When will Dynamax move to Li only batteries?

[twp5253]

It seems like the days of big ugly lead acid batteries are numbered! I purchased my 22 XL when Li batteries became an option I could order. I paid $7500 for two Relion 300ah batteries about 3 years ago and it was money well spent...especially because I have a residential refrigerator.

A few samples of what is out there now

https://www.epochbatteries.com/prod...4-battery-ip67-heated-bluetooth-victron-comms 460AH in 8D size for ($1800)

https://www.epochbatteries.com/products/12v-460ah-heated-bluetooth-lifepo4-battery-epoch-essentials New one coming in Dec...very small and only $1300. You might be able to pack in 4 of these for over 1800AH for less than what I paid and they work in the cold.

Here I was able to remove 6 Trojan 12 volt batteries that each weighed 85lbs. Installed this and now the cart is 350lbs lighter and there is no "outgassing" going on during charge or use cycles. Bluetooth control and more power to the ground. I am going to need new tires soon.

New battery maker on the block and I just installed their 72 volt battery in my electric 4x4 EZGO Cart

https://www.vatrerpower.com/product...h6k9kL8GxMx02PmnwVkz3_2t6ScnnG8IaAhx3EALw_wcB 300AH in 8D for ($590)

I would be hesitant to get something from a manufacturer that has not been out there for a couple of years but the days of Lead Batteries has pretty much passed me by for all my toys.

 

[bclemens]

We are standard lithium in the 3 and 5 series. Our uptake on the Xplorer package is probably 75%...so we are just about there already.

Any battery we use however, has to go through rigorous testing at our corporate testing facility before it is approved for plant use. So it does take a bit to change suppliers.

 

[Judge64]

Brian...... question on the Xplorer Package.

Is it the same config for the Europa and the DX3...... 600Ah LiFePO4 plus 1000W Solar?


As we take a few more trips in our I3 Freedom Edition, we are going to decide where downsizing is going to work for us. If we upsize back to a Super C again, I'm considering the Europa 34SS or the DX3 34KD and the Xplorer package but wanted to know if that option differs at all between the two brands.

I'm leaning towards the DX3 because of the AquaHot. We drove up to northern FL last week to camp on the Atlantic. It hit the low 40's and the Combi was so warm and quiet. I forgot how loud propane furnaces were until the rig next to me fired up theirs and I thought a 737 taking off.

I really like the 34SS but I'm not sure I want to go back to propane.... unless the AquaHot can't supply on demand hot water at the levels of a Truma On Demand Water Heater.

 

[Judge64]

It seems like the days of big ugly lead acid batteries are numbered! I purchased my 22 XL when Li batteries became an option I could order. I paid $7500 for two Relion 300ah batteries about 3 years ago and it was money well spent...especially because I have a residential refrigerator.

A few samples of what is out there now

https://www.epochbatteries.com/prod...4-battery-ip67-heated-bluetooth-victron-comms 460AH in 8D size for ($1800)

https://www.epochbatteries.com/products/12v-460ah-heated-bluetooth-lifepo4-battery-epoch-essentials New one coming in Dec...very small and only $1300. You might be able to pack in 4 of these for over 1800AH for less than what I paid and they work in the cold.

Here I was able to remove 6 Trojan 12 volt batteries that each weighed 85lbs. Installed this and now the cart is 350lbs lighter and there is no "outgassing" going on during charge or use cycles. Bluetooth control and more power to the ground. I am going to need new tires soon.

New battery maker on the block and I just installed their 72 volt battery in my electric 4x4 EZGO Cart

https://www.vatrerpower.com/product...h6k9kL8GxMx02PmnwVkz3_2t6ScnnG8IaAhx3EALw_wcB 300AH in 8D for ($590)

I would be hesitant to get something from a manufacturer that has not been out there for a couple of years but the days of Lead Batteries has pretty much passed me by for all my toys.

Nice!

I did a Lithium conversion on my old Thor Super several years ago. I installed 5 170Ah LiFePO4 batteries from Big Battery.... then installed a 3000W Freedom X/C Pro Inverter / Charger and rewired the coach so I could run any appliance off the Inverter. Having 850Ah was a sweet spot for flexibility. We had a residential fridge and a dorm fridge in the outdoor kitchen as well.

The conversion me about $6000 total but it was well worth it. When we traveled to Alaska last year we stayed at several campgrounds with power issues. The big all electric Class A's really struggled and had to run their generators. A lot of unhappy campers with generators running all night.

