AUSTRALIA'S ORIGINAL AND BEST CAMP OVEN AND OUTDOOR COOKING CAMPING AND LIFESTYLE FORUM

Reply #100 - Mar 30^th, 2022 at 3:42pm

Bear Offline
COCIA Diamond Member
I Love COCIA
Joined: May 14^th, 2017 at 10:40am
Last online: Yesterday at 9:54pm

Gender:
Posts: 2309

Cheap Chinese batteries put in during manufacturing They are manufactured in China and then shipped out in a container to be fitted out in Adelaide. Do not believe the batteries were suiable for the Australian heat. Original owner did two trips to Cairns and one to Darwin. We have done one to Darwin as well.

We bought ours second hand last year, only 18 months old. The batteries, stereo and fridge and micro wave are generic Chinese.

These days they fit Dometic fridge. They are a well built van but you get what you paid for. Fix the battery system up and we have a excellent van. Very comfortable with a large shower, good size toilet area, washing machine.

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #101 - Mar 31^st, 2022 at 4:53pm

jclures Offline
COCIA Diamond Member
I Love COCIA
Joined: May 14^th, 2009 at 9:24pm
Last online: Yesterday at 10:49am

Gender:
Zodiac sign:
Posts: 2079

I have been thinking of going to lithium as well, my batteries are ok and I will repurpose them in the shed.
I have been thinking I might build the battery myself using 3.2v 320ah Lifepo4 battery cells.
More compact and I can arrange the battery size to suit what I want.

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #102 - Mar 31^st, 2022 at 5:12pm

Derek Offline
COCIA Owner
The "Camp Oven Cook"
Joined: Nov 10^th, 2003 at 2:00pm
Last online: Yesterday at 10:33pm

Gender:
Mood:
Zodiac sign:
Posts: 19014

I have been carefully following the iTech Lithium Battery technology and more so the feedback from users. The specs are good with a high drawing of power.

Two 120 lithiums would basically double my current battery capacity at half the weight for less than two grand.

Retired
Camp Oven Cook

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #103 - Mar 31^st, 2022 at 5:35pm

shackles Offline
COCIA Legend
I Love COCIA
Joined: Jun 2^nd, 2012 at 9:39pm
Last online: Yesterday at 11:32pm

Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, Australia

Gender:
Mood:
Zodiac sign:
Posts: 3176

Not saying they are any good.
But with everyone talking lithium. This advert popped up.
Aldi's.

Screenshot_20220331-175756_Chrome.jpg (369 KB | )

Can't Get Full On Fancy

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #104 - Mar 31^st, 2022 at 6:03pm

jclures Offline
COCIA Diamond Member
I Love COCIA
Joined: May 14^th, 2009 at 9:24pm
Last online: Yesterday at 10:49am

Gender:
Zodiac sign:
Posts: 2079

I liked the look of these, but they will not fit in my camper as the battery is to wide.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002877772224.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.204a...

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #105 - Mar 31^st, 2022 at 6:12pm

jclures Offline
COCIA Diamond Member
I Love COCIA
Joined: May 14^th, 2009 at 9:24pm
Last online: Yesterday at 10:49am

Gender:
Zodiac sign:
Posts: 2079

I think I will be going with 4 of these, and a 200a bms to keep them balanced. I have not worked out which seller to get them through.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003666626301.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.204a...

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #106 - Mar 31^st, 2022 at 8:22pm

Bear Offline
COCIA Diamond Member
I Love COCIA
Joined: May 14^th, 2017 at 10:40am
Last online: Yesterday at 9:54pm

Gender:
Posts: 2309

Speaking with my auto elec today about the system, I think I will go with 2 x Solar King 150ah battery's. $1800 Australian with a three year guarantee and a well established local company to back them . Just need the other gear to handle lithium to its full capacity. Hoping to know by the weekend cheers Robert

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #107 - Apr 2^nd, 2022 at 2:14pm

Derek Offline
COCIA Owner
The "Camp Oven Cook"
Joined: Nov 10^th, 2003 at 2:00pm
Last online: Yesterday at 10:33pm

Gender:
Mood:
Zodiac sign:
Posts: 19014

Derek wrote on Mar 26^th, 2022 at 11:53am:

Derek wrote on Mar 25^th, 2022 at 2:09pm:

That is a bugger. Always something to go wrong isn’t there.

I like to know the temperature inside the fridge and some years back bought a dual sensor gauge and it died just a while back.

Bought this one that turned up today. Although slightly different half price of the original. Good thing it has a magnetic base so attaches to front of the fridge.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/304123479896

I am happy with this.

Temperature set half way along the gauge and today it is minus 18 in the freezer and 2 degrees in the fridge. The whole thing is empty.

As you can see in the cool of the night it got down to minus 22 in the freezer and 0 in the fridge. It also shows 28 in the freezer and 26 in the fridge when I initially turned it on.

They reckon the real test for the fridge temperature is in the actual temp inside the ingredients. I was making a coffee earlier and noticed that the milk was around 3 degrees.

Very happy with that.

23C8EA3D-3032-4B2A-86F6-87D936BECB1A.jpeg (2496 KB | )

Retired
Camp Oven Cook

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #108 - Apr 15^th, 2022 at 12:19pm

Bear Offline
COCIA Diamond Member
I Love COCIA
Joined: May 14^th, 2017 at 10:40am
Last online: Yesterday at 9:54pm

Gender:
Posts: 2309

Auto elec managed to come yesterday and rewire and install the new equipment. Have had it running the fridge and lights since yesterday afternoon and all going well.

Replaced and upgraded most of the wire from charger, new bcdc and ran a new heavy duty Anderson connection from the front to the bcdc.

Installed a Redarc 1250 bcdc charger, lithium compatible 240v charger, 2000 watt inverter, victron shunt, heavy duty fuse holder and tidied up the original wiring. Inverter works of a remote controller so I do not have to touch the inverter. And not forgetting the 2 x 150 ah lithium batteries.

So trusting this is the end of our power problem. Now to balance the van out and we are right to go. Cheers Robert

7D8BAD69-9F03-4F75-B1C9-0D688970B5F6.jpeg (408 KB | )

274B1426-057D-4226-BEBD-D19851A6EAC6.jpeg (305 KB | )

09F73F27-A2E6-40EA-A39E-0FEF32AF2FFA.jpeg (354 KB | )

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #109 - Apr 15^th, 2022 at 1:40pm

Kevvie Offline
COCIA Diamond Member
COCIA is one cool group
Joined: Jun 11^th, 2018 at 10:37am
Last online: Jun 20^th, 2026 at 9:15pm

Gender:
Mood:
Zodiac sign:
Posts: 2739

Hi Robert
Good luck with it all
Regards Kev (Kevvie)

Back to top

IP Logged

	am pm	Welcome, Guest. If this is your first visit to COCIA, be sure to check out the many references on the Help Board. You will have to Login or Register, before you can post. Click the register TAB below to proceed or to start viewing messages, simply select the Board that you want to visit.