Lithium Batteries & Battery Management

About this range

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.

50 products

Buying guide

Dual battery and 12 V power explained

A second battery runs your fridge, lights and charging without touching the starting battery. Modern vehicles and lithium batteries change how that system should be built.

  1. Smart alternators

    Many late-model vehicles have smart alternators that vary their voltage. A simple isolator doesn't charge a second battery well from these, so a DC-DC charger is recommended (Redarc).

  2. Where lithium can go

    Lithium batteries must not go in the engine bay: the heat is too much (Redarc, Enerdrive). They go in the cabin, tub or canopy.

  3. Charge it correctly

    Lithium needs a charger with a lithium profile, and most can't be charged below 0 C unless the battery is heated. Don't mix battery brands or sizes in one system (Redarc).

  4. Sizing solar

    Work out how many watt-hours you use a day and divide by 5 to 6 sun hours to size your panels. A panel laid flat can lose up to 38% of its output (Enerdrive).

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.

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Common questions

Do I need a DC-DC charger?

If your vehicle has a smart alternator, yes: isolators charge poorly from them. A DC-DC charger also gives the second battery the right charging profile, including for lithium (Redarc).

Can a lithium battery go under the bonnet?

No. Battery makers say lithium batteries can't handle engine bay heat and must not be installed there (Redarc, Enerdrive).

Lithium or AGM?

Lithium needs a charger with a lithium profile, a location out of the engine bay and, below 0 C, a heated battery to charge. Compare usable capacity and weight on each battery's specifications, and follow its maker's mounting guidance.

How much solar do I need for a fridge?

Add up your daily use in watt-hours, then divide by 5 to 6 sun hours (Redarc). Allow extra if the panel will lie flat or sit in shade.

Can I run my fridge off the starting battery?

You can, but you risk a flat battery and no start. A second battery with a DC-DC charger keeps the starting battery for the engine.

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