200Ah vs 100Ah LiFePO4 for a weekend overlanding setup — what is enough?
This comes up constantly so let me give you the detailed breakdown based on real-world experience in East London.
The technology: The cost argument for LiFePO4 is now clear. A quality 100Ah LiFePO4 at R5,500 gives you 6,000 cycles at 90% depth of discharge. The equivalent AGM at R2,200 gives you 400 cycles at 50% DOD. Work out the cost per kWh over the lifespan — LiFePO4 wins by a factor of 4–6x. Freedom Won and Hubble Lithium are the SA brands with the best track record. BSL is newer but getting good reviews.
Pricing in SA (2025): R4,500–R7,000 per 100Ah depending on brand and supplier. Get at least 3 quotes — pricing varies significantly between installers and online suppliers.
My setup: 138Ah LiFePO4 battery, 372W solar panel, Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 controller, and a Redarc BCDC1225D for DC-DC charging from the alternator. Total investment: R31,000 all-in. It powers a National Luna 40L fridge 24/7 and runs LED lights, phone charging, and a 12V air compressor without any issues.
Common mistakes to avoid: Skipping the SmartShunt — flying blind on your battery state is how you kill expensive lithium batteries.
Happy to share my wiring diagram or go into more detail on any component. This stuff seems complicated but it really is not once you understand the basics.
5 Replies
On the alternator damage question — it is a real risk with large lithium banks if you do not manage the charge rate. A DC-DC charger (Redarc BCDC or Victron Orion) limits the current drawn from the alternator to a safe level. This is not optional if you have more than 100Ah of lithium connected to your starting circuit.
Good breakdown. On the DVCC settings — this is the single most important thing to get right with Victron and LiFePO4. Set your charge voltage limit to 14.2V maximum. I missed this initially and pushed my batteries to 14.6V repeatedly. They still work but I know I have shortened their lifespan.
> This comes up constantly so let me give you the detailed breakdown based on real-world experience in East London.
>
> The technology: The cost argument for LiFePO4 is now clear. A quality 100Ah LiFePO4 at R5,500 gives you 6,000 cycles at 90% depth of discharge. The equivalent AGM at R2,200 gives you 400 cycles at 50% DOD. Work out the cost per kWh over the lifespan — LiFePO4 wins by a factor of 4–6x. Freedom Won and Hubble Lithium are the SA brands with the best track record. BSL is newer but getting good reviews.
>
> Pricing in SA (2025): R4,500–R7,000 per 100Ah depending on brand and supplier. Get at least 3 quotes — pricing varies significantly between installers and online suppliers.
>
> My setup: 138Ah LiFePO4 battery, 372W solar panel, Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 controller, and a Redarc BCDC1225D for DC-DC charging from the alternator. Total investment: R31,000 all-in. It powers a National Luna 40L fridge 24/7 and runs LED lights, phone charging, and a 12V air compressor without any issues.
>
> Common mistakes to avoid: Skipping the SmartShunt — flying blind on your battery state is how you kill expensive lithium batteries.
>
> Happy to share my wiring diagram or go into more detail on any component. This stuff seems complicated but it really is not once you understand the basics.
> — morne_du_toit
The LiFePO4 price argument is now impossible to dispute. I paid R4951 for a 100Ah unit 32 months ago. At my daily usage pattern, I am nowhere near the 5465 cycle limit. The equivalent AGM cost I would have spent in two replacements already.
— marco_joubert
What MPPT controller are you using? I am running a Victron SmartSolar 75/15 and it has been faultless. The Bluetooth monitoring via the VictronConnect app means I can see exactly what the panels are producing and what the batteries are doing in real time. No more guessing.
Freedom Won vs Hubble vs BSL — I have owned Freedom Won for 36 months and it has been excellent. The BMS is conservative (some say too conservative) but it means you never accidentally overcharge. The 10-year warranty is genuine — they replaced a cell in my pack under warranty without questions.
This comes up constantly so let me give you the detailed breakdown based on real-world experience in East London.
The technology: The cost argument for LiFePO4 is now clear. A quality 100Ah LiFePO4 at R5,500 gives you 6,000 cycles at 90% depth of discharge. The equivalent AGM at R2,200 gives you 400 cycles at 50% DOD. Work out the cost per kWh over the lifespan — LiFePO4 wins by a factor of 4–6x. Freedom Won and Hubble Lithium are the SA brands with the best track record. BSL is newer but getting good reviews.
Pricing in SA (2025): R4,500–R7,000 per 100Ah depending on brand and supplier. Get at least 3 quotes — pricing varies significantly between installers and online suppliers.
My setup: 138Ah LiFePO4 battery, 372W solar panel, Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 controller, and a Redarc BCDC1225D for DC-DC charging from the alternator. Total investment: R31,000 all-in. It powers a National Luna 40L fridge 24/7 and runs LED lights, phone charging, and a 12V air compressor without any issues.
Common mistakes to avoid: Skipping the SmartShunt — flying blind on your battery state is how you kill expensive lithium batteries.
Happy to share my wiring diagram or go into more detail on any component. This stuff seems complicated but it really is not once you understand the basics.
— morne_du_toit
The LiFePO4 price argument is now impossible to dispute. I paid R4951 for a 100Ah unit 32 months ago. At my daily usage pattern, I am nowhere near the 5465 cycle limit. The equivalent AGM cost I would have spent in two replacements already.