You goofed. I was given some DISCARDED medical Lithium batteries 8 years ago. They are still providing 80% of rated storage and at 1/2 the weight and 2/3 the space of the same capacity flooded lead acid. These things are just wonderful.

Agreed with everything in your other videos, but there is absolutely zero argument for lead acid batteries over lithium ion. What next, a VHS Video installation?

Bless your Heart, you don't know what you're talking about. Your logic is flawed, but cute and emotional. I love it.

Wow people are very DEFENSIVE about their battery choices. I like your rationale. You do You girl.

Sorry but the information on this post is so wrong, technically flawed and misleading and I would hate anyone to take this information as factual as its not. Lithium Iron produced today are extremely safe and all other devices need to be correctly regulated with a controller to avoid overcharging which will destroy any battery or device. Lithium are now the go to energy storage battery for RV/Caravan/Campers and there are so many no brainer reasons why. Firstly they are about 1/3 the weight and roughly the same 1/3 the size of AMG or Lead Acid (LA). They have a different draw down then other batteries and so have more direct current available and do not degrade like traditional batteries do. If you drain AMG or LA batteries more then 30% you will kill them very quickly, Lithium do not suffer this problem. Yes Lithium are more expensive but when you consider most are covered for 10 years and will likely last you 15 years together will all the other advantages why would you not go with them...? To pass up free Lithium batteries is just dumb in my book. Sorry but think you ought to do more research before misleading people with such fundamentally and technically flawed information.

I'm a retired engineer (EE & ChE) with 60+ years time in grade designing Aero-Space power systems. Long & Short -- Lady, you know not of what you speak.

I agree that I wouldn't want to play guinea pig with a new product in a test phase. That said, I would definitely go for LiFePO4 batteries is the budget allows it. There are proven ones around and have been in RV use for years. Lithium batteries are simply perfect for RVs. If you do the math, they're only slightly more expensive than comparable Ah in lead acid batteries. With lead acid you need twice the batteries for the same power since you can't drain them more than 50%, so if the battery says 200Ah you actually need 2 of them to get usable 200 Ah. Then there's the weight, which is not even 1/4 for Lithium (again compared by same power). The biggest thing is charging: lead acid charges up to around 90% and the last few percent are trickle charged, so in order to get 100% charge you need hours of sunlight. Often you don't have that long time of sunlight so the batteries aren't charged to 100% - which lead acid batteries don't like much - they want to be fully charged. Lithium is different: the batteries operate best between 20% and 80% charge, so the sun going down is just fine with them, in fact - they like it. They also don't have the absorption phase of a lead acid battery, thus you can charge them up full blast on solar or generator with pretty much as many amps as they can handle. You can be charged early afternoon before those clouds roll in :-) That said, Lithium batteries certainly have their downsides - #1 argument is cost (which isn't that big of an argument because they last a lot longer - at least 4 times as long as lead acid. So over 10 or so years they will calculate. Therefor it's a budget thing if you can pay upfront or have to go in smaller steps over the years). They don't like hot or cold though. Given, lead acid doesn't like that either, but they're a lot more temperature tolerant than Lithium batteries. That means you have to install them inside the RV, not in the basement - unless you have a temperature controlled basement (which pretty much no RV does). BTW: the argument that a lot of people use flooded lead acid batteries is a bit flawed. Most of those people do because that's what they know. Nothing wrong with that in general. A century old technology isn't necessarily bad - just outdated, but I bet you can find almost as many people who used Lithium batteries for years and swear by them. That however is probably the younger crowd (considerably under 60). Also you can't simply replace a lead acid battery with a lithium battery: you need the proper components to charge lithium correctly, it it involves a bit more than just switching batteries. All that said, the lead acid batteries will serve you well at an initially much lower cost factor. Plus, it's what everyone who does solar knows, so finding help is probably easier with an "older" system.

almost any lithium battery is better than Lead Acid battery. If you think that no fire is involved with a lead acid battery fire, you are very wrong. I've repaired several vehicles damaged by lead acid battery explosions and fires. They vent hydrogen when they reach their charge absorption charge level, and they can also be a health hazard true to the fumes that are emitted, and when the top blows off, there are hot flames behind it, and sulpheric acid behind that, going everywhere after the explosion. I'm more afraid of lead acid than lithium. the only causes of lithium problems are over charging, under voltage, and extreme heat buildup. charge them properly, don't over-discharge them, and make sure they are ventilated, and you'll get 20 years out of lithium. In the meantime, you have better energy density, and if you let them sit for years at a storage charge, they will be perfect, instead of ruined, like a lead acid battery which will self-destruct. sorry, but lead acid sucks.. in my opinion, and have quite a bit experience with both, 20 years experience in auto and marine industry, and over 10 years experience with unmanned aircraft, so i've seen a lot of both sides, gel, AGM, lead acid, and lithium polymer/ion cells. learn more about them before discarding the idea. There are lots of manufacturers, so don't get hung up on one cell manufacturer.

