Installing new LiFePo4 200ah battery

[ris]

After repainting all the black on our 26X and installing new rub rail we installed a new Power Queen 200 AH LiFePo4 battery.
We removed 2 of our 6 volt Trojan 105 batteries and installed this Power Queen 200AH which only weighs 44 lbs. The 2 trojan 105's weigh 125 lbs. A bit of a weight savings. We had 2 reasons besides reducing weight. The 105's are 10 years old and we use them about 7 months each year. Reason 2 is that my wife bought this battery for $59 yes $59 on a Lightening deal on amazon.(just checked this battery is $389 at Walmart) What a deal. We are still using 2 of the 105's as a start battery plus the 105's have 225 AH's of which we can use 112 AH's if we need to. The lead and lithium batteries are kept totally separated. In fact we would disconnect the lithium before using the 105s to power the house. Last summer we bought a new Sterling power 30 amp smart charger. This will charge the new lithium battery and our 175 watt solar panel will charge it also. We also have a 25 amp battery to battery charger that can charge the lithium also. We are installing a Renogy battery monitor with shunt to monitor the power on the lithium battery.
If all goes well we will pull the Mac to Fort Edward NY, launch the boat on the Champlain canal, travel on Lake Champlain, cross into Canada, go through Chambly Canal, on to Sorel on the Saint Lawrence, to Montreal, Ottawa River to Ottawa, Rideau Canal to Kingston. Trailer boat from Kingston to somewhere on Georgian Bay, put boat back in the water and spend a month or so on Georgian Bay. The Trent-Severn Waterway goes to Georgian bay but there are 45 or so locks and you would have to travel both ways for a total of 90 locks if you go both ways. We have traveled the Trent 4 times.
Our electrical board on the Mac now has a 30 amp charger, battery monitor, solar controller, and a battery to battery charger. Will take a pic when I finish tomorrow.
Hopefully a nice summer cruise

[Russ]

Nice.

Next time she sees a lightning deal like that, let us know.

[Be Free]

You know what they say about great minds...

I pulled 4 golf cart batteries (almost identical to the T105) out of Simple Interest yesterday (around 250 pounds). I used (abused) mine a bit more and only got 8 years out of them.

My new lithium batteries will arrive sometime today. The two new batteries weigh about the same as one of the lead batteries and give just a bit less than 50% more capacity. Oh, and they cost less.

[pleb222]

Also went lithium for the house bank 4 years ago. Renogy has a dc-dc 50 amp dual charger that is very neet. It's a single unit, it isolates your lead starting battery, it will take current from both the alternator and solar to a max of 50 amps combined, and will trickle charge the starter battery from the solar panels. I've had it for 4 years, it's been very reliable, it's a very simple setup, fewer connections, less upfront cost, heavily recommend! https://www.renogy.com/dcc50s-12v-50a-d ... with-mppt/

[ris]

Thanks for the info Pleb. We bought our Battery to Battery charger some years ago so we already owned it. So below is our finished DC component Board.


Top row Left Sterling Power 30 amp smart charger
top row right Renogy battery monitor
2nd row right 12volt socket double USB
3rd row right Rich Solar 20 amp solar controller attached to 175Watt solar panel on dodger
4th row right Sterling Power 30 amp Battery to Battery Charger (goes from start battery, 2 trojan 105 six volt batteries, to 200 amp hr LiFePo4
battery)
Wish I could draw electrical diagram. It all works.