Teardown: VoltGo Elite Series 12.8V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries have emerged as a top choice for solar, marine, RV and off-grid applications. In this teardown article, we’ll examine the VoltGo 12v 100ah lifepo4 battery based on a YouTube review. We’ll look inside this high-capacity lithium battery and explore the key features like Bluetooth monitoring, heating, and fire suppression.

Video Teardown

YouTuber @Roll2 Videos made a video version of this review which gives an overview and teardown of Solorage X 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery and walks through his testing. Check it out below and consider subscribing to @Roll2 Videos’s YouTube channel if you like videos on lithium batteries and DIY solar projects!

While the video provides an overview, there’s much more in-depth analysis and insider information in the article below. Make sure to keep scrolling to see the full specimen breakdown. The article connects the dots on all the fine details. So don’t stop here! Continue reading for the full expert review and analysis of VoltGo Elite Series 12.8V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery.

Overview and Specs

The VoltGo LiFePO4 battery has an IP65 rating making it dust-tight and protected against water jets. It also carries a UL certification for safety. The detachable modular design allows up to 4 batteries to be connected in series for higher voltage packs.

Key specs per the label include:

• 12V nominal voltage
• 100Ah capacity
• 14V max charge voltage
• 100A max discharge
• 30A recommended charge current
• Operating temps from -4 to 113F/−20 to 45C

Heating elements and Bluetooth monitoring are built-in. The battery weighs 24.6 lbs.

Testing and Performance

A discharge test was performed by drawing around 26A through an inverter. The VoltGo battery delivered 102.1Ah until reaching cut-off, exceeding the rated 100Ah capacity. This verifies the quality of the LiFePO4 cells.

Internals

The BMS, identified as a ZTP 04S 057-Fe, is a crucial component that safeguards the battery from overcharging, over-discharging, and short-circuiting.

The BMS is connected to the cells via a network of wires, with a six-gauge wire leading to the positive terminal and two 8-gauge wires for both the negative terminal and the BMS. This robust wiring ensures efficient power transfer and communication between the cells and the BMS.

The battery uses high-quality LiFePO4 cells from ETC, a manufacturer known for their grade A products. These cells are not only UL listed, ensuring their quality and safety, but they also contribute to the battery’s superior cycle life and longevity.

During the teardown, we were able to observe the meticulous arrangement of these cells. They are securely fastened, laser welded, and insulated with careful attention to detail. This construction not only protects the cells but also optimizes their performance and ensures a uniform discharge.

Low-Temperature Cut-Off Protection & Self-Heating

Low-Temperature Cut-Off Protection is an important safety feature that ensures that the battery will not discharge under extreme cold conditions. This is critical to prevent the battery from degrading or damaging performance in cold environments. The VoltGo battery is equipped with temperature sensors which monitor the temperature of the battery. When the temperature drops below a preset low-temperature threshold, the battery automatically enters protection mode, which cuts off the discharge function to protect the battery from low-temperature damage.

In contrast to the low-temperature cut-off, the self-heat function ensures that the battery maintains optimal performance in cold environments, and the VoltGo battery has built-in heat pads that can be controlled by the battery management system (BMS). When a temperature sensor detects that the battery temperature is below a set min

Connectivity and Monitoring

The accompanying Bluetooth app monitors charge/discharge in real-time and controls the built-in heating. During testing, the app properly showed the battery entering protection mode when temperatures were taken outside operating limits. It then resumed normal operation once back in range.

In summary, the VoltGo 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 battery provides rugged construction and ample power for off-grid usage. Convenient app monitoring and heating offer added functionality for outdoor conditions. Full testing validates it meets the advertised performance ratings.