Solar & Lithium Powered Camper

Can you easily switch your existing lead acid deep cell batteries to lithium and charge them with solar?

Challenge: You currently have a setup with two 6-volt flooded lead-acid batteries connected in series to power your 12-volt truck camper system. Now, you’re looking to upgrade your power system by transitioning to lithium batteries and integrating a couple of solar panels for improved efficiency and sustainability.

Planning:

1. Charging Considerations: Given the different charging requirements of lithium batteries compared to lead-acid, how should you approach the installation to ensure the correct charging regimen for your lithium batteries?
2. Battery Capacity Sizing: What is the existing storage capacity of your lead-acid batteries, and how can you determine the appropriate lithium battery capacity to match or approximate the performance of your lead-acid setup?
3. Solar Panel Integration: What specific components and devices are essential for adding solar panels to your camper’s power system, such as solar panels themselves, charge controllers, and any necessary wiring?
4. System Monitoring: How can you establish a comprehensive monitoring system to keep track of the overall health and performance of your camper’s power system, encompassing both the lithium batteries and the solar panels?

Solution:

1. Remove Old Batteries: Begin by disconnecting and removing the old batteries from your camper’s battery compartment.
2. Install Victron Smart Shunt: Next, install a Victron Smart Shunt to enable comprehensive monitoring of your power system.
3. Integrate Victron Solar Controller: Incorporate a Victron solar controller into the system to effectively manage the output of the new solar panels and ensure the correct parameters are configured for charging lithium batteries.
4. Add Solar Panels: Install two 200-watt solar panels on the camper’s roof and carefully route the cables from the panels into the battery compartment.
5. Cable Connection: Reconnect the cables to their respective locations with the correct polarity, ensuring a secure and proper connection.
6. Testing: Thoroughly test the entire setup, including the solar panels, Victron equipment, and existing shore power or generator hookups, to verify the functionality and compatibility of all components.

By following these steps, you can successfully upgrade your camper’s power system while ensuring safe and efficient operation.