I normally think that you give great advise, but I've been using lithium ion batteries for years on the robots I build and have never had a problem with them. I've done the research and will be upgrading my electrical system to Lion when I can afford it. I'm hoping that when Teslsa builds their battery factory they will be more available and less expensive.

You should take this video down, it’s misinformative and misleading. You are just another freeloader (patreon) looking for everyone to support you’re lifestyle choices, and some people will take you’re ‘advice’ as gospel, unfortunately! If you want to advise people on a product, do you’re homework, then double check you’re information and get you’re Facts right. And finally, you’re presentation is Awful, write up a script for you’re videos instead of the chaotic airhead rambling you did in this one and stick to it.

LiFePO4 batteries are very safe and you don't have to worry about them exploding. The upfront cost of lithium is outrageous but if you do the math, I think you will come out ahead with lithium over a 3-5 year period. I like my Trojan batteries but I am inclined to give lithium a chance when my Trojan batteries finally expire.

Sorry to say it but you are rough on so many levels, lithium is not just lithium, you have many types of chemistry, I my self have a 85kWh lifepo4 battery, lifepo4 is far superior in all manners to lead acid, the charge/discharge efficiency is around 99% compared to lead acid 70%, the debt of discharge can go to 0% for many thousands times, there is no maintenance, the voltage is very stable true out the discharge, the wh pr. Kg is three times better, and best of all it works, with lead acid 30% of your solar energy is wasted in heat and even more if you charge faster than the hour rating specified by the manufacture ( in you case 100 hours ) , the internal resistance of lead acid will only give you the full capacity if you discharge at a 20 hour rate( for your battery again a whopping 100 Hour ), any higher load at any time will survirly decrease you capacity, also lead acid will lose power and capacity in cold whether and warm too, sulphate can also kill you battery, run your battery low for to long and you will damage or destroy it for sure, I have been working with lead acid for many years and my time with lead acid is over.

Most RV lithium batteries are LiFePo chemistry. Very safe and won't burn or explode. This is a very mature technology. I'm not sure what brand you were dealing with but if the batteries weren't lithium iron phosphate then you were right to avoid them. Lithium RV batteries are a game changer however.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF BEING SCARED AND MISINFORMED!!!! YOU WERE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF LADY!!!

I had a flooded LA bank in my house (Trojan T125). One day I discovered a leaking pipe inside my floor. The corrosive byproducts had gotten into a small crack in the floor and eaten right through the copper pipe. I switched to AGM shortly after, and finally to LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate). There is no comparison. The only reason not to go with LFP is the initial cost. You do need a good BMS (battery management system) to protect the individual cells, because they are much more likely to die a horrible death if you let a cell's voltage drop too low or rise too high. I suspect that was the part the company in question was still figuring out: The BMS. The rest of the tech is old and well understood.

Aww this is so sad to watch. I would strongly suggest researching the different chemistries of batteries, especially lithium, and learn more about the battery management system workings. It sounds like that company that you dealt with that offered the batteries did not know what they were doing. If you get a solar specific lithium battery, the advantages over the solar specific flooded batteries is huge. HUGE. There is a reason why grid based batteries are lithium, tesla cars are lithium, tesla energy powerwalls are lithium, ev conversion kits are lithium, etc etc. Do not be afraid of lithium. I understand why you are concerned because of the samsung recall etc, but it is no reason to choose lead acid over lithium. I am biased because I have been using lithium for years, but wow, this video is missing so much. I totally understand why you came to your decision though, but please read more into it.

Again, you show how smart you are by doing your research and going with the proven item, rather than listening to the hype. Hope they bring you exactly what you need when you go boondocking ! Take care & Stay safe....give chase a hug from me.

No way I would turn down a free lithium 12 volt!

Pippi I have been working on RV's and Sailboats my whole life(61 now), I understand their electrical systems and storage challenges intimately. Given that space and weight are not limiting factors and they can be mounted so that they can be looked after, you have made the right choice. The storage capacity/dollar and the long term reliability of a purpose built deep cycle flooded lead acid battery cannot be touched by AGM or Gel cell batteries. Now to look after them first get "Battery Filler Bottle" they are about $15 and will greatly simplify adding water, and ONLY use distilled water. Second set the alarm on your battery monitor to 11.5 volts, if it goes off too often you need to add more capacity to your battery bank. Well done not being a sheep and choosing AGM or Gel's. I am having a rig built in Bend OR for off road use and am choosing LiFePo4 (the most stable of the Li batteries) because weight and space are strong considerations. And I enjoy your videos keep it up!

Uninformed people like this hold the world back / risk is in you're life every day / can you imagine how the world would be if we all had our heads in the sand

Lead acids can be just as dangerous or more than lithium. If water gets low or they get overcharged they will offgas and can catch fire. We had that happen with our first lead acids, got so hot you couldn't touch them. Lithium is very promising as a much better and safer tech than these so I would disagree with much of what she says in this video. You need proper battery management and lithium's can be safe. Hopefully in the next few years we will have some tech that will completly replace this old tech,

You should have done more research before you made this video, if you are going to say negative things about lithium , do a balanced review and mention their benefits also. Sounds like you got free batteries from crown.

Toss out your Lithium battery laptop, cell phone, and laptops. Replace them with flooded lead acid batts.

I have a dot matrix printer, a type writer and a 8 track tape player if you're interested.

I ended up here because of a suggested link after watching a video on lithium. All I can say is wow, welcome to the 19th century (lead batteries were invented in 1857). I have never seen so much blind loyalty, and willingness to accept what someone says instead of doing your own research. On the other hand, there are some very knowledgeable posters on lithium who have done their homework. I will not be subscribing. (Solar charged Lithium Iron running my motorhome and half my house for five years now.)

Life Po4. Safest battery, non toxic. Won’t explode. I have 8 x CALB 180’s for a 24v, 4.5 kwhr system. 4 years straight, 60 % draw down every day, no loss so far.

You didn't decline... they ended up not giving it to you. Lithium Phosphate batteries work fine.

It’s your choice but lithium are by far safe and better

Hey Pippi, quick correction on lithium batteries. Most common RV batteries are Lithium IRON, not Lithium ION. Lithium Iron, LiF3P04 batteries are very stable and do not have the same issue with thermal run away that the ION type batteries do. Therefore they don't explode, cause fire and whatnot anymore than what a sealed lead-acid battery would do. When you reference the Samsung batteries the type of batteries they use are Lithium ION. Drop in Lithium IRON RV batteries are very safe, more effective and simply work better for RV and Solar use. Thanks for the video though.

Pippi, I enjoy your videos. I'm totally amazed at your energy, tenacity, and willingness to tackle new things with zeal. But, you really did yourself a disservice by not doing more research on the Lithium battery technologies (plural) that are available. They are not all created equally - but, you are treating them as though they are. For example, Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries do not suffer from overheating, shorting, or bursting into flames. That is about the safest Lithium battery technology available, even if it does not have the highest power density - which is another factor you just ignored. You also, apparently, gave no consideration to the life expectancy of lead acid batteries versus lithium batteries or what the long term costs would be - which is especially important for full timers. And, you gave no attention to the charging/discharging profiles of lead acid versus lithium batteries, which has a profound impact on your energy consumption and battery charging. I appreciate you sharing your rationality in making the choice you did. But, I don't recommend others follow in your footsteps where battery technology is concerned.

The odds of a LiFePO4 battery catching fire are pretty much zero even with abuse. Older lithium technologies are more prone to catching fire if the battery is abused or physically damaged. If you fire a nail through a big lead-acid battery you will very likely get a fire or at least have the battery meltdown. Lead-acid batteries need to be vented to the outside so that during charging you don't get a buildup of hydrogen. Lead-acid batteries also tend to cause corrosion over time to any reactive materials in the vacinity.

your getting smarter and smarter Pippi I'm proud of you and your stand for what's right.

you bring up a valid point on lithium batteries. Thanks Pippi

You may not have read my previous post closely enough. I suggested Lithium Iron not Lithium Ion batteries. Their is at least one American manufacturer making them for RV use (and the ones I plan on putting in my underway bus conversion) There has been NO reported fires in Lithium Iron batteries and they have been accepted to be air shipped by the government. They have a life rating about 2-3 times that of lead acid (I have heard figures of as much as 10 times the usable deep cycle cycles as lead in some instances) and they are perfecting recycling them to help the environment. The cycle can be run down to 20% of the charge without hurting the battery, lead acid is about less than 40-50% without DAMAGE if i remember correctly. They cost more but last longer. They have been using LiFe on public Transportation buses (hybrids) for almost 8 years now that I know of with no incidences. I use to be a mass transit mechanic, where I first heard of, saw, and watched the use of LiFe batteries. Oh and they are much smaller and much less weight AH to AH. I use to think the big glass cells used on the old Edison Electric systems could not be beat but it looks like they have.

