I wrote my first article about doing a lithium battery upgrade on my travel trailer last September. If you read my original article, Lithium battery upgrades for beginners, you know I opted to try out LiTime 12V 100Ah TM LiFePO4 lithium batteries. This particular battery was recommended to me by LiTime because it continues to function well in lower temperatures.
Check out that article, because doing a lithium battery upgrade involves more than just swapping out one battery for another. The post has a lot of basic but essential information. It also goes into the benefits of upgrading to lithium batteries and how, even though the initial cost of the batteries might be higher than lead acid (and not by much in the case of LiTime), because of their efficiency and longevity, lithium batteries are far less expensive over time.
At the time I needed new batteries but was short on funds. My buddy and RVtravel.com writer, RV repair guru Dave Solberg had been hearing good things about LiTime lithium batteries and he was curious to talk to someone he knew who had hands-on experience.
This is how I came to choose LiTime for my battery upgrade. I reasoned that in the worst-case scenario, they couldn’t be any worse than my worn-down, old lead acid batteries. And in the best-case scenario, I might love them.
After using them for four months, I am happy to report that I LOVE my LiTime lithium batteries!
Now, I can’t yet give you a long-term review because I have only been using them since September. However, I have done a fair amount of extended off-grid boondocking during that period and I have to say their performance has been everything I had hoped for and more.
Providing these batteries last anywhere near as long as the company claims, I can’t see a reason to spend $900 or more for a better-known brand. Not to mention, LiTime has been around for over a decade now, so they are hardly an unknown entity.
With the DC to DC charger (see below) the batteries charge fast while I am driving.
Not only that, my 200-watt Ugreen portable solar panel also recharges these batteries in just a few hours.
I got into a rhythm while boondocking. Put up a solar panel for about three to four hours every two days to recharge back to 100%. With this system, even accounting for some rainy and windy days when I could not use the portable solar panel, my batteries never went below 80%. In fact, they have not gone below 80% since they’ve been installed. But I am a big believer in the ABC method of boondocking (Always Be Charging).
LiTime lithium battery accessories
I talk more about lithium battery accessories in my Lithium battery upgrade post. Depending on the age of your RV and its converter, you may or may not have to upgrade the converter in your rig.
You will likely need a DC-to-DC charger in order to efficiently charge your batteries when driving.
You will also need a battery monitor with a shunt, and, trust me, you will LOVE having this, especially if all you are used to is the monitor that came with your RV: Charging, Good, Fair, and Dead!
The battery monitor tells you exactly how much power you have left. And unlike lead acid batteries, you can drain lithium batteries far lower without damaging them. Technically you could go down to 0, although this is not recommended. I would try not to go below 20% as a best practice tip.
The battery monitor also shows you other important data including battery voltage/current/power and capacity, remaining charge/discharge time, charge/discharge indicator, and capacity percent.
What I especially like about LiTime 12V 100Ah TM LiFePO4 lithium batteries and accessories
- They are extremely economical. Depending on the sale you get, not much more than a decent lead acid battery, yet they are lighter, more efficient, and will last FAR longer. As I write this, the batteries are on sale at Amazon for $289. Amazon’s prices change all the time, check today’s price here, but know these batteries regularly go on sale at Amazon.
- LiTime lithium batteries are eco-friendly, containing no toxic lead, acid, or heavy metals.
- The LiTime BMS (battery management system) features triple protection against dust, water, and salt spray, as well as 100% full protection against overcharging, over-discharging, over-current, overheating, and short circuits.
- This rugged heavy-duty battery is designed for harsh environments such as rainy or marine, or dusty and wet conditions.
- The advanced built-in TVS provides superior protection against voltage spikes and surges for upgraded shock resistance
- Uses Grade A LiFePO4 cells for exceptional quality, higher energy density, and greater power, certified by UL testing for the highest level of safety.
- The 12V 100Ah TM LiFePO4 battery has an impressive 10-year lifespan, with 4000+ cycles @ 100% DOD (6000 cycles @ 80% DOD, 15000 cycles @ 60% DOD). In contrast, lead-acid/SLA/AGM batteries typically only last for three years with 200-500 cycles.
- The battery monitor has a backlight for easy reading at night.
- When the voltage/capacity is lower than the set value, the battery monitor LCD display will flash, and the buzzer will alarm on the monitor every 10 seconds.