We could pull the shore power plug and run off the batteries without much worry.... even run an A/C unit on a few days it got very warm... without having to run the generator at night. And since the sun was up about 20 hours a day it helped the solar provide some charging longer than normal.

Lithium is really making strides now and costs are coming down. I'm right there with you when it comes to Lithium. When my boat needs new batteries, I will be swapping over to Lithium there as well.

Big Battery doesn't even offer their 170Ah any longer. Now their smallest battery is 400Ah.

https://bigbattery.com/products/12v-husky-2-lifepo4-400ah-5-12kwh/

 

[twp5253]

And another offering

https://www.vatrerpower.com/product...MiqUlUeEs5MhrkxRDw_aem_mzRtsUPVaHPHqJf2xotdSw

 

[Aussieguy]

Wattcycle got a good tear down review

【Black Friday Pre-Sale/Price Guarantee】WattCycle 12V 300Ah Mini LiFeP

300ah for $500.00

 

[CyberShanks-FRF]

Maybe I'm not in the norm, but I'm perfectly happy with the AGMs our XL came with. We run a residential fridge and even with only 2x 100w panels they seem to operate pretty well.



A side benefit of staying with AGM is there is less of a reliance on China. AGM seems to handle cold much better as well. Just my $.02


Jim

 

[Aussieguy]

Maybe I'm not in the norm, but I'm perfectly happy with the AGMs our XL came with. We run a residential fridge and even with only 2x 100w panels they seem to operate pretty well.



A side benefit of staying with AGM is there is less of a reliance on China. AGM seems to handle cold much better as well. Just my $.02


Jim

If the your AGM work ... keep em
when they stop doing what you want look at Lithium

as far a china is concerned look at the labels on all your RV appliances
Maybe someone in gubberment can lift / work with the Not-In-My-Backyard regulations that stop a lot of manufacturing here...

when you see some of the factories in china... hardly a worker in sight!
all done by robotics so you have to ask how come they can do it?

 

[DW_DX3]

A side benefit of staying with AGM is there is less of a reliance on China. AGM seems to handle cold much better as well. Just my $.02
Jim

The battery might have been assembled in N.A., but chances are the lead came from China. China is by far the leader is recycled lead production.

 

[bclemens]

Brian...... question on the Xplorer Package.

Is it the same config for the Europa and the DX3...... 600Ah LiFePO4 plus 1000W Solar?


As we take a few more trips in our I3 Freedom Edition, we are going to decide where downsizing is going to work for us. If we upsize back to a Super C again, I'm considering the Europa 34SS or the DX3 34KD and the Xplorer package but wanted to know if that option differs at all between the two brands.

I'm leaning towards the DX3 because of the AquaHot. We drove up to northern FL last week to camp on the Atlantic. It hit the low 40's and the Combi was so warm and quiet. I forgot how loud propane furnaces were until the rig next to me fired up theirs and I thought a 737 taking off.

I really like the 34SS but I'm not sure I want to go back to propane.... unless the AquaHot can't supply on demand hot water at the levels of a Truma On Demand Water Heater.

1. yes, same. 600 AH's pls 1000 watts of solar. One minor, note, we have been using the battleborns, which is rated at 540 AH's, but they claim you can use all of it, others sut you off at 10%...they say their 540 is 600 equivalent. We have also looked into Expion 360's that are rated for 670 I think. They may all be playing the "rating game" who knows.

2. Aquahot has zero issue keeping up with heat AND water. It is just as, if not quieter than the Combi. We used to use the LP version, but it could not keep up in super cold temps, so we went to the 400D and never looked back.

 

[CyberShanks-FRF]

We've had a couple nights with our Aquahot 450D in the 20s, the rig kept us nice and cozy (pun intended). On the low temp nights, you just have to remember to turn on the diesel switch, electric side of the Aquahot is good with keeping coach at 72 till about the mid 40s.



Jim

 

[bclemens]

A side note, we did not see any UL listings on the Epoch batteries. Does anyone have one, that could confirm a UL listing?

 

[Judge64]

A side note, we did not see any UL listings on the Epoch batteries. Does anyone have one, that could confirm a UL listing?

I see a 300 and 460 Epoch on their website for RV and Marine applications but the spec sheet says CE rated but not UL.


Their Golf Cart batteries are rated UL and they post the certificate.

 

[Papa Foxtrot]

I see a 300 and 460 Epoch on their website for RV and Marine applications but the spec sheet says CE rated but not UL.


Their Golf Cart batteries are rated UL and they post the certificate.

I believe that "CE" is a standard, like "DOT". UL listing requires submission of samples to UL for testing along with a significant check.