OMG! .. take a breath lady! .. ha.. lol!

@4:28 "Now I'm a flooded lead-acid girl" haha, awesome. You stay informed and independent. These comments from the what seems to be lithium-bros don't understand that you do your research and maintenance and know what you are talking about. Stay awesome, Pippi, you rock!

Batteries for an RV are not a "one-size-fits-all" item. Other people may need different things than you and I do -- not "right or wrong", just different, and right for them. With that said, I understand your reasoning and your decisions to meet your needs and my experience indicates that your choices are good ones. Thanks for explaining the details that went into your decisions, that's clear and helpful.

You made the right decision.

Interesting, it’s almost like somebody switched the fact sheets on her. Oh and “crayon” instead of “crown” was kind of cute

lion has been used in a much larger capacity for years in the mainframe high tech industry. they do require different things for maintenance, but overall will phase out lead in the long run

If the company wants to give away some lithium Iron batteries I would gladly take them. We will be upgrading our rv from led acid to LiFePO4 batteries. The power, weight, discharge depth are all substantially superior to Led acid/AGM. The cost is the only negative. These batteries have been used for many years now in Electric cars and are safe for RV/Boat applications.

You need to do more research on Lithium batteries before you bad mouth them. You sound like you were paid to say what you said. SMH. Don't fear technology. Embrace it.

Glad that you made the safe choice.

Misleading title. You are very, very misinformed.

Oh, Pippi. You have never toyed with the Terminal function on a Mac as well as Automator. Makes it completely programmable and flexible. And a Mac is so stable and reliable. And buying software isn't a gamble.

You are 100% right. I live off grid and have my own power.. I have flooded lead acid battery The very best choice pound for pound .

The best advice you learned was from listening to others who use a particular product and have experience with it., and doing research on a product. In the long run it will be better to use quality products that have been tested over time. By now you know the limits of what your RV can and cannot do, plus what it likes and not like. your RV has a personality to and you have to keep it happy. Batteries can be finicky some times. I have a dodge truck that has the factory Mopar battery and have got over twelve years of use and never had an issue with it, because most of it was highway miles. It is amazing that it lasted that long. batteries do not like to sit around and not being used. With your choice it should be good for many years of road life on it. happy trails to you...

Unfortunately the free lithium battery and the Samsung cell problems are not relevant to RV deep-cycle battery choice. Some unnamed new manufacturer may indeed be having problems getting a new design out the door, but a number of them have a good record and should have been candidates for this installation. Today the only reason to forego LiFePo4 and stick with lead-acid is the high up-front cost. I know this has been mentioned before, but it's worth another vote. Two years ago one could question the Li option for RV use, but not in 2017.

My mom works as a Sub Contractor to the Federal Government as a 'Waste Management Specialist'. Basically, everyone that buys batteries helps keep her employed because she's part of the process that manages the side of safely shipping hazardous and dangerous chemicals for recycling and or disposal. They also handle other things, like radioactive waste and plutonium and crap like that. But, all the acids in these batteries keep her employed, so please, continue to buy them, a whole bunch of them and take really bad care of them so you need more, lol :) Anyway, thought I'd just share that.

Best have a good battery hydrometer and distilled water on hand and really good ventilation. That's a lot of trade-offs for not choosing AGM..

About the best summary I've seen on KZfaq. I spent a couple of hundred hours researching battery types for solar off-grid and came to the same conclusion. I experimented with AGM before swapping to flooded. When a bit of maintenance is not a problem and careful charge control is possible I decided flooded was the best value for money and should last the longest. Lithium is still best for many applications and will be favoured over lead acid when the price comes down. The main problem I found with solar and batteries was effectively getting as much of the solar energy as possible into the battery when the energy was available, which meant timing boost charging to match the best part of the day. For best life expectancy SLA batteries will soak up charge on float over a longer period, but with unknown peak solar times and durations a boost charge and equalisation and periodic maintenance wins out for off-grid solar.

I have been using LiFePO4 in my '65 Streamline camper for solar storage since summer of 2015. They are incredible. Sorry Pippi, but you need an education on this one. Totally safer than lead -acid, by a long shot, less expensive per usable Kwh, lighter...it is all true! Yes it is new tech to the RV industry, but the batteries have been used in electric vehicles for years and a hand full of us have had great success using them for solar storage in off grid applications. The system in my camper is amazing, as it can run the A/C all day on a 98F day and get plugged into shore power at night to be ready again the next day. When not using A/C, the solar panels provide enough current to keep the batteries charged to where plugging into shore power is never necessary. Even runs the fridge! No, it was not cheap. But if you look at the longevity of the batteries compared to lead-acid, the LiFePO4 wins hands down.The best boondocking system ever! Lead-acid is a dying breed in my eyes. There are now plug and play systems available, but building your own is not only rewarding, but also much cheaper.

