ExpertPower EP12200 Lithium LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery
ExpertPower EP12200 is Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, designed for deep cycle applications, like electric trolling motor battery, RC house battery, electric vehicle battery, solar/wind off-the-grid battery and similar.
ExpertPower EP12200 features a nominal voltage of 12 volts (actually 12.8 volts) and a nominal 0.2C capacity of at least 200Ah, @25°C. Also, it features an ultralight design and supports a huge number of charging/discharging cycles (2500-7000, or even more).
Published: February 24, 2021.
ExpertPower EP12200 Features and Specifications
ExpertPower EP12200 physical dimensions are (L x W x H) 20.6 x 9.5 x 8.6 (8.8 with M8 terminals) inches (~52.4 x 24.2 x 21.9/22.4 cm) and it weighs only 48.3 pounds (~21.9 kg), which is on average just 1/3 of 12V 200Ah lead-acid battery.
ExpertPower EP12200 is labeled as 4D battery, but it actually belong to 6D BCI battery group:
- BCI Group 4D: 20.75 x 8.75 x 9.875 inches (527 x 222 x 250 mm),
- BCI Group 6D: 20.75 x 10 x 10.25 inches (527 x 254 x 260 mm),
- BCI Group 8D: 20.75 x 11.125 x 9.875 inches (527 x 283 x 250 mm).
The nominal voltage of the battery is 12.8 volts, while its nominal capacity is 200Ah, when the battery is being discharged for 5 hours (0.2C, 40 Amps) at 77°F (25°C) - that also means that the battery's Reserve Capacity (RC) value is at least 480 minutes (8 hours!).
When the battery is being discharged, the voltage is kept above 12V for ~95% of the time. This however strongly depends on the ambient and thus battery temperature - lithium batteries, in general, are not the best performers in cold conditions, with the optimum temperatures being room temperatures (68-77°F, 20-25°C).
ExpertPower EP12200 is designed to provide up to 150 Amps continuously and up to 200 Amps for 3 seconds. Also, it can be recharged with the maximum current of 50 Amps, allowing the user to fully recharge the battery in ~4 hours.
As one can see, ExpertPower EP12200 is not intended for cranking/starting applications - it can be used to start small internal combustion engines whose starters require up to 100-150 Amps, but not more.
However, as deep cycle battery, ExpertPower EP12200 is able to withstand huge number of charging-discharging cycles - number of cycles depends on the discharge current and temperature and for 0.2C (40 Amps) @77°F (25°C) the battery features:
- 100% DoD: 2500 cycles,
- 90% DoD: 3000 cycles,
- 80% DoD: 3600 cycles,
- 70% DoD: 4600 cycles,
- 60% DoD: 5900 cycles,
- 50% DoD: 7500 cycles.
So, on average, ExpertPower EP12200 features a cycle life that is 10x better than the cycle life of a general-purpose 12V 200Ah lead-acid battery.
ExportPower EP12200 features Battery Management System (BMS) which protects the battery from unwanted events including overcharge, deep discharge, overload, overheating, low temperature, short circuit, and low self-discharge.
ExportPower EP12200 is intended for both 12V and 24V electric systems and it can be connected in parallel (up to 4 batteries) and in series (2 batteries).
Note: since exact numbers may change over time, before connecting the batteries, charge them fully one by one and connect as recommended by the manufacturer. Also, never mix lithium batteries of different sizes and especially different brands.
Thanks to the lithium chemistry and the built-in BMS, ExportPower EP12200 features a very low self-discharge rate and can be kept at room temperature (77°F, 25°C) up to a year.
ExportPower EP12200 comes with a 1-year warranty.
How to Charge ExportPower EP12200 Battery
ExportPower EP12200 and other similar lithium batteries should NOT be charged using smart lead-acid battery chargers since they often feature charging modes that can even damage the built-in BMS.
ExportPower EP12200 should be charged using either a dedicated lithium battery charger or using a lead-acid battery charger that also features a dedicated lithium battery charging mode.
Since ExportPower EP12200 supports a maximum charging current of 50 Amps, battery chargers featuring a maximum charging current in the 40-50 Amps range are recommended for the fastest allowed charging.
The required charge voltage for the ExportPower EP12200 battery is typical 14.4 volts, with a standby voltage of 13.8 volts.
In order to recharge its 12V 200Ah lithium battery, ExpertPower recommends its ExpertPower EPC1220 dedicated lithium battery charger.
ExpertPower EPC1220 is an advanced 'Constant Current/Constant Voltage' (CC/CV) battery charger with the maximum charging current of 20 Amps, which is well below ExpertPower EP12200 battery's limit of 50 Amps. Such charging current prolongs charging time, but additional strain on the battery is practically negligible, prolonging the battery's lifetime.
ExpertPower EPC1220 may be used for charging other lithium batteries as long as they are safe to be recharged with 20 Amps.
For more info about this unit, feel free to check the ExpertPower 12V 20A Smart Charger Amazon link (link opens in the new window).
Another very interesting battery charger that can be used for charging ExpertPower EP12200 and similar lithium batteries is NOCO Genius G26000 12V/24V 26 Amp Pro-Series Battery Charger and Maintainer.
NOCO Genius G26000 costs more than the ExpertPower EPC1220 battery charger, but it can be used to charge 12/16/24 volt batteries in normal and cold conditions, it can be used to repair 12-volt batteries, it can act as 13.6 volts power supply, etc.
Note: actual voltages and currents depend on the set battery type. NOCO Genius G26000 is able to recharge 12V lithium batteries with 26 Amps - but it is up to the user to set the proper charging mode.
For more info about this unit, feel free to check the NOCO Genius G26000 Pro-Series Battery Charger and Maintainer Amazon link (link opens in the new window).
Personally, if You need to regularly recharge various types of batteries(lead-acid AGM, wet/flooded, Enhanced wet/flooded, Gel-Cell batteries; lithium batteries), go for NOCO Genius G26000 or a similar battery charger. If You need to recharge ExpertPower EP12200 or similar lithium batteries, go for ExpertPower EPC1220 battery charger.
ExpertPower EP12200 Battery as Trolling Motor Battery
ExpertPower EP12200 can be used as an excellent high-capacity, ultra-light electric trolling motor battery.
ExpertPower EP12200 is able to provide 40 Amps for 5 hours and 25 Amps for at least 8 hours at 77°F (25°C).
For 24V trolling motors, ExpertPower EP12200 can be connected in series, just be sure to recharge them fully prior to connecting in series.
Since trolling motors are rarely used at the full-throttle (if they are, they are seriously underpowered), ExpertPower EP12200 can power most trolling motors practically all day long, just be sure to check the battery charge with battery monitor for lithium batteries - some electric trolling motors feature built-in battery charge monitors, but they are usually set to lead-acid batteries and provide wrong data when the motor is powered by a lithium battery, which can be dangerous in terms of false data being presented to the user.
And after trolling all day long, ExpertPower EP12200 can be recharged overnight using 20 Amps battery charger (like ExpertPower EPC1220).
If the battery is used on a daily basis, it can withstand at least 2500 cycles (0.2C, 77°F) and that is almost 7 years!
ExpertPower EP12200 Battery as Power Inverter Battery
With its 12.8 volts nominal voltage and 150 Amps maximum discharge current (200 Amps for 3 seconds), ExpertPower EP12200 can be used in off-the-grid situations to provide energy to power inverters.
For example, if 1000 Watts power inverter with 85% efficiency is connected to the battery, then the battery must provide:
P(W) = 1000 W / 0.85 = 1177 W → I (Amps) = 1177 W / 12.8 V = ~92 Amps
92 Amps are well below the upper continuous discharge current of the ExpertPower EP12200 battery (150 Amps).
But, most power inverters are able to withstand surge power which is approximately 2x their rated power - in this case, that would be ~184 Amps, which is still below 200 Amps for 3 seconds.
So, when the ExpertPower EP12200 is used as a power inverter battery for a 1000W power inverter with ~85% efficiency, it can power such device for at least 2 hours - this also depends on the battery condition and the ambient/battery temperature.
Note: this is just an example. After all, if your power inverter is pushed to its limit almost 100% of its operating time, it is seriously underpowered. IMHO of course.
Long Story Short: If You are looking for a deep cycle battery that can withstand a large number of charging/discharging cycles, and that must be much lighter than similar lead-acid batteries, consider ExpertPower EP12200 battery.
ExpertPower EP12200 battery costs more than similar AGM/Gel-Cell batteries and it must be recharged with dedicated lithium battery chargers or battery chargers with dedicated lithium battery charging mode, but it supports 10x more charging/discharging cycles, capacity drop because of the stronger discharging current is negligible when compared with lead-acid batteries, it is ~3x times lighter than AGM/Gel-Cell batteries, etc.
And in the long run, if the ExpertPower EP12200 is cycles regularly, it is practically cheaper than a similar AGM/Gel-Cell battery.
However, if You are looking for a 12V 200Ah battery for a standby application, regardless of its mass, then a good AGM/Gel-Cell battery is a better and cheaper choice.
For more reviews and recommendations, feel free to check ExportPower EP12200 Lithium LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery Amazon link (link opens in the new window).
