Advice on upgrading to Lithium and type of generator

[jackbat]

Hello all,
New RVer here. I just bought a used 2018 2106fbs micro minnie travel trailer. The batteries that came with it are pretty shot out lol. It currently has two 6-volt flooded batteries on the tongue of the trailer. They were dry and don't hold a charge very long. My husband and I are planning on installing new batteries ourselves. Not 100% sure about fully upgrading to a new system with solar and an inverter yet, as we are weekend warriors and typically will only be camping with the trailer 4 nights in a row max. Not sure if it would be worth the extra $ yet.

So what we have bought so far: two 200ah Weize 12-volt batteries, a Victron BMW-712 Smart Battery Monitor, and a WFCO WF-8955-AD-MBA power center to replace the stock one.

We plan on installing the new batteries in the pass through near the current battery disconnect switch. I've been researching and all I see are posts/videos where people have upgraded their systems with everything I have plus solar. I can't find a whole lot of info on just upgrading the batteries and power center alone.

I was wondering if any of you can point me in the right direction and have any links to videos or posts or pictures or schematics of your own similar battery upgrades? Ones not connected to solar panels, in a travel trailer?

I am looking for advice on guage of wiring for a similar system and any other things I may need. Would I need any extra fuses anywhere? Do I just need to wire the new batteries to the disconnect switch and change the power center to the new one so it will charge the new batteries to 100%.

We are currently borrowing a Honda EU3000is inverter style generator. It definitely is more than enough to power everything. But, it is very big and heavy! We are looking for something smaller and more manageable. We would like to store it in the pass through as well. Any advice on a smaller generator that would power a Dometic 13,500 btu A/C (by itself, not with any other electric items on) if needed?

Thank you for reading my long pos and for your advice!

[Tgbyrne716]

Originally Posted by jackbat

Hello all,
New RVer here. I just bought a used 2018 2106fbs micro minnie travel trailer. The batteries that came with it are pretty shot out lol. It currently has two 6-volt flooded batteries on the tongue of the trailer. They were dry and don't hold a charge very long. My husband and I are planning on installing new batteries ourselves. Not 100% sure about fully upgrading to a new system with solar and an inverter yet, as we are weekend warriors and typically will only be camping with the trailer 4 nights in a row max. Not sure if it would be worth the extra $ yet.

So what we have bought so far: two 200ah Weize 12-volt batteries, a Victron BMW-712 Smart Battery Monitor, and a WFCO WF-8955-AD-MBA power center to replace the stock one.

We plan on installing the new batteries in the pass through near the current battery disconnect switch. I've been researching and all I see are posts/videos where people have upgraded their systems with everything I have plus solar. I can't find a whole lot of info on just upgrading the batteries and power center alone.

I was wondering if any of you can point me in the right direction and have any links to videos or posts or pictures or schematics of your own similar battery upgrades? Ones not connected to solar panels, in a travel trailer?

I am looking for advice on guage of wiring for a similar system and any other things I may need. Would I need any extra fuses anywhere? Do I just need to wire the new batteries to the disconnect switch and change the power center to the new one so it will charge the new batteries to 100%.

We are currently borrowing a Honda EU3000is inverter style generator. It definitely is more than enough to power everything. But, it is very big and heavy! We are looking for something smaller and more manageable. We would like to store it in the pass through as well. Any advice on a smaller generator that would power a Dometic 13,500 btu A/C (by itself, not with any other electric items on) if needed?

Thank you for reading my long pos and for your advice!

This summer I decided to upgrade from GSM 6V x2 on the tongue to LiFeO4 x 2 (Renogy Smart Battery 100Ah self heating) in the pass through. I was going from 200Ah with only 100 usable if you stick with limiting discharge to 50% as advised to 200Ah at less than 1/2 the weight and moved off the tongue. I discovered that my original charger would only charge to 80% of capacity because it was not a LI charger. This would bring me down to 160Ah. So I upgraded to a Renogy PCL 2000W inverter charger. I removed the old charger and put this in that space extending into the low cabinet. It weighs about 50 pounds now located way behind the wheels. With this I needed to run new 2/0 wire from the distribution center/PCL to the batteries to handle the 65A charging function and 175A inverter function. There is a 175A breaker in this line (Outback-PNL-175-DC - 175 Amp Panel Mount Breaker). The old DC wiring also connects to the battery feeding the DC system. I also installed a 20A DC to DC charger (Renogy too) to protect my trucks alternator from the unlimited appetite of the LiFeO4 battery. The batteries are charged by the PCL unit when connected to shore power. The batteries feed back through the same wires (2/0) to the inverter if desired (you can turn it on and off). The battery also feeds to DC distribution panel. I hope that this helps. You could same a some by using a 1000W inverter or even just replacing the charger with a LI specific charger.