Just keep them charged up, never let them run too low and remain low for any length of time, Lead Acid can last years if well cared for. One simple trick respectable Lead Acid battery producers sometimes use is they leave an extra big void below the plates, this means that any crud falling off the plates sinks to the space below the plates, this avoids premature short circuits on the plates.

I'm going to get a couple 190 AH AGM batteries tomorrow. They are sealed and good for 10 years but probably get more out of them if you keep them topped up and not in the cold. They also contain Pure Lead with Glass mats in between the Lead plates to absorb shock better. Are spilless , you can run them down lower and they will bounce back faster but this also decreases the number of charge cycles like other batteries and maintenance free practically. Plus I'm gettin a smokin deal on them so can't pass it up. A lotta people use Lead acid still and they are good for lots of applications. Just keep an eye on them use goggles, gloves and droppers, hydrometers etc.

I think you made the right choice. Lithium has issues and several rv users have said their battery capacity has dropped off a lot quicker than the spec sheets stated. Also lithium batteries don't like the cold which wouldn't work for me up here in Canada.

Until the price of lithium batteries comes down A LOT, if weights not an issue good old lead acid is still the best bang for your buck. Their tough as old boots if you take care of them and 99% recyclable when their life does end. I work as a forklift engineer and for the forseable future lead acid is still going to rein king in my industry. The benefits of lithium just don't outweigh the 3X to 5X cost increase, not even close! Great battery choice for your rv! Keep them charged as close to 100% as often as you can and keep the water topped up, use distilled or deionised water and they will serve you well! 🖒🖒🖒🖒

X2 on Flooded and X2 on Crown. Now you have to take care of them to get your moneys worth... so, by discharging too deeply and too quickly.... not to mention not fully and properly charging each time, they will not last as long as they should, possibly extremely so. The number one thing, besides listening to HandyBob, is to develop a routine for maintenance; watch the water level (auto water is great), but you need test specific gravity to know when to equalize and head off premature failure. I am sure you will. I like a big charger, such as lives within my Magnum Inverter to get through Absorb phase at the voltage the Crowns will love, then when there's enough sun, let Solar finish. If not enough sun, I change the option and let Mr. Magnum finish. Keep up the good work and have a great summer!

Hi Pippenings love your comments keep it up you know what you are talking about thanks.

Got to say this because you are in AZ. When we were in AZ, after replacing all 6 batteries because of not paying attention to the water level. I started checking water once a month, and always had to add water ( almost a gallon) in all 6 batteries. Now that we are in FL I've added water only 2 times in 3 years. AZ climate is so dry that the water evaporates very quickly. So I don't know if you have maintance free batteries or not, but if not you really need to watch the water level. And as always great video 😎

The reason why lithium batteries can burn, is they contain a lot more energy in a smaller space. If the battery is shorted, it will dump huge energy into the short, resulting in huge amounts of heat. The very same can happen with any battery ever made, so long as it can provide enough energy to heat up the fault to ignition temperatures. Lead acid can always start on fire, its just less likely, since they're kinda crummy. Just about any form of energy storage has risks. Water stored in a tower can fall, gasoline can combust, a rock can roll down a mountain. Its the nature of things. The smaller the energy being stored, typically the smaller the risk. So sure, an electrochemical storage solution with higher potential energy, will have higher risk. And lithium is far less tolerant to misuse than lead. Lead just works like garbage if you treat it bad. Lithium can start a fire, but so can a standard AA battery in the right conditions. Understanding the risks and putting effort to mitigate is the key. Drinking enough water will kill you, but yet people still drink water.

the other day I saw one guy bought used Tesla batteries for rv and made pretty good setup

I maintain a lot of batteries as backup power sources. Our equipment is used in protecting the lives of the flying public, so it relies on good power sources to operate. We have some flooded batteries but have found the AGM batteries easier to maintain plus you don't have the hazards associated with maintaining flooded batteries. If you ever had an accident with an acid burn you would understand. Since you have already gotten these, protect yourself by investing in a good pair of acid resistant gloves, a face shield and a rubber apron to protect your clothes. To service these you will need to remove the caps and I have seen people (more than once) ruin a good set of clothes with just a small drop of acid from one of the caps. Use only distilled water for servicing. Impurities in other types will certainly shorten the life expectancy of the batteries. Do NOT add acid to the batteries. DO NOT OVERFILL the batteries. Keep a box of baking soda handy. If you have a spill, use the baking soda to neutralize the acid, but do not get any inside the cells or it WILL kill your battery. And, last but not least, make sure there are no sparks or sources of ignition around while servicing or when the batteries get hot. The batteries give off hydrogen gas which is highly explosive (remember something called the Hindenberg?). It just takes a spark to set it off.

