One of the great advantages of lithium (LiFePO4) batteries over lead is that they need almost no maintenance. But "almost none" isn't "none": there are a handful of simple things that make the difference between your battery lasting as many years as promised or ageing before its time. Since it's a significant investment, it's worth looking after properly. Here's how.
Charge it correctly
Lithium needs a charger with a lithium profile (or one you can configure); charging it with a lead profile treats it badly. Make sure all your sources (mains, alternator, solar) charge with the right profile. See the mains charger and the DC-DC charger.
Watch out for extreme temperatures
The single most important point: never charge lithium below 0°C, because it damages it permanently. A good BMS cuts charging automatically in cold conditions, but it's worth knowing. Sustained extreme heat also speeds up ageing. We go into more detail in temperature and batteries.
For long lay-ups: neither full nor empty
If you're going to store the camper for a while, don't leave the battery at 100% or fully discharged: a mid-range charge level (around half) is healthiest for lithium. And disconnect it to avoid phantom loads, ideally from the app if you can. See disconnecting the battery.
Avoid unnecessary stress
- Even though lithium can handle deep discharges, leaving a small margin usually does it good.
- Don't sustain currents above its rated limit for long periods (mind your cable gauge and high-power appliances).
- Keep connections clean and tight.
Keep an eye on its state of health
The best maintenance is observation. With a battery that has an app, you can see its charge level, temperature, cycles and health without taking anything apart, and catch any anomaly early. See the control app and how long the battery lasts.
In short
To make your lithium battery last: charge it with the correct profile, protect it from extreme cold and heat, store it at half charge and disconnected during lay-ups, and keep an eye on its health from the app. The one thing to do today: check that your battery cuts charging below 0°C and that you store it at half charge during lay-ups; these are the two habits that add the most years to lithium.
