Disclaimer: LiTime sent this product to us for free for a review. That does not affect our opinion about the product. In this article, we list both what we like and dislike. Read more about this here.
LiTime’s Smart Battery Can Be Monitored With Your Smartphone
It’s time to review another lithium battery from LiTime. This time we’re looking at the 12V 100Ah Smart Lithium Battery, which has Bluetooth built-in for easy monitoring.
Coupon code: Use code CampN for 6% off (thanks LiTime)
See Also: LiTime 100Ah Mini Lithium Battery Review
It’s a very lightweight and compact LiFePO4 battery with all of the features I look for in a lithium battery. Bluetooth, LiFePO4, low-temp cut-off protection, a great handle, all in a small size.
LiTime 12V 100Ah – Specifications & Features
Battery Cells
LiTime use the lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells, which are both very durable and safe to use.
The low-temp cut-off protection will prevent charging below freezing temperatures, which will ensure the battery won’t get hurt when used in colder climates.
Below are the safe temperature ranges listed by LiTime. Charging will be cut-off at 32°F and resume again at 41°F, discharging will stop at -4°F.
Charging: 32°F to 122°F (0°C to 50°C)
Discharging: -4°F to 140°F (-20°C to 60°C)
Storage: 14°F to 122°F (-10°C to 50°C)
Charging, discharging, or storing the battery outside of these temperature ranges can cause permanent damage.
Ratings – Ampere hours (amp hours) and watt-hours
The battery is rated at 100Ah, which is 1280 watt-hours at 12.8V.
100Ah is also the max continuous charge/discharge current.
See Also: Vevor 2500W Inverter Review
As with all batteries, the state of charge depends on several factors, but here are some rough estimates that can be used to see how charged the battery is based on its voltage.
The smartphone app will show the current battery voltage and SOC (state of charge).
Safety features with built-in BMS
BMS stands for Battery Monitoring System, and is an essential part of any battery since it protects it when charging and discharging the cells.
The one in this model prevents overcharging, low-temperature charging/discharging, over discharging, overcurrent, and short circuits.
Bluetooth Support
One great feature with this model is that it has built-in Bluetooth, which lets you connect to it with a smartphone and monitor it with the LiTime app.
In the app, you will be able to see the battery voltage, state of charge in percentage, estimated charging/discharging to full/empty, input/output watts, temperature, and if there are any issues with the battery.
Cycle life
According to LiTime, expect at least 4000 cycles out of the battery before it reaches 80% of its original capacity. That’s at a full 100% depth-of-discharge.
One easy way to extend the life of a battery is to not completely discharge it very often. If you can keep it charged between 20-80%, you might get twice as many cycles out of it before it shows the same wear.
Expandability
A great feature with these batteries is that they support both parallel and series connections, meaning that you can combine two or more to not only increase amperage but also the voltage.
It supports 4S4P, which means four pairs of two batteries wired in series, and four pairs of two wired in parallel. That would be 16 batteries wired together.
Design and what’s included
The battery case is made of ABS plastic. That type of plastic is durable and heat-resistant.
It’s not waterproof, but it has an IP65 rating. That usually means dust and light rain won’t damage the product.
On top, there is a handle that folds up for easy carrying. It’s solid and I prefer this to the more commonly used strap.
On top is also where you will find the two battery terminals, one positive (red) and one negative (black). These are M8 bolts.
Size and weight
The LiTime 100Ah Smart Edition measures 10.24 by 6.61 by 8.30 inches and weighs 21.87 pounds (9.9kg).
Review And Test Results
What I Like
Bluetooth
As somebody that loves to monitor things on my smartphone, the built-in Bluetooth in this battery is a game changer for me. Using this battery in my RV means I’ll be able to quickly and easy monitor the state of charge of my house battery, and that is going to improve my overall RV experience.
A lot of amp hours for the money
In a capacity test I got a total of 102Ah, which is more than the advertised 100Ah.
This battery offers incredible value for the money, especially since it’s rated at 4000+ 100% DoD cycles. That’s just incredible.
So much lighter than a 100Ah lead-acid battery
I talk about this in every lithium battery review I do, but it’s worth mentioning because the difference is huge.
The durability of LiFePO4 batteries
The more common Li-Ion batteries found in most power stations are lighter, but not as safe and durable.
I prefer LiFePO4 because they’re usually rated around 3000-4000 cycles before reaching 80% of its original capacity. With Li-Ion batteries, that number is often around 500-800 cycles.
It goes without saying that a battery that you will get more use out of is better, but it’s important to understand how much better LiFePO4 is.
What I Don’t Like
No built-in heating
It’s awesome that there is a low-temperature cut-off, but you still won’t be able to charge the battery in freezing temperatures. If it had built-in heating, it would regulate the temperature and always keep it at a safe level, but this one doesn’t.
If you don’t plan on using the battery in freezing temperatures this doesn’t matter, but if you do you should consider one that has built-in heating.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the other LiTime battery review I did, I answered the most common questions related to lithium batteries. How to charge them, inverter recommendations, and whether you can replace an RV battery with one or not.
Click here to get to that review.
Please leave a comment down below if you have questions.
Jesse,
Nice review. You wrote the battery is not waterproof. Do you think it would work okay if it was placed in a standard RV battery box ( like a box for a lead acid battery)? Or does this need to be placed in a completely waterproof box?
Hi, thanks!
Yes, it will work great in the typical RV battery box. Ours has been exposed to the weather because of where our RV stores the house battery, and it hasn’t been a problem at all.
My battery box had vents in the top that allowed water in. I popped the small vents out and sealed the holes with eternabond tape.
Do you know if the LiTime BMS equalizes or balances the cells in the battery?
thanks!
Hi,
Yes, LiTime batteries use a Battery Management System (BMS) that includes cell balancing.