Dry camping for 9 years on my second set of Lifeline AGM batteries and they're gone again. For $1500 per set I would expect a little more time out of them. Very careful with my charging amp usage never drawn below 50% doesn't seem to make any difference. Going to lead acid, venting the area, and automatic watering. For much less dollars.

Li-Ion is great, you also can use almost 100 % of the amp hours instead of 50% amp hours before you need charging. I even checked when you published. AGM is even better than flooded. Bad Choice. I agree with the PC. Apple comparison though. Apple did start using Intel chips though. Nothing beats the Core I7 with a good graphics card.

Deciding which type of rv is best for you is balancing the trade offs of camper types and how it relates to your needs. Some people are happy in a van that can stealth camp, others need larger space requiring a 5th wheel. Obviously the van can go more places than the larger rv's. That's a trade off. Choosing the best battery system for yourself is a trade-off between desires, actual power needs, desired number of days of battery autonomy, $ budgeting, and space/ weight constraints. A flooded system appears to be a fine choice for you because you have the weight capacity, an adequate space outside of the living spaces to keep the batteries. For myself, because SPACE REQUIRED installation in living area. I chose AGM type batteries otherwise known as valve regulated lead acid. The trade off for me was cost. AGm's cost about double your open flooded . Safety in my situation dictated a sealed battery, either agm or lithium. I had enough weight capacity that I could not justify going lithium by more than doubling the cost of agm. Lithium also requires a much more sophisticated battery monitoring system than any of the lead acid variants. Another thought is go cheap on your first set of batteries, as there is a learning curve being your own power company. Alot of people end up trashing their first set of batteries.

Hey there Pippi!! Truly happy to see you ended up with Crown product.. stellar product and tremendous service group globally! I will point out that the " off grid" market is only a piece of their market...they actually have a huge hand in automotive, trucking, industrial and even a huge spot in the Golf Cart world too... so while they are outstanding...they certainly do way more than just specialize in the renewable energy space. That said... I think you are amazing .. keep up the great work!!!

On those lead-acid batteries, you need to check (and fill) the water level every month! I know because my neighbor at Slab City, an off-grid community, has a 48 Volt system and during the summers here he has to go to checking them every 3 weeks because it's so hot here.

Yes, yes ,yes.... you are correct about fire with L.A.B's but... like she says if you have the correctly regulated charging systems in place there will be very little chance of a fire situation. Regardless I'm delightfully impressed with this ladies knowledge of solar systems and battery technologies. A* a pleasure to listen to.

Not totally in agreement with you on lithium batteries. Yes they can catch fire if severely over charged or shorted, but so can your TV. Elon musk would not be selling the power Wall unless he was confident it was safe. That's 12 kilowatts of lithium batteries. Having said that, you probably made the right choice. You need to get what fits your comfort level. Good video! Beautiful scenery.

A Lithium Ferrous Phosphate battery (LiFePo4) is superior to any lead-acid in numerous ways. They're extremely stable but still contain far more energy than lead-acid, they last 3-5000 cycles (a decade+), they weigh a fraction of lead-acid, and they can provide vastly more current in a sustained fashion than lead acid (you can run air conditioning on them if you have enough amp hours). In fact one of the few caveats is that you can't charge them when it goes below freezing, so you need to keep them warm. Other than that, literally everybody who has tried them loves them and would never go back to 1850's battery technology (which is when lead-acid was invented, and it hasn't really improved markedly since.)

There are several commercially available Lithium batteries that have different chemistries providing different safety, performance, reliability, life cycles, and energy densities. IMO, the safest with moderate performance, energy sense, high reliability, and longer life providing you have a proper charging system is LiFePo batteries. These generally come in larger 38850 size and would be perfect for a mobile Solar Power Generator application. But, I also prefer AGM over FLA lead acid for less maintenance.

Good choice, flooded lead acid is tried and true. Lithium is getting closer but still not worth it from a $/watt perspective.

my Lithium batterys are from eas motorsports , exceptional. I believe they have a Arizona address. mine were purchased in canada, thru the same company with British Columbia address on Vancouver Island.