[Tgbyrne716]

Originally Posted by Tgbyrne716

This summer I decided to upgrade from GSM 6V x2 on the tongue to LiFeO4 x 2 (Renogy Smart Battery 100Ah self heating) in the pass through. I was going from 200Ah with only 100 usable if you stick with limiting discharge to 50% as advised to 200Ah at less than 1/2 the weight and moved off the tongue. I discovered that my original charger would only charge to 80% of capacity because it was not a LI charger. This would bring me down to 160Ah. So I upgraded to a Renogy PCL 2000W inverter charger. I removed the old charger and put this in that space extending into the low cabinet. It weighs about 50 pounds now located way behind the wheels. With this I needed to run new 2/0 wire from the distribution center/PCL to the batteries to handle the 65A charging function and 175A inverter function. There is a 175A breaker in this line (Outback-PNL-175-DC - 175 Amp Panel Mount Breaker). The old DC wiring also connects to the battery feeding the DC system. I also installed a 20A DC to DC charger (Renogy too) to protect my trucks alternator from the unlimited appetite of the LiFeO4 battery. The batteries are charged by the PCL unit when connected to shore power. The batteries feed back through the same wires (2/0) to the inverter if desired (you can turn it on and off). The battery also feeds to DC distribution panel. I hope that this helps. You could same a some by using a 1000W inverter or even just replacing the charger with a LI specific charger.

If you choose to stick with just the charger upgrade you can get away without upgrading the wiring and the new circuit breaker, saving quite a bit of cash that way too.

[Marine359]

Do you have, or want an inverter? If so, it doesn’t cost much more to install a hybrid inverter/charger than it cost for an inverter plus a transfer switch. Ah, but I see you’ve already upgraded OEM charger. After you install LiFePo4 batteries, you will find that one of their greatest advantages is that you can charge them in a fraction of the time of lead acid. That’s because LFP will accept really high charge amperage, and the charge profile is almost flat. I’m very happy that I spent just a few extra bucks to install a 2000w inverter/charger when I upgraded to LiFePo4. I get all the advantages of LFP, and all the ac power I need is at the flip of a switch.

If you want to save weight, and fuel consumption go with a smaller generator and install an easy start for the roof A/C. The cost of the small generator and easy start will be less than the cost of a generator large enough to run the A/C on its own.

Although you did not indicate if your new 12v batteries are LFP, you were wise to install a negative shunt monitor. Do t k ow your tv, but if you have a mid-size or 1/2 ton, tongue weight and payload will be very important. All the more reason to carry a small generator.

[Thindirtline]

I just bought a 2022 2108TB and put in a new LiFeP04 100ah battery. My trailer has a 190w solar panel.
You have a lot of battery storage with your two 200ah batteries. If you are somewhat conservative with power I don’t think you will need a generator. If you want to use the microwave or ac you will need the generator. I would get a hard start capacitor for your ac and a 2000w Honda or similar generator if desired.
I installed our battery near the cutoff switch below the bed. It is too expensive a battery to leave out.
When towing your alternator will work really hard to charge your batteries if they are not fully charged. You will need a dc-dc converter between your alternator and your battery to limit the current draw from the alternator. Renogy and Vitron make them. Hope this helps.
Scott

[Marine359]

I’ve not found it necessary to buy an expensive dc/dc charging system for our Micro Minnie. If your tow vehicle is relatively new, it has a smart alternator, which will not send more than 3-5amps through the 7-pin connector. This means if you depart with a full LFP battery charge, the alternator will run your 12v compressor fridge just fine. If you’re less than 100% SOC, the alternator will keep your battery at the same SOC but will not provide additional charge amperage to your LFP battery. No danger to the tv alternator with LFP. We’ve been towing without dc/dc for 2 years, no problems. IMHO, money better spent on 200w of solar, which will charge while you’re driving when battery voltage drops d below 90% SOC.

[jackbat]

Thank you all, yes the new batteries are LiFeP04. Our tow vehicle is an old one. A 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 liter hemi with a tow package. Do you think it's necessary for a dc/dc charger with that old of a truck? We will upgrade it on the next year or two, just trying to squeeze every last drop out of it lol.