Recreational Vehicles
RV Batteries provide the heart and soul of your off-grid or boondocking/dry camping experience while on the road. Most RVs and 5th wheel campers come with space for 1 or 2 house batteries (i.e. the battery that drives the 12v appliances inside) typically on the tongue, tucked under the stairs or in a side compartment of the vehicle for venting (lead batteries should not be in a fully enclosed space). Many campers also have batteries strapped in boxes at the tongue of the trailer hitch frame, leaving them very exposed to the elements and potential theft.
Here at Mac's, in addition to lead acid RV batteries, we carry a wide array of lithium alternatives that are better suited for energy storage. There are many benefits of a lithium conversion. Foremost is capacity and longevity. Lithium batteries can last 3-5 times longer than lead when taken care of properly. By size, a lithium battery is also much more energy dense, meaning a significantly lighter battery with more useable capacity by about 1/3rd the weight. The conversion process typically involves moving your main set of DC cables, finding the optimal location to secure the battery and other components indoors ( i.e. under a bed, in a cabinet, or under a seat). This makes things much less prone to bugs/dirt/salt/moisture/rust and corrosion. All of which any battery system exposed to will cause reduced system stabiltiy.
RVs/Trailers Conversion
Almost all current non lithium based RVs and Trailers need to have a few more parts installed in order to use lithium safely.
- DC/DC amp limiting converter.
- It is very important to limit the amount of current that can flow from the vehicle's alternator to your lithium battery. Lithium is a low resistance battery, so it will take all of the current it can, which if not limited can over-amp the wire between itself and the alternator causing alternator failure or fire.
- Relay or Isolator between vehicle and lithium batteries.
- It is sometimes important to put a device in place that will not allow energy to flow from the starting battery back to the lithium when the vehicle is off. This prevents potential over draining of the starting battery, which could keep the vehicle from starting.
Common RV electrical setup
Options for Adding an Inverter to RV setup
Inverter Charger
Pros:
- Easy Charging and maintenance of battery via configuration on inverter/charger
- No extra transfer boxes, ac load centers or chargers required
Cons:
- Single Main inverter is your total limiting watt bandwidth (i.e. 2000w inverter means 2000w total draw from ac panel)
Second AC Load Center
Pros:
- fast installation, no changes to existing wiring setup
Cons:
- time spent pulling the ac circuits
Double Transfer AC
Pros:
Easy to rewire
Cons:
50A or 30A Transfer Switches cost
Common RV Battery Sizes/Capacity
Group 24
Our Group 24RV batteries from BCI have a dimension of (L x W x H) 10.25 x 6.8125 x 8.875 inches (260 x 173 x 225 mm). This is a deep cycle marine battery designed for off-grid energy applications. We offer some of the highest quality group 24 batteries in flooded sealed maintenance free lead around.
- 75AH of tested real capacity from 100%-0% @ 88 degrees Fahrenheit
- ~48AH of tested real capacity @ 50 degrees
- High Calcium Maintenance Free
Group 27
The other most common group size is the 27RV. These are also deep cycle maintenance free and have a slightly wider footprint and slightly higher energy capacity than their 24 brothers. On average, group 27 battery dimensions measures 12.06 x 6.81 x 8.87 inches roughly.
- 100AH of tested real capacity from 100%-0% @ 88 degrees fahrenheit.
- ~66AH of tested real capacity @ 50 degrees
- High Calcium Maintenance Free
Group 24RV - Lithium Phosphate
Designed to be a drop in replacement size for the Group 24 battery. These little lithium batteries pack a punch with these specs:
- 78AH of real capacity from 100%-0% (no negative effects from using the entire range like lead)
- Military grade lithium phosphate cells for a bulletproof long life experience
- Sealed ABS plastic case for outdoor weather resistance
- 5/16" terminal studs for easy use and high amp output
Group 27RV - Lithium Phosphate
Designed to be a drop in replacement size for the Group 27 battery. These little lithium batteries pack a punch with these specs:
- 100AH of real capacity from 100%-0% (no negative effects from using the entire range like lead)
- Military grade lithium phosphate cells for a bulletproof long life experience
- 200A capable BMS (battery management system) with bluetooth to manage (iphone and android compatible)
- 3/8" brass terminal studs for easy use and high amp output
There are also lots of options if you have more space. Check out our Lithium Page for all our options.