Nice vid Pippi. Love the setup but it would have been my second choice. I would have went with LiFePO4 batteries for sure. Lighter, higher capacity, handles vibration a lot better, longer life, better discharge characteristics. You just have to watch out for cool temps and overcharging / draw. But since it'll be on a charge controller that's constant anyways. Have a 10KWhr solar setup for a cabin on surrette flooded cells for over 10 years but all my vehicles use lithium. If it was free, I'd take it because the big downside of lithium for me is the cost.

SHOUT OUT TO YOU ALL....do I have your attention? :0) One way to help out Pippi is to watch the ads, give a thumbs up and comment and share. I have started watching or letting the ads play and just turn down the sound on the long ones. It doesn't cost us a thing and it is helpful for her channel. I don't know Pippi and she didn't ask me to do this but I want to help her out. She is just so sweet. Let's all pitch in. Thanks! :0D

Flooded led acid batteries can have issues in colder climates with the water freezing.

I think you need to do your research more. Lots of wrong info. Used lead acid and lithium for a long time. Never going back to lead acid. You can consider lithium iron and nixkel iron batteries. Better option than lead acid in dmany different ways.

Great choice on the batteries. There is very little that can compete with a quality wet battery that is properly charged, used and maintained, and certainly nothing that provides equivalent price/performance ratio. Not AGM and not LifePO4 or anything else. Yet. It will come, but not yet. Even Technomadia have seen surprising longevity issues with their LifePO4 batteries - likely due to heat. I chose the Crown AGMs only because my coach does not provide good access to the batteries for maintenance, and I never did get a 100% confirmation that the watering systems are able to withstand EQ charge boiling conditions indefinitely. I assumed an "abundance of caution" as the politicians say. :-)

I notice your electronics are right beside your batteries.Batteries emit acid gasses which will corrode expensive electronics.You need to have an airtight wall between the two.But the electronics need to be kept cool so proper vent is essential to the outside air..

So happy for you they are installed now, that battery box and compartment are squeaky clean too! The watering system is great, I love mine as you will yours. Congrats on all your hard work, now you can enjoy the rewards. I'd better water mine in the next few days before I leave Memphis. Take care!

You haven't lost your charm! Good choice

I have had four of those batteries on my boat for 12 years now. Just Add Water period doesn't get much easier than that and they get a lot of use everyday

WOW!! Those are some big batteries. Good choice. Lead-Acid is tried and true. I have read that Lithium batteries are dirtier when you consider the entire process. Something about the raw materials are mined in Canada, shipped to Korea for manufacturing, then shipped back here. And of course, having them set your RV on fire will generate a lot of pollutants.

Really great job Pip! ! ! Your skills really shine girl. . . for people who have never worked with short sections of large cable, it is a JOB, that takes a lot of hand and arm strength. . . and you have some sore hands and muscles at the end of the day. . . And I only heard 2 or 3 "bleeps" which is pretty phenomenal in itself for a job of this complexity. rock on !

There are several problems with Pippi’s comments. The first is this. Whenever someone is promoting a particular brand of whatever, it makes me wonder, is said person is a paid shill from that company? She is not only promoting flooded batteries for her RV, but she is promoting a SPECIFIC brand. This might as well be an advertisement for Crown. If she discussed flooded batteries generically, she could have avoided this problem. She mentions “reliable old technologies.” Rotary dial phones, carbon zinc batteries, vinyl records, Zenith tube TVs, incandescent light bulbs, vacuum tube radios, 3-speed automatic transmissions, Ford flathead V8s, and flip-phones were all very reliable technologies. How many of them are still around? The all GOT IT RIGHT in their day. Times change. BTW, I still use my flip-phone! She makes another bad mistake. She creates the strawman only to knock it down. She equates the chemistry in Samsung’s phones with Lithium IRON Phosphate batteries, suggesting that LiFePO4 batteries could do the same thing. She doesn’t know what she is talking about. LiFePO4 chemistry is different compared to cell phone batteries. There are people that have used this technology in their RVs for years without them burning down. She mentioned Handy Bob, a person that I have personally spoken with and have an immense respect for. We have to keep in mind that we have different paces at which we adopt new technologies. My son was very quick to adopt water-based varnishes. I dragged my heels and stuck with my oil-based stuff. Now that the chemistry is better and I have more experience with the new water based formulas, I fully embrace it. I was slower, that’s all. My pace at adopting a new technology had nothing to do with the MERITS of that technology. I have also spoken with others that have been working with off-the-grid solar systems for decades. Some of them have gotten burned (figuratively) with new battery technologies that didn’t pan out. Now they are reluctant to adopt yet another battery technology. Just like my son is much newer to the varnish scene, a person without the previous mental baggage may be much quicker to see the merits of the superior technology. Think about this. Lithium batteries are used in your smart phone. Lithium batteries have completely taken over the cordless tool industry. Anyone that thinks the old Ni-Cad batteries are better, is living in the stone ages. I run lithium batteries in my flashlights. Elon Musk puts lithium batteries in his cars. Lithium batteries have dozens of other uses If lithium batteries have taken over so many other uses, doesn’t it seem peculiar that they can’t be used in RVs as a replacement for very heavy leaded batteries?

