Recommended Converter and Charger for Single Lithium Battery on 5th Wheel Trailer

Question

Question:

My battery is dying in my 2015 fifth wheel. I am planning on upgrading the battery to a 100 ah liFePO4 battery in my 2015 fifth wheel. My plan is to eventually buy a small portable solar kit for it for the few times I boondocks. Will I need to change my charger too? If so what do you recommend?

asked by: Paul M

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

Yes. Because lithium batteries have a full charge voltage of 14.4 to 14.6 volts, your standard battery charger/converter system will not be able to fully charge a lithium battery so you will need to upgrade your system. The Progressive Dynamics # PD9160ALV is compatible with lithium batteries and will work well for your single 100ah lithium battery. The # PD9160ALV is a 60amp converter and since it turns off automatically to avoid over-charging, it will help prolong the life of your new battery.

If you want to add a small solar panel system that will work with one battery, the Go Power Solar Flex Charging System with Digital Solar Controller - 50 Watt Solar Panel # 34280058 would be a good option. In order to use larger solar charging systems, most would require a battery bank with more than 1 battery, so this would be a good choice for your current setup.

I've linked some review videos of these parts for you to have a look at, as well as a helpful article that can help you determine how much solar power you might need.

expert reply by: Erik B

1

Christy

10/31/2021

I just bought a Grand Design Transcend (has one solar Panel) with a CONVERTER CHARGER W/DISTRIB CTR 30 AMP AC 55 AMP DC W/11 CIRCUITS BLACK NEW GENERATION. That is all I could get from Grand Design's website. So to upgrade to a lithium I just need to know what to replace it with, and do I need to replace the whole circuit board or just the converter? ? Thank you!

Reply

Les D.

11/2/2021

@Christy Standard converter chargers charge standard batteries at around 13.8 volts, whereas Lithium batteries charge at around 14.5 volts. You might get lucky and have a converter charger that has a switch to change between lead and lithium, otherwise you will need a new converter charger. If you can send me the model number of your current charger converter I can figure out which that you have or need.

Reply

Christy

11/2/2021

@LesD Thank you. I will get that to you. I have not picked up the trailer yet from dealer.

Reply

Answer 1

The Progressive Dynamics Inteli-Power RV Converter and Battery Charger - Lithium - 12V - 60 Amps #PD9160ALV will run off your Dodge Ram based on the information you provided. This is an interesting combination because you are using a power inverter…

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Answer 2

The fact that your converter overcharged your batteries leads me to believe it's replacement time for your converter since it isn't properly functioning. That being said we do offer monitoring systems like the Go Power RV Battery Monitor Kit…

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Answer 3

That's a good question, so I checked with Progressive Dynamics about how fast a 100 amp hour battery will recharge when using the Progressive Dynamics 9300 Series RV Converter Charger - 12V - 60A #PD79RR. According to them, while there are some…

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Answer 4

The Best Progressive Dynamics equivalent to your WF-8955 converter is going to be the Progressive Dynamics Inteli-Power RV Converter and Battery Charger for lithium batteries #PD9160ALV. It has the same input and output as your previous model but has…

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Answer 5

To determine the size of the brake assemblies you need you have to measure the depth and width of the hub drum on the axle like what you see in the picture I attached. The most common size is 2-1/4 inch wide like the #T4071600-500 that you…

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Answer 6

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 7

Since you have a 400ah lithium battery bank the best option is going to be the Redarc In-Vehicle BCDC Battery Charger #331-BCDC1240D. This DC to DC charger works with 12V or 24V vehicle systems with standard or smart alternators and is compatible…

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Answer 8

The correct set of replacement brake assemblies for your AxleTek 12 inch assemblies is the kit part #AKEBRK-7-SA that you referenced. This kit is a pair of left and right assemblies that are an exact match to what you have that are also self…

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Answer 9

Even though I cannot comment specifically on the grease you used because I am not familiar with it, I can tell you the best grease for trailer bearings is a a grease with a rating of GC-LB, which just means it is made to withstand very high…

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Answer 10

First you will need to remove the old hydraulic equipment. Remove the surge coupler or actuator, remove all the lines, and finally remove the brake assemblies. If you have 10 inch diameter hub and drums, you may need to replace those as well. If you…

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Answer 11

Trailer wheel bearings are specific to the spindle that is installed on the axle that is on your trailer. You will need to safely support the trailer, remove the wheel and tire, remove the grease cap, remove the cotter pin and washer that secures the…

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Answer 12

The correct replacement bearing kit for a 6,000 lb Dexter axle is the following: - Bearing Kit #BK3-100 This comes with the correct replacement bearings, races, and seal for one hub, so you'd need a quantity of two bearing kits for one axle.

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Recommended Converter and Charger for Single Lithium Battery on 5th Wheel Trailer

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