If you’re working on upgrading your rig, you’ve probably looked into your electrical system. When you add new electrically charged components to your RV or want to get set up for boondocking, you have to make sure your rig’s electrical system can handle the upgrades. One of the simplest changes you can make to improve your RV’s electrical system is switching to a lithium iron phosphate battery.

Let’s take a look at why you should be upgrading your RV battery to a lithium battery.

Do I Need a Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery?

To answer the big question of do you need a lithium iron phosphate battery in your RV, first you must answer these questions:

• How often do you use your rig?
• How often are you going off grid?

If you want more freedom with your RV and the ability to camp anywhere, a lithium battery is a perfect addition to your electrical system.

If you only use your camper a few times a year and tend to always camp with full hookups, the switch might not make sense for you just yet.

However, for most people who want to be able to explore more places and make their RV as functional as possible, a lithium battery is a great option to save on weight and upgrade your battery with one simple swap!

Pros of Lithium Iron Batteries

Upgrading your RV battery from that factory-installed one to a lithium iron phosphate battery has a number of benefits.

Light Weight

If you’ve already started to make alterations to your RV, you know that keeping the weight down is crucial. Overweight trailers can cause your tires to wear down more quickly, or worse, blowouts and swaying trailers.

A traditional lead-acid battery delivers 80 amps and weighs around 65 pounds. Alternatively, a lithium iron battery like Renology’s Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery gives you 100 amps for around 26 pounds!

Charges Faster

Lithium iron batteries can take a high charge current, meaning they can charge 5 times faster than the lead-acid battery that your RV came with. Imagine how much time you can save! Not only that, but partial charges won’t affect battery health, making them the perfect addition to a solar energy system.

Can Charge Down 100% 

Speaking of battery health, lead batteries get damaged if you discharge them below 50% often. This is not the case with lithium iron batteries. You can use 100% of your battery power with no adverse effects.

This means that the lithium battery is actually good for 100 amps while the 80 amp lead-acid battery can only be used for 40 amps without damaging the battery’s lifespan.

Lasts Longer

Unfortunately, batteries don’t last forever. However, lithium iron phosphate batteries do last much longer than their lead-acid competitors!

The Renology 12V 100Ah Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery promises a lifespan of more than 4,000 lifecycles. This means it will last up to 10 times longer than a lead-acid battery. You’ll be replacing your RV batteries much less often, saving you money in the long run.

Cons of Lithium Iron Batteries

There are also a couple of considerations to be made when you’re thinking about upgrading your RV battery.

Costs More Upfront

One consideration is simply that lithium iron batteries are typically more expensive than lead-acid batteries. That being said, you will save money in the long run. Since lithium iron batteries last 10 times longer, you won’t have to replace them near as often.

Investing a little more upfront now will save you on weight, charge time, and money over the course of the battery’s life.

Won’t Charge Below 32 Degrees

Another consideration for upgrading to lithium batteries is what kind of climate you plan to be RVing in. You’ve probably heard that lithium batteries don’t work in the cold or that cold weather will cause them to discharge.

When temperatures dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, you might run into issues charging. Due to the need for a chemical reaction in all battery types, all battery performance may be negatively affected in cold (or hot) temperatures.

Renology’s battery will stop charging at 32 degrees Fahrenheit; at -4 degrees Fahrenheit this battery will stop discharging

Not to worry though, if you frequently camp in below-freezing temperatures, there are ways around this. You can install a battery heater to keep your battery functioning properly. Another option would be to install your battery so that it’s inside your camper.

On the flip side, if you winterize your RV when the seasons start to turn then there is nothing to worry about in terms of charging in cold temperatures.

What Renolgy’s Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Has to Offer

When you’re ready to upgrade your RV batteries, one of the best lithium batteries you can install is from Renology.

Renology’s batteries come with a state-of-the-art BMS (battery management system) which helps control performance and temperatures during use. They include an activation switch allowing you to change your battery to “shelf mode” so that your battery can hold its charge longer when not in use. This makes it much safe to store and prolongs the battery’s life.

Their auto-balancing function allows for use of multiple batteries while improving their efficiency. Not only that, but Renology’s batteries also come with an RS485 communication port. These devices allow for communication between multiple batteries as well as monitors for viewing charging status.

Renolgoy’s 12V 100Ah Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery will last you a really long time. If you’re fully off-grid using one full charge and discharge per day, your battery should last more than 10 years. Renology promises a 5-year leading warranty on all their batteries as well.

Ready to Switch to a Lithium Iron Battery?

Clearly, the pros of switching to a lithium iron battery far outweigh the cons, especially when you look at the change over the entire course of the battery’s life. Despite the initial costs, in the long run, you’ll be saving money and making your life easier.

Whether you’re looking to improve battery efficiency, install a solar panel on the roof, or spend more time off the grid, switching to a lithium iron battery just makes sense.

Ready to make the switch today? Our readers get 10% off on Renology’s Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery! Use code RenologySolar10 at checkout for savings on your investment.