Micro Minnie 2108 - lithium battery and other electrical upgrades

[Marine359]

Yes, my shunt shows 1.5 amps, and .45 amps for vampire loads. I dunno how your Xantrex doesn’t draw any power in standby. I had believed that all inverters consume power in standby. Maybe that’s a new feature of the Pro series. I wouldn’t be able to understand how an inverter does not use power in standby. It has to keep its circuits active and ready to immediately supply ac when a load is detected. Do you have your Xantrex negative connected to load side of shunt? I suppose I’ll have to go download the 3000 Pro manual to understand why your Xantrex does not appear to draw power in standby.

Article: https://powmr.com/blogs/news/how-muc...w-with-no-load

[No1Hunter]

Well, maybe I don't have it configured the same as you, as it seems my button on my remote panel is an on/off switch. Push it and the clock on the microwave comes on, push it again and the clock goes off. While off, it draws nothing. So, I have to turn the inverter on, via the switch on the remote panel, to get power, which is how I wanted it.

Yes, all negatives are on the load side of the shunt, including the XC3000 Pro.

[Marine359]

Aha Bob,
I thought I knew my XC2000 pretty well, but Took the liberty to actually read the owners manuals for both the XC2000 and XC3000Pro, and learned about a feature I’ve never used called power save. I’ve never used it because I just got in the habit of shutting off my inverter disconnect switch. I guess the power save feature can be set to automatic such that the inverter will shut down after a specified amount of time, and after that it will only periodically check for ac loads. So if your Pro is in Power Save mode, then there wouldn’t be a standby load. I don’t think I’d like to use that feature, because in Power Save mode, I’m guessing you have to somehow wake it up, and it wouldn’t respond to a load instantaneously. I dunno, gotta give this a try.

[No1Hunter]

Both the Power Save Timer and the Power Save Mode (load sensing) are off on my unit. That way, there is absolutely no drain on my batteries from the inverter.

When boondocking, I want to wake it up when I want it. My wife gets up, pushes the button on the remote panel, brews herself a cup of coffee, make a piece of toast, and then turns it off. When I get up, she repeats the process. It kind of took the place of getting up, going out & starting the generator, do what you need to do, go back out and turn it off. It would appear the way your process works, you need to go out and turn on your disconnect switch to get AC. Personally, I like just pushing a button inside the TT to get AC.

For all practicable purposes, we don't hook up to shore power and really don't need instant power conversion if the shore power fails. Not at this point, anyway.

[Marine359]

Maybe. But, I’m old and can hardly read the remote panel at all. I mounted it too low in the doorway. And the app Bluetooth drops as soon as I go more than a few feet away. So doing a disconnect is like dialing an old rotary telephone, but I’m out there checking stuff anyway, and it gives me failsafe confidence.

[No1Hunter]

I put my panel right up next to the microwave. FYI - the button to push is the only round one on the panel! LOL

[Marine359]

Good move Bob.
I took the short cut and mounted under the entryway ac outlet. Sucks for me.

[BigE]

Catching up to this post. Power saver on inverter is a highlight find.

Bob and or Shelly,

Lots to unpack in that other thread regarding the upgrade. Thanks a bunch for the link. I guess I need to decide what the best way to boondock is given the features I am getting and what I want to add. Then plan the upgrade.

For example, maybe using propane in the boondock situation is better than the 12V DC generator. I should probably just select that mode or add 50am hour battery demand per day and account for that in the battery calcs. Leaning towards just plain old propane.

If you want Alternating Current or full power for Microwave, maybe just run the generator.

Everything else runs off the battery and/or propane.

The above is probably the simplest.

Alternately for Microwave, maybe an inverter is a very desirable convenience. I think this is probably one of the most important reasons to have that inverter, along with a blow dryer and a coffee maker or toaster. I guess those is quite a few reasons.

The next step up would be the inverter.

For everything else, the DC from the solar powered battery bank if properly sized would be good except for the very longest periods of clouds.


Looks like potentially a two-step process.

Step one migrate to LiFeP04.
Keep stock 110/12V Controller and charger, upgrade line from charger to battery, and install the LiFePo4 batteries along with an MPPT solar controller and as many panels as I desire pending fit. I think two 400 watts fit fine.

Step two install an inverter and all the appurtenances for the convenience of 110 for all gadgets except Air Conditioning. Potentially install a new controller.

I could deploy step one and two at the same time.

Is this about, right?

[No1Hunter]

Keep stock 110/12V Controller and charger,

Be sure to find out if your original converter/charger is LiFoPo4 compatible. That is what pushed to towards my inverter/charger.

We also run our TV and DVD player off the inverter, though I had already solved that issue using a portable inverter and installing a heavy-duty 12v socket in the side of the cabinet next to the TV. But now I just keep the TV plugged in.

For everything else, the DC from the solar powered battery bank if properly sized would be good except for the very longest periods of clouds.

Or shade. Our last outing was a 4 day - 3 night adventure and our site was in the trees and shady. We were not able to recover any power usage with our panels. But, we had plenty of power to do what ever we wanted to do.

[BigE]

Ahah,

Shade. The antidote of which is the generator. I am looking at your thread closely over the next couple of days.

[Old Navy]

Originally Posted by BigE

Ahah,

Shade. The antidote of which is the generator. I am looking at your thread closely over the next couple of days.

