Battle Born BB10012H 12V 100Ah Heated Lithium-Ion (LiFePO₄) Deep Cycle Battery

Battle Born BB10012H battery is a relatively lightweight and compact Lithium Iron Phosphate deep cycle battery intended for RV, marine, light industrial, and similar applications where a tough and durable battery is required.

Battle Born BB10012H battery's special feature is the built-in heater that allows the user to charge the battery even at very low temperatures, extending the usable temperature range of the battery.

Published: November 14, 2023.

Battle Born BB10012H Battery Features and Specifications

Battle Born BB10012H battery is intended for deep cycle applications with maximum discharge currents of up to 100 Amps, with a peak current of 200 Amps for 30 seconds, and surge loads over 200A up to 0.5 seconds.

Obviously, it is not designed as a starting battery, and it should NOT be used as such.

The physical dimensions of the battery are (L x W x H) 12.76 x 6.86 x 8.95 inches (32.4 x 17.4 x 22.7 cm), and it weighs 31 pounds (~14 kg).

Although the Battle Born BB10012H battery is advertised as the Group 27 and Group 31 battery replacement, it is a little bit too long to be the Group 27 battery - it is a true Group 31 battery.

The maximum charging current is 50 Amps, allowing the battery to be recharged in 2 hours from 100% DoD to 100% SoC.

The operating temperature range of the battery is from -4°F to 135°F (-20 °C to 57°C). Thanks to the built-in electric heater, the battery can accept charge at very low temperatures for a LiFePO4 battery.

Also, the battery comes with a built-in Battery Management System (BMS) that protects the battery from high and low voltage, short circuits, and hot and cold temperatures.

To activate the battery heater, the battery heater terminal must be connected to either the positive battery terminal (single battery or several batteries connected in parallel) or to the positive terminal of the battery bank (several batteries connected in series).

Battery heater may also be activated using a remote control switch, which may be used to activate a battery heater of a single battery installation or all battery heaters in larger battery packs.

When activated using jump wire(s), the battery heater automatically turns itself On when the battery temperature drops down to 35°F (~1.7°C).

The battery heater averages ~1.8A, and at 0°F (~18 °C), the battery heater is On for ~30% of the time for the battery without insulation.

If the battery was exposed to freezing temperatures for a long time, the heater takes 2-4 hours to reheat the battery enough to accept the charge.

When the Battery Born BB10012H battery is stored, it is required to fully charge the battery and disconnect it from the electric system, but the user must also disconnect the battery heater jumper wire.

The self-discharge rate of the battery is just 2-3% per month when stored at room temperature.

Thanks to the built-in BMS, the Battle Born BB10012H battery supports maximum series connections of up to 4 (4S - up to 48V) and unlimited batteries connected in parallel.

All batteries in the battery bank must be the same model and same age and must be connected via the Battle Born Current Surge Limiter CSL500 when being used to power 3.5 kW or greater inverter, DC motor, or AC unit - CSL500 ensures soft starts, avoiding the high-current shutoff due to the built-in BMS.

Also, it is required in such situations when claiming the warranty. For more details, please check the Owner's Guide and Warranty documents.

As one can see, Battery Born BB10012H battery is a highly versatile battery that can be used in various applications, requiring a battery that can withstand 3000-5000 charging/discharging cycles and that offers a very long warranty time - the battery comes with a 10-year limited warranty.

When charging the battery, the use of dedicated lithium battery chargers (or charge controllers) or battery chargers with dedicated lithium battery charging modes is highly recommended.

Although the battery can accept charge at 50 Amps rate, using currents in the 20-30 Amps range decreases the load on the battery, prolonging the battery's operating lifetime.

When the battery arrives, it must be recharged before the very first use - the battery is transported in semi-charged condition due to the safety regulations.

Again, for more details about the battery and to get accustomed to your new lithium battery, read the Owner's Guide and other documents that come with the battery, and check the following video:

Battery Born BB10012H Battery As Inverter Battery

Battery Born BB10012H battery is an excellent, deep-cycle battery that is commonly used as an off-the-grid battery.

