ItechWorld lithium battery direct swap for AGM?

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

A West Australian company in Perth builds lithium batteries they say can be charged with any existing 12V charger. If so, are there any other issues to consider for a direct swap with the AGM leisure batteries?

iTECH120X PRO Lithium Deep Cycle Battery with Bluetooth LiFePO4 120Ah

Brand New iTECH120X PRO 120Ah Lithium Battery: lightweight, 100% usable capacity with Bluetooth monitoring, IP67 waterproof rating & 5 year warranty.

itechworld.com.au

 

[WelshGas]

A West Australian company in Perth builds lithium batteries they say can be charged with any existing 12V charger. If so, are there any other issues to consider for a direct swap with the AGM leisure batteries?

iTECH120X PRO Lithium Deep Cycle Battery with Bluetooth LiFePO4 120Ah

Brand New iTECH120X PRO 120Ah Lithium Battery: lightweight, 100% usable capacity with Bluetooth monitoring, IP67 waterproof rating & 5 year warranty.

itechworld.com.au

AGM and Lithium batteries normally have different charging profiles. These Lithium batteries may well have internal electronics to cope with a Mains 230v charger that is set for AGM batteries but I wonder how it would cope with the VW Split charge relay system and "Smart" alternator coupled with Regenerative Braking?
May have to change the Split Charge relay for a DC to DC charger.
If the company is correct with their assertion then they should be willing to put it writing regarding charging from the VW built in Mains Charger and the Smart Alternator/Split Charge relay system and what, if any, changes have to be made.
Do you have the Touch Screen Control Panel?. If so that may be problematic as it monitors the Leisure Battery electronically but is expecting to see a 75amp AGM battery.

 

[yossarian]

May have to change the Split Charge relay for a DC to DC charger.

I would go this route as there are too many things to go wrong otherwise. And abused lithium batteries are a safety problem.

Do you have the Touch Screen Control Panel?. If so that may be problematic as it monitors the Leisure Battery electronically but is expecting to see a 75amp AGM battery.

More information: it may be possible to recode J608. Here's a screenshot of obdeleven interrogating the relevant module:

Lithium is one of the battery technologies available for selection here. Whether you will need a different IBS sensor (and if it exists) remains to be seen.

I think caliboard.de might be informative too.

Please report back what you discover and don't spare the details

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

AGM and Lithium batteries normally have different charging profiles. These Lithium batteries may well have internal electronics to cope with a Mains 230v charger that is set for AGM batteries but I wonder how it would cope with the VW Split charge relay system and "Smart" alternator coupled with Regenerative Braking?
May have to change the Split Charge relay for a DC to DC charger.
If the company is correct with their assertion then they should be willing to put it writing regarding charging from the VW built in Mains Charger and the Smart Alternator/Split Charge relay system and what, if any, changes have to be made.
Do you have the Touch Screen Control Panel?. If so that may be problematic as it monitors the Leisure Battery electronically but is expecting to see a 75amp AGM battery.

I should have detailed that I have a 6.1 double sliding door Beach, so only one leisure battery and no mains charger. I will ask the company the questions you propose and let you know what they say.

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

I would go this route as there are too many things to go wrong otherwise. And abused lithium batteries are a safety problem.


More information: it may be possible to recode J608. Here's a screenshot of obdeleven interrogating the relevant module: View attachment 105246

Lithium is one of the battery technologies available for selection here. Whether you will need a different IBS sensor (and if it exists) remains to be seen.

I think caliboard.de might be informative too.

Please report back what you discover and don't spare the details

Depending on what the company says, I might come back to you to get more info regarding J608.

 

[Corradobrit]

LiFePO4 chemistry is safer than Li ion but I would still want to confirm how the charging system might impact their performance and safety.

 

[Swampfrog]

Greg and Mel,
I have the Aussie beach T6.1 with the Itechworld 120x lithium battery. I left the VW system alone, mounted a 50 amp Anderson plug in the back of the passenger seat and tapped power in to a spare fuse off the 75amp leisure battery. The 120x battery is in a modified Hardkorr battery box with dcdc built in to it, behind the back seat. I run a Vanessa kitchen module fitted at the rear.
We just use the max charge feature to share alt output from the leisure battery. We use a 15 amp 240v Victron charger for when shore power is available or two 200 watt foldable solar panels. Works great on long trips, downside is loss of storage space. We also run two Vanessa wardrobe bags that clip into the rear window area.
Happy camping.

 

[The captain from perth]

Greg and Mel,
I have the Aussie beach T6.1 with the Itechworld 120x lithium battery. I left the VW system alone, mounted a 50 amp Anderson plug in the back of the passenger seat and tapped power in to a spare fuse off the 75amp leisure battery. The 120x battery is in a modified Hardkorr battery box with dcdc built in to it, behind the back seat. I run a Vanessa kitchen module fitted at the rear.
We just use the max charge feature to share alt output from the leisure battery. We use a 15 amp 240v Victron charger for when shore power is available or two 200 watt foldable solar panels. Works great on long trips, downside is loss of storage space. We also run two Vanessa wardrobe bags that clip into the rear window area.
Happy camping.

I also have an Aussie 2 sliding door beach. The leisure battery is under the passenger seat and VanEssa installed a 125 amp hr invicta lithium battery under the drivers seat. The lithium is on a different circuit and is charged by a Redarc 40 amp in vehicle charger. This battery mainly does the 75l Dometic fridge. We are in the same city if you want to check It out.

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

I also have an Aussie 2 sliding door beach. The leisure battery is under the passenger seat and VanEssa installed a 125 amp hr invicta lithium battery under the drivers seat. The lithium is on a different circuit and is charged by a Redarc 40 amp in vehicle charger. This battery mainly does the 75l Dometic fridge. We are in the same city if you want to check It out.

Yep, keen. How best to get in contact?
Greg

 

[WelshGas]

Yep, keen. How best to get in contact?
Greg

As neither of you are Forum VIP members you cannot use the Forum Private messaging system. Typing phone or email addresses can be picked by the ever present spambots that scoure the WWW for such information.
The safest way is to take a photo of your email address or phone number and upload to a post with the other Forum member tagged in the post or as a reply to one of their posts.

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

Thanks Welsh Gas, always helpful.
By the way, I never did get a reply from Itechworld (despite follow up) about if their lithium battery could be a drop in for the AGM. So assume not.
This for the Captain from Perth

 

[WelshGas]

@The captain from perth . See above.

 

[arcadelt]

Was there ever a resolution to this thread?

 

[WelshGas]

Was there ever a resolution to this thread?

Unless you use the REPLY button, bottom R, on a Post the original poster won’t get a notification and will not know about your post unless they keep checking the thread.

For attn @Greg&Mel Australian Cali and @The captain from perth

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

Hi

Yep, keen. How best to get in contact?
Greg

Please call 041819971

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

Greg and Mel,
I have the Aussie beach T6.1 with the Itechworld 120x lithium battery. I left the VW system alone, mounted a 50 amp Anderson plug in the back of the passenger seat and tapped power in to a spare fuse off the 75amp leisure battery. The 120x battery is in a modified Hardkorr battery box with dcdc built in to it, behind the back seat. I run a Vanessa kitchen module fitted at the rear.
We just use the max charge feature to share alt output from the leisure battery. We use a 15 amp 240v Victron charger for when shore power is available or two 200 watt foldable solar panels. Works great on long trips, downside is loss of storage space. We also run two Vanessa wardrobe bags that clip into the rear window area.
Happy camping.

Please call 0418199731