks

I removed the plastic louvre on the rear of the driver's seat and tapped 4xM4 threaded holes in the rear of the driver's seatbase and mounted the inverter on a marine ply plate.

Easy to wire with short cable run View attachment 680325

Thanks. I have a feeling I’ll have to find a prettier solution to keep everyone happy here!

 

[gerry mcg]

Thanks

Thanks. I have a feeling I’ll have to find a prettier solution to keep everyone happy here!

Its a compromise - there is not a lot of easily accessible space to site a hidden inverter in a PVC - in this location it is accessible and easy to switch on / off as necessary and you want to be able to cable it easily and also switch on / off and plug in easily - this was the best position i could find - the driver seat is slid right forward in this photo - in its normal position, the seat is at the rear of the runners and the inverter is pretty unobtrusive TBH

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