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AGM or Lithium?
Hi there! Thanks for a cool site, I hope it will grow as I am not sure how much help I can get right now with so few membesr, but may as well try. I’m currenly in the process of converting a VW Crafter into a camper van, and I’m at a bit unsure when it comes to chosing the right battery setup. I’ve heard a lot of good about Lithium batteries being the future, but the price tag is honestly making me hesitate. On the other hand, AGM batteries are more budget-freindly, but are they going to be efficent and long-lasting enough for my needs? Could anyoen share their experiencs or advice on whether to go for AGM or invest in Lithium batteries? Thanks so much!
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5 Replies
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Hi there Emily!
It’s a heated debate for sure, and I think many will have their own views on this. I’ll try to be as impartial as possible, adding onto that, I have installed both Lithium and AGM’s in vans.
Right off the bat, I think the main thing to look at here is the lifetime of the batteries. If you look over a 5-10 year period, I’d say Lithium is probably going to serve you better, and potentially even be more cost effective. They generally last longer. And that’s not to mention the lower weight, smaller footprint and the general easy of use. You can often connect smart devices directly to the batteries, you can get them with heating elements build in if you need to (one downside to Lithium is that they don’t like freezing temps). And if you go for non-big-brand Lithium, they’re honestly not crazy expensive anymore.
However, if all you’re looking for is a bit of juice for a phone and perhaps a laptop from time to time, no heavy consumers like fridge or induction cooktops, perhaps AGM will serve you well. They certainly will save you some money here and now.
Upshot from me: If you can fit it in your budget, get Lithium. If not, AGM will work just fine. 🙂
I hope that was helpful. Feel free to ask if there’s anything that’s unclear.
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Anytime! 🤙🏼
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Hi Emily, not sure if you found your way already. first of all, right decision to convert a Crafter (or like me a Sprinter) and make it your home. I had the same concerns but at the end decided to take LiFePO batterie because the power at the end it’s cheaper 🙂 1) you can use nearly 100% of the capacity of the Li batt., AGM only 50% because otherwise it will destroy the batt if you use more of its capacity. 2) AGM lifespan is about 3-5 years, Li about 10 years. So worst case you need 3 AGM batteries over the lifetime of a Li. Last but not least: 3) weight. I had to calculate quite precisely what materials and what elements I like to build into my Sprinter. AGM batteries are much heavier than Li. At the end my chioce was a 150 Li and haven’t regret so far.
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Well said! 👍🏼 Agree 100%.
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