Battery Management

Run your fridge, lights and camp gear for days without flattening the start battery. This range covers 12V battery management from the ground up: LiFePO4 deep cycle batteries from HardKorr and Nomad, Engel battery boxes, portable power stations, Bluetooth battery monitors, plus power distribution boxes from HardKorr and Mean Mother and Piranha dual battery cable kits. Order online with Australia-wide shipping, or have the whole setup wired and fitted properly at our Burwood workshop in Melbourne.

20 products

Choosing the right battery management setup

Start with capacity, not brand. Add up what you actually run: a compressor fridge averages roughly 1 to 2 amp hours per hour depending on the weather, then add lights, phone charging and a water pump. For weekend trips a 100 to 135Ah lithium battery is usually plenty. For extended touring, or if you are running a fridge and freezer together, step up to 200Ah or more, like the Nomad 200Ah PDU or HardKorr's 240Ah.

Chemistry matters. LiFePO4 batteries give you close to their full rated capacity, weigh about half as much as an equivalent AGM and handle thousands of cycles. If you camp in alpine areas, look at cold climate lithium models, which protect the cells when charging below freezing. Whatever you choose, a shunt-based battery monitor is worth having. Voltage alone is a poor guide to how much charge a lithium battery has left, and a 500A shunt with Bluetooth gives you a true state of charge on your phone.

Finally, do not let cheap wiring undo a good battery. Correct cable gauge, proper fusing and a power distribution box keep the system safe and make faults easy to trace. If you would rather not do the crimping yourself, our Burwood workshop wires and mounts complete systems, from a simple battery box to a full drawer-mounted install.

Battery management FAQs

What size battery do I need to run a 12V fridge?

For a typical 40 to 60 litre compressor fridge, a 100Ah lithium battery will comfortably cover a weekend without charging. If you are staying put for several days, or running a larger dual zone fridge, go for 135Ah or more, or pair the battery with solar to top up during the day.

What is the difference between lithium and AGM deep cycle batteries?

Lithium (LiFePO4) batteries let you use nearly all of their rated capacity, while AGM should only be discharged to around half. Lithium is also much lighter and lasts far more charge cycles. The upfront cost is higher, but per usable amp hour over the battery's life, lithium usually works out cheaper.

Do I need a dedicated charger for a lithium battery?

Yes, in most vehicles. Modern smart alternators do not hold a voltage that charges lithium properly, so a DC to DC charger with a lithium profile is the right way to charge a second battery while driving. Ask us to spec the charger with the battery so the two are matched from day one.

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