Change the standard batteries of a motorhome by Lithium batteries
Use of batteries in motorhomes
A motorhome is usually equipped with several standard gel batteries to provide the electricity needed during stops. The usefulness is mainly to avoid having to be powered by a heat engine during stops. The batteries inside the motorhome are usually 12 volt type batteries with an amperage that can vary from 50 Ah to more than 200ah.
To better understand some technical explanations of a motorhome battery
2 values are very important Voltage and Amperage
The first value concerns the voltage which will allow it to be compatible with the vehicle and the second value is the amperage. The voltage is simply not changeable in the state to make the battery compatible with the motorhome unless you add a voltage converter but not really of interest on a conventional installation, it is therefore preferable to keep the same voltage and not to change it.
The amperage makes it possible to define the autonomy which will be given to your battery, the more the amperage is important and the more the electric autonomy will be. It is therefore a very important criterion and it will be important to define the need by replacing with the same if the autonomy is sufficient or to increase the amperage if the wish is to increase it.
The important points to change your battery
A standard Acid (Gel) type battery in a motorhome is often heavy and bulky, it will have to be replaced with the same size in order to replace it. It is very important to measure the battery and location before ordering another one. The amperage increases the size of the battery, so it is important to also check the size of the pitch if you wish to increase the amperage, i.e. the electric range of the motorhome. It is also very important to take into consideration the electrical need and the capacity of the vehicle to receive them.
Now let’s talk about Lithium batteries and their advantages
The Lithium battery has several advantages in a motorhome
1 – Often less heavy, which can save several tens of kilos in the vehicle and reduce vehicle consumption.
Reducing the weight of a battery saves fuel consumption knowing that a Lithium battery can weigh up to 4 times less than a conventional battery.
2- Often take up less space in the vehicle.
Lithium batteries are often more powerful compared in size to conventional batteries which will allow for the same size of an acid battery to put a more powerful lithium battery.
3- Recharges faster
An Acid battery takes an average of 8 hours to be fully recharged while a Lithium battery recharges in less than 4 hours. The advantage is to allow during a trip to reduce charging times and to be more mobile and more flexible on the journeys.
4- A longer lifespan
Lithium batteries for motorhomes can have a lifespan of more than 15 years while conventional batteries are a few years. The purchase is more expensive but will be quickly amortized by the significantly extended lifespan.
5- Type of lithium batteries
There are different types of Lithium batteries but 2 types of battery cells are mainly present: Lifepo4 and NMC. Batteries designed from NMC cells are more fragile and have a shorter lifespan but remain more efficient. LFP batteries (Lifepo4) are the most used batteries for motorhomes.
How to replace your battery
It is important to contact a competent professional for Lithium batteries because it is not so easy to change an Acid battery with a Lithium battery. The motorhome equipment is not designed to be compatible with such a change. The behavior of an acid battery compared to a lithium battery is different.
The first thing to do is to contact a battery professional to adjust and configure a battery that will be compatible with your equipment.
Our team remains at your disposal and you can simulate the intervention using the simulator below: