Lithium batteries are becoming the go-to power source for mobile touring in Australia. Especially a 200Ah lithium battery.
It's easy to see why!
Lithium batteries are not only lightweight, they also boast a high performance and have an incredible life cycle compared to other battery types.
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What Is A Lithium Battery?
A lithium battery might look similar to a lead acid AGM battery. But the way they work is very different. The charge and recharge process for an AGM battery uses a chemical reaction. A lithium battery uses ions.
For a caravan or RV, the big advantage of lithium batteries is their size and weight. A lithium caravan battery not only takes up a much smaller footprint, but is half the weight of a traditional lead acid battery!
Pro tip: Swapping out your old AGM battery for a lithium can ensure your RV does not go over the legal weight limits.
Another huge benefit is that a lithium caravan battery provides 30% more usable power than its counterpart! This is because it has a depth of discharge of 80% compared to 50% for an AGM battery. Plus, a lithium battery will give you almost double the lifecycle of the AGM equivalent.
The 200Ah lithium battery is the most popular size for caravans and 4WDs.
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Why?
A 200Ah lithium battery gives you everything you need to run high current appliances and gadgets on a longer road trip, with all the benefits of weight, size and efficiency.
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Here We Compare The Best 200Ah Lithium Batteries:
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1. Enerdrive:
Enerdrive is the current market leading brand for lithium batteries, which by itself is a compelling reason to choose them. They also make brilliant products including the Enerdrive 200Ah Lithium Battery. It is hands down our best-selling lithium battery.
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Why An Enerdrive 200Ah Lithium Battery?
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Heaps To Choose From:
Enerdrive offers an extensive range of bundles that include a 200Ah battery. Some of our favourites include the classic Enerdrive ePower B-TEC 200Ah Battery Pack with DC2DC Charger, the AC2DC Charger Pack, or one with the 40A DC & AC Charger and Battery Monitor. There's even a pack designed with everything you need for Off-grid 4x4 Trips.
Enerdrive have since released the new Enerdrive B-TEC 200Ah Slim Metal Case Lithium Battery. This robust and compact battery allows for a tighter install yet still pack a punch with 200ah of lithium.
We have to make a special mention to the latest innovation by Enerdrive as well which are the Canopy Power Systems. These systems are all in one power solutions which are pre-wired and built in a unique compact box. With five different variations (The Explorer, The Traveller, The Adventurer, The Lackey, or The Wanderer) plus the option to add a 100Ah, 125Ah, 200Ah or 300Ah lithium battery, we highly recommend checking these units out!
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Inbuilt BMS:
The Enerdrive ePOWER B-TEC 200Ah Lithium Battery comes with an internal battery management system (BMS), with a restart button for easy recovery. The BMS will monitor each cell within the battery and is designed to protect the battery from over-charge, over-discharge, over-heating and short circuiting.
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More Storage:
If you need more storage you can run two Enerdrive BTEC 200Ah Batteries in parallel. Just make sure you know the risks to your batteries in the long term. If you're looking for 2x 200Ah lithium batteries in a bundle check out the Enerdrive 400Ah Off-Grid 40A DC & 60A AC Charging Bundle, with 760W Solar Panels or the same model with a 2000W AC Transfer Inverter.
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Stay In Control:
Download the Enerdrive app to keep tabs on your battery capacity, voltage, current and more.
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Ready To Go:
All model is packaged and complete in a handy battery box with straps.
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2. Victron:
When it comes to 200Ah Lithium Batteries, Victron knows its stuff. The company makes a wide range of renewable energy products designed in the Netherlands and built to the highest performance, efficiency and reliability. The Victron LiFePO4 Lithium Battery 12.8V/200Ah is no exception.
Victron lithium batteries do not have a built in battery management system, but this should not be seen as a disadvantage. In-built battery management systems generally limit the charge and discharge current of the battery. As a result it also limits the size of the power inverter you can run.
The Victron 200Ah Lithium Battery can safely power a 3000W inverter continuously and handle a charge current of 100A. This capability opens up the camping experience to run luxury appliances including coffee machines and induction cookers!
