Joe Friday was a fictional character of the Los Angeles Police Department in the TV series Dragnet. Viewers quickly forgot the storylines; however, one line of his dialogue was a constant week after week:
“Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts. “
Thus, in keeping with Joe’s dialogue when discussing truck campers’ choice/options of lithium-ion (LiFePo) or deep cycle lead-acid batteries –
“Just the facts.”
Weight
Truck camper’s LiFePO batteries are typically 30% lighter (Battle Born LiFePO4 -31 lbs. https://battlebornbatteries.com/shop/12v-lifepo4-deep-cycle-battery/) than LA batteries (Interstate Group 27 – 50 lbs. https://www.interstatebatteries.com/recreation-vehicles/marine-batteries/deep-cycle).
LiFePO4 batteries can be installed in any position or orientation, and there is no ventilation requirement.
Number of Cycles
The number of cycles for a TC’s battery refers to the number of times the battery is charged and discharged. For example, one cycle is when you discharge a LiFePO to 80% capacity or a lead-acid to 50% capacity.
LiFePO batteries can last an average of 3,000 to 5,000 cycles, while the average cycle for deep-cycle lead-acid batteries is 400 to 1,500 cycles.
DISCHARGE
The discharge curve of LiFePO batteries is essentially flat, meaning that a LiFePO battery at 20% capacity will provide nearly the same output voltage as it would at 80%, with no reduction in lifespan or capacity.
Recharging a LiFePO from fully discharged to full recharge can typically be reached in only a few hours.
Deep-cycle lead-acid batteries have a continuously sloping voltage curve and will experience at least a 50% loss in capacity and life expectancy when routinely discharged at more than 10% of capacity.
A lead-acid battery can take a full day or more to fully recharge and lose 50% of its life expectancy if kept at a partial charge.
Optimal Temperature Range for LiFePO4 Batteries
For optimal performance, LiFePO4 batteries should be charged and discharged within a temperature range of 0°C to 45°C (32°F to 113°F).
Operating outside these boundaries can lead to several issues that compromise the battery’s functionality and safety.
Cost
Deep-cycle lead-acid batteries are less expensive than LiFePO batteries. Example: Interstate Deep Cycle Group 27 LA Battery, 80 Ah (amp hours), 12 volts, number of possible cycles not provided, cost per battery as of 5/15/20- $127.95.
Battle Born LiFePO Deep Cycle Battery – 100 Ah (amp hours), 12 volts with built-in BMS (Battery Management System), 3,000 – 5000 deep cycles, cost per battery as of 5/15/20 – $949.00.
Smart Battery’s Lithium Battery Deep Cycle Model SB100 – 108 Ah (amp hours https://www.lithiumion-batteries.com/products/product/12v-100ah-lithium-ion-battery.php), 12 volts with built-in BPS (Battery Protection System), 5000 deep cycles, cost per battery as of 5/21/19 – $1,249.99.
A LiFePO4 deep-cycle battery has a much longer lifespan than an LA battery, helping offset the per-year cost. However, it is still an expensive investment.
| COST | LEAD-ACID | AGM | GEL | LITHO |
| Purchase Cost | $185 | $279 | $400 | $949 |
| Number of Replacements * | 14 | 20 | 7 | 0 |
| Cost of Replacements * | $2,590 | $5,580 | $2,800 | $0 |
| Cycles Over Life Time* | 4200 | 8000 | 70000 | 7100 |
| Life Time Cost Per Cycle | 0.61 | $0.69 | $0.40 | $0.13 |
RELiON Battery (LiFePo) provided the chart above
https://relionbattery.com/blog/total-cost-ownership-lithium.
- RELiON calculated the total cost of ownership for each battery over a single lifecycle of the RELiON LiFePO RB100, since it has the longest life of the four batteries. Each of the three lead-acid batteries requires multiple replacements over the life of one RB100.
- The table shows the overall total cost of ownership for each battery and the per-cycle cost for each battery. Based on the specified lifetime of each battery and retail prices.
- The chart does not and should not be considered an endorsement of RELiON batteries by Northeast-Truckcampers.org.
Charging of a Truck Camper Battery
When charging a lead-acid battery, you can lose 15-30% of the energy from your charging unit to heat loss. On the other hand, LiFePO batteries are 99% efficient and will accept nearly 100% of the power from your charger or solar panel(s).
LiFePO4 batteries can be recharged in as little as 1 hour from a completely dead state. This circuitry is custom-made for the battery, thus increasing its already expensive cost. If you have a 100-AH lead-acid battery and a 100-amp charger, it will take longer to fully charge. Yet this type of battery cannot withstand overvoltage or overcharging.
Notice – Warning – Consideration
Consider this a notice, warning, or any other description you may want to call it by – the purpose is to inform you before purchasing a LiFePO battery and not to discourage you.
Your solar controller is an essential component of your solar system. The controller maintains the life of the battery or batteries by protecting your investment from overcharging. When your battery reaches 100% state of charge, the controller prevents overcharging by limiting the current from the solar array that flows into the batteries.
BEFORE purchasing LiFePO batteries, ensure that your solar controller supports batteries with a Battery Management System (BMS) or a Battery Protection System. If not, you may want to consider purchasing a controller that supports and protects your new investment.
Also, ensure your onboard shore power converter supports LiFePO4 batteries. Another purchase you may have to consider.
Any suggestions, comments – good or bad – don’t hesitate to contact us at
webmaster@northeast-truckcampers.org. Thank you.