RV Mods: Is it worth getting just a single lithium battleborn battery?

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Brazen Brits

Brazen Brits

3 жыл бұрын

Episode #38 (S2E11)
ℹ️ IN THIS EPISODE: We replace our standard RV lead acid battery with a Battleborn 100 Ah 12V LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery and a Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Bluetooth. In addition to installing these, we decide to relocate and move the battery into the storage bay instead of on the hitch of the trailer, which involves a few modifications. We also messed up the install initially and had to start again...what an idiot! (Count how many times we said this)
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#brazenbrits #rvlife #Battleborn #rvbattery #granddesignRV #smartRV #victron #rvliving #badinstall #itwentwrong #boondocking #offgrid #lithiumion #100ah #howto

Пікірлер: 267
@KRDestinations
@KRDestinations 3 жыл бұрын
ok well we have 2 out of the three. lol. the number three runs tooooo deep for our pocketbooks. lol. bro. you skill level matches mine. im totally using this as my tutorial. where was your hat the whole time.your failing rule 2 and I would have totally don't the same thing. guarantee it. you said 12.5 inches. I just spit my drink lol question though......is the batter next to all your water lines???? but loved this video.blessing guys
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hey guys 👋. The big boy Battleborn stuff is out of our price range too, but we had to replace the standard house battery and so we decided to shell out a little bit more and just do it. They are expensive, but with the warranty and BMS system built in, they are a really good product, even after all the media hype. We were worried too about the closeness of the water system, but it’s clear that there has never been any water leaks so far, but also many other RVers have done similar. However, we are considering adding a sheet or Perspex so separate the two and to add an inspection windows for the water system. We are great for building chicken coops, sheds, fences, decks, etc, but yeah, as you can see, we are pretty useless with electrical and plumbing. If we can figure it out, anybody can! Right this minute, as I’m typing, we are really testing the system out boondocking and ............... well, you’ll have to wait and see how that turns out 😘
@KRDestinations
@KRDestinations 3 жыл бұрын
Brazen Brits bro honestly I can’t wait we are so very interested in the whole battle born system so whatever information you provide will definitely help our decision.
@Mario-yu1gt
@Mario-yu1gt 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
🙂👍
@harrynickel8691
@harrynickel8691 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for posting. Stay Calm and RV On
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
We try 😁
@robertdowling3137
@robertdowling3137 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for being so honest! There are NO DIY'ers who haven't screwed up at some point in a project. Hell, even professional installers mess up. I appreciate your posting this video to help people, like myself, upgrade our battery. Your video was helpful, which I'd take as a win. Thanks again
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hey Robert, thanks for the support. We’ve had some ‘not so nice’ comments about this video. We aren’t professionals, and I’m historically bad with electrical things, but I wanted to figure this out on my own. We considered cutting the ‘dumb’ bits out, but we wanted to be honest about everything. Thanks for appreciating that, it means a lot 👍
@cujo7240
@cujo7240 Жыл бұрын
The color of RV wiring can many times be different from what you see in automotive wiring and can take some getting used to. generally in automotive wiring positive wires are usually Red and Negatives are Black, but many RV's have the Positives colored Black and the Negatives are colored White. Generally the grounds are insulated green wires, but can be uninsulated as well inside the RV.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits Жыл бұрын
Great information, thanks Cujo. Yes, I found this out the hard way. I wish there was some kind of law to prevent this. It makes it much harder than it needs to be.
@RunawaywithUsRV
@RunawaywithUsRV 3 жыл бұрын
This is a great video for people who can't spend a fortune on a whole set of Lithium batteries. Great idea and good job on the instructions. Things always can go wrong, but at least you make the best of it and tell everybody. I can see this getting a lot of views very quickly. Good job!!!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks guys! Yup, that’s exactly why I made it. So many people have $8k setups that most of us can’t justify shelling out for. Also, if I can install it, then anybody can 🤣🤣
@kevinf3861
@kevinf3861 3 жыл бұрын
Good catch! Saved the day. Can't wait to see you having fun RV boondocking! Cheers!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Don’t tell anybody else, but I’m literally typing this right now while boondocking. The battery setup is fantastic! No regrets at all!
@BevDessert
@BevDessert 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you. This is the 1st video to upgrade to lithium battery without upgrading solar too
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hi Bev. We found the same actually. It seems that you either have a huge system with Solar or nothing. We wanted to show a more realistic installation. We hope to upgrade bit by bit over time and document it in more videos
@knitlover1
@knitlover1 2 жыл бұрын
You are so fun! For some reason, hearing your voice I immediately thought of Piff the Magic Dragon, and who doesn't love him? Your posh idiocy is at about my level of ability, so I think I'll try this. Thanks for an honest instructive video that didn't make me feel...idiotic. (-:
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
🤣🤣🤣🤣 glad we could help Sallie 😁👍
@adiedri38
@adiedri38 3 жыл бұрын
I would put a Perspex door so you can see the stuff
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Great idea! 👍👍
@brentwalden6215
@brentwalden6215 2 жыл бұрын
Just out of curiosity. Did you fuse the positive lead(s) at the battery? I know the Battle Born batteries have a built in BMS, but… That BMS can throw more amps than that wire can handle. No need to re live Chernobyl.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hi Brent, we did not, but thanks for bringing this up. We did speak to both Grand Design and Battleborn and both confirmed that this setup is fine. We would have to change out a few components if we were to add more batteries in the future.
@ozarkliving7263
@ozarkliving7263 3 жыл бұрын
Why didn’t you have to swap out your charge controller? My 2022 controller is setup for only lead acid.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Michael, so really, I should have. But after speaking with GDRV, it wasn’t strictly necessary for our model. It would work, but might not charge it 100%, but wouldn’t damage the battery. When we upgrade to a bigger solution, this will be one of things we do, but until then, it’s not a priority.
@ItsAboutTimeNow
@ItsAboutTimeNow 3 жыл бұрын
Our rig came with 1 lithium battery, and we were able to get a second one. We highly recommend lithium too. great job. ~ Brad and Diana
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
It’s really great, time to start getting a second (& third + inverter) in the budget 🤣👍
@101perspective
@101perspective 2 жыл бұрын
Yeah, I started with AGM. Lithium is soooooo much better. More expensive but worth it imo.
@dag36523
@dag36523 2 жыл бұрын
Does your converter support lithium? On mine I have to flip a switch from standard to lithium.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hi Dag, We checked with both Battleborn and Grand Design and they confirmed its fine. However, the battery will not charge to 100%. If/when we upgrade, we will upgrade the inverter then 👍
@wipatriot510
@wipatriot510 2 жыл бұрын
For adequate full off-grid, able to run everything(including A/C and microwave@ the same time), you'd be looking to spend in the neighborhood of $10k-$12K...200w solar for every 100Ahr in batteries(4 BattleBorn), 3000w inverter(Victron), and everything else needed to complete the project...
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Good info, thanks Wi patriot 👍 we started calculating up until about $5k and decided that wasn’t worth it for us right now. Maybe one day, but we are very happy with the single battery for now.
@wipatriot510
@wipatriot510 2 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Oh I get it, it's a HUGE investment(notice I said investment, and not purchase), but the fact of the matter is that even when(not if) the value of your RV/trailer/etc depreciates, the investment of the off-grid system never will, you'll always be able to get out of it what you put into it...
