Anyone Replace Stock Battery with a Single Underhood Lithium Battery?

[swamp2]

And have general success?

Seems to me a 60 Ah would be a fine replacement for the factory 80 Ah due to the ability to discharge so much deeper. I had one on order long ago from Dakota Lithium and then found out it would not even come close to playing nicely with the 250 A alternator (Raptor). These are the only ones I could find that are both physically the correct group size, 60 Ah (or close) and likely can accomodate a 250 A alternator.

Manufacturer, Model, Price, Avaliability

• Antigravity, H7-60-RS, $1050, yes
• Powertex, BCI Group 94R/H7, $850, (back order/pre-order)
• MEGALiFe, MV-082, $1049, (not currently available)

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[Roger123]

I have not. What is the stock battery not providing that you need?

 

[PWillette]

And have general success?

Seems to me a 60 Ah would be a fine replacement for the factory 80 Ah due to the ability to discharge so much deeper. I had one on order long ago from Dakota Lithium and then found out it would not even come close to playing nicely with the 250 A alternator (Raptor). These are the only ones I could find that are both physically the correct group size, 60 Ah (or close) and likely can accomodate a 250 A alternator.

Manufacturer, Model, Price, Avaliability

• Antigravity, H7-60-RS, $1050, yes
• Powertex, BCI Group 94R/H7, $850, (back order/pre-order)
• MEGALiFe, MV-082, $1049, (not currently available)

It may be worth investigating how these will play with the BMS as well as the alternator.

 

[RustysBronco]

Since lithium batteries straight up suck during the cold, other than maybe saving a few pounds, why would anyone want one?

 

[Brian_B]

I’ve had an Antigravity 60Ah for about a year now.

So far no issues. Includes a little bit of winching on it.

Still early to say if its solid or not though. Where I live doesn't get crazy cold in the winter though; we only occasionally dip below freezing, but get a good bit of snow.

 

[Onestepmore]

And have general success?

Seems to me a 60 Ah would be a fine replacement for the factory 80 Ah due to the ability to discharge so much deeper. I had one on order long ago from Dakota Lithium and then found out it would not even come close to playing nicely with the 250 A alternator (Raptor). These are the only ones I could find that are both physically the correct group size, 60 Ah (or close) and likely can accomodate a 250 A alternator.

Manufacturer, Model, Price, Avaliability

• Antigravity, H7-60-RS, $1050, yes
• Powertex, BCI Group 94R/H7, $850, (back order/pre-order)
• MEGALiFe, MV-082, $1049, (not currently available)

I don't have a lithium battery for my Bronco but I have two for my camper. I do know if the lithium battery you buy for your Bronco doesn't have a built in heater for temps below 40 degrees charging the battery below freezing will cause damage to the lithium battery. They are kind of pricey too!!!

 

[swamp2]

Since lithium batteries straight up suck during the cold, other than maybe saving a few pounds, why would anyone want one?

I have not. What is the stock battery not providing that you need?

• Significantly longer life
• Deeper discharging (using primary battery to keep fridge powered over night without over discharging or needing a dual battery setup)

 

[swamp2]

I’ve had an Antigravity 60Ah for about a year now.

So far no issues. Includes a little bit of winching on it.

Still early to say if its solid or not though. Where I live doesn't get crazy cold in the winter though; we only occasionally dip below freezing, but get a good bit of snow.

Cool, thanks. Is it your sole and starter battery? Do you use a monitoring App? Assume that tells you about state of health? Doesn't that tell you something about whether it is "solid" or not?

 

[evofxdwg]

Cool, thanks. Is it your sole and starter battery? Do you use a monitoring App? Assume that tells you about state of health? Doesn't that tell you something about whether it is "solid" or not?

And have general success?

Seems to me a 60 Ah would be a fine replacement for the factory 80 Ah due to the ability to discharge so much deeper. I had one on order long ago from Dakota Lithium and then found out it would not even come close to playing nicely with the 250 A alternator (Raptor). These are the only ones I could find that are both physically the correct group size, 60 Ah (or close) and likely can accomodate a 250 A alternator.

Manufacturer, Model, Price, Avaliability

• Antigravity, H7-60-RS, $1050, yes
• Powertex, BCI Group 94R/H7, $850, (back order/pre-order)
• MEGALiFe, MV-082, $1049, (not currently available)

And have general success?

Seems to me a 60 Ah would be a fine replacement for the factory 80 Ah due to the ability to discharge so much deeper. I had one on order long ago from Dakota Lithium and then found out it would not even come close to playing nicely with the 250 A alternator (Raptor). These are the only ones I could find that are both physically the correct group size, 60 Ah (or close) and likely can accomodate a 250 A alternator.

