Want to change LA battery out for Lithium, any problems swapping?

**alias100** · 03-27-2024, 01:04 PM

We are all sometimes a bit sloppy with our words. The charger is part of the converter in this case. It gets 120V from shore power, then converts it to 12V for the lights, fans, furnace, etc. It also sends 12V to the battery to charge it up (actually more than 12V but there are others here who understand this all better than I do and will jump in to correct me if this is wrong).
It also has the 120V breakers and the 12V fuses.

**Riverbug** · 03-27-2024, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Jason-Texas

My question is about the Converter, not the charger, I know I need a Lithium charger to fully charge to 100%.

GrandDesign stated I needed to make sure the Converter was able to be set to accept Lithium battery. How do I verify that is the question? The converter is behind the storage wall in the front pass thru.

There is nothing to do with the converter side of the unit. People refer to the converter/charger as one unit (because most of them today are integrated). They are just telling you that "it" the charger side of the converter needs to be set to lithium. Everyone has been assuming you do not have a lithium charger based on your original post. Now that you know you already have lithium compatible charging, just check the manual to determine how you get it to recognize the lithium battery (whether it is manual or automatic). The converter which converts household 120V when you are plugged into shore power and converts it to 12V for all your 12V devices does not change no matter what type of battery you have. Make sense?

**Jason-Texas** · 03-27-2024, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Riverbug

There is nothing to do with the converter side of the unit. People refer to the converter/charger as one unit (because most of them today are integrated). They are just telling you that "it" the charger side of the converter needs to be set to lithium. Everyone has been assuming you do not have a lithium charger based on your original post. Now that you know you already have lithium compatible charging, just check the manual to determine how you get it to recognize the lithium battery (whether it is manual or automatic). The converter which converts household 120V when you are plugged into shore power and converts it to 12V for all your 12V devices does not change no matter what type of battery you have. Make sense?

This makes sense: The converter which converts household 120V when you are plugged into shore power and converts it to 12V for all your 12V devices does not change no matter what type of battery you have.

I guess my confusion is from the response I got from Grand design.

When I bought the Lithium battery, they also sold me a Lithium battery charger.

Thanks for everyone’s time and answers. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t damage the Lithium battery or my rv by connecting it to my rv’s electrical system.

My previous rv had solar, and a controller that I could switch from LA, AGM, or Lithium, this one does not.

**xrated** · 03-27-2024, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Jason-Texas

This makes sense: The converter which converts household 120V when you are plugged into shore power and converts it to 12V for all your 12V devices does not change no matter what type of battery you have.

I guess my confusion is from the response I got from Grand design.

When I bought the Lithium battery, they also sold me a Lithium battery charger.

Thanks for everyone’s time and answers. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t damage the Lithium battery or my rv by connecting it to my rv’s electrical system.

My previous rv had solar, and a controller that I could switch from LA, AGM, or Lithium, this one does not.

OK......Time Out! Lets get this squared away if we can. If I'm reading correctly, you have purchased a new charger that is LiFePO capable. Please post exactly what Brand and model it is and lets see if it is a combination unit that is a Converter/Charger or if it is strictly a LFP charging unit

All of these trailers come from the factory with a combo unit that serves as a Converter and a Charger. The way I'm reading what you posted is that you are planning on having two separate units......one for charging and the other as a Converter......is that correct or am I missing your intent?

**Jason-Texas** · 03-27-2024, 02:16 PM

My original question was, Can I change my factory LA battery to a Lithium with no compatibility issues, as my rv does not have any solar or chargers. All it came with was a LA battery trickle charger.

I bought a LiTime 12V 100Ah Lithium battery with same brand charger. I was only concerned with the rv possibly damaging the Lithium battery by overcharging or some other unforeseen issue, while hooked up to shore power.

**alias100** · 03-27-2024, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by Jason-Texas

I was only concerned with the rv possibly damaging the Lithium battery by overcharging or some other unforeseen issue, while hooked up to shore power.

If that is your only concern there is no reason not to just pull the old battery and put in the new one. The charger built in to the converter will not overcharge the lithium battery, it will undercharge it a bit. Lithium batteries have a higher fully charged/100% voltage than lead acid so the charger will shut down the current to the lithium battery when it reaches lead acid batteries fully charged/100% state of charge, leaving the lithium battery at about 80%.
By the way, we are headed to your vicinity (by Texas standards) for the eclipse on April 8th. We are staying at Lofer's Bend West State Park, about 2 1/2 hours north of Bastrop.

**xrated** · 03-27-2024, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Jason-Texas

My original question was, Can I change my factory LA battery to a Lithium with no compatibility issues, as my rv does not have any solar or chargers. All it came with was a LA battery trickle charger.

I bought a LiTime 12V 100Ah Lithium battery with same brand charger. I was only concerned with the rv possibly damaging the Lithium battery by overcharging or some other unforeseen issue, while hooked up to shore power.

Every RV comes with a Converter/Charger combo unit! Was your removed by someone before you bought it?

And from what I'm seeing on LiTime's site, there charging units are just chargers....not a combo unit.

**Riverbug** · 03-27-2024, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by Jason-Texas

My original question was, Can I change my factory LA battery to a Lithium with no compatibility issues, as my rv does not have any solar or chargers. All it came with was a LA battery trickle charger.

I bought a LiTime 12V 100Ah Lithium battery with same brand charger. I was only concerned with the rv possibly damaging the Lithium battery by overcharging or some other unforeseen issue, while hooked up to shore power.

I agree with others that this got a little confusing. But anyway, the bottom line is this...the lithium battery will have a BMS (battery management system) which will protect the battery from overcharging. So, whether you are charging with solar/controller or plugged into 120V, or both, even if your chargers keep trying to overcharge the battery, the BMS will not allow it. Depending on the charger and/or solar controller you have, you may also have the ability to set the charge parameters so you'll want to read the manuals to learn how to set the appropriate parameters if you are able to control them.

**MechWolf** · 04-05-2024, 03:18 PM

I just installed a Li Time 100ah battery last night, with the stock charger/inverter on my 320MKS. It charged from 39% to 91% in 7 hours. I've used the battery only today trying to use some juice and see if it recharges to 91, but it hasn't depleted anything yet.

91% is fine with me for now!