5thGenRams Forums
Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Lithium crank battery
- Thread starter lpollen
- Start date
beetlespin
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2022
- Messages
- 160
- Reaction score
- 166
Why would you do this? You use them in a boat to save weight. Not sure of the benefit with a truck.
CHeYeNNe71
Ram Guru
better performance and longevity over lead acid, or even AGM, but costly still. The automotive is seeing more people converting to Lithium
n8zcc
Well-Known Member
What do you mean by "better performance"? A crank battery either cranks or it doesn't. In today's vehicles, the computer won't try to engage a start if the battery falls below a voltage threshold.
Longevity, I think this has yet to be determined and, this chemistry has a nasty habit of catching fire albeit isolated. You can replace with several quality AGM batteries for the cost of one lithium battery. Even AGM may be overkill if you are only interested in a cranking battery.
I use AGMs in my diesels and lithium in my boat for weight savings.
CHeYeNNe71
Ram Guru
Do your research and you'll see why they're better performing and AGM is definitely not overkill. Lead acid is old technology and with these big computer vehicles now days.
First, a nitpick: AGM is a type of lead acid battery.
I put in a LiFePO4 starter battery in my truck a few months ago. Too soon to say whether I’d recommend it. I wouldn’t not recommend it so far, but longevity remains to be seen.
My reason for going lithium is to power my camping/overlanding/glamping stuff. The replacement battery is dual purpose: starter and deep cycle. I can charge the battery both from the truck (eTorque, so DC-DC rather than alternator) as well as solar panels; I have 350W on my rooftop tent.
Biggest disappointment so far is that I haven’t been able to get the truck to charge the battery to the levels I want; it usually settles around 13.2V, which is around 70% charge. That’s fine for normal usage, but if I’m pulling into camp after sunset, pretty low (although still more than enough to power my fridge, heated mattress pad, etc. through the night).
Can you run a lithium starter battery? Absolutely. Should you? Jury is still out.
I put in a LiFePO4 starter battery in my truck a few months ago. Too soon to say whether I’d recommend it. I wouldn’t not recommend it so far, but longevity remains to be seen.
My reason for going lithium is to power my camping/overlanding/glamping stuff. The replacement battery is dual purpose: starter and deep cycle. I can charge the battery both from the truck (eTorque, so DC-DC rather than alternator) as well as solar panels; I have 350W on my rooftop tent.
Biggest disappointment so far is that I haven’t been able to get the truck to charge the battery to the levels I want; it usually settles around 13.2V, which is around 70% charge. That’s fine for normal usage, but if I’m pulling into camp after sunset, pretty low (although still more than enough to power my fridge, heated mattress pad, etc. through the night).
Can you run a lithium starter battery? Absolutely. Should you? Jury is still out.
CHeYeNNe71
Ram Guru
Many in the offroad community are running Lithium batteries, Jeeps. The cost factor isn't there for me to do. If they come down quite a bit when I'm ready, then maybe.
