New Lithium-based Sprinter Build

[Wrinkledpants]

Originally Posted by Backcountryguy

Wrinkledpants, do you have the exact brand/model number for the lithium battery you are using? I've sent Brian a few examples of what would work for us. We're inclined towards the Lithionics 450 Ah or even 600 Ah.

Is it installed underneath your settee on the aft port side of your build?

We're going with Lithionics, and either a 330 or 400 ah. Hopefully getting one with a built-in BMS, but space constraints may force us to use an external BMS. It's likely going in a cabinet next to our dinette. It's one of the things we're hopefully going to iron out in the next day or two.

[Backcountryguy]

Beautiful! I'll look forward to your final solution and discussing ours with Brian in three weeks. I'm hoping to use one of our seats as the enclosure. I don't know if SMB will do this, but if they fiberglass the interior of the plywood of the seats/joints and use a gasket top, it will work as an enclosed space. The vent then is fairly simple to the exterior. This creates more usable space rather than have a dedicated box within the box.

[Backcountryguy]

My wife and I were 50/50 on the current couch/ottoman set-up we have or going with the dinette set-up aft in Wrinklepants build. I think once I'm down @ Sportmobile I'll see how Wrinkledpants build is going and we may switch back to dinette aft since most of his systems aft are similar to ours. Specifically lithium battery set-up. We do have D5 twin D2's but the main placement of water tank, invertor, D2 or D5, lithium battery box is the same. My wife Alison is also asking for solar as well which we didn't specify in our initial conversations. We'll be doing at least one 100W panel on the aluminess roof rack.

[Backcountryguy]

meant to say "D5 vice twin D2's"

[TomH]

I told Brian that he is free to discuss my build with either of you. He said they normally will not discuss other people's rigs. I specifically gave him permission to discuss mine with either of you.

We are putting Flarespace bump outs in both window sections, then mounting a transverse bed in that space. There will be a second low bed running lengthwise in the rear driver's side, with the person's legs tucked beneath the upper bed. Top bed is twin, lower bed is single/cot (30" w). Batteries to go beneath upper bed on passenger's side.

Eating trays at both seats will be like Fritz' layout.

[Backcountryguy]

The crucial dimension for lithium battery placement seems to be height. Specifically height available underneath either an ottoman or dinette couch. The lithium battery we want has a height (top of terminals) of 12.87". You'd have to figure in battery box, etc in the couch or ottoman.

[Backcountryguy]

I have quite a bit of experience with marine battery systems. The system in the Sprinter is pretty much spot-on to a liveaboard boat 12V/110V system. Batteries, invertors, solar, 12V and 110V panels. I have Blue Seas panels in my current boat along with AGM batteries.

The bottom line for me is I have an outstanding marine mechanic/electrician up north who has worked on a couple of my boats so if need be I'll do what rework needs to be done once I get the van north to get it like I want it. The battery box is just not needed for lithium batteries. I don't have my AGM's in a battery box on my boat either.

That is an old rule designed for lead/acid batteries that vent during charging, which is probably very common knowledge for the type of person who peruses this board. That kind of inflexible bureaucracy frustrates me a bit. It's like the USCG still requiring flashing light tests for our Deck Officer exams/renewals. It dates back to WWII and is completely superfluous in todays Merchant Marine.

[Wrinkledpants]

Bad news, fellas. The lithium install is going to end up being a bit of a cluster, but do-able. We've thought of everything, but ultimately SMB is bound by RVIA regs. That means they have to do the battery inside an approved battery container, vented through the side and bottom of the van. Not a big deal except that nobody makes battery cases for larger Lithionics batteries. And they can't custom make the battery case.

The first option was to install dual 195AH lithiums, but this takes up quite a bit of space given the containers and prices of the batteries. And, you'll have 4 holes in the van for vents. All the other big-named manufacturers put the lithiums under the van in insulated containers, so it's a non-issue.

What we're doing is a 110AH Lithionics battery in a box under the dinette, but SMB is going to leave space for a larger battery. The 110AH gets us enough power to run everything, test the systems, and get the van home. Once home, we'll rip it out and replace it with a larger lithionics battery, and sell the 110AH used. It's an AH size that it will appeal to a lot of folks replacing their single 200AH AGM, so resale should be pretty good. My Tourig is here in Denver and a Lithionics reseller. So, they'll take on the job and should require a minimal amount of work. They'll build the battery base to bolt it to the floor, potentially run a bigger cable from the alternator, and reprogram the regulator and inverter.

[TomH]

Thanks for the report WP. That's bad news for all of us. Whenever you have drawings and specs from SMB and My Tourig, I surely would appreciate seeing them. I'm sure BCG would too. If you're able, can you let My Tourrig know they may have one or two more people wanting to do the same or similar fixes?

Thanks
Tom

[Wrinkledpants]

I won't have anything from My Tourig, and they don't hold an proprietary information on this. You can program the alternator and inverter yourself. The inverter program is just a setting in the interface, and the balmer alternator is easy to do. The only part that might take some effort is attached the bigger battery in place. You'll want to have it bolted to the floor, or something else securely with straps.

We don't have a garage for maintenance (van stored indoors at RV park), and if I'm honest, I just don't want to spend the time or effort to put the bigger battery in myself. I hardly do my own oil changes anymore, and I fix F16's as a weekend job, LOL.

I would suggest you work with Brian and let him know what the dimensions are for the battery you want so he can plan space for it. If you're in Colorado, I'm sure My Tourig would be happy to do the install for you, but by no means are they a necessity.