RV Lithium Battery Upgrades, Done Right

Sometimes, but usually not without giving up most of the benefit and sometimes at real risk. A lithium battery needs a charger built for lithium to fill it all the way. Most factory and lead-acid chargers will not bring a lithium bank to a full charge, and a few push too much voltage, though a quality lithium battery has a built-in management system that steps in to protect it. The battery may be a true drop-in, but the rest of the system still has to be checked. We look at your shore charger, your solar charge controller, and how the battery charges while you drive before we call a swap safe.

This is the most common complaint after a do-it-yourself lithium swap, and the battery is almost always fine. The charger is the problem. A lithium battery needs a charger that holds the right voltage long enough to top it off. Most factory and lead-acid chargers get close but do not hold it long enough, so they quit a little short and the bank settles around 80 to 90 percent full. You paid for capacity you never get to use. Battle Born, one of the most respected lithium battery makers, points to just two charger brands that reliably bring a lithium bank to a true full charge: Progressive Dynamics and Victron. A few chargers go the other way and push too much voltage, and there the battery's built-in management system protects the cells. We make sure every way your rig charges the bank, shore power, solar, and the charge you get while driving, is set up to fill it the whole way without overdoing it.

Often yes, especially in a motorhome or a trailer that charges from the tow vehicle while driving. A lithium bank can accept current so fast that it pulls more than a standard alternator was built to deliver, which can overheat and destroy the alternator. A DC-DC charger limits the current to a safe level and delivers the correct lithium charge profile at the same time. We look at how your rig charges while driving and tell you whether a DC-DC charger is needed for safety, not just performance.

The price gap between a bargain battery and a reputable one almost always comes down to the battery management system and the cell quality inside. That management system is the safety brain that prevents overcharge, over-discharge, and charging below freezing, which permanently damages the cells. Cut-rate batteries cut corners there. We have seen low-cost batteries that would not hold their rated charge, would not charge or discharge as fast as the premium brands, and failed early, and in a couple of cases we have seen them catch fire. We carry and install batteries from Battle Born, Go Power, and Xantrex and help you choose the right one for your rig, because the battery is the one component you cannot easily inspect after it is installed.

LiFePO4 batteries must not be charged below freezing. Doing so plates the cells and causes permanent damage. A quality battery either has a built-in heater or a battery management system that blocks charging when the cells are too cold. This is one of the reasons battery selection matters in our climate. We make sure the battery you choose protects itself in cold weather and that your charging sources respect that protection.

It depends on what you run and how long you go without shore power. In the same battery box, lithium holds modestly more capacity than lead-acid, but the practical difference is how much you can use between charges. Lead-acid is usually held to about half its charge to protect its life, while lithium can be cycled deep every day, so the same footprint gives you more usable energy day to day and you do not always need to match the old amp-hour number. A weekend camper keeping lights, a fridge, and phones going needs far less than a full-timer running an inverter for a residential fridge or a microwave. We calculate your actual daily power use and size the bank to that, instead of selling you more battery than you will ever cycle.