You have decided to make the jump to LiFePO4 batteries, and we could not be more excited. At Battle Born Batteries, we understand this decision can be a big one and comes with a lot of questions. Rest assured, we have got you covered when it comes to what you should keep in mind when purchasing batteries.

Is My Device Compatible with your Batteries?

Before buying our batteries, it is important to know whether they are right for your setup. Whether it is a charger for a boat, a converter for an RV, or another application, at Battle Born Batteries our sales and tech team know of and have tested market.

In order to make the buying process easier we have had our team create writeups on these in the form of a guide that gives you the parameters of any device you may be interested in, to ensure they work well with our batteries. We can say with pride that 99% of the devices out there will function with our batteries. When looking at our products on the Battle Born Batteries Website under the “docs” tab we have included a manual and spec sheet to help you decide which product will be best for you.

How do I choose the correct lithium deep cycle battery?

There are many factors that affect this decision. The biggest is figuring out what you want to power with your batteries. If your setup requires a higher power draw, or you have plans of adding additional appliances in the future it is worth considering getting additional batteries. Another factor to consider is where you are placing the batteries, making sure you are allowing an appropriate amount of space for your batteries, inverter, and any other components you may use.

How do I size a lithium-ion battery bank for my system?

There are a few factors that play a role in sizing a lithium on battery bank for your system. First of all you want to figure out what the load you are running is, or how much power do you require for your system. The second factor to consider is how long you are going to be running that load.

For example, if you are running a 2000 W Victron Multi-Plus inverter charger, you cannot achieve full power with one battery because one of our 100 Ah batteries is only capable of putting out 100 amps continuous which is about 1200 watts of power, which is not enough to give that inverter its full power. In this scenario, you would need two 12V 100Ah batteries to achieve full power.

The final factor to consider is how much standby power you would like to have onboard or in your off-grid system. Once you know the amount of power you’re looking to incorporate, you will know the size of your battery bank. Assuming you have two Battle Born Batteries, and you want to be able to run for two to three hours at a 2000-watt load, you’re going to need four to six more batteries in your system to achieve that daily.

How many more amps do I get in my system if I add another battery?

For each additional 12 V 100 Ah battery you add to your system, you get another 100 amps of continuous discharge and 200 amp for surge for 30 seconds.

For each additional 50 Ah battery you add to your system, you get another 60 amps of continuous discharge and a 100 amp surge for 30 seconds.

Do I need to install all my batteries at the same time, or can I add additional batteries? 

Lead acid battery manufacturers will state: “do not mix old and new batteries. Doing so will reduce overall performance and may cause battery leakage or rupture.” They also recommend replacing all batteries within a bank at the same time.

A partially used lead acid battery will drain energy from a new one, reducing the total amount of battery power available.

This is not the case with Battle Born LiFePO4 batteries. You can add new batteries to your original Battle Born bank up to two years down the road without damaging, reducing lifespan, or harming them in any way.

What is the difference between BB10012 and GC2?

• BB10012
• This Battle Born Batteries heated battery kit offers you a 100Ah Heated Battle Born Battery, 1 Heat Battery Kit, and 1 Heat Battery Jumper Wire.
• This 100Ah 12V deep cycle LiFePO4 battery uses a proprietary, low draw technology to keep your battery warm and ready to charge no matter what weather you may face. The stable chemistry and built-in battery management system help provide you with safe and reliable power on your adventures. Our batteries are also backed by a 10 year warranty to make your battery anxiety a thing of the past!
• The Heat Battery Kit comes with an enable switch and necessary wires so that you can enable and disable your heated battery from anywhere in your system. Included is the Heat Battery Jumper Wire which allows you to directly enable the heated element from your battery if you do not wish to use the Heat Battery Kit.

• GC2
• This 100 Ah LiFePO4 Deep Cycle battery is a 12 V battery in a 6 V form factor that provides you with 3000-5000 life cycles* of power for your outdoor adventures.
• Approximately 75-80% of the battery capacity will remain after 3000 cycles in applications recharging at 0.5C or lower We have seen life spans well over 5000 cycles in our lab.

Will I damage my battery if I bring it down to 0%?

No, you will not damage the battery. We do however recommend that you put devices in your system to cut the voltage discharge on your battery at 11.5V for convenience. Our BMS system prevents the battery cell from being damaged in the event you do discharge to 0.

Does my inverter need a current surge limiter?

Whenever you have the batteries connected to an inverter charger that is greater than 3500 watts, you are going to need a current surge limiter. This is to limit the current surge that occurs when you first connect the batteries to the inverter charger. It does not matter if your inverter charger is 12V, 24V, or 48V, if it is over 3500 watts you will need a current surge limiter.

All About Multibank Charging

Multibank charging is a great way to keep your series system in balance. For example, say you have two BB10012H batteries connected positive to negative in series creating a 24V system. It is important to keep these batteries in balance. If they are not in balance, then the first one that depletes to low voltage disconnect will disconnect the entire system, and the first one that gets charged to high voltage disconnect will disconnect the whole system, resulting in a lower capacity system. If they are initially in balance and you charge them up frequently, they will likely stay in balance because the internal balancing that occurs with the BMS in each battery pack. The best way to keep the batteries in balance is with a multibank charger. The output leads on the multibank charger are isolated electrically, so even though the batteries are connected in series and are at a different potential, the leads can charge each individual battery to its desired 14.4V. At this point they will both be at a perfect 100% state of charge and will be ready for discharge.

Should I replace my converter when switching to lithium?

Many converters will not fully charge the battery unless they detect the battery has a low voltage, for a lithium battery, this indicates a completely empty battery. Some converters will not charge our Battle Born Battery unless it is completely empty. Because this can be a nuisance, we recommend getting a charger that can charge up to 14.4V every time.

How to use a volt meter/ How to diagnose current with a volt meter

Your voltmeter or multimeter can be used to show where current is flowing from a system. Please refer to the video below to see exactly how to measure the current.

Do I need to do anything with the batteries before connecting them?

You do not need to do anything with the batteries before connecting them.

Here at Battle Born Batteries, our products can be used in a wide variety of applications. Whether it is off grid living or on the road, we can help you get out there and stay out there longer.  Make sure to check out our FAQ page and YouTube channel where we post additional helpful information.

If you have any questions, give us a call at 855-292-2831 or send us an email at [email protected].