- With the optional DC-to-DC charger installed, my LiTime lithium batteries charge far faster than my old lead acid batteries ever did.
- Lithium phosphate battery cell composition is the safest type of lithium battery.
- Ease of installation. The RV battery specialist who did the installation of my batteries and accessories had never worked with LiTime before, but he came away from the job impressed. In fact, he said the DC to DC charger and battery monitor were all “plug and play,” unlike the brands he had been installing. This made installation quick and easy.
- I am not saying I would ever do this, but it’s nice to have options. These batteries are expandable up to 4 in series and 4 in parallel (Max 4S4P), the 12V 100Ah TM LiFePO4 battery can build a 48V 400Ah system for max. 20.48kWh energy and 20.48kW load power.
- 5-year warranty and customer service!
What can be improved?
So far I have not found anything to complain about. The LiTime lithium batteries work even better than I expected. I love the speed at which they charge via both 12-volt and solar. And the battery monitor is invaluable.
If my LiTime lithium batteries last anywhere near as long as the company claims, I am one happy camper!
Shop for LiTime lithium batteries
- Shop for LiTime 12V 100Ah TM LiFePO4 lithium batteries at the LiTime website.
- Shop for 12V 100Ah TM LiFePO4 lithium batteries on Amazon.
- Shop for LiTime lithium battery accessories on Amazon.
##RVT1142
We have certainly not regretted our switch to LiPos. There’s a bit of a learning curve for charging and cold weather use, but we’ve eliminated that by not traveling in cold weather. 😀
I have been in a fair amount of cold weather (just around the freezing mark) with these and no issues.
These should have a manufacturers specification regarding lowest/highest allowed temperature for charging/discharging. Renogy and Battleborn both specify charging at no lower than 32° F.
They do. I just bought 2 x 230 ah batteries from Li Time. Installation later this week to replace 4 x Trojan AGM batteries that lasted 4.5 years.
Thank you, Cheri! Please update your review over the next several months as you are able. Our AGM batteries are less than 2 years of age, but I plan to replace them with lithium batteries (and do the necessary associated upgrades, changes) when their performance falls considerably. So, I read all lithium battery reviews that I find. Thank you for adding to my knowledge! 🙂 Safe travels!
While LiFePO4 batteries do accept charging current faster up to an 80-percent charged state than lead acid batteries, I wonder if it is a fair comparison to charging lead batteries without a DC-to-DC charger, to charging lithium batteries with a DC-to-DC charger? It seams both battery chemistries should be compared to similar charging conditions.
I’m confused, you keep touting the word batteries, my RV has only one.
What is your setup and what is your usage, and how many batteries are you using?
What are your power requirements? What are the watt hours of 100ah Li Batteries
that you system requires? Too much missing information in your article.
My travel trailer, like many, has two batteries from the factory. If yours has one, you can replace the one. I don’t see that my personal system requirements are all that relevant, they are the same as the vast majority of average size travel trailers.
In the northeast most dealers install one battery, but in many areas like Washington state they install two batteries. In some areas like northwest US. RVers boondocks and need two or more batteries. i bought two travel trailers in Pa and they both came with one AGM battery. I just bought a Outdoors RV from Washington state and it came with 2 lead acid batteries.
You can put as many batteries together as you want. It depends on the voltage you want. 100 amp hour battery at 12 volts is 1200 watts or 2400 watts for two batteries hooked Parallel. Two 100 amp hour 12 volt battery hooked in series will be 24 volts or 100 amps. You can do what many of us do is research information on the internet. That’s where I got this information and I’m researching to install solar. People who boondock like lithium batteries because you can use most of the amps. Plus with DC fridges you need larger capacity batteries. When using wet cell and AGM batteries many claim you can use only 50% of the battery. Always check voltage & be careful working with power.
Glad to hear that a much lower cost Li alternative is available!
Regarding Lithium batteries being “Eco friendly,” as you state: information abounds about the negative and far reaching environmental impacts of lithium mining. I’m attaching one such article that seems pretty balanced to me as it discusses the negatives, but also what should be done to mitigate some of the issues.
https://enviroliteracy.org/how-does-lithium-mining-affect-the-environment/
Not long ago I saw an interview with an honest mining executive in charge of establishing a lithium mine in Nevada. He was brutally honest about the environmental impacts. It’s not an Eco friendly process!