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One of the key factors to look for in a camping battery pack is its capacity, since it determines how long it can power your appliances. For most campers, a 100Ah battery usually does the trick especially when they're not planning to stay off-grid for long. However, if you want to enjoy the outdoors for a couple more days, it's good to upgrade your battery to a 200Ah battery or even higher, if you really need it.
Just like other battery sizes, there are 200Ah AGM batteries and 200Ah lithium batteries. While AGM is the more popular choice, lithium batteries are better in terms of overall performance, safety, and lifespan. If you really want to get the best camping battery, go for a 200Ah lithium deep-cycle battery, preferably a LiFEPO4. It can be a little pricey but lasts for seven to 10 years, so you won't need to keep buying a new one every now and then. Plus, LiFEPO4 is known for being incombustible and having a built-in battery management system (BMS), which optimises each cell and helps prevent common battery issues like overcharging and overheating.
How Long Will a 200Ah Battery Last?
At 25 amps, a 200Ah battery can usually last you between two to eight hours. Your battery's longevity is actually dependent on the appliances you want to run off it, so it's best to calculate your wattage requirements first. If you're using your battery power pack as an RV lithium battery, a 200Ah capacity is likely to be enough if you won't draw more than 10 amps per hour. Also, if you want something that will run for an extended period of time, choose a deep-cycle battery. These supply reliable power at 80% discharge level, so they're best for off-grid camping where you'll have no access to a mains power.
What Can You Run On a 200Ah Battery?
Normally, a 200Ah battery runs common home appliances. Keep in mind though, that it usually powers an AC load for less time than a DC load unless you have a good-quality inverter to pair it with. Also, since there are various kinds of home or camping appliances with different power ratings, your run time will also vary depending on the wattage requirement of each device. For a bit of idea, let's use a 200Ah 12V deep-cycle battery at a 50% discharge rate with an inverter. This battery type and size can run a 500W portable air conditioner for 16 hours, as well as an 800W coffee maker for 1.5 hours. How about larger appliances like fridges? If you're using a 200Ah deep-cycle battery, this capacity can power a 400W refrigerator for about 25 hours at 40W per hour. If you want a quick way to determine the total power of your appliances and how long your battery will last while running them, you can use online appliance wattage charts and a battery run-time calculator too.
How Long Does It Take To Charge a 200Ah Lithium Battery?
A 12V 200Ah battery can take between 12 to 24 hours to fully charge with a 10 amps charger. If it's part of your caravan battery setup and you're using solar panels to charge it, you would need a set of solar panels amounting to 2400W to be able to top it up in 5 hours. You could go for two 300W solar panels, three 200W solar panels, or even six 100W solar panels. As much as possible, go for something that exceeds your battery's wattage requirements since there are a lot of factors that can affect the solar charging process. One would be sunlight availability, which varies according to season and location. Naturally, you won't encounter any problems with this during summer but for winter, it's best to be extra prepared. Peak sun hours also don't last for long. Another thing to consider is the efficiency of your solar panels and your battery's state of charge.
More from Outbax
A 200Ah battery definitely makes a great camping buddy and may also work well as a battery backup or temporary house battery in case of power outages. Get the best price on a 200Ah lithium battery now from Outbax. We have a range of affordable LiFEPO4 batteries for sale with the same capacity, as well as other outdoor equipment like solar panels and inverter generators. Outbax specialises in camping essentials and some leisure items as well, so whenever you feel like enjoying the outdoors, pay our website a visit for some great items to take with you. We also have a team of experts who are happy to assist you regarding any concerns. Add camping goodies to your cart now!
