Future Lithium Battery Upgrade to a DX3

[O2BFree]

I have been monitoring this forum for several months and recently became a member. My wife and I are thinking it’s time to go full time and are considering a DX3 34KD (all electric) as our coach of choice. As I understand it, at present there is no lithium battery package available from the factory and solar is limited to two panels. In anticipating a future conversion to lithium and the possibility of adding both additional batteries and solar panels, I’d be interested to hear any thoughts on what we might ask Brian Clemens and his crew to do to a coach as it is being built to make such future upgrades as painless and cost effective as possible. Your help will be most appreciated.

[NMWildcat]

Honestly, I would think just explaining to Brian as you did above would be the best place to start

[Pickles]

I agree. This is a great place to start with BC.

It appears that Dynamax is on board with either transitioning over to more AGM or Lithium options...maybe not as standard equipment but at least as an option. Same goes for solar me thinks.

At this moment, we are focused on the 28SS which is more in tune with the very cool/cold weather camping we will be doing more often than not.

Since we have a bit of time before purchasing (we think it best to wait until after the election) we are watching for their other Xplorer packages being offered on other Isatas and we are also watching for the new short M2 Chassis model that we think is going to be announced very soon.

We want a shorter but very nice coach that can handle all four seasons easily.

[Magnatudes]

Originally Posted by Pickles

I agree. This is a great place to start with BC.

we are also watching for the new short M2 Chassis model that we think is going to be announced very soon.

We want a shorter but very nice coach that can handle all four seasons easily.

OH! Do you know something we don't know? Did I miss a thread somewhere?

What would be announced very soon and how does that differ from would be available at a dealer very soon?

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by Magnatudes

OH! Do you know something we don't know? Did I miss a thread somewhere?

What would be announced very soon and how does that differ from would be available at a dealer very soon?

Funny...I am just basing it off that Short M2 Chassis Thread that we all seem to be watching.

Pretty sure BC said they were waiting until later in the year to show something off so that the competition does not have time to put together something prior to the fall trade shows.

Am I wrong? Don't think I am and sure hope not!

But if I am, super sorry!

[Magnatudes]

I am just wondering about the reality of this whole thing. There has been a lot of chatter about this short M2 for a couple years now with no solid plan in sight. Waiting a few more years is not something on our horizon. With no solid plan in place, it's just chatter. It's time for us to move forward.

[Pickles]

I agree...we have some time but will be moving forward on a 28SS or some other model that is supposed to get the Xplorer package come the very beginning of 2021. Combo of tax reasons, etc.

Anyway, perhaps the Short M2 will show up by then.

Hopefully, Freightliner updates their cockpit a bit by then.

I saw a 13 year old FL unit with the same dashboard as the brand new ones.

Not a huge deal but I hear it is coming...some day.

[bclemens]

Originally Posted by O2BFree

I have been monitoring this forum for several months and recently became a member. My wife and I are thinking it’s time to go full time and are considering a DX3 34KD (all electric) as our coach of choice. As I understand it, at present there is no lithium battery package available from the factory and solar is limited to two panels. In anticipating a future conversion to lithium and the possibility of adding both additional batteries and solar panels, I’d be interested to hear any thoughts on what we might ask Brian Clemens and his crew to do to a coach as it is being built to make such future upgrades as painless and cost effective as possible. Your help will be most appreciated.

I already have 4D lithium batteries on order to test out (In fact, if I can I would rather do ONE 8D...NO cable jumpers which saves money).

We already have an "unpublished" extra panel option to make it 3 and one of the main points of the Xplorer package was proof of concept for an 800 watt solar package. (to figure out things like...how do you tell state of charge without the battery voltage ever dropping until its dead).

That is now proven on the 28SS...the next step, is on units that do not have weight concerns (M2 only), can I use 190 watt glass panels instead of 100 watt flex panels for ease of installation and lower cost (though you can't get much easier than flex panels for installation). But a larger glass panel might reduce the cabling and overall cost per watt.

So...we're testing now. We'l see what it yields.

