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Agreed. The long absorb stage is only critical to achieving a "full" charge and reducing the chances of sulfating. The conventional wisdom with lead acid is that they should be fully charged before storage. Once in storage, you need only a float or maintenance charge. As you have not described...

Here you open a range of possibilities. Do you want a maintenance (trickle) charge system, or one that can carry your loads when living/camping in the tailer? I would vote for designing a proper solar charging system designed to support camping. Any system of that type will easily handle...

Lead acid batteries want to be kept fully charged. A properly designed and executed, repeat, PROPERLY designed, shore or solar charger will keep them happy and not overcharge them. Lacking that, fully charge and then physically disconnect from all loads.

Interesting and useful info. A lot of the sources for info in this field a marine focussed and tend to do a lot of viewing-with-alarm. My "problem" is that with over 600w of solar, I am having trouble getting my bank to discharge - at all. Battery balance improved no end once the refrigerator...

For anyone old enough to remember the Firesign Theater: "Everything you know is wrong!" The thinks you can think! -- Lead acid needs to be over charged to prevent sulfating - overcharging destroys lithium. -- Lead acid wants to be kept on float, fully charged, and prefers shallow discharges -...

Use a 100% duty cycle alternator and you should be fine, assuming everything else is working correctly. I am guessing that you will use a key controlled relay or, perhaps, the Victron relay with higher, lithium settings. Ever play with this: LiFePO4 Battery Isolation Manager (BIM) | Battle...

We are talking past each a bit. The point is that a B2B, connected to your starter battery is an alternative to a dedicated alternator for the camper battery.

Worth noting in this: -- REDARC, and, I suspect, Sterling Power, require that their B2B be fed from a battery, typically a lead acid starter battery. So the loss of the second (camper/house) battery would be on the other side of the B2B. -- Neither will provide any protection to the alternator...

FWIW - I have had the BMS shut down and there has been no impact on either the REDARC B2B or the Victron solar controller. REDARC, and, I believe Sterling Power as well, specifically state that their B2B protects against load dumps. Sterling Power sells an Alternator Protection Device to...

I would think so, and I read to that effect, but, given the chance of destroying an alternator, I don't want to recommend that anyone try it.

Most lithium iron batteries can be charged with the output of most modern alternators. (Note the caveat, "most.") A decent BMS will act as a master fuse to protect against over voltage, over cell voltage, over discharge, temperature, etc. The two caveats that I would offer, one from experience...

Way back when, I looked into trying to separate the two alternators on my 2013 Silverado and, like you, concluded that it was too hard. The good news was that the Chevrolet's charging system was so good that all I needed was an intelligent relay. Sterling B2B units are available in more sizes...

THANK YOU! I was looking for Noalox, but could not remember the name. I knew I did not want dielectric grease. We have a Kalori 12v A/C in the camper and another, 24v model, in the cab. Not really recommended - leaks, no thermostat, expensive to service. Had to move the inverter outside the...

Don't mention 24v! (Long, sad story. My Mercedes truck is 24v. When the camper was built, they did a terrible, and expensive kluge to get 12v, so they could use the inverter/chargers and solar controllers that they had in stock. Doing it over, I would have simply replaced the inverter charger...

Bravo! Very nice work. I did the same thing, but I didn't get THAT deal! You are absolutely right - the carpentry of getting things into an existing space is the hardest part. In my case, I was replacing four 6vx300Ah AGM batteries. I, too, had to go with a side by side layout. Yours is...

My Dual Top has run perfectly in Leadville. The BIG issue with Dual Tops is that they can soot up, even at sea level. High altitude just makes a regular burn off all the more important. EDITED TO ADD: -- It takes about two years for a Dual Top to soot up. Obviously, many variables, but time...

You will probably be happier selling it and buying a pure DC refrigerator. Think of it as a 100A alternator and you should be perfect. The Balmar is one of the best regarded of its breed. It is what I would look at. With lead acid (e.g. AGM) you should not need the alternator protection...

Since no else has taken a swing at this, here goes. This is not very clear. You won't need a inverter for small electronics or a refrigerator, unless you are planning to use an A/C refrigerator. (Probably a bad idea in a van.) Out of curiosity, why would you want to power a TV while driving...

Should not need a 12v battery, just a transformer/converter or equalizer tap of the appropriate size. Calculate your 12v needs and add a 50% fudge factor. Methinks that Victron probably makes what you need.

Given how much water some recirculating showers seem to take for cleaning, etc., this is actually quite clever. A more powerful pump and a coarser filter might work as well. Got a link on the magic showerhead?