FYI Interesting situation with LiFePO4 batteries and freezing temps today

[Kevin D Pem]

Kevin, I'm of the same battery frame of mind as you. Our old 32' Bounder does quite well on 4 GC2 batteries and 860 watts of solar. No weather worries. No converting to Li needs. Guess those 82 candles I blew out this year, keeps me in the old school. GRIN!

Richard

82? What does that look like?

 

[House Husband]

82? What does that look like?

Hard to tell what 82 looks like with my old eyes.
I guess I still do OK. I can still throw our 2 Segways in the rear of the CRV.
I rebuilt the engine and transmission of the MH 2 years ago. Have a nice concrete RV pad beside the house.

Richard

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Hard to tell what 82 looks like with my old eyes.
I guess I still do OK. I can still throw our 2 Segways in the rear of the CRV.
I rebuilt the engine and transmission of the MH 2 years ago. Have a nice concrete RV pad beside the house.

Richard

Oh! No!!! I was taking about the candles!

 

[House Husband]

Oh! No!!! I was taking about the candles!

They kind of looked like the fires in LA County.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

They kind of looked like the fires in LA County.

So you're thinking the LA fires were hyped up! or you couldn't read what was on the cake through the smoke?

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

How did we get from using LiFePo4 in freezing temperatures to getting smoke in your eyes?

 

[RollingManCave]

IMHO: I am not a expert on batteries by any means but I like the newer form of lithium batteries in less quantities than EV but gas cars blow up too. Same with lead acid, Many articles like this one: Lead Acid Battery Explosions: Causes, Risks, And Essential Safety Measures [Updated On- 2025] show their dangers as well. I am learning more about the solid state, I was way off in my guess on how they are made, I was thinking hundreds of capacitors in each cell .

 

[Richpatty]

In addition, I am sure the lithium skeptics on here have propane fridges, which have their own risks, but they are still more fearful of the less dangerous lithium batteries. We see lots of RVing fires on social media and the majority of them can be attributed to propane in some way.

Everything has risks, so everyone has to assess them in their lives.

Has anyone heard of an rv burning down to lithium batteries? I have not.

 

[Neal]

Lithium batteries are the craze now, many are moving to them with the prices lower than ever. Some don't realize there are different types of Lithium from Lithium Ion to Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) which the latter is the safer and the one used in RV's. Anything electrical, especially if not installed properly has risks, as does fuel, propane, etc. My OASIS hydronic heater has shorted several times now due to a poor installation which I had to redo, that's the closest I've come to a problem. Imagine if that burner burns through!

I am more fearful of tire blowouts than any of the above.

 

[Richpatty]

I am more fearful of tire blowouts than any of the above.

I agree! I do worry more about blowouts than my lithium’s. Which is why I have Retrobands on my front tires….

And I agree on the oasis. I also recently had a wire burnout where the hi limit aquastat connect to the relays (inside the unit). I noticed it when one of the electric elements was not pulling the usual amperage…opened it up to see the burned wires. I had to order new aquastats and replace them.

 

[RollingManCave]

I agree! I do worry more about blowouts than my lithium’s. Which is why I have Retrobands on my front tires….

And I agree on the oasis. I also recently had a wire burnout where the hi limit aquastat connect to the relays (inside the unit). I noticed it when one of the electric elements was not pulling the usual amperage…opened it up to see the burned wires. I had to order new aquastats and replace them.

I understand that if you have a big Class A or C and travel at high highway speeds it would be a good idea if you can afford the high price tag. You should still be okay at 50 - 55mph.

 

[Richpatty]

I understand that if you have a big Class A or C and travel at high highway speeds it would be a good idea if you can afford the high price tag. You should still be okay at 50 - 55mph.

Eh…not sure I would want a blowout on a large RV at any speed….or at least anything over 35 or so.

Lots of horrors stories of blowouts on these beasts. Rarely ends up without real damage one way or another.

 

[RollingManCave]

Eh…not sure I would want a blowout on a large RV at any speed….or at least anything over 35 or so.

Lots of horrors stories of blowouts on these beasts. Rarely ends up without real damage one way or another.

I agree, but I have not seen a high rate of damaged Motorhomes from blow outs. I have had a steer blowout on a commercial vehicle at 55 MPH and although I would not want to experience it again, it was manageable. If money was no object I might spend 5k for the system. It just seems to be a lot of money for what you get. At my income level I would just drive slower and take a little more risk. Maybe I have been given the wrong price information for the system.

 

[Richpatty]

I agree....its like insurance. How much do you buy? I know the cost is high, but I am quite sure the damage from a blowout would exceed the cost of the Retrobands...so I bought them. Plus is gives piece of mind, which is hard to put a price on.

And I have already had a close call...we came home from the mountains and found this bubble in our front tire. So we figured why press fate?

 

[Neal]

Going way off the railroad tracks now. Where is Sheriff Hopper?

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

You should still be okay at 50 - 55mph.

Please! We just drove from Nashville to Gaffney on I-40, and other than the construction areas, the only traffic problem was someone driving 50-55mph in a newer GMC pick-up. It's a 3-lane highway, and he was driving in the center lane. He caused cars and especially trucks to jockey for position constantly. It took me almost 30 minutes to get past the traffic.

I'm sorry to get off-topic. If you want to drive 50-55mph, please do so on a secondary road.

Back to batteries.

 

[Neal]

Deputy Hopper is now on administrative leave

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

Going way off the railroad tracks now. Where is Sheriff Hopper?

Hush! I said my piece or is it peace and got back on track.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

While on administrative leave, will I continue to receive my pay and benefits?