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Alaskaberrys 
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2016
Posts: 1061
Location: SE Alaska
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 Posted: Today 11:52 am Post subject: Replacing an AGM house battery with LiPo 50ah newbie Q |
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Hi, I just arrived in Fairbanks driving our â91 VW Westfalia up from SE Alaska to Fairbanks for a shakedown trip after it spent the last 4 years  in my shop getting repainted (will post the trip up soon!).
Picking up the wife and soon embarking on a couple week road trip toodeling around Alaska before heading back home to SE Alaska. And, as the old AGM house battery is pretty much toast I found a X2 50ah LiPo4 deep cycle battery at Batteries Plus up in Fairbanks.
https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/battery/rv/deep-cycle/12.8/slil12=50dcm=bt
Spendy, but getting these LiPo batteries shipped up to Alaska is a HUGE $$$ PIA and finding one that fits under the drivers seat here was unexpected.
My question is, as I donât have the Renogy DC/DC charger yet and likely wonât be able to install anyway till back home (that is the plan) what is the danger/issues with installing in with the current ZAMP SOLAR solar charger meant for AGM and conventional batteries? (100w portable panel - GoWesty kit from about 7 years ago. We also have a 100w fixed panel newly installed)
Will it overcharge? The X2 power has a Bluetooth BM system built in - would that protect it?
Or will it just undercharge?
Will it try to burn up the alternator or overheat the wiring from the alternator?
Or do I just be patient and transport the battery back home?
Thought about express mailing the Renogy up but adds even more crazy money to the mix.
Thanks for insights and common sense.
Mark
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'91 Westfalia, Bordeaux Red Pearl 2.1L 2wd Auto
'91 T3 Syncro Doka, Escorial Green 1.9L TD AAZ âGremianâ (to provoke, irritate, exasperate, vex...) |
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Crooked Designer
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Joined: March 22, 2018
Posts: 547
Location: Chicago, IL
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| Posted: Today 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: Replacing an AGM house battery with LiPo 50ah newbie Q |
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If it were me (and I'm the impatient type as well) I would figure out a way to change the solar controller settings manually. I would also NOT hook it up to the alternator the way you probably have your AGM hooked up.
Also, quick google search and found a place in Fairbanks that sells solar stuffs. Might be worth checking local places before figuring out a workaround. zero shipping is always the best.
Fairbanks: ABS Alaskan, Inc.
2128 Van Horn Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701
Hours: Mo-Fr 9am-6pm Sat 9am-3pm
Phone: (907) 452-2002
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'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit |
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 8366
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Today 12:20 pm Post subject: Re: Replacing an AGM house battery with LiPo 50ah newbie Q |
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| Crooked Designer wrote: |
| If it were me (and I'm the impatient type as well) I would figure out a way to change the solar controller settings manually. I would also NOT hook it up to the alternator... |
Ditto.
When I switched to LiFePO back in January, I left it disconnected from the alternator until I could get my DC-DC charger (Victron) installed. Did not want to risk damaging the van's electrical or the new battery.
My Renogy PWM solar controller, however, has the ability to change battery types. Despite being a handful of years old, it has a LiFePO4 setting. I'd check to see if the Zamp does as well before looking for replacements.
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~Kamz 
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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Crooked Designer
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2018
Posts: 547
Location: Chicago, IL
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| Posted: Today 12:36 pm Post subject: Re: Replacing an AGM house battery with LiPo 50ah newbie Q |
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| kamzcab86 wrote: |
My Renogy PWM solar controller, however, has the ability to change battery types. Despite being a handful of years old, it has a LiFePO4 setting. I'd check to see if the Zamp does as well before looking for replacements. |
Even if the Zamp does not have a lithium setting, if it has a manual mode where you can assign values, you should be good. I think you want 14.2-14.6v for bulk charging. I think that's the important one.
I have a Renogy Rover 40 MPPT solar controller and Battleborn 100ah LiFePo battery, but here are my settings per parameter I get from the Renogy app.
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'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit |
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Alaskaberrys
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2016
Posts: 1061
Location: SE Alaska
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| Posted: Today 12:36 pm Post subject: Re: Replacing an AGM house battery with LiPo 50ah newbie Q |
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| Crooked Designer wrote: |
If it were me (and I'm the impatient type as well) I would figure out a way to change the solar controller settings manually. I would also NOT hook it up to the alternator the way you probably have your AGM hooked up.
Also, quick google search and found a place in Fairbanks that sells solar stuffs. Might be worth checking local places before figuring out a workaround. zero shipping is always the best.
Fairbanks: ABS Alaskan, Inc.
2128 Van Horn Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701
Hours: Mo-Fr 9am-6pm Sat 9am-3pm
Phone: (907) 452-2002 |
Thanks, Iâll look into disconnecting the alternator as an option if I canât get a DC/DC charger locally. I had emailed ABS Alaska before the trip as to RV setups but hadnât heard back. Planning on stopping in today or tomorrow and see what they have in stock.
_________________
'91 Westfalia, Bordeaux Red Pearl 2.1L 2wd Auto
'91 T3 Syncro Doka, Escorial Green 1.9L TD AAZ âGremianâ (to provoke, irritate, exasperate, vex...) |
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Alaskaberrys
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2016
Posts: 1061
Location: SE Alaska
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| Posted: Today 12:40 pm Post subject: Re: Replacing an AGM house battery with LiPo 50ah newbie Q |
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| kamzcab86 wrote: |
| Crooked Designer wrote: |
| If it were me (and I'm the impatient type as well) I would figure out a way to change the solar controller settings manually. I would also NOT hook it up to the alternator... |
Ditto.
When I switched to LiFePO back in January, I left it disconnected from the alternator until I could get my DC-DC charger (Victron) installed. Did not want to risk damaging the van's electrical or the new battery.
My Renogy PWM solar controller, however, has the ability to change battery types. Despite being a handful of years old, it has a LiFePO4 setting. I'd check to see if the Zamp does as well before looking for replacements. |
| Crooked Designer wrote: |
â¦
Even if the Zamp does not have a lithium setting, if it has a manual mode where you can assign values, you should be good. I think you want 14.2-14.6v for bulk charging. I think that's the important one.
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Thanks. It doesnât look like the ZAMP has that option - very basic unit it seems, no switches. Just lettering identifying the two sets of wires âbatteryâ âsolarâ and for âAGM and Conventional Batteries â â12v 10ampâ
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'91 Westfalia, Bordeaux Red Pearl 2.1L 2wd Auto
'91 T3 Syncro Doka, Escorial Green 1.9L TD AAZ âGremianâ (to provoke, irritate, exasperate, vex...) |
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Alaskaberrys
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2016
Posts: 1061
Location: SE Alaska
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| Posted: Today 1:08 pm Post subject: Re: Replacing an AGM house battery with LiPo 50ah newbie Q |
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It does have a 14.5 or 14.7 boost switch I see.
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'91 Westfalia, Bordeaux Red Pearl 2.1L 2wd Auto
'91 T3 Syncro Doka, Escorial Green 1.9L TD AAZ âGremianâ (to provoke, irritate, exasperate, vex...) |
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fxr
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Joined: December 07, 2014
Posts: 2611
Location: Bay area CA
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| Posted: Today 1:11 pm Post subject: Re: Replacing an AGM house battery with LiPo 50ah newbie Q |
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If you leave that set to 14.5 you should be fine to use it with the LFP battery. The BMS in the LFP should prevent overcharging.
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300 |
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