Generators really are a great solution. And I really do like camping where shade is plentiful. On my last trip, there was no unshaded ground for at least 30 feet around my trailer for a ground array to sit. Small 2000-2500W "suitcase" inverter generators that are super light and quiet aren't so intrusive to peace and enjoyment of the outdoors, and easy on space and your back.

[No1Hunter]

Originally Posted by BigE

Ahah,

Shade. The antidote of which is the generator. I am looking at your thread closely over the next couple of days.

Shade = cooler trailer little solar
Sun = hot trailer but solar power

So far, we have not had to deploy our generator, not like last year with our single lead/acid battery!

Let me know if you have any questions are read the thread.

[No1Hunter]

Originally Posted by Old Navy

Generators really are a great solution. And I really do like camping where shade is plentiful. On my last trip, there was no unshaded ground for at least 30 feet around my trailer for a ground array to sit. Small 2000-2500W "suitcase" inverter generators that are super light and quiet aren't so intrusive to peace and enjoyment of the outdoors, and easy on space and your back.

I have a 3500/4000w dual-fuel generator that fits my needs. Yes, it is heavier than your suitcase but having a pickup, we leave strapped in the back next to the cab and run if from there. That even makes it more quite as the sound is directed up.

[RocknRoll]

I have a very limited setup consisting of a single 100AH LiFeP04 and 600W inverter that is used to keep my inside electronics charged. Externally, I have a 1000W PowerStation with a folding 200W solar panel which is used for charging my e-bike, powering my portable fridge/freezer and my coffee maker (I also carry a spare E-bike battery).

I can comfortably boondock 2-3 days depending on available sunshine and the water/dump tank(s) level. However, with the prices of LiFeP04 now, I'm probably going to perform an upgrade in the near future and considering purchasing this battery x2 in parallel:

https://www.amazon.com/MINI-LiFePO4-...1zcF9hdGY&th=1

[BigE]

2108_FBS,

I am back. I am picking up my 2023 2108 TB in a couple of days.

I have decided to copy your upgrade to the solar system. I am thinking of purchasing a GoPower 190 watt panel. I am worried about compatibility so I am using the same GoPower brand that is on the trailer. I am unsure why I can't match the stock 200 watt panel. Anyone know if there are any available in the market? If not, then what lower cost panel would be compatable with the stock panel?

I purchased an overkill Westinghouse 4500i generator with remote. I will run it on propane. Propane lowers the output and I don't want to take any chances with the AC in the Florida climate. I don't plan on having an inverter and the generator satisfies a need and gives me options on a shaded site. If I need to run the microwave, blow dryer for my wife, or coffee maker I will push the remote on the generator and run it for a brief period of time.

I reside in S. Florida, N. Carolina and Montana. The latter needs high altitude capability, so I went for the 12v dc fridge. I purchased a high altitude kit for the generator.

I am purchasing a 400 ah LiFePo4 battery. I am using a single battery to reduce weight. Even so it is 86 pounds.

I am likely replacing the AC TV with a 12V or purchasing a converter for the TV. Need to see what is in the unit when I pick it up.

The biggest question I have is the capability of the stock charger on the unit. It can probably detect the LiFePo4 battery, but I am concerned that the charge time will be very slow due to a limitation in the amp produced for the charge. Does anyone have any information on this? Can you just swap out the charger on these units and preserve the balance of the equipment?

Thanks in advance for any help.

No inverter for now. Maybe forever.

[Marine359]

Can you find the model number of the WFCO OEM charger. Many Auto-detect chargers have a max charge output of 30 amps. With 400ah battery, it would take 13 hours to charge from zero to 100%. There may be a board swap upgrade for the WFCO. I dunno. But there are other chargers that can go to 80 amps or higher. I charge at 70 amps on SP or generator.

[BigE]

Marine359,

Thanks for the guidance. I don't know which board the new 2023 uses. Maybe someone out here knows. I hope that it is not limited to 30 amps. If so, I would try to upgrade that board if it is a viable DYI project. I think my strategy is okay without the inverter. I just am redescent to do a whole bunch of rewiring if I have the generator around anyways to run the AC in the hot south. The other appliances would be very short run times. If I can get an upgraded charger, that would be wonderful and the upgrade would be rather easy.

[Marine359]

Even if it’s 30 amps, remember, on a FLX, you have 380w (I think) of solar. That much solar produces over 1Kw on a sunny day. More than enough to “top off” your Lithionics.

[BigE]

Too cheap to get a FLX. I figured I could save a little money. Hopefully someone will chime on the model number. I have begun purchasing stuff and started with a nice MPPT controller to swap out the one on the base without Flex unit. So far I picked up an EPEVER Tracer 40 am controller. Plus the generator. If I could just get a little more juice than 30 amps if that is indeed the limit it would be fine. Looking for a suitable and GoPower compatible panel for less than a GoPower

[Marine359]

The only difference between a FLX and an upgraded Micro Minnie are the Truma components. If you don’t want or need Truma gear, you can buy a Micro Minnie For $10K less and upgrade it for $4K to the same level as a FLX. 300ah LiFePo4, Xantrex XC2000, 400w roof solar, and a side port with its own mppt controller. But buying a FLX is the easy path.