First 220RK Solar / Lithium install

[TFB176602]

I am most impressed by your system. The dollar amount sounds like a lot but when you compare it to installing an aftermarket Onan 5500, the price difference is almost negligible. Now you have me thinking and that is a dangerous thing...lol

[klenger]

Nice setup.

I have the same Blue Sky solar controller and remote display. I've used the same model in several RVs in the past. I have a single 305 watt panel and two 225 AH 6V AGM batteries, and a 2000 watt Xantrex inverter. My setup is a bit more modest, but we seldom boondock, so I didn't want to invest too much. Also the 2997RSTS TT doesn't have much room for batteries, unless I put them in the pass-thru.

[DaveMatthewsBand]

I am most impressed by your system. The dollar amount sounds like a lot but when you compare it to installing an aftermarket Onan 5500, the price difference is almost negligible. Now you have me thinking and that is a dangerous thing...lol

It’s definitely worth the money!
We’re currently sitting on free BLM land on the border of NM and CO. Highs will be in the mid 70’s all week so no need for air conditioning.
Solar is pulling in 70a right now, and powering the refrigerator which is on AC, it is also powering the TV and Xbox since we’re watching a movie, and it is powering the microwave while my wife warms up some lunch. Batteries are at 99%.
All I can hear outside is the wind and I will not need to touch our generator or mess with gas cans, the entire week we are here.







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[Wizbangdoodle]

Awesome. I love the feeling of running what I want and still charging the batteries.

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[TucsonJim]

My three inexpensive Interstate lead acid batteries are nearly two years old and are starting to show some weakness under load. So I've been doing some research on replacements.

Three lead/acid batteries (12v):
Cost - $330
Weight - 151#
Available capacity - 135ah

Three AGM batteries (12v):
Cost - $990
Weight - 210#
Available capacity - 135 ah

Two Battle Born LiFePo batteries (12v):
Cost - $1898
Weight - 58#
Available capacity - 200ah.

It's quite a bit of money, but I'm going to go with the Battle Born batteries. One of my concerns is excess weight on the hitch of my 297RSTS travel trailer. By switching to two of these batteries, I'll save nearly 100# over my existing set up, and I'll have more capacity. Not to mention much longer battery life and quicker charging.

Jim

[Flanaganjk]

My three inexpensive Interstate lead acid batteries are nearly two years old and are starting to show some weakness under load. So I've been doing some research on replacements.

Three lead/acid batteries (12v):
Cost - $330
Weight - 151#
Available capacity - 135ah

Three AGM batteries (12v):
Cost - $990
Weight - 210#
Available capacity - 135 ah

Two Battle Born LiFePo batteries (12v):
Cost - $1898
Weight - 58#
Available capacity - 200ah.

It's quite a bit of money, but I'm going to go with the Battle Born batteries. One of my concerns is excess weight on the hitch of my 297RSTS travel trailer. By switching to two of these batteries, I'll save nearly 100# over my existing set up, and I'll have more capacity. Not to mention much longer battery life and quicker charging.

Jim

I recently installed a 1000 watts of solar, 400 AH of lithium batteries, and a 3000 watt hybrid inverter charger in my Solitude. I love it. Lithium is the way to go for the useable capacity and because of how quickly it charges back up. I looked long at hard at Battleborn and Relion. I ultimatley went with LifeBlue and I have no regrets. I love that I can monitor each of the LifeBlue batteries using bluetooth via an app on my iPhone. It's a relatively crude app, but it's great to be able to see the remaining capacity of each battery and confirm that they are properly sharing the load. You can even see the exact AHs being drained in real time. It is spot on accurate too! They shipped quickly and worked great. I am not affiliated with them in any way ... just a happy customer. I'm sure Battleborn will be great - but thought I'd throw out another option to consider.

--Justin

[DaveMatthewsBand]

You know, after full-timing for 2 months now we are still blown away by how quickly these batteries charge back up! Even on cloudy days.
We have gotten spoiled being able to use the microwave, TV and everything else way past sunset, we’re usually up till midnight or 1am, only to have our batteries at 100% charge well before noon every single day, then of course during the day we can’t get them below 98% if we try.
They’re like tiny 0 decibel generators.

The big thing for us, is a solar set up like this gives you choices.

Our rig was built to boondock away from the crowds, and close to beautiful scenic places. We’re currently exploring the Washington coast, and there’s not as many options so the most convenient places to stay are the Thousand Trails RV parks that line the coast, but they’re crowded, the rigs are jammed in so close together they can’t open their awnings, most have slides within a couple feet of each other.

But since we have this solar set up we have the option to camp out in the overflow area, which is just a big field, away from the crowd, yet we are still within walking distance of the beach. We fill up our fresh and dump tanks about every 8-10 days, rinse and repeat. This is one of many reasons the cost of lithium is worth it!

Here’s a couple photos showing our location outside the sardine can.













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[klenger]

My three inexpensive Interstate lead acid batteries are nearly two years old and are starting to show some weakness under load. So I've been doing some research on replacements.

Three lead/acid batteries (12v):
Cost - $330
Weight - 151#
Available capacity - 135ah

Three AGM batteries (12v):
Cost - $990
Weight - 210#
Available capacity - 135 ah

Two Battle Born LiFePo batteries (12v):
Cost - $1898
Weight - 58#
Available capacity - 200ah.

It's quite a bit of money, but I'm going to go with the Battle Born batteries. One of my concerns is excess weight on the hitch of my 297RSTS travel trailer. By switching to two of these batteries, I'll save nearly 100# over my existing set up, and I'll have more capacity. Not to mention much longer battery life and quicker charging.

Jim

Could you install 3 of them in the same way you have them installed now? It's just a what-if question, given the very high cost of the batteries.

[TucsonJim]

Could you install 3 of them in the same way you have them installed now? It's just a what-if question, given the very high cost of the batteries.

I certainly could. It's just coming up with another $grand. When I first set up the trailer, I welded another battery tray on the A-frame. So I have two on the original tray and another on the add on tray.

Jim

[DaveMatthewsBand]

This is interesting...

The theoretical max output of my solar panels is 9a each. I have 7 so that’s a theoretical max of 63a, which I am able to bring in, apparently, then the Blue Sky MPPT solar charge controllers ramp that up an additional 15% to 74a !!!

Cool





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