You need good battery management controllers to limit the maximum discharge. Total discharge will damage your battery. Good luck and keep us posted.

you are right! , lithium is in our phone, and they die after a year , they make our phone get hot, I can't imagine having a huge battery like that in a RV , it was a smart move!

do you know where your fuse is for your ac for your cab? have you had your transmission stop shifting to high gear?

Completely false information technically

There are lithium cell out there that are superb for alternative energy, but nobody is likely to give them away, as they are 1000+ *per cell*. Still, that technology is evolving well. Good old flooded cells. I've spent many an hour cleaning and watering the beasts. :)

It is sad that your so un informed about the latest lithium battery technology. Lithium ion phosphate or lifepo4 do not burst into flame that easily. They outlast lead acid batteries at least double the life span they weigh about 1/4 as much and charge much faster. And are 100 percent maintenance free. Too bad you fell for all the disinformation out there. You really messed up not taking the free batteries. When your heavy dead toxic for the environment batteries kick the bucket the lucky individual who got the batteries you didn't take will still be using them for another probably 10 or so years. I thought you were smarter than that. Too bad.

PEOPLE, PLEASE, I am not trying to start a revolution here. She did her research and made her decisions based on it. I have done my research and decided to go with LiFe. I dont agree with some of what she said but she doesnt agree with my statements either. We disagree, thats all. I made my decisions on hands on experience and KNOW first hand what to expect. So, lets not pic on either of us, do your own research and make your own decisions. She is right, lead acid has been in use for decades. But it has its problems also. I personally have seen 100 lb lead acid batteries that short or arc inside and it doesnt "blow the caps off" it blows the battery apart and sprays acid yards away onto anything and everything around. And even in regular use the fumes coming off of lead acid batteries have to be vented to the exterior "free air" or they can cause corrosion and all kinds of problems including explosion so almost any kind of battery has its problems, it's a case of which one you feel is best for you. Lets not gang up on anyone, listen to them and decide for yourself after doing your own research.

You definitelly made the right choice with lead acid batteries. I wouldn't have lithium either.

Good choice. Per amp hour, its a solid battery. I just bought a larger batt bank about 6 months ago and didn't go with lithium either for the same reasons you didn't. I wasn't convinced the product was ready for prime time. My bank is right under my bed in a lower compartment, which wasn't an insignificant consideraion!! Anyhow, I'm sure you know, but seal off the compartment from the inside of the coach and install appropriate venting the compartment floor and in the door to let the gas escape. Good luck!!

Forget Lithium Ion or lithium iron batteries. I think I may need Librium batteries instead-LMAO!

OMG all lithium ion batteries are not the same! My Nissan Leaf all electric car have gone over 100,000 miles and the battery is still running strong. You are talking about lithium iron phosphate. My car uses Lithium Magnesium chemistry can not catch on fire. Lead acid can explode too if you short them out! God help us all.

Wow, so uninformed, it's amazing. I wouldn't make videos if I don't know what I'm talking about.

Really good value video about batteries in general, and now you made me understand the dangers of lithium batteries in homes. I can only hope your words will reach lots of people to warn about the backsides of the big lithium hype. I do really love your channel and like you Pippi, keep up and thanks for the great effort you are giving us to understand more in (mostly) electronics. Personally I am following your videos because planning to build an entirely off-grid house and although being quite a geek guy, I have to admit even how I do soldering is awful, not to mention my knowledge in electric things. :) Your channel is really a great help to understand how to put these together without the silly sales persons and vendors you also mentioned.

Pb batteries are quite useless. If you need get the same power from them you will need many more cells. LiFePO arr totaly safe, stable and maintenance free for like ten or twenty years. These Pb batteries are history so good luck, you will need it really!

I just added a third group 27 battery to my bank. Now I'm thinking of adding a 100 watt solar panel and a pvm charge controller next year Hopefully, that will extend my boondocking capacity a bit more.