Are you trying to find new batteries for your van, camper, or RV? making a brand-new van? Or thinking about upgrading to lithium? Here’s a quick guide to choosing the correct size battery bank, the sort of battery you need, and how much solar energy you’d need to be completely self-sufficient and off the grid.
For my RV, what kind of battery do I need?
There are two types of batteries in RVs, campers, and vans. The engine is started by a car battery, which is the first. The other type of battery powers your devices and is referred to as a deep cycle battery or a home battery. If you have solar panels, they recharge your home batteries and deep cycle batteries but do not immediately power your gadgets. Your power source is your home batteries, which the rest of your electrical system either charges or discharges to power your lights, refrigerator, and other appliances.
Any 12-volt marine deep cycle battery will work with the majority of RV and Vanlife devices. Most stock RVs come with lead acid batteries because they are cheap, and if you are doing a Van build or an RV build it might be tempting to buy a lead acid battery (also called AGM or SLA) because they are cheap. But for the longest run time, most efficient use of solar power, longest lifespan, and best piece of mind we recommend lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. Here’s 8 reasons why:
Redway Power Lithium LiFePO4 batteries will provide double the usable power / run time of lead acid. More power / run time means more time on the road without having to plug in at night. Allows for boondocking or camping off grid with the confidence that your batteries will get your through the night (or with solar panels near indefinitely).
Redway Power Lithium batteries last 4X longer than AGM or lead acid batteries and will need to be replaced less often. Providing piece of mind and greater lifetime value. All backed up by a best in class 11 year warranty.Redway Battery 36V series lifepo4 batteries are exported in large quantities to South Africa and Spain.
Redway Power Lithium weighs 60% less than deep cycle lead acid batteries. Less weight means more maneuverability and speed and less wear and tear on your rig. And the batteries are light enough that you can easily install and service them yourself.
Redway Power’s lithium iron phosphate works down to negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 Celsius) meaning you can travel in all seasons.
The self discharge rate of a Redway Power Lithium battery (i.e. how much power is lost each month the battery is not being used), is 1/4 that of a lead acid battery, only 1-2% a month. That means if you take a break between adventures your batteries will still have plenty of power the next time you hit the road.
Redway Power Lithium iron phosphate is optimized for solar energy with 50% more efficiency than a lead acid battery.