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
@@wipatriot510 yup, very true! But that yo front cost is a real killer. We would love to have that system and have the freedom of boondocking for a week at a time, but unless you have the cash up front, it’s a hard decision to make. We will have that freedom one day for sure 👍👍👍
@Yoteach01
@Yoteach01 3 жыл бұрын
You're only human. Chin up!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks Bill! I was very frustrated at myself at the time. I was focused on the larger job at hand and just totally forgot the basics. Wasted a few hours work, but it ended up working great.
@Yoteach01
@Yoteach01 3 жыл бұрын
The important thing is that you learned from your mistake
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Very true! And I certainly did! 😆
@jerryemerson2281
@jerryemerson2281 3 жыл бұрын
Your going love the performance of your Battle Born, and The Victron 712 keeping you in the know... Our 3 Battle Borns float at 13.2 volts, makes water pump , furnace run at their peak, regardless their all on at once, even when battery level down to 20%... Enjoy...
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Jerry! We’ve had it a little while now and you’re right, we love it. We’d love to expand it and get a better inverter. Just a case of saving those $$$$.
@HappyPlaceDiaries
@HappyPlaceDiaries 3 жыл бұрын
OK... Got the KZfaq thing going on... wear a Ball Cap almost always... but have not pulled the trigger on the batteries yet.. Great video! Thanks for sharing and maybe costing me some more money... haha.. thanks!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Ha. We killed the battery a couple of weeks ago, so needed a new one anyway. Very glad we did this as it’s been great boondocking the past couple of days
@OurlifeWhirlwind
@OurlifeWhirlwind 3 жыл бұрын
Well maybe if you didn’t leave your awning lights on all night the lead acid battery wouldn’t have died lmao 🤣
@fellixx11
@fellixx11 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this. We have the same model RV as you and I have been contemplating remodeling the basement like this for some time now to prepare for a battery upgrade.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Fellixx. We should have done it a long time ago! It was amazingly simple to do and didn’t take long at all! Glad this helped 👍👍
@victorlopez2143
@victorlopez2143 Жыл бұрын
I Call myself that all the time when I made a mistake, or could have done it a better way. Thanks doe the video. I'm thinking of just using one battery myself. We don't boondock that often but when we do I want to make sure we have enough power to do so..
@Priebe11
@Priebe11 3 жыл бұрын
It only happened because you took your cap off!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 didn’t spot that. I bet you’re right!!!
@sprpilot
@sprpilot Жыл бұрын
That is some funny shit right there :) "Working with 12.5 in.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits Жыл бұрын
🤣🤣🤣👍
@OPSteel97
@OPSteel97 2 жыл бұрын
Did you have to get a new multistage converter to go with the lithium?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
We checked with Grand Design and we did not. However, if we were to add more batteries, we would need to upgrade it.
@sprayhawk808
@sprayhawk808 3 жыл бұрын
Sweet. I see this as the road we go down after we get the FW back from it's visit to the shop. Will need to see how much our residential (non-propane) fridge uses...
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
We are really happy with it this single battery so far. We would love a residential fridge, but it does require full hookups or a decent sized battery bank or at least a generator running most of the day.
@sprayhawk808
@sprayhawk808 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits that is what I thought. Ours runs off a 1000w inverter when we are driving/off service- just dont know how long that would last. I believe I am going to need some minimal solar and a controller to get us off grid for anything more than several hours.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
yeah, I'd agree with that. I did do a whole bunch of research into a bigger setup for our rig, but ultimately decided that we'll do it in stages as we can't justify spending that much in one go. So for now, we just have the single battleborn to run all our 12v stuff. Luckily, the stove, water heater and fridge are all propane and the battery will power lights, usb ports, fans and water pump. That covers the essentials and for anything 110v, we have the generator.
@markfowler6200
@markfowler6200 2 жыл бұрын
David Prowse's channel has alternate batteries at far less price; some have BMS, some don't. But the charging system can provide the BMS functions, if you get the right one. And at a whole lot less money. It's really hard to beat the warranty and built-ins on the Battle Borns, though.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Love Davids channel! We did shop around, but you're right, the BMS, warranty and company reputation were a big selling point for us. Having said that, we have been keeping an eye on the market and we feel there are some really good alternatives out now that weren't available when we installed our Battleborn. I haven't looked in great detail, but when we upgrade, we might look at those.
@jeffreyelders4737
@jeffreyelders4737 3 жыл бұрын
Great Job! I've made plenty of mistakes myself. When I do, I just pray they're not expensive once!!!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hahaha. Very true! I’m pretty good at doing that too 🤣
@TravelWithTheHs
@TravelWithTheHs 3 жыл бұрын
The only reason i have not done what you have is that my understanding of the (most invertors) in campers cannot charge lithium batties. If Im wrong please correct me. But you need a different charger for those not a normal 12volt stock charger.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
You can discuss this with Battleborn themselves and they are very knowledgeable on a lot of the trailer manufacturer setups. They said for our GDRV312bhts that we should be fine with our standard equipment. We just got back from boondocking for 5 days (video coming up soon) and the battery worked perfectly and charged without an issue.
@TravelWithTheHs
@TravelWithTheHs 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits thank you the response back. Thats good too hear. I will contact them and ask. You are doing exactly what I want to do replace the batteries but don't want to go into a big solar setup
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Yup, our thoughts exactly. I did do a whole bunch of research into a bigger setup for our rig, but ultimately decided that we'll do it in stages as we can't justify spending that much in one go. So for now, we just have the single battleborn to run all our 12v stuff. Luckily, the stove, water heater and fridge are all propane and the battery will power lights, usb ports, fans and water pump. That covers the essentials and for anything 110v, we have the generator.
@MichaelEricMenk
@MichaelEricMenk 3 жыл бұрын
LiFePO4 can use regular lead acid battery chargers as long as they do not have temperature compensation (or a charger that can disable it) A lot of the RV have chargers without temperature compensation (cheaper charger = more profit)
@brazilian-lady9175
@brazilian-lady9175 3 жыл бұрын
Great ideas!! Thank you
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
👍😊
@ThePyleDriver
@ThePyleDriver 3 жыл бұрын
Yes, i have just one and it works perfectly!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
We’ve had it for a while now and we agree! Works great! We did 5 days boondocking and even just a single battery changed the whole experience
@RVOnTheWayside
@RVOnTheWayside 3 жыл бұрын
You did a great job of sharing all of this in an entertaining way. That isn't always easy to do. Congrats on your new POWER! 😂 Now that you got a little taste of what this does for you, the question is, are you ready to upgrade yet? 🤣Had to ask. ❤️👍👏 Donovan & Jodi
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks guys! Can’t believe I made such a dumb mistake. The lesson here is plan plan plan or you’ll waste 3 hours jumping in without it. Oh for sure I’d upgrade, but that’s the nerd side of me wanting it. The financial side of me keeps me from doing it. It’s a hell of an investment for a full setup. I dream of it one day though 🙏
@RVOnTheWayside
@RVOnTheWayside 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Yes we use our emergency fund to get it and did get it replaced before our accident. It was a risk that paid off. I really just need to be more patient like you my friend. I actually have been ever since our accident scared the "I really want it now" right out of me. Again great video. Stay safe brother. ❤️👍👏 Donovan & Jodi
@dead2selfShema
@dead2selfShema 3 жыл бұрын
what about those flat Tesla Home Batteries in a Van or RV could be put behind a TV with an Arm that move the TV area away from the Battery. I understand they are more Expensive, but how does it compare? Would one save over time and more use off grid.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
I admit that I have not looked into that, but I believe the Tesla batteries (for home use) are pretty large and very heavy. I think Tom Morton actually used a Tesla car battery in their rig for a while, but it was a very complicated and risky install. The Battleborns are bulletproof for RV travel. Good thought though 👍
@dead2selfShema
@dead2selfShema 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Didn't think about the WT. Maybe those 5th wheel RV's that use a Semi Cab could use them. I seen a couple videos on the Tesla house ones and they really look thin so WT didn't break my Brain Barrier.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
@@dead2selfShema It's definitely an interesting idea, but as you can tell from my electrical installation skills, I think it's out of my skill range :) I might do a little more research into it though to see how possibly it could be. The other challenge is that I don't think you can buy a Tesla powerwall without professional installation, but i suspect there might be ways around this.
