RV FEATURE
LITHIUM: LET’S
GET PHYSICAL
IN PART TWO OF OUR SIX-PART SERIES
ON LITHIUM BATTERIES, WE LOOK AT
THEIR SHAPE, SIZE AND WHERE THEY
CAN BE STORED IN AN RV.
It’s no secret that not many of us pack in a
‘minimalist’ fashion when we head off. When
towing a caravan or camper, we tend to just
throw it in ‘just in case’.
But are we really being mindful of what all that
extra gear weighs? Not only is it holidaymakers
and explorers who need to be mindful of this, but
also the manufacturers of the RVs.
Aware that customers expect more and more
features in their RVs, we are finding manufacturers
adding in every possible option for customers
who don’t want to go without.
In fact, why should they? Manufacturers are now
considering their prototype designs with weight
minimisation front of mind. RVs that are optioned
up to include everything can also have lithium
batteries as part of a ‘minimum’ setup.
Not only do we as RVers want to take everything
with us, we also want the power to last forever.
Lithium batteries get closer to providing this.
Lithium batteries have the ability to discharge
to 10-20 per cent remaining capacity, recharge
super-fast, and they last seemingly forever
compared to AGMs. The real bonus is that all this
power comes in a package the same size as
a standard lead acid battery that weighs half
as much.
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LITHIUM BATTERIES
PART 2
In terms of where they can be mounted in an RV,
the same rules that apply for lead acid batteries
apply for lithium batteries. The added advantage
with lithium: they can be stored on any angle
– there is no need for them to remain upright
as there is no liquid electrolyte moving around
between cathode and anode.
For RV manufacturers, this offers flexibility in
design options. As with lead acid batteries, good
electrical design principles apply; however, we
would recommend that batteries are as close to
the charger as possible to reduce voltage drop
and also the installation of a 30-40A fuse in the
positive line.
It is not a coincidence that lithium batteries were
structurally designed such that their form, fit and
function matched that of a 12V lead acid battery.
One big exception: because lithium batteries use
electronics to manage and control their internal
cells, they can’t tolerate the heat that would come
from being placed under the bonnet of a vehicle,
so they can’t be used in a dual battery setup for
under-bonnet applications.
– David Bayliss, BMPRO ambassador