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Lithium upgrade - 2011 P.C. 3100

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jonma2011

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Lithium upgrade - 2011 P.C. 3100
« on: October 16, 2023, 02:06:34 pm »
I'm new to this forum and I own a 2011 Phoenix Cruiser 3100. I believe it's equipped with the Xantrex XM 1800 Pro inverter and the Xantrex XADC 6012 (2007 model) converter/charger combo. I'm interested in finding an upgrade for the XADC that can support LiFePO4 (Lithium) batteries with a capacity of approximately 200 amp-hours (a pair of 12v 100ah batteries). Currently, I have a pair of deep-cycle 12v marine batteries. The XADC 6012 has limited space due to the water tank, so I'm looking for an option that doesn't require a massive installation or major modifications.

 don't believe that the XADC 6012 supports lithium charging or even has has solar inverter charging function at least from my reading.  I don't have solar panels at the moment but plan to add them later. If anyone has experience upgrading to lithium batteries with a similar setup, I'd greatly appreciate hearing about your experiences and any recommendations you might have.

*take advantage of quicker alternator charging while driving
*Solar charging while boondocking
*Generator charging occasionally (on longer stationary trips and cloud days)

Thank you in advance for your insights and advice.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2023, 02:09:58 pm by jonma2011 »

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keelhauler

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Re: Lithium upgrade - 2011 P.C. 3100
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2023, 07:59:03 am »
Solar panels use a charge controller to the batteries and has nothing to do with converter or the inverter. Any charge controller you buy with the panels will be compatable with Lithium upgrade. The generator uses your converter.



John

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jonma2011

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Re: Lithium upgrade - 2011 P.C. 3100
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2023, 04:39:56 pm »
@Keelhauler: Thank you for your response and valuable comments. I recently stumbled upon the Renogy DCC50S, a DC-to-DC battery charger that not only supports lithium batteries but also features a built-in MPPT solar charge controller. This all-in-one solution for charging house batteries immediately caught my attention. I was curious if you had any experiences or insights to share regarding upgrading a similar setup (like the Xantrex XADC 6012 family) to accommodate lithium charging via alternator, generator, or solar sources.  I like to keep the same footprint due to the water tank which takes up most of the space.

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Desert Dave

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Re: Lithium upgrade - 2011 P.C. 3100
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2023, 04:27:37 pm »
I also have a 2011 3100 and have upgraded my batteries and Xantrex converter. I called Xantrex and asked what the easiest conversion was and was told that their 2000 could also be programmed to properly charge LiPo4 batteries (to 14.6 volts, instead of the fully charged LA batteries at 12.8v)  and was an easy change out. I believe this unit cost about $850, but, as they told me, it was a super easy exchange all of the wires that went into the 1800, went into the same holes on the new 2000. I also changed out my 2 golf cart batteries that weighed tons!  and essentially ruined my battery pull-out tray, with 3-SOK 206 Ah LiPo4 batteries. I could only fit 1 SOK battery on the tray, but I built battery "holders" that bolt to the chassis frame. With the 800 watts of CIGS solar panels on the roof, we have camped under trees for 7 days, and every evening the 9000Wh of batteries were fully charged, even after using the griddle, coffee pot and hot pot in the morning, and running the refrigerator on 120V all day/night.
I know you asked about exchanging the Xantrex, but I also added 2 more inverters; a 2Kw Renogy for the microwave, and another 1Kw to charge everything else (E-Bike batteries etc)  for a total of 5Kw of 120v power. I also have a Renogy DC to DC charger installed in case the solar panels need a bit of help. I don't like to over tax the stock alternator, so I went with the 20a model. I've read horror stories about burning up alternators with the higher current demand models and like to be safe.    If you're further interested, let me know. Kirk Antes e-mail: thehomelessguy@yahoo.com

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Desert Dave

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Re: Lithium upgrade - 2011 P.C. 3100
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2023, 08:42:05 pm »
Oh, sorry; you were also interested in a charge controller.
I went with an EpEvers MPPT. I've been very happy with it so far. Personally, I like individual components that can be changed out, if they fail, DIY. With the exception of the Xantrex charger, inverter/converter which was the easy R&R at the very beginning of this "experiment."
Figure out how much solar you are willing to have either on your roof, on the ground, or both, then figure out what the wattage output will be. Divide the wattage by 12.8, to be safe, or 14.6 if you're feeling lucky. that will be your amperage, which will determine what size wire and charge controller you will need.
Side note: As far as charge controllers go, stick with the more efficient (and more expensive, of course)MPPT: Maximum Power Point Tracking over the PWM : Pulse Width Management. The MPPT are much more efficient.
Another suggestion: Purchase a book by Will Prowse called; Mobile Solar Power made Easy. Its $15 on Amazon and well worth the cost.  The book will walk anyone, no matter experience, through converting their RV from LA to LiPo4 batteries, and adding solar.
K

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Desert Dave

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Re: Lithium upgrade - 2011 P.C. 3100
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2023, 10:44:06 am »
I looked up the Renogy DCC50S 12volt 50A  DC to DC charge controller (Although I have several Renogy products, I was unaware of this one) If you were just starting a project, and wanted to keep your solar/Lithium battery project on the small side; this might be "just the ticket." As long as you were willing to abide by the restrictions of the unit. It says that it can control solar input and alternator input to keep your house battery charged and there are two products to choose from; a 30A and a 50A model. The 30 A model restricts you to only 50-100 Ah of LiPo4 batteries, and less than 400 watts of solar. The 50 A model allows for only 100-200Ah of LiPo4 batteries and 600 watts of solar.  This unit allows for bluetooth monitoring on your phone, which can be nice, but personally, I prefer to be able to look at a remote monitor that I have mounted in some convenient place. But, I am phone app challenged.
So, as long as your system will stay small, this might work well for you. Like I said, I have several Renogy products and have been happy with them. GOOD LUCK! https://www.renogy.com/dcc50s-12v-50a-dc-dc-on-board-battery-charger-with-mppt/