@dead2selfShema
@dead2selfShema 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits I think it has the rule r/t professional Install due to it also connects to the City Electricity, and a Fuse Box Dual Switch for regular use and lower needs use. I could see with the "Semi Pulled" 5th wheel it placed in the front Wall right behind the Cab, with Door and an Arm (like for TV) to be able to bring out to work on. Then of course those "Semi 5th Wheel RV's" are for the Clampet Rich and the Lottery Winners. Then of course the Clampet's were in a way Black Tea lottery winners
@Kelz1136
@Kelz1136 3 жыл бұрын
At least you kept up your streak of how easy (not) your tasks go. Um...the 12.5 inches reference caught me off-guard - LOL! How do you weather-protect the wiring stuff that's underneath the trailer?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
The wiring stuff underneath is just there, it has no protection. I was a little uneasy about it all being so exposed. I may get a box for it all at some point, but this is how it is from the factory, so 🤷‍♂️. The 12.5 inches fit perfectly in the basement compartment!
@4everlandrv988
@4everlandrv988 3 жыл бұрын
Also, I hate tangled wire! I would have to clean up Grand Designs mess.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Haha. I was tempted, and I’ll probably go back and tidy things up again. I’m very impressed there was no signs of water leaks though
@parvizfathianpour9509
@parvizfathianpour9509 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video. Well you show us also your mistake and that's nothing bad about it. A lot of people doesn't show their mistake and also never accepting when they did one. You are an honest guy and well done.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Parviz. We very nearly did cut out the mistake as I was quite embarrassed about it, but decided to leave it in for this exact reason. We all make stupid mistakes and that’s ok. Thanks for the nice comment, we appreciate it more than you realize 😁👍
@georgebrandt6247
@georgebrandt6247 3 жыл бұрын
Can the OEM power unit in the RV correctly charge the new battery?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Yes, apparently the GrandDesign 312bhts will charge fine 👍
@jonfoster9514
@jonfoster9514 2 жыл бұрын
Great video, very informative 👍 Btw, never call yourself an idiot...there are plenty of jerks out there to do that for you
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Isn't that the truth! 😆
@PapaDrewsRV
@PapaDrewsRV 3 жыл бұрын
it would have been more fun to see you working with the 50 amp connected next time please. My wife shunts me sometimes and I did not have to play extra she just does it for free. on my next RV if I buy the adult drinks will you do the shunt thing for me. I like how you use the tool things I would like cut parts off myself this is why I do not do this stuff. so cool i love the feeling i get with it like works super cool.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hahaha. You know we’ll help you fix your shunt anyday!
@stephendenagy3396
@stephendenagy3396 3 жыл бұрын
So one question...is it worth it? How did boondocking go?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Stephen, it works perfectly. At about 1 minute in, we put an overlay of text with some test results that we did the day after the install. The boondocking went great, but we did use the generator for about 30 minutes a day to make coffee and speed up the water heater for showers. You can check out the boondocking videos here: Part 1: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bJhmipp3nJaXYWw.html Part 2: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rNh0psKq1t2-mac.html
@JarheadAndGingersJourney
@JarheadAndGingersJourney 3 жыл бұрын
Hilarious! We are still not sold on these batteries. Great video though.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
We did a bunch of research and even though the battleborn are more expensive, they have many pro's to them. We love it so far. If you have the $$$ then I'd definitely recommend it so far!
@ryeann2567
@ryeann2567 2 жыл бұрын
Dude, looks like you have a great piece of property there! I'm jealous! Thanks for the video. In the end, do you feel like the price of 1 battleborn is worth it?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hey Ryan. Thanks. We actually sold the Farm and bought a home base in Florida. It’s all shown on our channel here. At the time, the Battleborn was worth it. We love the BMS component and the warranty. Battleborn also answered a bunch of questions we had so their support was great too. However, since installing this, there are some other good options on the market. We love the Battleborn, but would definitely dig into the details of other competing products if we were to expand
@OurlifeWhirlwind
@OurlifeWhirlwind 3 жыл бұрын
Social media presence ✅ Always wear a ball cap❓I don’t have a good one yet lol Battle Born Batteries 🏃🏻‍♂️ on the way! Michelle really isn’t going to like you after this! Lmao 🤣
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hahaha. There are other cheaper options, but they have priced them very well with the warranty and built in stuff. I’m sure we’ll expand in the future, but this will do us just fine for the occasional boondocking trip 👍
@OurlifeWhirlwind
@OurlifeWhirlwind 3 жыл бұрын
Speaking of boondocking trip in the futures you guys want to fall camp with us in a couple weeks?
@goodoz9942
@goodoz9942 3 жыл бұрын
Interesting...Which GD TT do you have? (I have a 297RSTS)
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Goodoz, we have the 2018 312bhts. The 297RSTS is Niiiiiiiice!
@goodoz9942
@goodoz9942 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits I'm wondering if the space behind the carpeted wall (behind the Nautalis) is the same on my rig...we plan on doing the same thing as you but with a few more batteries...600AH. I'm currently looking at SOK (3x200 AH) www.sokbattery.com/ . New company but they buy their prismatic cells from a reputable manufacturer who's been around for a while. If the BMS ever fails, it can be accessed by removing a few screws. Nice to have the freedom of Lithium Iron Phosphate...Good on ya'...enjoy!
@kenmatthews6476
@kenmatthews6476 2 жыл бұрын
So did the one Battle Born battery work? You never answered.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hi Ken, yup, if you skip to 1:33, we posted the results after install. Click here to go direct to that time kzfaq.info/get/bejne/sM6Hh7uJmt3bops.html. We have used it many times for boondocking also. One of those is here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rNh0psKq1t2-mac.html And we actually just did a quick update a few minutes in on this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/d7d2oZmQmr2cl2g.html
@Davidipac
@Davidipac 3 жыл бұрын
Just found you. I'm Anglo-irish living in Palm Springs California. Its a far cry from soggy caravaning in the UK. Cheers.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hey USA4US. I bet it is! We haven't made it out to Cali yet as RV'ers, but we are definitely planning it! Watch this space! Any recommendations for things to do or see, please let us know
@Davidipac
@Davidipac 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Its David. California is an amazing state geographically. I live in Palm Springs which is part of the Coachella Valley. It was once submerged under 300 feet of water connected to the Sea of Cortez. It a haven for snow birds in the winter. It is a very eclectic community with creative arts and mid- century architecture as the main tourist attraction. Because of the mountains, its possible to escape the heat to a higher elevation within 20 miles. Its two hours from the coast. I normally get away to Europe every second year and use the RV between. I had a Lazy Daze motorhome which we did 30,000 miles in as far east as South Dakota. We sold it before our planned trip home last year then Covid ruined the plan. We have now purchased a Jayco Featherlite and will use it as a summer cottage for coastal weeks. If you are ever considering a western trip, you will love the non humid atmosphere with minimal bugs. There are beautiful rv parks to stay in. I hope you make it. By the way, are you from the West of London?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
@@Davidipac Sounds really nice! I think we actually have another acquaintance in Palm Springs. I shall speak to her and check. Yeah, covid really messed up our plans too, right after we launched our travel. Not only for last year and most of this year, but it has also made us rethink future plans too. Natalie is from Southampton and I (Laurence) am from St.Albans. We have lived in various places in the UK, but all in the South. We have family scattered around the whole UK though, so we are quite well travelled there.
@travelandlivebravely1646
@travelandlivebravely1646 3 жыл бұрын
Is there a follow up video or blog about how this has worked out for you? Has it extended your boon docking capability. I appreciate you showing how to phase this in as opposed to showing a large completed system which is outside most people’s budgets.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Patty, If you pause at 1:38, we did a quick test after the install and the results were posted there. It sounds like you get frustrated with some of the videos on this subject as we did. Every video seemed to be a full $8k setup which most of us can't afford to do. So we took it upon ourselves to see whether a smaller setup could be beneficial. In addition, we wanted to show the DIY install process from a 'normal person' perspective (Somebody who is not an electrical engineer). We early cut the issues out of the video, but ultimately decided that we should keep it in so that somebody else might learn from our mistakes. We also went boondocking for 5 days shortly after installing this and we were very happy with the setup. We did however use our generator intermittently to make coffee, which did obviously charge the battery, so it wasn't a full 5 days on just the battery. You can follow the videos of that trip here: Part 1: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bJhmipp3nJaXYWw.html Part 2: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rNh0psKq1t2-mac.html Let us know if you have any more questions.
@benstolie
@benstolie 3 жыл бұрын
i have been an electrician for over 40 years, retired IBEW, worked the oil patch, industrial sites, last 20 all commercial. did 2 solar farms. And in all that i have witnessed at least 20 or more Dumb mistakes by TRAINED Electricians. I have only one question my friend, " where do you ail from? thank you for this informative video.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Haha. When reading your comment, I honestly thought this was going to amount to you saying you’ve never seen such stupidity before 🤣. I have full respect for you for what you’ve spent your life doing. Natalies dad (my father in law) was also an electrician for 40 years and had a good laugh at my poor first attempt here. We are from the South of England. We moved over in 2013 and intend to stay for ever (or as long as y’all make us feel welcome 🙏)
@101perspective
@101perspective 2 жыл бұрын
Their batteries are expensive but they have outstanding customer support. IMO it is definitely worth the extra money... especially if you don't have experience with these type batteries. They will take the time to walk you through everything.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hey 101perspective. We agree. They were very helpful when we ordered our battery and the BMS and warranty are a big think. There are other cheaper manufacturers now that we have looked into, but we can’t fault the BB and Victron kit.
@TheDryCampers
@TheDryCampers 3 жыл бұрын
K&R Destinations sent us over! Loved the video - would love to chat about this install if you're up for it! We'll message you. :)
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
We love K&R, especially their live streams! Got your message. Replying now 👍
@deanwebster
@deanwebster 3 жыл бұрын
and Number 4... Watch Brazen Brits all the time! lol This is more my budget install. Great video, Always enjoy the realness of your videos. You might want to consider adding a water sensor to your smart things just incase there is a leak with Natulis system with battery close so your alerted right away.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
OMG, that's an excellent idea! Jeez, I'm almost embarrassed I didn't think of this before! In fact, I just stopped writing this to go buy one and then came back to keep writing. I am planning to add something to separate the water from the battery, but evenso, this is a genius idea. Thanks Dean!
@deanwebster
@deanwebster 3 жыл бұрын
Always happy to help! You might want to even add a couple under the sinks too. Okay... I’ll stop... 🙃 can you tell I’m tech nerd 🤓🤓🤓. #geek. Lol.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
I'm with you Dean, but Natalie not so much 😂. I'll see how this one works then maybe consider some more. I actually stood in the trailer for about 45 minutes today thinking about all the cool nerd stuff I could do in there today. My main issue is the 'wife approval' factor, which means it MUST work 100% of the time or it's out.......and lets face it, something always needs a reboot or a bit of reconfiguring 😕
@deanwebster
@deanwebster 3 жыл бұрын
That’s so true. Hmm. Well, tell her you need to do a smart home rv edition video... I mean sounds like a great idea to me. But you’re right. There’s so many cool things you could add. 😀.
@DowntonDogs
@DowntonDogs 3 жыл бұрын
If you heard him screaming at the Alexa every night to turn the flipping bedroom light on you would understand why I hate all this technology 🤣🤣 #nothingeverworks
@sjhanksaz
@sjhanksaz 3 жыл бұрын
Have you found that one battery is enough? I am thinking of doing the same thing. We run the furnace, charge a couple of phones, run the radio, water pump and fridge off propane. I am wondering if 100 AH is enough for a 3 to 4 nights. I do have a 200 watt solar system to help
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Ideally, I think two batteries would be best, but we are very happy with our single battery. I think it would be tight to do all the things you mention without recharging using a generator. We went 5 days using those things off a single battery, however, we did fire up the generator for about an hour a day to run some 110v appliances (coffee, microwave) which would have also charged the battery.
@101perspective
@101perspective 2 жыл бұрын
If it is sunny out then you probably have no problem at all with just one. I know on my last road trip I blew a fuse on my charge controller and didn't realize it. So, my battleborn wasn't getting any charge at all. And I have a small electrical compressor fridge, diesel heater, lights, and laptop I use it for. The power lasted for 2 days before it got low enough for the fridge to notice and start warning me. Once I put the new fuse in and let my 160watt solar panel charge it back up I had no problems for the rest of the 8 day trip. So, bottom line, without solor I just don't see you going 4 nights. However, 1 day with clouds would probably be no problem. You can also connect it to your car battery using an isolator... thus charging it on cloudy days while you drive around. I haven't done that but I know it is possible.
@Mudford63
@Mudford63 3 жыл бұрын
Come on now, I have 10 Battle Borns. Lol. The BMV-712 is awesome.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
10!!! 😮 maybe one day for us 🤣. We are very impressed with just this one and the 712 though
@Mudford63
@Mudford63 3 жыл бұрын
Brazen Brits we went from two deep cycle wet batteries to 3 battle born for weekend trips to the coast year around. They worked but we wanted more things to run like the heater. So we ended up with a large system of 10 BB batteries and 2650 watts of solar up on the roof. Very happy now and the bank account is a bit lower.
@carlosgarza7878
@carlosgarza7878 Жыл бұрын
How much does it weigh and how much does it cost the same thing with the battery charger how much does it cost
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits Жыл бұрын
Our factory battery charger actually works with Lithium. It doesn’t charge it 100%, but also doesn’t damage it. The batteries are expensive, but they run sales quite often. The weight of the lithium is almost half that of a lead acid if we remember correctly.
@DannyWalker247
@DannyWalker247 3 жыл бұрын
I don't think many people would consider leaving that expensive battery sitting out on that trailer tongue. I would even put some sort of alarm on the storage bay door.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hey Danny. Don’t worry, we have. It’s also connected to the cloud so we can see exactly when it’s open and we have cameras. We plan do make a video about that soon
@stephenandkelleb5252
@stephenandkelleb5252 3 жыл бұрын
You should have replaced your convertor and factory units are only setup to recharge wet cells and agm batteries. You should call battle born to know what until you should use.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Guys, I actually worked with Battleborn to spec this and they assured me that the standard kit in our Grand Design will be fine. I would likely need to upgrade if/when we expand the system 👍
@stephenandkelleb5252
@stephenandkelleb5252 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits oh ok I called battledatand they said I had mine for keystone 375rd avalanche. My convertor was a Wfco 75amp unit. Call cory with battleborn
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
That's interesting. I would have thought that a Keystone would have similar kit to the Grand Designs. But that's an awesome rig you have and a lot bigger that our 312bbhts, so I imagine there is a lot more load than ours also. I spoke with Derrick at battleborn a few times planning this as I was comparing different setups/cost/requirements. He was very helpful and sounded like he knew what he was talking about. Either way, we have had it installed for a couple of months now and it all seems to be working great.
@TheDefenderSisu
@TheDefenderSisu 3 жыл бұрын
Great joke that made me subscribe"
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
🤣🤣🤣🤣 thanks Hector 👍👍👍🙏
@nedmorris9794
@nedmorris9794 2 жыл бұрын
Was hoping to get your opinion on the swap maybe after some use. Opinion on if it was worth the effort and investment. This seemed to be more of a how to video…but a good one :)
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hi Ned, apologies that it was a bit of everything in this. We did post early on in the video (with a text overlay) the results, however, we really like the setup. Mainly because it allows us to boondock for a night or two and not have to worry about the battery level. The Battleborn will easily run the lights, our router, charge our phones, CO2 detector, water pump, etc for a couple of nights. We actually went boondocking for 5 nights with this setup and it was fantastic. Admittedly, we did use our generator for an hour or two a day also (to make coffee mainly) so the battery was being charged a little each day. I really like the warranty of the Battleborn and the BMS it has, but I’m seeing a lot more competition in the lithium battery space now that I think we might look into when/if we expand. Overall though, to answer your question, the high price range of the battery and monitor was hard to swallow, but we’re so much happier with it over a standard battery 👍
@terryhanlon7130
@terryhanlon7130 3 жыл бұрын
I might be a bit of a "worry wort" but the thought of a battery next to all that water would worry me. Is it possible to put some sort of waterproof cover over the terminals?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hey Terry 👋. So we too worried about that, and we are actually considering putting a Perspex sheet to separate the water area from the battery area. However, there is a bunch of electrical junctions in that space and underneath the space already from the factory (and many other models and manufacturers do the same) and we’ve found no issues from this. If we upgrade from this to a bigger 12v system and include a 120v inverter, we wouldn’t be comfortable without more serious separation. We have some plans for that, but it can get quite expensive. Great to hear from you though Terry.....must be time for a catch up?!
@doloresmccartney3186
@doloresmccartney3186 Жыл бұрын
Yourself condemnation is enough for me…don’t beat yourself up…
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits Жыл бұрын
Cheers Dolores 🙌
@z50king29
@z50king29 2 жыл бұрын
Is your converter charging the battery to 14.6 volts?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
It does not, however we spoke to Battleborn and the current charge controller will not damage the battery. When/if we upgrade and add more batteries and possibly solar, we shall be upgrading the other components also.
@z50king29
@z50king29 2 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits when you get solar your controller will probably have a lifepo4 setting that will charge it to 14.6
@cmoorejack
@cmoorejack 3 жыл бұрын
I’m subscribing because of the idiocy...jk..you made me chuckle and I appreciate that..keep up the good work 🤓
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
I'll take this as a compliment 😂. Thank you Craig!
@go5582
@go5582 3 жыл бұрын
Hi great intro.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks GO
@andrewk1916
@andrewk1916 3 жыл бұрын
Wow! I just found your channel and it looks like my skills are about like yours except you might be a bit better! I'm looking at doing the same thing with my OEM battery (switch to a lithium and put it up in the storage bay on my 2015 Keystone Outback) but I'm looking at the Lion Safari UT 700 (it's about half the aH and cost of the battle born ~$550). Running the battery line on the inside will be my biggest challenge but maybe installing the battery monitor with the shunt will make that part a little easier- it seemed like the OEM cables were going to the shunt and the new cabling went from teh shunt to the battery(?). I have to double check the converter on my trailer to see if it's a larger 75Amp opposed to the smaller 50AMP but I too thought I would have to change it out to the the WFCO lithium version but it sounds like you're not having any issues with the charging using the standard WFCO converter that came stock. Have you had any issues charging from the tow vehicle? Thanks for sharing the install and making a channel that focuses on the travel trailer owner that is not full-timing, doesn't have endless amounts of money or talks to everyone like we all have engineering degrees! Keep up the great work!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Andrew, the last sentence made us laugh! We are not professionals (clearly!) and I find electrical knowledge tough to retain in my brain for some reason. I don't remember if I used the OEM cable to the shunt, but I think you might be right. I think it did reach, and although I had new cable I could have used, I just used the new stuff from the shunt to the battery. Battleborn were very helpful when I called them to sanity check my plan and they confirmed that our stock converter would be fine for this install. If/when we upgrade, I would need to change that though. We did a bunch of research into batteries and although there is obvious hype and sponsorship online around Battleborns (Not us!), I came to the conclusion that they do actually have the best product for idiots like me. It is almost idiot proof with their built in BMS. I was also very happy with their support overall. They spent a bunch of time answering my questions both by email and phone even though was I only spending ~$1300. The monitor is a little tricky to understand, but again, you can call battleborn and they can give you all the right settings. I'm very happy with the monitor, but victron probably could make the software setup a little easier for newbs like me. Once I got into the swing of it, running cables was the easy part. I spent more time building the framing for the new compartment than all the cabling put together.
@andrewk1916
@andrewk1916 2 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Guys- since you did the install, any lessons learned and have you upgraded the system? Thanks to you sharing your set-up, we ended-up replicating your setup with a Battle Born and Victron BMS but we decided to upgrade to the PD 9160ALV right away. Have you experienced any problems with the truck's alternator? I'm hoping a single lithium isn't too much of a power draw and the truck will be able to handle it and not need a DC to DC charger!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
@@andrewk1916 hi Andrew, honestly, we have been using this exactly as is it when we installed last year and it isn’t even something we think about anymore. We haven’t upgraded anything yet, but for 2022, we may add another battery and upgrade a couple of other components. I have the dual heavy duty batteries on our truck and haven’t noticed any issue at all. Honestly though, we only typically boondock for a day or two on travel days, and this setup works perfectly 👍 Did you do anything different from us that we can learn from?
@andrewk1916
@andrewk1916 2 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Happy Christmas! Thanks for the update and it's good to know that the set-up has worked without issue! The only difference we made was upgrading the converter to a Progressive Design 9160ALV. WE did this due to upgrading the stock absorbstion fridge to a Dometic DC fridge. And I will say Grand Design's set-up seems to have made it a lot easier than Keystones to access electrical in the storage bay. I had to de-construct the whole bay to get at the wiring and exterior hole! But thanks again for the updates! Cheers!
@gregpeterman1102
@gregpeterman1102 2 жыл бұрын
You can get the same lithium battery power for half the price of Battleborn.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hi Greg, since making the video I have noticed a lot more options becoming available. I've also done more research on how to build a bigger system. We bought and installed this in a rush as OEM battery was pretty much dead and we had planned a week boondocking the week after we did this. I am not great with electrical circuits, so I hit up battleborn. I like the warranty and the fact they had a built-in BMS. I did not know at the time you could even buy separate BMS's. I also wanted to keep it to a single battery so I didn't need to change any inverters or charge controllers. I'm happy with the setup and we have been using it for over a year now, but I agree with you that I would plan better and probably build another solution, especially as there are a good number of options out there now.
@gregpeterman1102
@gregpeterman1102 2 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits I have also learned that just about anything you get with Amazon is cheaper on eBay.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
@@gregpeterman1102 Interesting. I admit, I haven't been on ebay for a long time. Maybe time to move back over!
@1fastbuggy502
@1fastbuggy502 3 жыл бұрын
Hope you are using a Lithium battery charger or a Orion -TR Smart DC-DC charger to charge the lithium off of your alternator while the engine is running /
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
We spoke with the Battleborn guys who checked that the standard charger in our rig would be fine. We intend on upgrading again soon, so we will change it out when we do that 👍
@1fastbuggy502
@1fastbuggy502 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Lithium batteries DO NOT like to be float charged . That is why a lithium charger the amperage drops to 0 and voltage flat lines .
@Stephmenuplans
@Stephmenuplans 3 жыл бұрын
Oh lord!!! Ha ha we need brazen Brits caps... Just saying!!!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Steph Sharpe I keep hounding Laurence to get the merch sorted!! - Natalie
@OurlifeWhirlwind
@OurlifeWhirlwind 3 жыл бұрын
Ha! That was the hint in my comment lol 😝
@thewozzauk
@thewozzauk 3 жыл бұрын
Oooo, great idea. Lisa was just moaning my cap is on its last legs so a new branded one would make a good Christmas pressie.... Just saying 😉😘
@KC-pd1dh
@KC-pd1dh 3 жыл бұрын
Definitely need some merchandise
@rexking3698
@rexking3698 2 жыл бұрын
Did your charger work with lithium or did you have to change it?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
I spoke with Grand Design and the standard charger in our rig would work. It’s not ideal though. But, we plan to upgrade if/when we install more batteries.
@Moist_yet_Crispy
@Moist_yet_Crispy 3 жыл бұрын
Fun video mate, loved it. cheers!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks Corey!
@markfowler6200
@markfowler6200 3 жыл бұрын
2 problems, both with charging. 1) you have to unhook the DC feed from the tow vehicle; your alternator can’t charge that battery. 2) your onboard flooded cell battery charger won’t charge that battery fully. But great video! You’re braver than me!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hey Mark! Thanks for info. We spoke with Battle Born when planning this install and they confirmed that the standard OEM Grand Design charger is ok. However, if we added to the setup, we would need to upgrade that. Once we have the funds, we’ll attempt some more upgrades 🤞🤞🤞
@svtautosales3613
@svtautosales3613 2 жыл бұрын
Dc to Dc charger and you good to go
@markfowler6200
@markfowler6200 2 жыл бұрын
@@svtautosales3613 DC to DC Charger from what to what? You haven't fixed the onboard charger problem unless you buy a new one. That would be the path I would choose. The vehicle to RV charger problem is a pain, you have an expensive DC to DC Charger, you need to enable it only when the vehicle engine is running (not the simplest circuit to construct on my 2016 F150) and the payback from the vehicle to the Lithium RV battery gets really minimal the more batteries you have. A single battery, maybe 15 amps is useful. If you want more than that you would likely have to upgrade the vehicle alternator too. Too much to ask.
@4everlandrv988
@4everlandrv988 3 жыл бұрын
Not your fault, they added words to the direction instead of just having pictures. 😂 For an inexperienced electrician you did quite well. Be sure to secure your monitor so it doesn't swing freely and bang around and break or disconnect. I know it's not the usual location but from where you are you may be able to string the monitor wire straight up and mount it in the bedroom somewhere. Next time you have a project feel free to email me and I'll come up and help you out. No charge. Idiot doesn't sound just right, how about your a bloody wanker! Chief
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hahaha there are many terms that I abused myself with and yes, one of them was bloody wanker. I still enjoyed doing this project once I put in the legwork to actually plan what I was doing instead of just diving in. I will likely move the monitor into control panel cabinet. I’ll need to take the underbelly off and get an extension cable to go underneath and then up through the floor and up the wall. I really like the Victron 712 and I see it being very useful.
@4everlandrv988
@4everlandrv988 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Just be sure to plan your route as if you were planning a trip, and be sure to leave enough slack in the wiring to allow for the motion of the camper when you're traveling. Also be sure to check carefully behind the control panel before you drill. I'd hate for you to cut some other wires. Just saying. Oh! No adult beverages the day before you do the project, you want the camper to get wired not you. But upon completion celebratory drinks are definitely in order. 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃
@gloriouslifeonwheels3621
@gloriouslifeonwheels3621 3 жыл бұрын
New subscriber here. Yep. I'm sold on lithium. For me it was worth it because as a new rver I didn't want to end up destroying an agm battery ny running it down repeqtedly. Thanks for the informative video. If you would ever be interested in seeing easy recipes for the road, I invite you to check out my vanlife cooking channel. BTW I don-t have a baseball hat.🤣
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Same here. We ran out agm battery down and pretty much killed it. I'm so glad to not have to worry about that with the Battleborn. Checking out your channel now 👍
@stuhayes2010
@stuhayes2010 Жыл бұрын
SO, is it worth it? The question remains.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits Жыл бұрын
100% Yes!
@zygmuntziokowski7877
@zygmuntziokowski7877 3 жыл бұрын
Did you have to change the battery charge controller to charge the lithium battery? And you didn't answer your question "Was it worth getting just a single lithium battery?". Thanks!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Zygmunt, we haven’t changed the charge controller as the one with the grand design was adequate (confirmed with Battleborn themselves), however, if we decide to upgrade the system, we will do that for a proper lithium controller. At about the 1 minute mark of the video, we overlay the results of our post install test. But long story short, yes, it was worth it for sure. Our following videos we go boondocking for 5 days and 5 nights. Although we used the generator at times for 110v power (which would also charge the battery), we had enough power for phone charging and lights for the full 5 days. Much much better than the standard battery that we had.
@zygmuntziokowski7877
@zygmuntziokowski7877 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Thanks for getting back to me. I was told from GD that if I swap or change the battery controller out, then my warranty is void for electronic. I can wait 3 years, or just heck with it and just do it. I haven't decided, I already purchased a Battle Born Lithium. They keep on pushing me to buy 2 AGM batteries. 2 batteries at cost of $650, compare with 1 battery on sale at $849. Maybe I will just keep as is for a few years and then swap it out.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Oooh, that’s a tough decision! Are you not able to just install the Battleborn keeping the standard charger?
@zygmuntziokowski7877
@zygmuntziokowski7877 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Hello! I already brought the Battle Born. GD was pushing the AGM and their reason was because they don't think the RV are ready to make the move to lithium. The battery charge controller will charge the battery, but not at 100%. I planning on keeping the battery and using it and eventually swap the controller. So to answer your question " Are you not able to just install the Battleborn keeping the standard charger?" Yes!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
@@zygmuntziokowski7877 that makes sense. When I spoke with Battleborn, they said that using the standard charge controller is fine. It probably wouldn’t charge it 100%, but won’t damage the battery that you would notice. Might be worth calling Battleborn and seeing what they suggest. I’d be tempted to swap the battery out and leave the original charger. Especially if you still have 3 years left on your warranty.
@jeanettechervony6861
@jeanettechervony6861 3 жыл бұрын
Do you think two batteries would fit in that same area? :)
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
They sure would. I can easily remove the panel and unscrew the wood frame to add another battery. It would take away from the storage space though. We are undecided if we bought more batteries, whether we would add to them there, or install them under the bed
@jeanettechervony6861
@jeanettechervony6861 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Thanks for the info, forgot to include this on the first one... can the battery gauge be linked to more than one battery?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
I haven't looked into this too much, so certainly do more research, but yes, if the batteries are connected in parallel, its effectively the same as a 200ah battery, so should work fine. You would have to reconfigure your monitor to read 200ah battery though, instead of a 100ah battery. If I remember correctly, the Victron 712 comes with a good diagram in the manual to show you the different possible configurations. They also have excellent support.
@blastemduke9973
@blastemduke9973 3 жыл бұрын
So, if you're watching hoping to see a quick change of a regular battery to a lithium battery you have to suffer through an entertaining video on how much trouble you can have, when to try to put your batteries on line. I really don't know, if you can just change out the battery or not. I do plan on moving my battery inside, due to the cost, but I don't think this is the video to help with that. Very entertaining and comical. Now I'm going to search the Toob to see if you can just change out batteries or if you need additional parts.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hey Blast 'em Duke. Thanks for watching and sorry for the rambling in this video. The plan wasn't to make a humorous entertaining video, but it ended up being that way. I wanted to make a video that would show if an everyday RV'er could do the swap out from Lead Acid to Lithium and install a Battery monitor. The truth is.....yes......but be prepared for some dumb mistakes 😂
@sirdiabetus9238
@sirdiabetus9238 3 жыл бұрын
Idiot, but now you can learn from your mistakes laz also amazing vid loved ever second all the way to then ending
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
I certainly did learn from my mistake! Plan better!!!! Thanks Big O 🙏
@williamhaynes5271
@williamhaynes5271 3 жыл бұрын
Loved your video but kept waiting until the end where you take it boondocking for a weekend and state whether it's "worth getting just a single lithium battleborn battery"? Have you taken it out yet? Was it able to handle a couple of days off the grid? I've been considering this battery but not sure it's worth it for just one...
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi William, at about 1:47, we did a post-install test to see how long it would last running just 12v appliances. After the install, we went boondocking for 5 days (Part 1: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bJhmipp3nJaXYWw.html, Part 2: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rNh0psKq1t2-mac.html), and this setup worked perfectly. Although we did run the generator for about an hour a day to make coffee, the battery didn't fall below 60%. So, running all the standard 12v appliances for 23 hours only ever used 40% of the battery (And we were not in any way being careful with our power usage). Admittedly, we weren't doing much and spent a lot of time outside, but we did run our router, maxxair fans, waterpump, lights, charged our phones, cameras, battery packs, etc. In my opinion, investing in this was well worth it and we'd do it again without hesitation. We had to replace our battery anyway and the safety features of the battleborns are comforting and knowing that we can drain them to 0% without damaging them gives us great peace of mind. However, everything is relative and whether this would work for you is a personal decision...the main one being your personal financial situation, as these batteries are expensive. We like the battery monitor much more than we expected and I love to analyze our usage. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask away, we are happy to help where we can based off of our experience 👍
@thewozzauk
@thewozzauk 3 жыл бұрын
Idiot! Not that I spotted it either to be honest. Nice work in the end 👍👌 12.5" lol 😂
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
100% IDIOT!! 🤣
@travelinghearttattoos5482
@travelinghearttattoos5482 3 жыл бұрын
😂 hell yes a fellow Brit in a grand design woo boo so loved hearing the old accent once again
@jimb.628
@jimb.628 3 жыл бұрын
Minor humiliation is often the price of valuable education. FAR cheaper than hiring an expert that would charge you for his mistakes and never tell you about them.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Thankyou Jim & happy thanksgiving 🦃
@GoingNoWhereFast
@GoingNoWhereFast 3 жыл бұрын
I like this justification!! Mind if I use it !!
@jimb.628
@jimb.628 3 жыл бұрын
@@GoingNoWhereFast sure.
@bobmakow55
@bobmakow55 3 жыл бұрын
Was considering converting my LAB's to Li, already wear a hat most the time, but can't see myself starting a channel. Well I guess that gives me an out, lol.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
hahaha. It won't be long! Good luck on the upgrade. If an idiot like me can do it, you'll be fine!
@gdan8259
@gdan8259 3 жыл бұрын
Didn't see how you secured the batteries to the storage space floor.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Dan, our plan was to install a rubber battery strap over it, but ended up using a couple of small bungees temporarily. They have actually worked perfectly. I’ll get round to installing a proper strap at some point 👍
@toddmiller6104
@toddmiller6104 3 жыл бұрын
Well done Sir Laurence! Guess what? Didn’t spring for a Battle Born battery yet. It’s now 4:45 am and the fridge is attempting to light on gas but the lead acid house battery is dead. I’ll be as neighborly as possible, but at the stroke of 8:00 am you and the lovely Lady Natalie are going to hear the purr of our generator singing lest we loose everything in the fridge and freezer. Who’s the idiot now???? Rhetorical question Laurence. No answer requested! Great video! Keep ‘em coming!
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
You were late! That’s 9am!
@Yukonjackman1
@Yukonjackman1 3 жыл бұрын
Your doing great i haven't figured out how to make a channel on you tube
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks Gary! Are you really an RV'er if you don't have a youtube channel? 😂
@Yukonjackman1
@Yukonjackman1 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits yes , Hartland 23rbs 2001 dodge 2500 diesel 5 battel born batteries, 400 watts solar live in Arizona love boondocking and sun.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
@@Yukonjackman1 That's cool. Did you install your self? We'd love the full solar setup.
@Yukonjackman1
@Yukonjackman1 3 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits Good evening, yes installed it alllllllll turns out I was a solar geek lol have it on the house also .
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
@@Yukonjackman1 well in that case, I’m putting your details in our rotodex and calling on you when if/when we upgrade to a full system 🤣🤣👍👍
@snsproaudio
@snsproaudio 3 жыл бұрын
You never told us anything about whether the one battery was worth it. Did it last enough for you to boondock as long as you had hoped??
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi SNS Pro Audio Visual. We did a 24 hr 'driveway' test right after the install and posted the results at around 1:34. However, we also went boondocking for 5 days to test out the new setup and it worked brilliantly (PART 1: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bJhmipp3nJaXYWw.html and PART 2: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rNh0psKq1t2-mac.html). Admittedly, we did use the generator for about an hour a day to make coffee and charge our laptop, but overall, we were very happy with the install and the performance over the standard battery that we had previously. Also, we just took our rig in for some repairs and the battery got down to 38% in a week just running the basic 12v stuff (the router, CO2, Samsung smartThings hub and any other 12v things that we can't easily turn off).
@snsproaudio
@snsproaudio 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks, that’s just what I needed to know.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
We’ve had a couple of other similar comments, so we’ll do better at recording the results next time we do something like this 👍
@jaydd7422
@jaydd7422 3 жыл бұрын
Did you check that your existing charger (that came with the trailer) is not damaging your nice pricey lithium battery by charging it incorrectly?
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi JayD. We did, we worked with Battleborn to ensure that the standard one on the 312bhts would be ok and they confirmed it would
@Northfordtrailcam
@Northfordtrailcam 3 жыл бұрын
You may need to upgrade your RV's charge controller. Current OEM looks like it float charges up to 13.4-6 volts. You need to charge that BB up to 14.4 volts. Without the upgrade, your BB will be in a constant state of undercharge and will prematurely degrade your battery. Check with BB.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hey Jeffrey 👋 good info and we probably should have stated this more in the video. We actually spoke with Battleborn before buying this kit and they were incredibly helpful and confirmed that our rigs standard charge controller would be fine for the single battery.
