Converting a caravan to a LiFePO4 battery

DIY
,
1

Hello everyone,

My caravan currently has an AGM battery installed.

Apart from the battery, this includes a 230 V charger suitable for LiFePOv batteries,
as well as a Schaudt CSV 403 power supply.

Nothing else is installed.

I’ve now tried to educate myself and have found the following components that I should install if I switch to lithium:

  1. Smart Battery Protect
  2. Orion XS DC-DC charger

Which battery (12 V, 100 Ah) should I choose, and do I also need a BMS?
Or is there some way to combine everything into a single device?

If the devices you recommend are perhaps also suitable for adding solar charging at a later date (optional), that would be nice. But it’s not that important for now.

Thanks for the tips.

Cheers,
Helix

2

The choice of battery is very wide, and most batteries will include the BMS. - usually built in.

Do buy from a reputable manufacturer, and try to see if there are any brand related design flaws that are reported.

Victron do make several lithium batteries that would be suitable.

3

Most modern batteries will have BMS included and therefore most likely you will not need “Smart Battery Protect”, BMS will shutdown batteries in the events of over or under current or voltage.
I know nothing about Schadut CSV403 but I’m assuming it doesn’t have any battery monitoring or display. If this is the case I would look for battery with BMS which allow Bluetooth connection so you are able to monitor what battery is doing via app. If you planning to expand system in the future maybe worth considering BMS capable of communicating with Victron system directly.
Other thing to consider is condition under which you will need to charge the battery. Most BMSes will block charging under low temp (below 5C?) if you need to charge battery in cold weather look for one with a builtin heater.

4

The recently released Victron SuperPack NG comes in a 100Ah. Its a premium battery but the price isn’t too bad. I’m not sure what you have available where you are but for a more affordable, but still good quality battery we are using a lot of Epoch Essentials batteries where I am at. Both have internal BMS, internal heating and Blue Tooth. Of course the Victron can connect to VictronConnect. If budget allows go with the Victron.

I still install Smart Battery Protects with lithium batteries because its a nuisance to try to wake up a LFP if the BMS puts it to sleep due to low voltage. They are cheap insurance.