Lets take a closer look at the questions you should be asking your battery supplier when purchasing a 52 VDC - 100 amp/hr - 5 kwh lithium lifePO4 (not just the sale talk used by most suppliers with check sheet)

We are talking about the same battery a 52VDC - 100 Amp/hr - 5kwh lithium, one of the most common sold at this point.

1/ Is you battery designed for backup or daily use?

2/ What power can the battery sustain for a standard load shedding period and can it sustain this value for multiple power cuts per a single day and for how many days?

3/ Are the cells in the battery "new generation cells" ?

4/ Can the cells in the battery be used for high currents?

5/ Are the cells in the battery repurposed (seconds) or brand new (off the production line) and what grade of cells being used, not all LifePO4 cells are equal

6/ What is the designed life, there is a good chance the replay will be the same as all the batteries 15 years.

7/ What is the cycle life of the battery at 80% DOD, dont get confused with 50% and 100 % ?

8/ What is the C rating of the battery is charged and discharged at 50% and 100 %?

There is a lot more to batteries and I am only scratching the surface. Because this industry is still too new, we will only know the true facts in years to come as the batteries start to fail and warranty claims are put to the test.


Which brings me to a very very important part of your purchase, did person who sold you the battery inform you about the warranty registration, because without it you are a fish out of water flapping your gums trying to get your battery repaired or replaced.

Copied directly from a warranty form

"2.2 It is the duty of the Customer to obtain confirmation from the installer that the product had been duly registered."


This is the important stuff.

5.1 In respect of the Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) cells (hereinafter “the Cells”), the duration of
the warranty shall be 10 years or five thousand (5000) cycles (whichever comes first),
commencing on the date of sale.
5.2 For purposes of paragraph 5.1 a single cycle for the BR (Battery Rack) range is defined as a
discharge to maximum 80% depth of discharge of the battery’s capacity at >C/2 (capacity at a 2
hour discharge rate or more) followed by a recharge to 100% state-of-charge at >C/2 (capacity at
a 2 hr recharge rate or more).

Do yourself a favour and make sure you understand who carries the warranty, it is passed on to you or will the person who sold the battery to you handle the claim. If you are responsible for handling the claim, best you try contact the company distributing the batteries in South Africa. Many people think that the batteries are manufactured in SA. I would verify that statement before you purchase. I am yet to find one which doesn't arrive her from the far afar away. They may designed in an office in SA, but actually built here, well show us the production line.

Once again please feel free to set the record straight if any of this information is incorrect. I am trying to find my way through a maze of bullshit.