Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery
Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery is a very compact, lightweight, and rechargeable battery, suitable for various applications that require a battery that cycles well, is able to store plenty of energy, and tolerates relatively strong discharge currents.
As such, the Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah LiFePO4 battery is commonly used in smaller off-the-grid solar systems, as fish finder battery, in light industrial applications, small vehicles/toys, security systems, medical systems, etc.
Published: May 19, 2023.
Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah Battery Features and Specifications
Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah battery is based on the Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) chemistry, ensuring a large number of charging/discharging cycles (2000 cycles down to 80% DoD), ultralight design (6.4 lbs; 2.9 kg) and relatively strong maximum current of 24A, with surge current of 60A for 3 seconds (some official sources also claim 60A for 10s, but ...).
The physical dimensions of the battery are (L x W x H) 7.12 x 3.03 x 6.57 inches (~181 x 77 x 167 mm). The battery comes with M6 battery terminals, with a positive (Red) terminal being on the right side of the battery.
Due to its dimensions, the Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah battery belongs to the 12V 18Ah battery group (7.12 x 3.03 x 6.57 inches, L x W x H dimensions), nominally storing ~30% more energy than a standard 12V 18Ah battery, but actually more than 100% more than typical lead-acid 7.12 x 3.03 x 6.57 inches battery discharged at 20-24 Amps rate.
Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah battery comes with a built-in Battery Management System (BMS), which protects the battery from events that may harm the battery, like high temperature, low and high voltage, short circuits, etc. Also, BMS ensures that all the cells are balanced.
Thanks to such design and technology, the Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah battery comes with an 11-year limited warranty.
Note: If You charge and discharge this battery at a lower rate, down to 80% DoD on a daily basis, the battery will last at least 2000 cycles or 5+ years.
How To Charge Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah Battery
While the battery can be recharged using lead-acid battery chargers, they are not recommended for several reasons, including:
- The battery will not be recharged fully,
- If the battery charger switches to desulphation mode, it may force BMS to disconnect the battery or even damage the BMS.
For short, to charge Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah battery use dedicated lithium battery chargers or advanced AGM/Lead-Acid batteries chargers that feature dedicated lithium battery charger mode.
The maximum allowed charging current is 15 Amps continuously but recommended charging current is up to 5 Amps - charging at this rate prolongs the battery life, although it may last a little bit longer.
Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah battery should be charged using 14.4V voltage, with 15V being the maximum allowed charging voltage.
Recommended operating temperature of the battery is -20°F (-29°C) to +120°F (49°C).
Also, it is recommended NOT to charge the battery below 32°F (0°C).
Recommended Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah Battery Chargers
Almost any 12V 3-5A lithium battery charger that uses CC/CV (Constant Current/Constant Voltage) charging algorithm can be used to recharge the Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah battery. But, to narrow things down, two models are recommended:
Dakota Lithium 12V 3 Amp LiFePO4 Battery Charger
Dakota Lithium 12V 3 Amp LiFePO4 Battery Charger is intended for charging LIFePO4 batteries with a maximum capacity of 25Ah with a maximum current of 3 Amps.
This battery charger is intended for 12V LiFePO4 batteries only and should not be used to charge other battery chemistries.
When the 12V 23Ah battery is discharged down to 80% DoD (~18.4Ah required), Dakota Lithium 12V 3 Amp LiFePO4 Battery Charger will recharge such battery in ~7.5-8h, depending on the battery condition.
If this charging current of 3A is too low, Dakota Lithium Also manufactures several other lithium battery chargers, including a 12V 10A battery charger (Amazon link, opens in the new window), which is able to recharge 12V 23Ah battery discharged down to 80% DoD in slightly under 2 hours - great, but a little bit hard on the 23Ah battery. IMHO, of course.
If the 3A charging current is low, consider 5A battery chargers, for example, NOCO GENIUS 6V/12V 5A Smart Battery Charger.
For more reviews and recommendations, feel free to check the Dakota Lithium 12V 3 Amp LiFePO4 Battery Charger Amazon link (the link opens in the new window).
NOCO GENIUS5 6V/12V 5A Smart Battery Charger
NOCO GENIUS5 6V/12V 5A Smart Battery Charger is an advanced battery charger intended for charging various 6V and 12V lead-acid batteries and 12V lithium batteries with a maximum charging current of 5 Amps.
Also, it can be used to repair deeply discharged lead-acid batteries.
Thanks to such features, NOCO GENIUS5 6V/12V 5A Smart Battery Charger is one of the most popular units in its class. And it is not an expensive unit, on the contrary.
When Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah battery is discharged down to 80% (18.4Ah required), the 12V 5 Amps battery charger can recharge such battery in just under 4 hours, which is a significant improvement over charging time using 3A battery chargers, without stressing the battery.
For more reviews and recommendations, feel free to check the NOCO GENIUS5 6V/12V 5A Smart Battery Charger Amazon link (the link opens in the new window).
Few Final Words
Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery is a rather versatile battery and one of the most popular lithium 7.12 x 3.03 x 6.57 inches batteries.
The battery offers excellent capacity, good energy efficiency, tough and durable casing and BMS, it can be used in any position, it is a maintenance-free battery, etc.
Regardless of the application, the end user must be aware of pros and cons of Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery or any other battery and use it as recommended by the manufacturer.
For more reviews and recommendations, feel free to check the Dakota Lithium 12V 23Ah LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery Amazon link (the link opens in the new window).
