Have you noticed that Ah sign you see every time you buy batteries? Whether you're after lead-acid batteries or lithium batteries, this will always be present on the label next to a number that's usually either 100 or 200.
This "Ah" pertains to your power pack's amp hour rating or the amount of amperage it can provide within one hour. In a way, it's part of the indicators of a battery's capacity although there are several other factors to consider too such as runtime and load.
A battery's amp hour is usually displayed on its body or in the associated sales information. If you're buying one and cannot find this, you might want to check if it really is a service battery like a lithium deep cycle battery or if you're looking at a starter battery instead.
For smaller batteries like AA, AAA, and portable power banks, their amperage rating is expressed in milli-amperes or mAh instead. Some deep cycle batteries also indicate theirs in multiple C-ratings, which shows how many amp hours your battery can deliver for a specific period of time. For instance, a C-5 rating on a battery can equate to 26.8 amps within 5 hours. This same battery can also supply 36 amps for 100 hoursit mostly depends on your battery usage so you should ideally compare the amp hours for different C-ratings.
You might have gotten confused for a while there since it was stated that a battery providing 36 amps can run for 100 hours while the other one with a lower amperage can only run for 5. This is because a battery's efficiency is largely affected when you discharge it rapidly due to the heat. So when you rapidly discharge a C-5 rated battery, you'll lose some of its available power compared to when you discharge a C-100 battery, which will lose charge at a slower pace. If you're still unsure which C-rating to use, go for a C-20 because this is considered the ideal rate.
Is Having a Higher Ah Better For a Battery?
The simple answer is yes. In terms of power and runtime, a higher Ah battery is better since it means more power and longer operating time too.
Let's discuss power first. This is expressed in watts and can be determined by multiplying your battery Ah by its voltage. So if you have a 12V 50Ah battery and 12V 100Ah battery, the first one will be able to deliver 600W while the latter will give you 1200W.
Now, on to running time. Provided that all other factors like load and temperature are equal, a battery pack with higher Ah will also last longer. If we use the same 50Ah and 100Ah batteries before and divided them by the current in amps of 8.33, the first pack will give you 6 hours of runtime while the other one can operate for up to 9 hours.
What To Consider When Choosing Your Battery Ah?
A lot of tent-campers typically go for a 100Ah lithium battery especially if it's a weekend trip only. Lithium RV batteries, on the other hand, might be better off with a higher capacity such as a lithium 200Ah deep cycle battery.
Most RV owners like going off the grid so packing a reliable power source that can run for extended periods without requiring a recharge is a must. A lithium-based deep cycle battery like a LiFePO4 battery would be perfect for this job since it is known for having an increased usable capacity compared to other power packs.
A deep cycle battery can be safely discharged up to 80% instead of the typical 50% DoD you get from traditional batteries. This means you get to use more of your battery to run your electronics, which is essential to any outdoor adventure whether it's camping, boating, or road trips.
Of course, you don't just take a guess when choosing your battery Ah. Below are some of the other factors you need to consider before you check out that power pack:
Duration and location of your trip
How long is your outing and do you have access to a mains power while you're there? If you're staying for more than a couple of days in a remote area, you definitely should opt for a high-capacity power pack.
Other sources of power
Another option you have for off grid camping is to bring other power sources like inverter generators or solar panels. A lot of RV owners even install an entire solar system complete with RV solar panels and batteries for unlimited camping options.
Battery usage
Aside from your load, determine how long you're planning to run each appliance you have and if you need to simultaneously plug in some of them. This is directly related to your amp hours, so make sure you have a good estimate of how much power you need. You can either calculate this by listing down all your electronics and working out their required output or using an online power calculator to help you out.
Ready to choose your battery Ah? Visit Outbax today and choose from a range of premium quality LiFePO4 batteries. We even have the famous slimline lithium batteries plus other camping gear like solar panels and generators to ensure you never run out of electricity during your outdoor trips. Shop now and enjoy great items at affordable prices + free shipping!
