theboondork's RV blog

An auspicious occasion

9/30/2017

Lithium iron batteries in the Arctic Fox

The new batteries are operational

Yesterday I finally threw the switch and put my lithium iron batteries online. It shouldn't have taken as long as it did but I was going slow, ordering bits and pieces that I needed for the project and even working on other projects.

it wasn't all that complicated and I could've finished a lot earlier but I found myself unnecessarily delaying the completion of the project for no other reason than the fear of watching thousands of dollars worth of batteries and possibly the Arctic Fox go up in a giant mushroom cloud of black smoke.

But fortunately when I hooked it all together, held my breath, and through the switch, nothing happened that wasn't supposed to happen, Lights twinkled on, my solar panels started charging the new batteries, and I breathed a sigh of great relief.

It was a little weird last night sleeping right on top of 400 amps of DC power and not having to worry about toxic fumes, having them burst into flames, or suddenly explode... Well maybe just a little worry.

As a way of christening my new battery system I got out my jug of distilled water that I used for my old batteries and after saying a few words to commemorate the occasion I ceremoniously dumped it on the ground.

My four old 6 Volt batteries still reside in an ice chest in the front storage compartment where they've been since they were new, and are awaiting their final disposition. I'm not sure what to do with them, their heavy, their full of acid, and don't have much of any value, but I sure need to get them out of the Arctic Fox.

I thought I was going to take them back to Flagstaff to Northern Arizona Wind and Solar and get my core charge back. But when I called them the other day they told me they don't charge anyone a core charge so there's no reason for me to take them back there. I checked on metal recycling places but there's none near me so that's out. Maybe I'll just set them out beside the road and somebody will take them. Or better yet, I'll leave the batteries in the ice chest and set the ice chest out next to the road with a sign that says.... free cold beer.

Theboondork

10 Comments

Barney Ward

9/30/2017 04:18:47 pm

Congratulations Tom. It looks nice to me. One question, do lithium batts like to have a small air gap between them, say .25 inches?

theboondork

9/30/2017 06:46:47 pm

I asked the powers that be if the batteries needed a cooling space between them and was told that they produce so little heat that touching each other is not a problem.

But since you may have noticed that my battery bank has an air space between the batteries there could be several explanations for that. It could be that I didn't believe that they don't produce any heat and left an air gap between them despite what I was told. Or they look more military when their taller tapped and dress right dressed. And there could be the extremely slight chance that I cut the connecting cables a quarter of an inch too long and they ended up with a gap between each one.

Tom

Kenneth Hufnagel link

10/1/2017 11:34:00 am

They buy batteries at some recycling places. I use Arizone Recycles (http://www.azrecy.com/) in Tucson. They don't pay enought to drive that far, but if you come down this winter (its really nice here then) it could be a choice. But I'll bet there are place like that in the Denver area.

10/1/2017 12:55:08 pm

Thanks for the information. You're right there are recycling places in Denver but they're all kind of far from me and with Denver traffic being what it is it's probably not worth the time or the money to take my batteries there.

I'm looking forward to being in Arizona this winter because being a boondocker like I am it offers endless possibilities of free or very inexpensive camping, but I want to get these batteries, all 300 pounds of them, out of my life before I head South.

Tom

Call And Mo link

10/1/2017 05:15:36 pm

Thanks for the follow-up, Tom, and your battery bank surely looks nice.

Regarding the empty space between each battery, I would add a small styrofoam cushion between each of them, as well as between then and the floor and walls, so as to absorb any shocks (hitting potholes, etc) and avoid them hitting each other as well as floor and dudes as much as possible. Keeping them spaced would also certainly not hurt the air circulation to keep them cool.

Please keep us updated on your ongoing experience with them.

Cheers,
--
Vall & Mo.

10/1/2017 07:51:37 pm

I think I will put some Styrofoam between them mostly to keep the hold down jackstrap from loosening up. Battle born assured me that there is almost no heat produced by these batteries so its really the ambient heat I have to worry about. I believe you mentioned before putting some vent holes under the bed and maybe even a little fan or two, and I plan on doing that first chance I get.

There is actually an amazing lack of bouncing going on inside the Arctic Fox Considering some of the roads I'm on while boondocking. I'm getting rather lackadaisical about putting things away when I travel because I seldom find anything on the floor when I get to my destination.

I would like to find some way to cover the positive terminals on all the batteries to keep something from accidentally shorting them out. I can envision a couple of ways of doing it by spending some money, but right now I'm trying to figure out a way to get it done with things I have laying around the Arctic Fox.

Tom

10/1/2017 09:15:24 pm

I laid an old bath mat over mine that are under my bed. Check for heat buildup before putting holes in the compartment. I doubt you will need any, My trailer has about 200,000 miles on it and no bounce damaged items during and as you know I have been to some pretty ugly places. I am giving your suggestion of Arizona serious consideration for after my doctor visits and flounder catching in Rockport. Probably will roll somewhere right after Christmas.

10/1/2017 09:47:59 pm

I don't have an old bathmat but if I did I think anything my feet had touched would kill a battery immediately.

I have a remote thermometer laying on top of the batteries so I can monitor the temperature and see what's normal, I figure if I choose my boondocking locations carefully the batteries will remain at a perfect 72 degrees.

I consider flounder a great fish to have on a line and even better to have on a plate.

Right after Christmas is prime time for visitors to come to southern Arizona. Fortunately Arizona has plenty of room for everyone and you can be as close or as far away from folks as you care to be. It's truly a boondocker's paradise.

Tom

10/2/2017 07:14:01 am

Yep. Right after Christmas a lot of grand kids turn the grandparents loose to go play.

10/2/2017 09:21:46 am

And a lot of those grandparents go play in that giant sandbox called southern Arizona. They show up in droves with all of their toys and a hauler to carry them in.

Tom

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.

An auspicious occasion

Leave a Reply.

Archives

CONTACT THEBOONDORK