Manufacturer, Model, Price, Avaliability

• Antigravity, H7-60-RS, $1050, yes
• Powertex, BCI Group 94R/H7, $850, (back order/pre-order)
• MEGALiFe, MV-082, $1049, (not currently available)

Here are some more options. I will not be the 1st adapter but welcome input from others on fit and performance:

Ionic auto battery $439

This one may be overkill but probably better if running winch or other power hog. I have one in my motorhome as a diesel start battery:
Diesel truck battery $899

One issue is modern fuel efficient charging systems rarely get up to the specified charge voltage for lithium and might need to be tweaked electronically. Im looking at doing this using the remote sense line of my motorhome alternator.

 

[Mike T]

So if you’re solely looking at it to run a fridge or whatever overnight remember you will also have to add a 12v power point, that, the factory ones turn off after so long. You could add a power station way cheaper than the lithium battery and it could power several things, even away from the vehicle. There are also a few manufactures that are making chargers that can recharge them in under an 1.5 hours and also be used to reverse charge your starter battery if ran low. Look at the EcoFlow system and Bluetti systems, I think they would work better for what you want to do.

 

[swamp2]

Here are some more options. I will not be the 1st adapter but welcome input from others on fit and performance:

Ionic auto battery $439

This one may be overkill but probably better if running winch or other power hog. I have one in my motorhome as a diesel start battery:
Diesel truck battery $899

Ionic doesn't make an H7 size.

 

[swamp2]

So if you’re solely looking at it to run a fridge or whatever overnight remember you will also have to add a 12v power point, that, the factory ones turn off after so long.

Hardwired through a EOS SAPS directly to my battery!

 

[Brian_B]

Cool, thanks. Is it your sole and starter battery? Do you use a monitoring App? Assume that tells you about state of health? Doesn't that tell you something about whether it is "solid" or not?

My only battery, yes.

I did not elect to get the bluetooth monitor - it looked kinda cheesy and I think it just looks at voltage, it didn't appear to actually talk to the BMS on the battery. In that regard the Ford BMS has better data - except SoC which it still thinks is an AGM.

I’ve never had my resting voltage drop below 13.4, but I do put it on a LiFePo tender anytime I’m doing service.

 

[Brian_B]

One issue is modern fuel efficient charging systems rarely get up to the specified charge voltage for lithium and might need to be tweaked electronically. Im looking at doing this using the remote sense line of my motorhome alternator.

The Bronco BMS does get high enough to charge a LiFePo. The biggest issue is the BMS and the way it calculates SoC. It assumes AGM (or traditional Lead Acid), and bases it SoC calculations on those voltage ranges. LiFePo runs about 1V higher than AGM.

Now it's not all doom and gloom. Having watched the Ford BMS on my Antigravity for a bit now - while running, the BMS does a current calculation. It updates the SoC based on Ah in / Ah out -- basically just subtracting and adding to whatever the current SoC value is. Then, it does an SoC "true-up" on resting voltage: that's the "must be resting for 8 hours" thing you may have heard about... Any time the Bronco has rested for 8 hours (no lights, no one opening doors, no auto-updates, etc), it can get an accurate resting voltage and update the SoC value based on that.

Now, since AGM runs at a lower voltage, with Lithium, the SOC almost always gets updated to 100% during that resting true up. Which is ok, the Ah In / Ah Out tends to keep it pretty well topped off anyway, but I do see a very slow drift in resting voltage downward as the trueup will keep short changing it.

Any mismatch is easily fixed by putting it on a tender every now and then. I've been running mine for a year or so now, and I haven't had the voltage drift below 13.4V (which equates to somewhere around 80-90%), but I do put a tender on it when I'm doing oil changes or service, and I did update Forscan to adjust the target SoC to 100%. Not sure that the forscan thing actually did any good or not, but I figure it keeps that Ah in / Ah out thing equal, rather than it always trying to shoot for an 80% target, and so far it's been working fairly good.

The only non-standard load that I have on my rig right now that runs full time would be Starlink. I have the rear power point set to run for 30 minutes after the Bronco shuts off, so that is a small draw on the battery, but so far the BMS has handled recharging that back up pretty well.

 

[Brian_B]

I don't have a lithium battery for my Bronco but I have two for my camper. I do know if the lithium battery you buy for your Bronco doesn't have a built in heater for temps below 40 degrees charging the battery below freezing will cause damage to the lithium battery. They are kind of pricey too!!!

At least for my Antigravity, they do address this.

The specification they list is -4°F for storage, with the following note about lower temperatures and usage:
Cold weather (39F and below) creates resistance in Lithium batteries. On the initial start attempt, you may notice sluggish starting performance. There is nothing wrong with the battery and with the next start attempt, the battery power will come back as the battery self-warms from the Current-Discharge during the start attempt. Another method to self-warm the battery is to turn on your lights for a few minutes before attempting a start. Depending on the size of the motor, and the Amp Hour Capacity of your Battery, this may or may not be an issue for you, or have any effect on the starting performance of the battery in cold weather.

I don't get anywhere near this cold for it to be an issue for me - we do get below 39°, but not often and not by a whole lot.

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