Quote:
Originally Posted by Wavery
I have been doing some research on running 12V L/A batteries in parallel with LiFeP04 batteries. Some people are already doing it successfully but there is some science behind it and should not be tried without doing your due diligence. You can't just hook a lithium into a L/A without doing some careful balancing.
|
I run a modified version of what you describe with both a FLA battery string on the tongue, and 2 206AH LiFePo4 batteries in the rear compartment. They are both charged by the converter/charger but do not exist in parallel with each other.
I placed a battery selector switch between the two strings so that I can charge, or operate, from one or the other, but not both. Progressive Dynamics chargers have a Boost function which manually, temporarily, outputs 14.4V for 4 hours and then reverts to 13.6V. I use the boost function to charge the LFP's and the normal function to charge the FLA.
Note that the solar charger is only connected in to the LFP batteries as that charger is not selectable. I will also only connect the inverter into the LFP's as well.
I set it up this way for 3 reasons: 1) I had just bought the trailer and it had dead batteries. The easiest, quickest thing to do was to replace the existing GC2's so I did. Two new GC2's sitting on the tongue that I didn't want to throw away. 2) Tongue weight is a factor as well. The GC2s weigh about 120# and sit way up on the tongue. My tongue weight is 350#. If I remove those batteries I am concerned that the tongue would be too light. 3) The GC2s give me an additional 2 days boondocking beyond the LFPs.
I am still trying to figure out how to integrate an inverter physically. The cables are heavy and don't bend easily in limited space, but I'll get there ;-)