IMPORTANT: A Victron lithium battery must be accompanied with a Victron battery charger & battery management system which can be found in the accessories list.
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Why A Victron 200Ah Lithium Battery?
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Multiple Connections:
Victron Lithium Batteries can be connected in parallel or series.
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Best Lifecycle:
Of any of the 200Ah lithium batteries on the market, Victron has the greatest lifecycle. The Depth of discharge (DOD) is an impressive 80% under controlled conditions, allowing 2500 cycles.
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Charging & Discharging:
Continuous current discharge is an important specification for lithium batteries. The Victron 200Ah Lithium Battery has a maximum continuous discharge current of 400A and a recommended continuous discharge current of 200A.
You can use the charge current of a battery to determine the maximum battery charger size you can pair with it and how quickly the battery will be replenished. The Victron 200Ah Lithium Battery has a maximum charge current of 400A and a recommended charge current of 100A.
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Stay In Control:
Like Enerdrive, Victron has a free app that helps you stay in the know about your cell voltage and temperature. It means you can quickly localise a potential problem, such as a cell imbalance.
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3. Invicta:
Another lesser-known brand, Invicta, offers a premium range of high quality lithium batteries with the added benefits of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) technology. This gives them a greater tolerance to high temperatures, overcharging, and short circuiting.
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Why An Invicta 200Ah Lithium Battery?
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Huge Warranty:
Like the rest of the Invicta lithium range, the Invicta 12V 200Ah Lithium Battery comes with a massive 7 year warranty! This is the longest warranty period offered on any lithium battery on the market!
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Connect In Parallel:
The Invicta 12V 200Ah Lithium Battery with Bluetooth can be connected in parallel up to 4 batteries.
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Internal BMS:
The Invicta 200Ah Lithium Battery boasts an integrated battery management system for safer use.
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Good Lifecycle:
The battery features a large number of cycles with more than 2000 (100% DoD).
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Bluetooth Connectivity:
Bluetooth versions are available so you can monitor the health and state of your battery from a phone app.
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Bundles Available:
Invicta offers a couple of bundles. The main difference is that one includes the DC2DC Charger and a 12V Automatic Battery Charger, and the other one only comes with the DC2DC Battery Charger. Check out the entire Invicta battery bundle range here.
4. Renogy:
The Renogy 200Ah Core Series Lithium Battery is a deep-cycle lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery that is designed for off-grid and backup power applications. It is a drop-in replacement for traditional lead-acid batteries, and it offers a number of advantages over its lead-acid counterparts.
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Why A Renogy Core Series 200Ah Lithium Battery?
This value proposition can save you thousands of dollars, yet still comes with a 5 year manufacturers warranty.
The specifications speak for themselves with some of the main ones to call out below:
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5000 Cycles (80% DOD 80% EOL) - This is far superior to the market average.
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UP to 8 batteries can be connected in parallel
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A 200Ah Continuous Discharge Current allows for powering a 2000W AC inverter
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Built-in Bluetooth monitoring
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IP65 water and dust resistance
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Lightweight and compact design
Applications of the Renogy 200Ah Core Series Lithium Battery include:
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RVs
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Boats
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Solar energy systems
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Backup power systems
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Off-grid homes and businesses
With a full sweet of Chargers, Inverters, Solar Panels and Accessories, Renogy is a great option for a start to finish mobile off-grid build.
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Our Verdict:
We highly recommend all four batteries and brands especially because they all come with at least a generous 3-year warranties backed by national service agent support.
So how do you choose? Our advice is to weigh up how much you want to spend. Then consider whether you need other components, such as chargers or battery monitors. If you do, check out the amazing Enerdrive bundles!
At the end of the day, each lithium battery brand has its own strengths the trick is to know what boxes you really want to tick.
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Head to our website to check out which lithium battery suits your caravan and camping needs or call our friendly product experts on 1300 400 122!
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DISCLAIMER* Please note, this advice is general in nature and we strongly recommend consulting the product manual and where relevant, a professional installer.
