Lithium batteries what to go for

[garry63]

Hi all
Looking at lithium battery
Got a 110ah lead battery now
If I upgrade is a lithium 230a twice the capacity of the 110ah and a 3000a 3xbetter or does it not work like that?

 

[MisterB]

Lithium are the way forward BUT only if you need to replace dead batteries and can add lithium with a simple swap. If your current setup works well for you as it is, spend to money on improving rather than changing what you have, whether that be additional solar (and potentially MPPT), additional same type of battery, increasing cable sizes and adding B2B.

Whatever you add, try to future proof it but don't buy lithium so you can wear 'the badge' !!

 

[garry63]

I think you need to be careful with that Sargent EC325. It has an unusual 'off-line charging' mode. Basically it has two power supplies. When on hookup, it powers the habitation from a mains 12V power supply. It disconnects the leisure batteries completely from the habitation circuits, and charges them with a separate charger. But apparently the charging voltage can be as high as 18V. In theory that doesn't matter, because the battery is separate. But if you have connected something directly to the batteries, like some 12V power sockets or a solar regulator, then it will get the full 18V, which might not be what you want. And I don't think it's any good for gel or AGM batteries.
I've just been looking at this:

Sargent EC325 remanufactured Units. Sargent charger Repairs.

Sargent EC325 Remanufactured Units with fitting available. 12 month guarantee. How to connect Solar to a Sargent EC325 and EC225. Sargent Chargers repaired and sold. EC160 to EC 500

www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk

So might be better to isolate the built-in charger and add another more suitable one if changing the type of battery.

Cheers thats what I'm thinking of doing going for the gels and an add on charger

 

[garry63]

iirc you do not use any high drain electrical items and have managed previously with your single 110AH battery.
In which case I can't see that you need lithium.
2 x 110AH lead acid batteries will double your usable amps and work fine with your present charging systems.
FYI last summer I did 24 consecutive nights off grid with 2 x 100AH lead acids and 100 watts of solar.
I stayed put the 24 nights so no engine charging.
I watched on average 3-4 hours of TV a day using a small inverter as my TV is 240v mains, lighting, water pump, charging mobiles etc.
My batteries were fully charged every day by early afternoon.
I have no intention of getting lithium as my usage doesn't require them.

Cheers
Going down 2 new gel batteries and charger think that should do for what I need

 

[Hugoman]

I’m very confused…I’m thinking of renewing my AGM batteries and thought Gel was the way to go…don’t need Lithium…but this is from the Varta website. They seem to think AGM are far superior to GEL….are they right or wrong ?