Lithium Batteries for Beginners
​(I Make A Commission For Purchases Made Through The Links Below)

The lithium batteries below are considered "Drop-in Lead Acid Replacement" because you can use them with standard 12/24/48 volt solar charge controllers/chargers/inverters and more. Simply hook them up to your system in the same way you would a typical lead acid battery. 

These lithium batteries out perform lead acid in every regard (even price!) and once you buy one, you will never go back. 

​If You Are On A Budget, Scroll To The Bottom Of This Page For a List of Battery Pack Deals

$950
​​​Battle Born 12 volt 100 amp hour
​Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
​
My favorite drop-in lead acid replacement. I have tested every battery on the market and this is a solid choice (I have used 2 in my main system for 6 months). If you want something that works great for years, buy this battery. I have not heard of a dissatisfied battle born battery buyer (not the case with most of these drop-in replacements). It just works. 
​
  • 1200 watt hours total capacity (1200 watt hours usable)
  • WEIGHT 31 LBS
  • SIZE 12.75 x 6.875 x 9 (L x W xH)
  • Lithium Iron Phosphate Chemistry (safest choice for mobile solar power systems)
  • 12 volt Drop-in Lead Acid Replacement (works with any 12v solar charge controller, but be sure to select the "LiFePO4" or "sealed lead acid" charge setting)
  • 100 amp continuous output. 200 amp surge output
  • 3 year full replacement warranty and 5 year prorated
  • 3000-5000 charge cycles (cheaper than lead acid batteries in the long term)
  • Acceptable Charging Voltages: 14.1 to 14.6 volts
  • ​Has high AND low temperature protection 
  • This battery CAN be series connected! Which means you can use it to build 12/24/48 volt systems

If you want this battery to last a long time, keep it in a cool environment. The Battle Born does not require ventilation and it is maintenance free, but having a little air flow in your battery compartment can help keep the temperature down and prolong the life of your battery. 

These are safe to parallel connect in chains (to increase capacity of your system) with standard battery cables. If you plan to power large loads, you will need multiple batteries (for each 1000 watts required, use 1 battery. Example: 4500 watt load will require 5 batteries wired in parallel).

Click Here to buy it directly from Battle Born

Click Here to buy it on Amazon.com

If you plan to use the battle born in freezing temperatures, there is an optional 12v heater pad. Click here

Battle Born GC2

Same stats as the model above, but this battery can be connected in parallel with bus bars. If you have a large bank and plan to use solid copper bus bars to attach everything, use this one. 

Click here to buy the GC2

24 volt Lithium Batteries

​​​Battle Born 24 volt 50 amp hour
​Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
​
  • 1200 watt hours total capacity (1200 watt hours usable)
  • WEIGHT 29 LBS
  • SIZE 12.75 x 6.875 x 9 (L x W xH)
  • Lithium Iron Phosphate Chemistry (safest choice for mobile solar power systems)
  • 24 volt Drop-in Lead Acid Replacement (works with any 24v solar charge controller, but be sure to select the "LiFePO4" or "sealed lead acid" charge setting)
  • 100 amp continuous output. 200 amp surge output
  • 10 year warranty
  • 3000-5000 charge cycles (cheaper than lead acid batteries in the long term)
  • Acceptable Charging voltages 28.8 to 29.6 volts
  • ​Has high AND low temperature protection (not common and very necessary! This is what sets the battle born apart from the competitors)
  • This battery CAN be series connected! Which means you can use it to build 24/48 volt systems​

Click Here to buy it directly from Battle Born​

Budget Lithium Batteries

​Brand New A123 2.45 KWh LFP 24V 8S Pack

Best bang for your buck. Hook it up like any normal battery. Also has built-in circuit breaker AND over current protection in the BMS. Fool proof design. 

Electrical Specifications
Nominal Voltage: 26.4V
Voltage Range: 20V – 28.8V
Nominal Capacity: 2.45kWh (92.8Ah)
Configuration: 8S5P
Energy – 100% DOD, Nominal: 2.6 kWh
EV Energy – 80% DOD, Nominal: 2.1 kWh
Chemistry: LiFePO4 (LFP)

​
​Click Here to purchase from Bigbattery.com
​​(Coupon code "diysolar" for 10% off)

Tesla Model 3 Cell 2.3kWh Battery Pack

This pack is surprisingly impressive! For the price/size/weight, it is hard to beat. I actually like these a lot.

Voltage Range: 21V – 29.4V
Capacity: 95Ah (2.3kWh)
Power (Amp): 100A Continuous, 200A Peak
Configuration: 7S 20P
Battery Type: Model 3 2170 cylindrical cells (4800mAh/cell)
Connector: Anderson SB175 Quick Connect (not included)
Length: 10.5
Width: 7
Height: 10.5
Weight: 35lbs

The biggest downside is that it is not LiFePO4. This pack is a NMC variant which means that it is a lot lighter, but does not last as long. Some people argue that the Tesla Model 3 battery cell is the best NMC around. They have added aluminum to the anode to increase safety and rated cycle life. 

I would expect 1000-2000 cycles to 80% capacity. You can still use any of these batteries after that many cycles, but you will not get the 10+ year performance you see with LiFePO4. 

The best application of this battery is for mobile systems where size and weight matter a lot. If you need to build a RV or van system, I would go with this. For stationary use, I would use the other batteries on this page. 

Click here for a cheap price
​​(Coupon code "diysolar" for 10% off)

24/48V 3kWh LiFePO4 Rebuilt Battery

These are used BYD packs that have been tested to deliver at least 3 kWh. Each pack comes with a built-in BMS, circuit breaker and voltage meter. 

I have run mine for a few months in my shed system and I have not had a single issue. If price is a concern, this is hard to beat. Much cheaper than a batteborn. 

These packs have a nominal voltage of 24V each, and can be connect in series for 48V. Or you can put them in parallel if you wish.

Features:
126A Main Circuit Breaker
130A BMS
Can support a 3000W Inverter/Charger
Can be connected in parallel or series

Due to high demand, these are out of stock intermittently. But the distributor will have a few thousand available in a week or so.

Click Here to purchase now
​(Coupon code "diysolar" for 10% off)