Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S Lithium-Ion Deep Cycle Battery
The Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S battery is a 12V 12Ah deep cycle, general-purpose, Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery. It features an advanced Battery Management System (BMS) that allows the battery to be connected in parallel (larger capacity) and up to four batteries in series (for 12, 24, 36, and 48 volts systems).
Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S is much lighter than lead-acid batteries of similar capacity, it supports a much larger number of charging and discharging cycles, but it is also more expensive, at least in the beginning.
Published: October 1, 2020.
Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S Features and Specifications
The Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S battery is a lithium-ion battery based on the very safe Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) chemistry, which is combined with an internal microprocessor controlled Battery Management System (BMS). BMS monitors the most important battery parameters during charging and discharging, such as voltages, currents, and internal temperature providing low voltage/over-voltage protection, short-circuit protection, over-current protection, etc.
BMS also provides a cell-balancing feature, which is very important for lithium-ion batteries.
Thanks to the lithium-ion chemistry, the battery is safe to be discharged down to almost 100% DoD, with 99% efficiency.
The Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S battery features a nominal voltage of 12 volts, an actual voltage of 12.8 volts, and a nominal capacity of 12 Ah.
The battery's operating temperature range is –5°C to 35°C (23°F to 95°F) and a charging temperature range of -20°C to 45°C (-4°F to 113°F).
Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S is designed to withstand 3000-5000 charging/discharging cycles, or up to 10 years of service - for example, when AGM lead-acid batteries are being discharged down to 50% DoD, they can withstand 500-900 cycles, rarely more.
The physical dimensions of the battery are 5.9 x 3.9 x 3.7 inches (~150 x 98 x 95 mm) and it weighs only 3.5 pounds (~1.6 kg).
The maximum charging voltage is 14.6 volts, with a cutoff voltage of 10.5 volts.
The maximum charging current is 12 Amps, with a recommended charging current of 6 Amps. If the battery is being discharged down to 80% DoD, a 5 Amps charger can recharge the battery in ~2 hours.
According to the manufacturer, any lead-acid battery charger that doesn't feature desulphation mode and doesn't charge the battery above 14.4-14.6 volts can be used to charge the Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S battery.
Personally, although the Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S battery features excellent BMS, a lithium-ion battery charger with the maximum charging current of 5-6 Amps should be used, or an AGM battery charger that features a dedicated lithium-ion battery charging mode.
The maximum continuous current is 12 Amps - it is even written on the battery. The maximum 3 seconds discharge current is 60 Amps, which allows the battery to power loads that require higher starting currents.
Note: some sources claim that the maximum continuous discharge current is 30 Amps and that the battery features an RC value of 28 minutes - even some official PDF files claim 30 Amps and some claim 12 Amps. For safety reasons, assume 12A as the maximum continuous discharge current.
One of the very interesting Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S battery features is Bluetooth connectivity, allowing the user to monitor the battery using a smartphone App.
The Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S battery comes with a 5-year warranty.
Long Story Short: The Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S battery is a lightweight deep-cycle battery that can endure a large number of charging/discharging cycles. Thanks to its BMS, it can be connected in parallel (practically no limits) and in series (up to 48V), with various possible connections and charging options - for exact schematics and recommended charging procedures, please check the Owner's Guide/Manual.
If You are looking for a lightweight fish finder battery, solar battery, electric vehicle battery, and similar, and the Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S battery fits your needs, consider this battery.
For more reviews and recommendations, feel free to check Ionic IC-12V12-EP4S Lithium-Ion Deep Cycle Battery Amazon link (link opens in the new window).