@acroduster
@acroduster 2 жыл бұрын
I dont have to watch your video to know the answer is no! Because you can easily have 300 ah for less than one battleborn by building the packs and installing the bms yourself! Go to batteyhookup and be free of overpriced lifepo4 batteries! They charge you over three times what its worth! No wonder they can replace them under warranty! Peraonally ill stick with my420ah 5.2kw battery bank i built for under 1200 total with breakera and renogy battery monitor that beats your system hands down in any test! Glad your happy buying top dollar high priced parts with no advantage over saving money.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hi Acroduster. Since making the video I have noticed a lot more options becoming available. I've also done more research on how to build a bigger system. We bought and installed this in a rush as OEM battery was pretty much dead and we had planned a week boondocking the week after we did this. I am not great with electrical circuits, so I hit up battleborn. I like the warranty and the fast they had a built-in BMS. I did not know at the time you could even buy separate BMS's. I also wanted to keep it to a single battery so i didn't need to change any inverters or charge controllers. I'm happy with the setup and we have been using it for over a year now, but I agree with you that I would plan better and probably build another solution, especially as there are a good number of options out there now.
@acroduster
@acroduster 2 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits battleborns give the warranty because they included replaving the battery at least twice in their price. Spend your money how you want. Personally i like saving money and not lining the pockets of companies that gouge. Truth be told by the time a lifepo4 battery pack dies uour 10 year warranty will be over so it wont ever do anyyhing for you except give you a false sense of security. I dont know how anyone vould not know the exact cells battleborn puts intheir packs are available through reputable distributors for 200 bucks and a bms is cheap unleas you buy into the daly poop bms. Im curious how you got your stock charger to deliver the voltages needed to get full performance from lifepo4? Rv manufactures install crap converter chargers in rigs. We boondock full time in our rig and have been for over half a decade.happy point for us was 420 ah cant imagine spending 4000 for a battery pack of that levwl for a trade name on the battery box I never wven look at. Were all fools anyways for building 12v systems and accepting their limitations. I recently built a 48 volt aystem and oh my god everything is better. So much less losses through inveraion charging and better solar charge performance as well. They are even cheaper as they dont need 0000 wire for main busses since 100 amps is 4800 watts. Instead of 3000 watts pulling over 300 amps in a 12v system. Once you get past around 600 watts of solar panels in a 13v system you start having to deal with some annoying bottlenecks and cable costs. I suppose it is what it is everything is a compromise. Glad your sysyem is doing what you need and want from it. Happy travels.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
@@acroduster Our standard charge controller cannot charge the LifePO4 battery 100%, however, I was also told by Battleborn and Grand Design that it won't damage the battery and I can upgrade at a later date. Looks like you are WAAY more qualified in all this than we are, but we will look to upgrading the system at some point. We are also considering changing the rig, but with prices where they are right now, we are hesitant to do that. Until we decide whether we will keep our rig, or change to another, we won't be looking to upgrade the battery systems. Safe travels! Looks like you have yourself an awesome setup there!
@acroduster
@acroduster 2 жыл бұрын
@@BrazenBrits im a cheater ive been told for being an aorcraft mechanic, working in product development as a manufacturing engineer for nearly 30 years and having studied electrical and mechanical engineering. I learned long ago (from my grandfather) that keeping your hard earned money is easy if you learn to buld fix and repair. It becomes a curse in some ways... My wife and i workcamped our first two years at national parks and koa's ive repaired diagnosed and rebuilt more rvs than i can even remember since word spreads fast on campgrounds that their is somebody on site that can fix pretty much anything. Our trailer behind our class a has a fully capable micro machine shop lathe mill both cnc and 3d peinting and welding capabilities stick tig and plasma torch lol. And it carries our rover as well. Everybody keeps telling me to post videos about it. But i like having time to myself since im pretty introverted and better at technical things than people. In this day and age im sure id get cancelled for telling truth about technical data and someone deciding its evil that i twnd not to care about peoples thoughts feelinga or beliefs. Hope to see you on the road sometime you seem way cooler than most people. If you ever want info or sourcing for components dont hesitate to reach out. I get great personal satisfaction sticking it to gouging corporations by sharing my suppliers. Speaking of wich check out batteryhookup.com thwy stand behind what they sell and they are very good at keeping their prices great. For sar check out santan solar. Reduce reuse and recycle. Thanks for an engaging interaction. Its been a long ti.e since ive had that on youtube.
@abidnessman
@abidnessman 2 жыл бұрын
Lose the music
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Good feedback! Thanks Mac Man. Unfortunately, we can’t change it after it’s been posted. We’ll use the feedback for future videos 👍👍👍
@vibenailart
@vibenailart 2 жыл бұрын
Hello Sir,
@vibenailart
@vibenailart 2 жыл бұрын
That is pretty nice to share us the video. We are a manufacturer of the similar batteries. We can customize the housing color, heating accessory and bluetooth. Hopefully we can send you a sample to evaluate. Our website:www.jstarbattery.com/
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hi Ben
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Hi Ben, we'd be interested in talking with you and finding out more about your batteries. Please could you email us at NatandLoz@brazenbrits.com
@drewrose2222
@drewrose2222 2 жыл бұрын
Just too many errors to be helpful. Really not worth 20 minutes of your time.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 2 жыл бұрын
Sorry about that Drew. We wanted to show a real video of somebody with limited electrical experience (An everyday RV'er) installing and setting up a lithium battery and monitor, rather than a professional how-to tutorial video. We made dumb mistakes during the install which we decided not edit out and thought it more valuable for most people if we kept them in so people can learn from them 👍
@monicabrown6138
@monicabrown6138 3 жыл бұрын
If anyone needs to hook up batteries correctly, watch Tom of Mortons on the Move do his install on their KZfaq channel. He is an electrical engineer and really knows what he is doing and he is a nice guy also. We got to meet them at the RVillage Rally this spring in Florida. They are also co producers on the show The RV’ers on the Discovery Channel.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Monica! We actually met Tom and Cait in Florida last year. They are really nice people and Tom is an excellent engineer! We highly recommend their channel for sure!
@j9of10
@j9of10 3 жыл бұрын
Did I miss the part where you addressed the question posed in the title? Which is the reason I clicked on the video.
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Hi John, that’s a fair point. There was a text overlay at 1:33 where after installing, I tested it with many of the 12v items left on and it worked superbly. Since releasing the video we dry camped for 5 days (video out shortly) and although we obviously had to recharge the battery from the generator, we could live comfortably every evening using all the lights, charging phones, etc. with the standard marine battery that came with the RV it would have killed the battery. However, I suspect that battery had been damaged previously. So, yes, we feel it’s totally worth upgrading to a single lithium battery. The battery monitor is also a fantastic gadget that I’m glad we bought.
@c4rter78
@c4rter78 3 жыл бұрын
NO guard on the table saw blade and you didn’t have any goggles or ear defenders on!! Tut tut
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Booorrriinnnnggggg 😘
@c4rter78
@c4rter78 3 жыл бұрын
Good efforts modifying though 👍🏼 looking much better in the storage area 😍
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks 😁
@KC-pd1dh
@KC-pd1dh 3 жыл бұрын
Oi...where is your safety guard on the table saw you muppet!!! Remember you slicing your finger 🤦🏻‍♀️
@BrazenBrits
@BrazenBrits 3 жыл бұрын
A table saw safety guard doesn’t stop idiots putting their hand through the saw.....as I full-well know 🤣. But, I’m not sure where it is actually?! I installed it once, but it was annoying
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