Lithium Battery Upgrades
The short version
- What’s the job?
- Swapping lead-acid for lithium, with the charging changed to suit it. I’m a registered Fogstar installer.
- Does the van stay?
- Yes. It’s a multi-day job.
- What do you need from me for a quote?
- It depends on what you’re running and how long you spend away from hookup. Get in touch and I’ll help you work it out.
- How do I get in touch?
- WhatsApp is the best way to get hold of me. Or ring 07584 865427.
Swapping lead-acid for lithium is one of the most common jobs in my workshop, and the one I see done badly more than any other. You can’t drop a lithium battery into a van that was built around lead-acid and expect everything else to carry on as normal.
I’m a registered Fogstar installer, and when I fit a battery I sort out everything that charges it as well.
Why does the charging have to change?
This is the bit that catches people out, and on an older van it usually means changing something.
The three that come up every time:
- Old split charge relays aren’t compatible. If your van charges its leisure battery from the alternator through a traditional split charge relay, that has to be sorted as part of the upgrade. It isn’t optional.
- Old MPPT solar controllers need a lithium profile. A controller set up for lead-acid won’t charge lithium the way it should. Some can be reconfigured and some can’t.
- DC-to-DC chargers need a lithium profile too, for the same reason.
So when you ask me to fit a lithium battery, my quote covers the battery and whatever has to change around it. Without the charging changes, you’ve paid for capacity the van can never fill.
Can lithium be charged in the cold?
Lithium shouldn’t be charged below freezing, which matters if you use the van through a North Wales winter.
Most systems cut the charging off automatically when it’s too cold, so there’s nothing for you to remember. It does mean the battery won’t take a charge on a frosty morning. Nothing is wrong. That’s the protection working.
Which lithium batteries do you fit?
I’m a Fogstar supplier. They’re the only batteries I actively recommend. They’re good batteries, and being a registered installer means I can put them in your van for less than you’d otherwise pay.
If Fogstar can’t supply what your van needs, I can source other brands. And as below, I’ll fit any brand you supply yourself.
A Fogstar Drift 314Ah in place, with the charging and protection around it sorted at the same time.
What size battery do I need?
A basic system is around 100Ah and a good one around 300Ah. Big systems go higher.
What you need depends on what you’re running and how long you spend away from hookup. Ring me and I’ll help you work it out. Lithium gives you more usable capacity in the same space. It weighs less, too. It will also deliver a lot of current at once without the voltage collapsing.
Will you fit a battery I’ve bought myself?
I’ll fit customer-supplied lithium batteries, any brand. The charging side still has to be right, so the rest of the job is the same.
What happens to my old batteries?
I take the old lead-acid away with me. You don’t have to work out what to do with them.
How long does it take?
It’s a multi-day job. The van stays with me while the battery goes in and the charging side around it is changed and tested.
What warranty do I get?
My work on the upgrade is covered by my two year workmanship guarantee, and the battery itself by its own manufacturer warranty.
Do I have to bring the van to you?
The van comes to my workshop in Llanfairfechan. A lithium upgrade isn’t a driveway job. Vans come over from Wrexham regularly, and I’ve had them from Manchester and further.
If you’re stuck somewhere, ring me and I’ll see what I can do.