Also, the manufacturer, the Battle Born company, provides full discharge graphs and other information about the battery, which is rarely provided by other battery manufacturers.

For example, the Battery Born BB10012H battery has a higher output voltage than similar lead-acid batteries, offering higher energy efficiency. Depending on the discharge current, the output voltage drops down to 12V at:

• 10 Amps discharge current: 12V at ~96-97% DoD,
• 30 Amps discharge current: 12V at ~95-96% DoD,
• 50 Amps discharge current: 12V at ~92-93% DoD.

Note: BMS disconnects the battery @10V to prevent it from being over-discharged.

With 100 Amps continuous discharge current and 200 Amps (30 seconds!) peak current, Battery Born BB10012H battery can be used to power a 1000W power inverter easily.

For example, if a 1000W power inverter features an energy efficiency of 90%, then it requires ~1111 Watts from the battery, which is ~92 Amps @12V.

However, the Battery Born BB10012H battery features an output voltage above 12V for most of the discharge cycle, but for safety reasons, 12V is used as the output voltage.

So, if the 1000W power inverter is loaded @100% (big No-No), Battery Born BB10012H battery can power it for at least 1h.

Note: if the power inverter is loaded @70% or more most of the time, it is considered as overloaded, and it should be replaced by a stronger one.

If more power is required, note that Battery Born BB10012H battery supports 4S∞P connections, with some limitations, of course.

Battery Born BB10012H Battery As Trolling Battery

To keep energy losses in wires at an acceptable level, electric trolling motors generally feature maximum currents of up to 50-60 Amps. But, to be able to power larger boats, electric trolling motors are offered as 12V, 24V, 36V, and 48V, with some rare models being run at even higher voltages.

When the electric trolling motor is run at 50 Amps, a single Battery Born BB10012H battery can power it for almost 2h - approximately 1h and 53-54 minutes.

However, if your electric trolling motor is run at 100% throttle all the time, your electric trolling motor is underpowered - you need a larger one or another one.

Battery Born BB10012H battery allows the user to connect several batteries in parallel and series to match the required voltage (12V, 24V, etc.) and capacity to match the required runtime on a single battery charge.

For example, if you have a 24V 50A electric trolling motor that you want to run at least 3h at full throttle, you need 4 Battery Born BB10012H batteries connected in 2S2P configuration for a total of 24V 200Ah.

Such a battery pack can provide a 24V 50A electric trolling motor with 4800Wh of energy, which is enough for almost 4 hours at full throttle.

Although such a battery pack is not the cheapest one, it weighs only 124 pounds (~56.2 kg), can be recharged in 2 hours, and supports 3000-5000 charging cycles!

Battery Born BB10012H Battery As Starting Battery

We already said that the Battery Born BB10012H battery is a deep-cycle battery, and it should NOT be used as a starting/cranking battery.

However, larger battery packs can provide really strong currents. For example, a 1S4P battery pack consists of 4 batteries connected in parallel and can provide 400 Amps continuously and 800 Amps for up to 30 seconds.

Some installations/applications use such battery packs to start small gas or even diesel engines that require 200-300 cranking Amps, which is within the limit of such battery packs.

Personally, use a small AGM battery for cranking such engine and let the Battery Born BB10012H batteries do their task, even if such battery pack can provide such currents. Just my 2c.

Note: if you want to isolate starting and deep-cycle batteries from one another but use the same engine/alternator to charge them, use a DC-to-DC battery charger, like Renogy 12V 40A DC-to-DC On-Board Battery Charger (Amazon link, the link opens in the new window).

Long Story Short: Battery Born batteries are not cheap batteries, and neither is Battery Born BB10012H battery. But, it sets its own standards in terms of performances and available features.

Although there are cheaper Group 31 lithium batteries and 12V lithium trolling batteries, if you are looking for a reliable and durable 12V 100Ah lithium battery, especially one that supports charging at very low temperatures thanks to the built-in heater, consider this model.

For more reviews and recommendations, feel free to check the Battery Born BB10012H Battery Amazon link (the link opens in the new window).