400ah lithium batteries good deal

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Onefin

Well-known member
I posted yesterday about a good price on 400ah of lithium batteries from Lion energy via PIka Van Outfitters.

Apparently , the wording on the deal (buy 3 get 1 free) was slightly upsetting to other vendors of the batteries and I was asked to remove the post, which I did....cause I want my batteries and I don’t want the vendor I bough from to have issues.


Here’s the new deal where you need to add a coupon code....but as far as I can tell the end price is very similar If not the same.

https://www.pikavo.com/products/pro...sHbdCoEmB9xKf5AtBogftyp7ju6HBtmoMnFW_Q9DGWuio

I had great pre-sale service from both Lion and Pika.....and Pika answered my annoying shipping questions with multiple emails and a phone call to make sure everything lined up.

Tracking numbers show my batteries should arrive Monday. Stoked!

I had a budget of $2,000 to $3,000 for my battery bank and I’d considered primarily lifeline and fullriver AGM, and also relion and battleborn Lithium. I had planned to get 300 ah + usable in either type. The weight of the AGMs was a concern and I couldn’t find any local stockists, so I was looking at shipping them$. I’m hoping that lithium meets expectations and I feel confident that I’ll have decent service from a new company like Lion.

I wound up with 400ah shipped to my door in Rural Colorado for $2,600....
 
Montucky

Montucky

Active member
That's a good deal. I always think it's funny when stuff like this happens and a competitor cries "foul!" when a competing vendor offers a bargain that they are unwilling to match. I see it with bike shops all the time and constant complaints about the internet and about gouging customers who walk in with parts they bought online. Pikavo targeted a market and offered a compelling promotion. That's smart. The whiny guys who asked that your post be removed need to get more creative.

Enjoy your batteries!! But let me know what your plan is to keep them warm in the winter so you can charge them? I considered lithium, but got scared away by the ability to charge/use them when it's cold.

-Rich
 
BrennWagon

BrennWagon

He’s just this guy, you know?
Often times manufacturers set a maximum discount from MSRP at which their products can be advertised. There’s a term for it that I can’t remember right now but jist of it is that companies can charge people whatever they want, but if they advertise below a certain cost the manufacturer will stop doing business with them and litigation may be possible
 
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Onefin

Well-known member
Montucky said:
That's a good deal. I always think it's funny when stuff like this happens and a competitor cries "foul!" when a competing vendor offers a bargain that they are unwilling to match. I see it with bike shops all the time and constant complaints about the internet and about gouging customers who walk in with parts they bought online. Pikavo targeted a market and offered a compelling promotion. That's smart. The whiny guys who asked that your post be removed need to get more creative.

Enjoy your batteries!! But let me know what your plan is to keep them warm in the winter so you can charge them? I considered lithium, but got scared away by the ability to charge/use them when it's cold.

-Rich
Click to expand...
Rich.
Yeah....the dude from Pika van has turned out to be a really cool guy...I had a couple conversations with him before purchase regarding shipping and stuff....then after I posted we talked again regarding taking the post down until he sorted it out with Lion.

I didn’t want to get the guy in trouble and I didn’t want to have them cancel my order! Ha

I can’t imagine that pika is seeing much profit on this deal, but I know they have been a Lion vendor for a while and they are hoping to get Lion more well known with van people. I contacted loin a few weeks ago with basic inquiries and they were responsive and helpful and said they support their dealers setting pricing....but I suspect there is a MAP on these?

I did the long and hard debate on lithium vs AGM....cost, weight, lifespan and cold weather all were factors.
Lithium won out on everything except cost and cold.
Relion makes a 100ah lithium battery that has a built in heating element...but it’s $1,300 for 100ah. I wanted at least 300ah useable....so that’s expensive.
My plan b is to have a 12v RV tank blanket that could just run off the battery bank to keep it warm enough to charge in cold weather.
I spoke with a couple people that had been living with lithium in vans during winter and they said it wasn’t as big of a deal as some made it out to be. I’m not camping in the winter below freezing and if I do the heater is on...so the inside of van will not be freezing etc...
 
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Onefin

Well-known member
BrennWagon said:
Often times manufacturers set a maximum discount from MSRP at which their products can be advertised. There’s a term for it that I can’t remember right now but jist of it is that companies can charge people whatever they want, but if they advertise below a certain cost the manufacturer will stop doing business with them and litigation may be possible
Click to expand...
MAP
Minimum advertised price

I suspect the original deal somehow ran afoul of that.
 
gltrimble

gltrimble

2017 170 4x4
Did you get these installed yet? Were the original AGMs on the exterior of the van? What are your plans to charge them?


