Buy a FLX or standard Micro Minnie 2108FBS?

[Bowhnt_01]

Hello all,

I am so new to the travel trailer community, I dont even have one....YET. With that being said, I am close on purchasing and Micro Minnie. I keep tossing around the FLX package or the standard package. I will be boondocking with it around 50% of the time. Does anyone have experience with this unit or other 2100 series? I have done quite a bit of research on it but if anyone has experience with this unit I would sure appreciate any help / information. Thank you so much.

Bowhnt_01

[Eagle5]

Greetings Bow Hunter,
Just out of curiosity, what is the price difference?
I can boondock just fine, but I'm running my generator a couple of times per day to run the microwave and top-off the lead-acid batteries.
Welcome to the forum.
Eagle5

[Bowhnt_01]

Hey there Eagle5,

I'm glad to hear you can boondock just fine with a generator. The price difference between the 2 packages on used T.T is usually between 2,000 and 5,000. The availability between the 2 is huge though. It is so much easier to find a standard package 2108 fbs.

Thanks,
Bowhnt_01

[Eagle5]

Good morning Bowhnt_01,
To be honest, I am not a big fan of Lithium Ion batteries. Aside from the increased cost associated with them, sometimes the batteries catch on fire and cannot be extinguished. That happened to a motorhome to one of my neighbors, and its smoldering remains still haunt me. It almost caught his house on fire too, but fortunately the Fire Department saved the house (although it was damaged.)
Samsung is working on a new Silver/Carbon - Lithium battery with solid-state "electrolyte," which has double the capacity of Lithium Ion and extremely low recharging resistance (hence they are more efficient.) They are completely recyclable, which also solves the other major problem with Lithium Ion. As far as I am concerned, the old systems using Lead-acid batteries with a generator are safer, cheaper, and more reliable.
Eagle5

[creativepart]

The Lithionics battery in the FLX is UL Tested and Approved. It is a different chemistry than a Lithium ION battery in an EV car. The Lithium IRON PHOSPHATE chemistry in virtually ALL RV battery applications is not subject to the same kind of thermal runaway that sometimes is seen in Lithium ION battery products.

A motorhome/trailer is vastly more likely to burn to the ground from it's absorption refrigerator than from any LFP battery.

Outside of the comment from Eagle5 I've not ever seen any documented reports of a Lithium IRON PHOSPHATE battery burning down an RV. There is likely an explanation to the instance reported above. Before LFP batteries were mainstream there were thousands of DIYers that built their own batteries out of old EV car batteries or LI cells from a Chinese supplier. So, who knows why Eagle5's neighbor's RV had this issue.

Such worries are not a valid reason to not buy a RV with a Lithium IRON PHOSTPHATE (LFP) battery system. Especially with the UL Tested and Approved Lithionics batteries in the FLX.

[creativepart]

Some battery chemistry info:

Phosphate-based batteries offer superior chemical and mechanical structure that does not overheat to unsafe levels. Thus, providing an increase in safety over lithium-ion batteries made with other cathode materials. This is because the charged and uncharged states of LiFePO4 are physically similar and highly robust, which lets the ions remain stable during the oxygen flux that happens alongside charge cycles or possible malfunctions.

Overall, the iron phosphate-oxide bond is stronger than the cobalt-oxide bond, so when the battery is overcharged or subject to physical damage then the phosphate-oxide bond remains structurally stable; whereas in other lithium chemistries the bonds begin breaking down and releasing excessive heat, which eventually leads to thermal Runaway.

Lithium phosphate cells are incombustible, which is an important feature in the event of mishandling during charging or discharging. They can also withstand harsh conditions, be it freezing cold, scorching heat or rough terrain. When subjected to hazardous events, such as collision or short-circuiting, they won’t explode or catch fire, significantly reducing any chance of harm.

If you’re selecting a lithium battery and anticipate use in hazardous or unstable environments, LiFePO4 is likely your best choice. It’s also worth mentioning, LiFePO4 batteries are non-toxic, non-contaminating and contain no rare earth metals, making them an environmentally conscious choice.