How to choose the best 100ah lithium battery

Lithium-ion batteries are used in a variety of products. These reliable high capacity batteries have great specs allowing them to power vehicles, homes, etc... There are numbers written on each battery that show its most important specs for the user. Usually, you find the voltage expressed by the "v" symbol and the capacity expressed by the "ah" symbol. Among the common high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, there is the 100ah capacity battery.

In this article, we dive deeper into the 100ah lithium battery including its contents and applications.

1.What does 100ah mean on a lithium battery

If a lithium battery has the indication of 100ah written on it that means the battery has a capacity of 100ah. That value is the rate of amperage it can deliver during a specific period of time. A 100ah lithium battery can deliver 100 Amps of current during one hour or 20 Amps of current during 5 hours. Meaning that the time it will take to discharge is the result of dividing 100 by the amperage the device requires. As for Amps, you can know what are amps deeper in our website.

2.Is a 100ah battery good

A 100ah battery could be good for many applications. This battery has a high capacity allowing it to ensure long-running times. 100ah batteries could have a voltage of 12 of 24 v, meaning they can deliver enough power to run a variety of products. Some 100ah lithium battery packs have 36 or 48 v, they are designed to run vehicles or used as house wall wart power supply. They have fast charging and last for long time.

3.How big is a 100ah battery

The size of batteries slightly varies between one manufacturer and another. The major difference is in weight because all batteries should be designed to fit in battery compartments. Among typical sizes of 12v 100ah batteries we have (328x172x215mm /13x6.8x8.5in), 100ah lithium battery is lighter in weight compared to other types batteries because the high energy density of lithium ion battery. 

The average weight of a 12v 100ah lithium ion battery is 12 kilograms, higher voltage batteries are heavier. Most batteries with a higher voltage than 24v are custom designed to fit in the product's compartment.

4.How to calculate the amps I need

The easiest way to calculate the required amperage is by dividing the watts by the voltage. For example, a 1200 watts device running on a 12v battery will require 100 amps.

① How many 100ah batteries do I need

The number of 100ah batteries needed depends on the devices you're running. The batteries number is related to many factors, to get enough power, you have to take them into account. First, you need to determine the amount of power your devices need. To run everything effectively and without getting out of power, you have to make an estimation of the running time of each device. Having a clear idea about runtime will allow you to know the hourly power rate you need to have. If your daily power consumption is for example 2400 Wh, you'll need 2 12v 100ah batteries. 

② Can 100ah battery run a fridge

Actually, the time a 100ah lithium battery run a fridge depends on its power requirements. In general, fridges used in homes or Rvs which use batteries as the power supply are specifically designed to have low power consumption. A typical fridge with an hourly power rate of 72 watts per hour will take about 16.6 hours to fully discharge a 100ah lithium battery(12v). putting into account that you need to avoid full discharge, with 80% of its capacity the battery will run the fridge for 13.3 hours. 

To get longer runtime by the batteries you have to choose low consumption fridges. Always avoid over discharge to preserve the lithium-ion batteries. 

③ Is 100ah enough for RV

An RV has a variety of devices and systems onboard, each of them has its own power consumption. A 100ah lithium battery will be just enough to power small devices; lighting, ventilation fans, charge electronic devices like phones and laptops, and run a TV. It will last approximately a day running such things. More powerful products like fridges, dryers, and other devices will require more batteries with high specs. 

5.The differences between watts and ah

① Is WH the same as ah

There is a difference between ah and Wh, each of them is a unit to measure a parameter related to electricity. The ah refers to Amps per hour and measures the amount of electricity that flows in a circuit within a period of time. On the other hand, Wh is the energy consumption during a period of time. It is the product of the ah and the voltage or the power and time. So, to make things clear,ah and Wh are related but not the same. 

② How many kWh is a 100ah lithium battery has

To get find out how many kWh a battery is, you need to multiply its voltage by its capacity. A 12 v 100ah lithium ion battery has 1.2 kWh; 12 x 100 = 1200 Watts = 1.2 kWh If the voltage is higher than 12v the battery could have a higher power capacity.  For a 24 v battery the power is double that number 2.4 kWh. That explains using higher voltage battery packs on electric vehicles or homes and RVs. That may significantly extend runtime and reduce the need for recharging.

③ How many batteries do I need to run a 2000 watt inverter

To run a 2000 watt inverter you need to know the parameters of your battery pack. For example, a 12v 100ah battery will be able to run the inverter for 0.48 hours at 80% discharge: 

These calculations will help determine how many batteries you need and their capacity. You have to put in mind that the higher the capacity and voltage the more batteries will last in one charge. Also for lithium-ion batteries it is recommended to avoid over discharge in order to maintain their health. 

④ How many watts is 100ah

A 100ah battery will have different wattage depending on its voltage. If the battery is 12 v it will deliver 1200 Wh. If it is 24 v it will deliver 2400 Wh. As the voltage also counts when calculating the watts of a battery, you need to check that parameter before making your choice.

6.How many solar panels does it take to charge a 100ah battery

For adventure seekers, living in the wild is the great joy. But staying away from shore power requires looking for other alternatives of electricity. The best option is batteries and solar panels. Lithium-ion 100ah batteries are great options for mountain houses and RVs. To know how many panels, you need to recharge your batteries you just need to know a few parameters and apply the following equation. 

The number of solar panels needed = {The battery capacity x the battery voltage} / {The watts of panels x peak sun time(hour)}

An example we have a 100ah lithium battery with 12 v and 200 watts solar panels, the region’s peak sun is 4 hours. The number of panels is 1200/ (200 x 4) = 1.5 meaning two panels.

7.How long can 100ah lithium battery last

100ah lithium-ion batteries can last for long time depending on two main parameters; their voltage and the product's power specs. Higher voltage batteries will last longer as the power depends on amperage hour rate and voltage. A typical 12 v 100ah lithium ion battery will last about 4 hours delivering 25 Amps. If the amperage is higher or lower that affects the batteries run time. 

In terms of cycle life lithium batteries could last for a very long time. In general, a lithium battery may last between 1500-4000 cycles.

8.How long will a 100ah battery run 500 watts

The run time of a 500 watts device by a 100ah lithium battery could be simply calculated as follows: 

assuming the battery is 12 v, it will deliver 1200 Wh, the run time is:  1200 / 500=  2.4 hours. If the battery is 24 v it will run for 4.8 hours.

9.To sum it up

Choosing a battery as an electric vehicle power battery, a house energy storage or a Rv battery should be based on many factors. The battery's capacity expressed in ah ( amps-hour) is on the top of the list of battery choice specs. Among common capacities we have the 100ah lithium battery for our devices. They are employed in multiple applications and they can run products for long periods of time. These batteries could be of many types, the best ones are lithium batteries. They are lighter than other models and have better endurance. 

The battery's voltage is also a parameter to consider while making a choice. It is recommended to carefully define power requirements in order to get the right battery. To preserve the battery, in use time must be estimated based on 80% of the capacity to avoid deed discharge which may damage the batteries.