I have 340RL Paradigm and would like to install a 460 Epoch battery or battery's to add an inverter at some point. I'm having trouble getting a straight answer weather i can run the hydraulic slides on this battery or do I need to keep the 12 volt marine battery to power it. I have no manual on the pump to find out the amperage draw on it, the dealer doesn't even know the answer to this question. Any advise would be appreciated
Lithium Battery Question
- Thread starter barryrust
- Start date
You'll have no problem. I have 3 Battle Born batteries in our 340RL and it work perfectly.
Great thank you for that, does the 320 solar work ok or should a second one be added, I'm not planning on long term boondocking but would like to keep up with the 12 volt fridg and lights.
2 Allies
Well-known member
So far it has kept up fine. We have not boondocked any but has worked for an overnight stop. We do have a small 3500 watt back-up generator should we run into trouble. We are considering a dc to dc charger for those long overcast travel days when we are staying at Harvest Hosts overnight.
You should be fine with the 460 ah. The 320 watt solar panel has been sufficient for us but if we were to start being off-grid more, we would add more solar.
Jim can provide you with more detailed info if you decide to add equipment as he has the experience/excellent set-up.
Hope this helps
You should be fine with the 460 ah. The 320 watt solar panel has been sufficient for us but if we were to start being off-grid more, we would add more solar.
Jim can provide you with more detailed info if you decide to add equipment as he has the experience/excellent set-up.
Hope this helps
The frig will use around 60-70 amp hours per day. You will need to calculate your battery bank and all other items the will be using the battery power, in order to come up with a solar plan.
For example, a 200 watt panel in PERFECT conditions (no shade..no clouds...late Spring or Summer) can produce about 10 amps per hour. You might get 7 hrs of full sun in the Summer, so it "could" put ~70 amp hours back to the battery. Perfect conditions hardly ever happen, so half that and estimate you will add, on average, 35-40 amp hours per day via one 200 watt panel.
For example, a 200 watt panel in PERFECT conditions (no shade..no clouds...late Spring or Summer) can produce about 10 amps per hour. You might get 7 hrs of full sun in the Summer, so it "could" put ~70 amp hours back to the battery. Perfect conditions hardly ever happen, so half that and estimate you will add, on average, 35-40 amp hours per day via one 200 watt panel.
This is great information i haven't herd before about the solar panels. I'm thinking about adding another 320 watt panel to match the one that came with the camper and do like the suggestion to install a dc to dc charger. Are the solar panels that come with the camper ok or do they need to be changed out, ive noticed that some of the companys install these systems remove them and add different ones not sure why.
I think their 320w panel is from Rich Solar. I think I read that the 2025's are (or coming very soon) with a GoPower 400w panel.
This makes a strong case against a 12 volt fridge being depended on if you plan on overnighting without shore power or a minimum of 200 amp hours of LiFePO battery or pack a generator.
Our 2025 with 400W on the roof and an 88 Ah deep cycle lead-acid would not make it all day last Fall with the sun shining and only the fridge and rear camera pulling current. By nightfall we didn’t have enough battery left to keep the fridge running much less allow us to disconnect from the truck. 88 Ah of Lead acid equals 44 Ah of usable energy! Even if the solar keeps up during the day, the battery will be dead by morning and solar has to dig out of the hole.
It’s not just Alliance. Dealerships are still working under the old dogma, “throw in a deep cycle and send it out the gate”. The industry needs to step up to their customers’ electrical needs now that the 12v fridge is becoming standard equipment. The battery is central to an RV power supply. There needs to be industry assurance of a minimum serviceability for 12v fridges.
2 Allies
Well-known member
KCAlis,
You have figured it out. The LA batteries are installed at the dealerships and are not part of the Alliance package. If the rig is ordered with the extra solar package, Alliance adds lithium batteries to the set-up. Alliance nor the Dealerships know what the buyers' intended uses are for the units, full hookups, permanent locations or boondocking and the dealerships are going to put in the least expensive option as the units are shipped without batteries. If you plan to do short overnights while travelling you will need to upgrade your batteries. Any longer stays will require additional solar/batteries. If you need help with requirements, Oregon_Camper may be able to help you.
Welcome to the forum,
You have figured it out. The LA batteries are installed at the dealerships and are not part of the Alliance package. If the rig is ordered with the extra solar package, Alliance adds lithium batteries to the set-up. Alliance nor the Dealerships know what the buyers' intended uses are for the units, full hookups, permanent locations or boondocking and the dealerships are going to put in the least expensive option as the units are shipped without batteries. If you plan to do short overnights while travelling you will need to upgrade your batteries. Any longer stays will require additional solar/batteries. If you need help with requirements, Oregon_Camper may be able to help you.
Welcome to the forum,
JWalker
Well-known member
New to the lithium scene. Is there reason the lithium would not work with the level up system?
If by "level up system" you mean the 6 point auto-level, then they will 100% work. I have used Lithium in our current Alliance and our prior 5th wheel, while using lithium batteries.
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Sorry, but a 88 Ah deep cycle battery is really only 44 Ah. Once deep cycle hits 50% DOD, they are pretty much worthless. Do yourself a HUGE favor and swap that battery for a min of 100 Ah of Lithium. You will 100% get through the night while boondocking and it will charge via your 400w of solar, much faster than your current deep cycle.
If you have ~19 minutes to spare, you can watch a video I did about 6 years ago, comparing AGM to Lithium. (this was prior to our Alliance RV)
JWalker
Well-known member
Yes. When Lippert first introduced the system, it was called the “Level Up” System. We had it installed at the Lippert factory when we were at the Heartland RV National Rally in 2015.
Perfect!! Then you will have ZERO problems if you move to lithium.
atc(aw/sw)
New member
When I bought my 310RL last year the dealership asked if I was planning on boondocking or not. Since I didn't plan on boondocking they said that two Interstate 27M with 90 AH would be enough to power the fridge while at the house not plugged in with the 320W solar panel charging them. Found out that is not that is a false statement when I went out to get something from the camper and I had a low power error message from the fridge. With the two batteries and plugged into shore power I can only bring in two slides, wait for the batteries to recharge, bring in the third slide, and have retract the leveling jacks in multiple cycles. Would two 100 AH Li batteries be able to bring in all the slides and retract the leveling jacks without having to recharge?
Well...it is Winter and the sun is low in the sky so not really good time of the year to get solar charging. Add in a few cloudy days, and you'll have dead batteries quickly. Is there any way for you to plug in the RV, even a simple 120v outlet would do the job.
Adding Lithium would allow the RV to have power longer, but without plugging in and in Winter and clouds...again...it will not be enough. In summer, if you have direct access to sun (no trees making shade on panel) then it might keep up.
You current batteries should have no issue bringing in all the slide and the level up jack IF they a fully charged. Just plug in the RV and allow the converter to keep batteries fully charged. Think of the solar as helping batteries stay charged while driving from one RV site to the next.
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BryanValRox
Well-known member
I have to wonder if you are tripping breakers and thinking your batteries are going dead.
We have a single FLA battery in our 310 RL and have no issue with slide or leveling operation on a fully charged battery.
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atc(aw/sw)
New member
What breakers would be tripping? I took the batteries to NAPA to have them checked and they said they good, 13.5V and 14.4V.