RV and Motorhome Lifestyle
Are lithium batteries worth it&##x3f;

Are lithium batteries worth it?

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RV batteries are expensive but necessary.

While the world is shut down, I decided that it was a good time to switch out my four old (and dead) lead-acid batteries and replace them with lithium-ion batteries. There are a lot of advantages to lithium batteries, and there's only one disadvantage. I'll get to that in a minute, but first, let's look at the advantages.

Advantages of Lithium Batteries

  • They have a 10-year warranty.

  • They last 10 times longer than a lead-acid battery.

  • They can be discharged to 100% instead of the recommended 50% for lead acid batteries.

  • They can be installed indoors and in any position. There is no hydrogen gasses generated and no terminal corrosion.

  • You can't hurt them. You can discharge them all the way down to zero.

  • They hold a charge for over a year. If you store your RV for the winter and let the battery completely discharge, it doesn't hurt the battery. It quickly recharges and is as good as new.

  • They weigh about 1/5 of what a lead-acid battery bank would weigh.

  • They provide twice as much power from one battery as a lead-acid battery.

  • They are drop-in replacements for lead-acid batteries (but without adding a different charger, you won't get the full benefit of a lithium battery because they won't be fully charged).

  • You don't have to buy all new batteries at one time as you do with lead-acid batteries. You can buy one or two batteries and then buy more later when your budget allows. You can mix new and old batteries.

  • They maintain a steady voltage through 90% of their discharge.

  • They can be charged five times faster than lead-acid batteries.

  • They are completely maintenance-free. You never have to add water.

There's only one disadvantage

They're expensive. They cost almost $1,000 each (Actually, $949 each including shipping). I got mine from Battle Born Batteries. The batteries are made in the US in Reno, NV. You can reach them at 855-292-2831 or check out their website at https://battlebornbatteries.com/. This is not an affiliate link. I paid for my batteries.

They're not expensive when you consider that they last for ten years.

I like the fact that I won't have to worry about batteries for the next 10 years, and I can't hurt them. I can fully discharge them, and it still won't hurt them. I like all the extra power I have now for boondocking. I bought two lithium batteries, and they provide twice as much power as the four lead-acid batteries I had.

Bottom line: If you do much boondocking, switching to lithium batteries is a no-brainer. And if you like having plenty of power and never having to worry about your batteries, they're not bad either. I love my new lithium batteries. At least, I do now after I got over the shock of the price. In the long run, they're less expensive, so it's like that old commercial, "You can pay me now or pay me later."

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