I need HELP!!!: Lithium Battery

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Lithium Battery

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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
Forum Discription: Perplexed/need help with a problem - ask here
URL: https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=16433
Printed Date: 28 Aug 2026 at 8:41pm
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Topic: Lithium Battery

Posted By: jato
Subject: Lithium Battery
Date Posted: 01 May 2026 at 5:14am

It finally happened, my 15 year old Interstate 12v deep cycle will no longer hold a charge and it is now time to replace. My other, nearly 5 year old 12v is in excellent condition and I plan to keep it, a Trojan T-1275, 160 aH.

So it would seen prudent to look at the 100 aH lithium batteries available at this time. What would you recommend, and would I need to replace the converter on a 2011 177? I have been told it will only charge lithium to 80% but I am good with that as with the old setup i could boondock for 6 days when night temps were in the 40's and with a potential lithium, even at 80% I will still have more available aH to work with.

We do camp in cold weather so I also realize I will have to move it inside for those conditions as well.

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Replies:

Posted By: gpokluda
Date Posted: 01 May 2026 at 7:43am

@jato, your timing couldn't be better as LiFePO4 batteries are at a price point that makes the decision a no brainer. If it were me, I would look at a 200amp hour battery with a BMS(battery management system) and internal heater that will protect it in cold weather. LiTime and BattleBorn are the favorites on the Escape forum. The 200amp hour battery will have a slightly larger footprint but give you the ability to add an inverter later if you choose.

I would couple the battery with a 200watt suitcase solar panel with 20amp controller. Wire a pigtail directly to the battery and just plug the panel in directly when boondocking. Most solar panels these days with controllers have auto sensing with a lithium setting. With this setup, your boondocking experience will go from 6 days to infinite. Your limitation will be your water and storage tanks.

It may seem like a minor change, but going from lead acid to lithium was a game changer for us.

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Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023)
2022 Escape 5.0TA
2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB
Honda SCL500

Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 01 May 2026 at 11:28am

A 200AH LFP battery has 4X the watt-hour capacity of a 100AH SLA battery, and LFP batteries are now AH-to-AH competitive with SLA batteries. Plus they will handle several times the recharge cycles.

You'll have to figure out an indoor storage system. They really don't like cold temperatures.

I would swap your old controller for one that understands LFP.

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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

Posted By: poohbill
Date Posted: 01 May 2026 at 11:27pm

So, the battery can come first, then a controller to better manage it? I had only the controller-then-battery sequencing, but this gives me the opportunity to start shopping for a battery before I’ve torn into my existing electronics.

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2016 179 Gastropod
2017 Ridgeline

Posted By: gpokluda
Date Posted: 02 May 2026 at 7:38am

Originally posted by poohbill

So, the battery can come first, then a controller to better manage it? I had only the controller-then-battery sequencing, but this gives me the opportunity to start shopping for a battery before I’ve torn into my existing electronics.

The short answer is yes. LiFePO4 batteries have a different charing profile than lead acid batteries, but for basic RV use, they will get you most of the way there. As stated, earlier, the Rpod charger/converter will only get a lithium battery to 80% unless you swap it out for one that has the Li setting. That's why I suggested a solar panel with a Lithium compatible controller direct wired to the battery to completely charge the battery when parked.

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Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023)
2022 Escape 5.0TA
2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB
Honda SCL500

Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 02 May 2026 at 8:09am

Thank you men for your advice, much to ponder and think upon. At the moment I still lean to the 100 aH lithium. Why? Cost is one, as previously mentioned in other posts my cost in the past 15 years for batteries is $22/year, quite conservative. If I go "big" and spend $500+ or more for bigger battery and newer converter, that cost will rise dramatically. Also, when camping, I don't spend more than 1 week of grid at one location, so as long as I can go that long, I don't see the need for more aH. As it was with my lead acids, I could go 6 days at a time when night temps were in the 40's; with the furnace eating up the bulk of those amp hours. Also, I don't utilize either solar or generator, it's basic camping.

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Posted By: poohbill
Date Posted: 02 May 2026 at 12:16pm

We find our old habits of conservation (water, power, dollars, etc.) are hard to change even when the need becomes less. Nothing wrong with that.

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2016 179 Gastropod
2017 Ridgeline

Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 02 May 2026 at 1:04pm

I really dislike the AH rating they apply to batteries because it does not indicate how much power they are storing. I much prefer Watt-hours (WH) rating that factors in how much you can discharge them.

For example, SLA batteries can only be discharged to about 50% before they start to sustain damage. LFP batteries can go as low as 10%-15%.

So a 100 AH SLA battery has a usable storage of ~~ 600 WH.

A 100 AH LFP battery has a usable storage of ~~ 1200 WH.

That's because (1) LFP has a higher "resting voltage" and (2) LFP can be discharged more.

So installing one LFP battery is roughly equivalent to installing two SLA batteries.

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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 04 May 2026 at 9:13am

Thanks GG! So the info on my Trojan T-1275 is rated at 160 aH. Does that gives me about 960 WH usable storage? Is that correct? Good to know that lithium you gave as an example provides 1200 WH of usable storage. I am liking this a lot.

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 04 May 2026 at 10:36am

Originally posted by jato

Thanks GG! So the info on my Trojan T-1275 is rated at 160 aH. Does that gives me about 960 WH usable storage? Is that correct? Good to know that lithium you gave as an example provides 1200 WH of usable storage. I am liking this a lot.

That's a good rule of thumb. It's a little more complicated because SLA batteries lose voltage as they discharge, whereas LFP batteries tend to hold most of their voltage until they get near the end (so to speak).

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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost