[folivier]

Sounds like an impressive system. My system is very simple and is just to replace the 6 8D batteries. I would love to design a system in a smaller coach for boon docking. Something like a 35' MCI F3500 with 2 slides or even one of the Sprinter based conversions. It wouldn't be difficult to have enough battery power to run 1 or even 2 roof airs overnight and even while driving if you incorporate solar panels to help with charging.
Oh to be young enough to tackle something like this would be fun!
Maybe if I get bored this winter I'll buy a portable a/c and try running it off of the inverter.

[encantotom]

well forest, in a few years when my agm's are shot, you will need to come do an install on mine

tom

[LynnJeff]

I think yours has everything they have maybe minus the big converter but a heck of a lot less $

One thing they are talking about doing is to use the Aqua Hot to heat and cool batteries

As you know ranges are -10 to 140 degrees with 70 degrees being optimum

They also recognize and are talking about the smaller RV market but with a system about half this size with as you suggested solar panels

[folivier]

The compartment my batteries are in are just rearward of the water bay. So they get some residual heat from the aqua hot. This past winter it stayed within a few degrees difference after I lined the compartment with a layer of that foil faced bubble wrap insulation that Lowes sells. Never got below 45 F. There is also an a/c ductwork in the ceiling of the battery compartment so it receives a bit of cooling as well.
Thinking about it it would be easy to loop a piece of the aqua hot water tubing into the compartment for more heating if needed.
Good to see a company pushing this technology. It can be a game changer.

[Ozarkguy]

Forrest. .. While its still fresh in your memory, why don't you give us a recap of replacing the lead-acid batteries. Performance plus - minus, weight savings, what you would do different.. Who, what, where to get the equipment.. A short story will be fine!! Would you ever go back?

[lbrachfe]

Jimmy, I saw the setup at ARK Rally and it is simple and Forest did a real clean conversion. I'm sure if he outlines it again you got the skills to do it and maybe Forest can sell you his Battery set up since MOT is converting it back to 8D's for saleabiltiy I guess...

[folivier]

So after playing with the LiFePO4 batteries for just under a year I removed them from the coach just before I brought it to MOT. Thanks a bunch Rudy! Your help was greatly appreciated. MOT suggested to put new 8Ds back in, they think and I agree that these would be intimidating to a new buyer.
My overall impression is they are GREAT! They are much more compact and lighter than the 8Ds. Have a greater usable capacity than the 8Ds they replaced.
But don't despair my friends, they are in the trusted hands of one of our favorite Gurus. I'm sure he'll be making the announcement soon. Installing them in his coach was pretty easy after having done it before in mine.
So if you want more capacity and want to lose the weight they are definitely worth the easy conversion.

[Richard]

I happened to first in line for the LFA batteries when Forest removed them from his coach. That was good for us since the
AGMs were 8 1/2 yrs old and would barely run the coach through the night. Also, it was lucky that we were heading back east right now, so it wasn't too hard to swing through Louisiana to pick them up.

Forest helped me put them in and setup the charger. Sounds easy, right? Of course not.

First off, after removing the batteries from the large bay, and the battery rack, we discovered that the battery bay was slightly more shallow than Forest's. Uh Oh. The batteries would not fit. A bit of measuring, figuring, and creativity indicated that with careful positioning, they would fit if turned 90 degrees. So after an entertaining trip to Home Depot to get a new plywood floor for the bay (Riddle: how many HD employees does it take to turn on a saw?), the batteries went in. After it took two of us to lift the 160 lb 8d's out, it was quite amazing that I put the 90 lb cells in alone.

The second moment occurred when Forest discovered the batteries were not charging. After an hour of fiddling with charger settings, we discovered a glitch that really through us off path. That still unresolved glitch is that somewhere in my coach, the house and chassis batteries are inadvertently connected. It has to be a small wire since the connection does not transfer the full voltage. I had a hint of this when I was working on the generator when I had to turn off both the house and chassis disconnect switches to kill power to the starter. Anyway, that little problem had us chasing the wrong issue.

The real problem with charging was the word ASSUME. You know when you assume something without verification, it really throws the problem solving off. The issue originated with the design which consists of two battery bays. Obviously the two bays are electrically connected by a positive and negative cable. We disconnected what we that was the positive cable to the rear bay. An hour of head scratching revealed that the cable we disconnected was NOT the cable to the rear compartment; it was the cable to the charger. Duh huh, what a Homer Simpson moment. Amazing that the batteries started charging when we turned the system back on after connecting that cable.

My first impressions are:
1. after spending some time with Forest, the setup is not as complicated as it first seemed
2. the batteries will take a heck of amp charge in.
3. the link controller for the inverter is a lot more programmable, and provides more info than I realized
4. I haven't dry camped with the Aquahot running overnight yet, but I will report as soon as I do
5. You can't use voltage at all to determine the state of charge with the batteries, it took me a while to get that in my head

Of course the real test will be the test of time. How long will they continue to perform at a high level. The more I read about the techonology, the more convinced I was that it will become the technology of future RV power storage. Forest, and now I, may be on the leading edge. I hope it doesn't turn out to the be the bleeding edge. :-)

I saved the best part till last. Just like, when I have worked side by side with other Gurus, I had a fantastic time working with Forest on the install. It was like we had worked together for years. It was a great two days.

[bikestuff]

Congrats Richard! I suspected you would be the recipient of those. I will look forward to hearing more tales from the road regarding the Li bats.

[lbrachfe]

Good job boys