Lithium winter storage

[Steph and Dud B]

Considering Lithium batteries. It's my understanding that lithium batteries can be stored in sub-freezing conditions, but you can't charge them below freezing without damaging them. I don't think there's a stock battery cutoff switch. Is there a way to disable the solar charger? Or do you just disconnect the battery cables for the winter/install your own cutoff switch? 

[John E Davies]

59 minutes ago, Steph and Dud B said:

Or do you just disconnect the battery cables for the winter/install your own cutoff switch? 

So far, that seems to be your options. You can very easily install a manual reset circuit breaker for the solar positive wire, you can trip it by pushing the red button. Oliver used to publish detailed wiring diagrams, but that stopped several years ago, now all they have are crude “component location” ones. They seem to have become reluctant to include wiring layouts. This has been much discussed here…..Also FYI with the lithium option they do not connect the 7 pin “truck charge” wire since the batteries can be damaged (or it can damage your TV alternator itself). It is a work in progress, I personally would NOT buy either factory package. If you are skilled and willing, you can install your own lithium system.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Swamp]

This is funny. I just sent Oliver an email asking for information on the proper way to pickle the LE II electrical system. There is a switch in my 2021 Le II upper aft drivers storage, aft wall of the pantry. But I am not 100% sure how this switch is wired to the trailer system electrical. Per the Battery MFG, the batteries can go 90 days without charging if 100 % charged at the time of shutdown.

Pat

[rideandfly]

We don't have factory installed solar charging on our Ollie. I installed a master disconnect switch with the Battle Born system for storage when Ollie is not in use.

Here's a Battle Born video about storage:

 

[Steph and Dud B]

 

51 minutes ago, John E Davies said:

If you are skilled and willing, you can install your own lithium system.

Yes. I read that thread about the factory lithium systems. For us, I think the factory system might be adequate for a couple of reasons. First, we'll be taking possession while still working, so won't have a lot of free time to work on building my own system. Second, while we do plan to boondock, especially after retirement, we don't plan any extended boondocking. Probably 3-5 days before hitting a full hookup campground to refill/recharge as needed. Thinking the 390 AH factory lithium package is probably overkill for our needs but we want the option to extend a boondock a bit or to run the A/C while stopped at a rest area. Looks like I will be putting in a cutoff switch.

55 minutes ago, John E Davies said:

they do not connect the 7 pin “truck charge” wire

Saw that, too. Doesn't concern me too much. I always considered that more of a trickle charge than anything else. Hoping the solar would be more useful for charging while driving, at least on nice days.

Hoping my thought process isn't too far off here.

[John E Davies]

28 minutes ago, Steph and Dud B said:

Saw that, too. Doesn't concern me too much. I always considered that more of a trickle charge than anything else. Hoping the solar would be more useful for charging while driving, at least on nice days.

Hoping my thought process isn't too far off here.

In an ideal world, the sun would always shine fully on your roof, 16 hours per day, it would never get above 80 degrees F, and all the camprgrounds would be empty and free of charge…. Unfortunately, we can’t count on ideal solar conditions, in fact there will often be many days in a row with essentially zero solar gain, because of gloomy weather or a shaded campsite….. Connecting to shore power after several days of discharge will certainly work, but in the West that is not always practical, especially so in the last year. Campgrounds are packed, and finding a full hookup site at short notice maybe impossible on a weekend. Most National Park and Monument campgrounds do not have any hookups. This is why you bring a good sized generator, you hope you won’t need it, but when you do, it is simple enough to run it for a few hours. If all your camping will be done in the East, finding a hookup will not be an issue IF you have a reservation.

I installed a DC to DC charger, it provides 11 amps whenever the engine is running, it is far more than a trickle charge. Not ideal, for sure, for a big battery bank, but much better than zero amps. If you are willing to string large cables in your TV, and in the Ollie, you can install a much more robust charger.

We just came back from four weeks in BC and Yukon, in that time we had hookups perhaps 20% of the time. The last three weeks were very damp and gloomy, and solar was a big worry, but with the DC to DC charger, the batteries stayed acceptably charged, and I only had to run the generator (for charging) a couple of times. I ran it at the beginning of the trip a few times for cooling.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[Steph and Dud B]

All good points, John. We're hoping a lot of the newbie campers will have had enough of leaks and bugs in a couple of years and gone back to their hotels, opening up campsites again. We do have a 2000W Honda suitcase gen we were planning to carry. Most of our trips will be east of the Rockies, with a few jaunts out West again. We try to avoid commercial campgrounds on the weekends, preferring midweek when possible.