As for the short M2...we hope to debut in the fall. Once we prove the concept, then we determine if we will offer that floor plan in other brands. Which would be the idea,

[Magnatudes]

Originally Posted by bclemens

I already have 4D lithium batteries on order to test out (In fact, if I can I would rather do ONE 8D...NO cable jumpers which saves money).

Advantages with 4Ds is if a cell goes bad and it's time to replace, replacing a 4D is less expensive than an 8D.
4Ds can give you more options as far as location, arrangement & storage.
4Ds are lighter & easier to handle when it's time to replace or service.
4Ds allow for scaling up at a lesser cost over time.

[bclemens]

Originally Posted by Magnatudes

Advantages with 4Ds is if a cell goes bad and it's time to replace, replacing a 4D is less expensive than an 8D.
4Ds can give you more options as far as location, arrangement & storage.
4Ds are lighter & easier to handle when it's time to replace or service.
4Ds allow for scaling up at a lesser cost over time.

I would agree if this was a flooded or AGM battery. But lithium is half the weight of an AGM. So an 8D lithium, would be the same weight as a single flooded 4D.

And a lithium is made up of a BUNCH of little cells and logic built in. Doing a single 8D is more cost effective up front, very little chance of running the batteries and reduces the number of connections and jumpers.

Currently we run (2) 4D AGM's. I have no plan to change that. BUT, if you option lithium, then I would prefer to make it a single 8D. Just simpler all the way around.

[O2BFree]

[QUOTE=bclemens;2274203]I already have 4D lithium batteries on order to test out (In fact, if I can I would rather do ONE 8D...NO cable jumpers which saves money).

We already have an "unpublished" extra panel option to make it 3 and one of the main points of the Xplorer package was proof of concept for an 800 watt solar package. (to figure out things like...how do you tell state of charge without the battery voltage ever dropping until its dead).

That is now proven on the 28SS...the next step, is on units that do not have weight concerns (M2 only), can I use 190 watt glass panels instead of 100 watt flex panels for ease of installation and lower cost (though you can't get much easier than flex panels for installation). But a larger glass panel might reduce the cabling and overall cost per watt.

So...we're testing now. We'l see what it yields. [Quote]


Brian thanks very much for jumping in on this thread. You graciously sat with us in a KD, at the January Tampa RV Show, answering all the questions we had at the time. Subsequent to the show, we drove the same RV, which proved my wife would be comfortable driving it. That started us thinking of what we might want if we build a coach, hence my inquiry about lithium and solar upgrades.
Do you have some idea when the testing you referenced might be done? I ask because we can wait a few months before we place an order, especially if we could get a coach with lithium batteries installed and possibly additional solar. Also, do the batteries used in the 28SS Explorer Package have the same internal heating mechanism like RELiON’s LT Series batteries which allow them to charge in temperature’s down to -20 degrees C?

[bclemens]

[QUOTE=O2BFree;2275643][QUOTE=bclemens;2274203]I already have 4D lithium batteries on order to test out (In fact, if I can I would rather do ONE 8D...NO cable jumpers which saves money).

We already have an "unpublished" extra panel option to make it 3 and one of the main points of the Xplorer package was proof of concept for an 800 watt solar package. (to figure out things like...how do you tell state of charge without the battery voltage ever dropping until its dead).

That is now proven on the 28SS...the next step, is on units that do not have weight concerns (M2 only), can I use 190 watt glass panels instead of 100 watt flex panels for ease of installation and lower cost (though you can't get much easier than flex panels for installation). But a larger glass panel might reduce the cabling and overall cost per watt.

So...we're testing now. We'l see what it yields.

Brian thanks very much for jumping in on this thread. You graciously sat with us in a KD, at the January Tampa RV Show, answering all the questions we had at the time. Subsequent to the show, we drove the same RV, which proved my wife would be comfortable driving it. That started us thinking of what we might want if we build a coach, hence my inquiry about lithium and solar upgrades.
Do you have some idea when the testing you referenced might be done? I ask because we can wait a few months before we place an order, especially if we could get a coach with lithium batteries installed and possibly additional solar. Also, do the batteries used in the 28SS Explorer Package have the same internal heating mechanism like RELiON’s LT Series batteries which allow them to charge in temperature’s down to -20 degrees C?

Yes it does, cause those are the batteries we use.