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Onefin

Well-known member
gltrimble said:
Did you get these installed yet? Were the original AGMs on the exterior of the van? What are your plans to charge them?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
The batteries are in their Boxes on shelf with all my other van parts. Want to put my entire floor in before I build the 80/20 battery box over the DS rear wheel.

My charging plans are possibly a nations second alternator...(Gltrimble) I was actually going to ask your thoughts after seeing you have one after checking out your newly posted build thread.
If not second alt. I was looking into dc-dc charging.

I have an LG 350w panel and I was thinking of selling that and getting the newer 365w LG and running it through a Victron 100/30 charge controller.

That’s pretty much it....not opposed to shore power, but I think I’d see how the solar and the second alternator works.......I don’t really want needless complexity as I’m not an electrical systems enthusiast....just want it as simple and functional set it/forget it as realistically possible.

Inverter will likely be xantrax or Kisea or similar 2000w....only planned AC consumer is Kuerig coffee pot and headroom for a potential isotemp spa Water water.


This van has never had a house battery bank. AGM were in my old 2014 van.
Old AGMs were way back in the dark ages of sprinter stuff (2014) on a custom made underhood bracket by oak tree vans in Escondido.
Some hokey battery isolater off the factory 4cyl alternator....not really ideal......
 
hein

hein

Van Guru
We have Battleborn GC2 sized 100Ah batteries for $900 ea. local pickup at our warehouse in Hood River, OR. We also carry the Kisae DMT1250 solar/alternator DC-to-DC charger for $320.

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan
 
gltrimble

gltrimble

2017 170 4x4
skwoodwiva said:
Getting them on my way to Montana
What to do w/ my pair of golf carts @ 63 lb each?
6 mo old
Click to expand...


I definitely would like to hear some feedback on these Lion Energy lithium batteries once someone gets them installed.


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gltrimble

gltrimble

2017 170 4x4
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skwoodwiva

Member

Attachments

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Onefin

Well-known member
skwoodwiva said:
thehttps://www.loveyourrv.com/upgrading-lead-acid-rv-batteries-to-lithium-lion-energy-safari-ut/

Do I need access to the charging indicator or what seems like a power button? Edit it is not necessary.


I have most of the except the BMS but per the link/blog a BMS is in these batteries already.

Anyone to help with these details?

Edit So last pic from 3012 manual, seems I am ready to build :clapping:
Thank you.
Click to expand...
The Lion batteries have a built in BMS.
I had very good response from both LIon Energy corporate customer service before purchase and Pika van outfitters before, during and after the sale.....don't be afraid to ask tech questions directly to either....they are prepared and seem eager to satisfy customers and potential customers. It was a big factor in my choice to choose them over BB.....price was the other big one.
 
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airforceones25

New member
A gentleman on YouTube just did a review and capacity test on these batteries. While he did say it’s nice quality and few nice features the capacity tests showed these batteries are extremely misleading. They are much closer to 1000wh than the advertised 1200wh. When speaking with Lion he claimed their warranty system is also somewhat questionable.

https://youtu.be/eJaK7fJ4gQU
 
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skwoodwiva

Member
Yes I knew.
It is disappointing. I may see what I can do about a alternate purchase. One could buy 1 then disassemble & buy duplicate parts & put 5 in the same space as 3.
 
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gltrimble

gltrimble

2017 170 4x4
At $600 they are still a good value. At $800 they are same price as Battleborn.


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marklg

marklg

Well-known member
calbiker said:
The battery could be 1200W, but limited to 1000W through BMS.
Click to expand...

gltrimble said:
At $600 they are still a good value. At $800 they are same price as Battleborn.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
They are actually 1000Wh batteries, falsely advertised as 1200Wh batteries. I believe he said in the youtube video that they did not weigh enough to contain enough Lithium Iron Phosphate to ever reach 1200Wh. If a company is willing to do that, what do you think your chances are of them covering the warranty?

Same with Solar panels, though and I bought some that didn't meet their specs, but they were the only ones that fit. So, I understand holding your nose and getting it anyway, especially if it is cheap enough to make up for it. I guess I have not confirmed my Lithiums are really what they say either, but they weigh enough for it to be physically possible.

But, they are flat out lying by 20%. That is not a mistake. No wonder they went on sale.

Regards,

Mark
 
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