WattCycle 12V 314Ah LiFeO4 Lithium Battery Review for Campervan by SBC

Hi, I'm Paul Mooney - Admin from Self Built Campervans group on Facebook with 90,000 subscribed members. I have been camping and campervanning for approximately 20 years. I decided to build my own Self Built Campervan 5 years ago as factory-priced motorhomes and campervans are very expensive. We absolutely love the feeling of freedom it gives me and my family. I have travelled extensively throughout Europe and enjoyed every minute of the adventure.

My Battery needs

Unfortunately, my existing 280Ah LiFePO4 Lithium battery had failed (which I believe is BMS faulty). So I was looking for a solution to power my van’s electrical system.

The battery criterias I needed were:

• Price Point-Cost! ( Of course!)
• Reliable Official app via Bluetooth (not a generic app)
• Size (needed to fit in my battery cupboard)
• Specs and BMS (needed a 200A BMS and at least 5000 cycles)
• Ability to run a 2000W Pure Sine Wave inverter

Purchase and delivery

After a lot of head scratching and investigation, I finally chose to buy the WattCycle 12V 314Ah Mini LiFePO4 Lithium Battery with Bluetooth to suit my power needs and criteria outlined above.

The reason why I chose WattCycle is very clear: WattCycle offers the most competitive price! In Ireland and across Europe, the price of LiFePO4 Lithium batteries is pretty much expensive, usually €800 for a 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery and over €1000 for one more than 12V 200Ah. But with a discount and sale price I purchased the 12V 314Ah Mini LiFePO4 Lithium Battery even with smart Bluetooth monitoring for only €554 (price can be different, so check the official website for the latest deals!).

Moreover, WattCycle can be delivered to most countries in Europe. So it’s really a no-brainer choice when comparing the price and convenience.

What surprised me again was the experience of ordering, which couldn't have been easier.

It was easy and seamless to purchase on their official website. I paid via PayPal, which gave me peace of mind. Customer service was excellent when answering my initial queries and specifications questions of the WattCycle 12V 314Ah flagship LiFePO4 Lithium battery before ordering. Delivery was very quick in the EU and took around 5 days after the initial ordering, which arrived well packaged and protected without any issues at all.

Unbox and Installation

The box contained the battery and an Instruction manual that includes how to download the App from the Google Play Store /Apple Store. After downloading the app, I was able to register and receive a Lifetime Warranty by entering the serial number of the battery, which could be easily found on the side of the housing.

I removed my old battery with BMS issues, I suppose and cleaned up the space for WattCycle on my campervan.

The WattCycle LiFePO4 Lithium battery’s size in comparison to Basen’s was incredibly smaller. It shocked me that it was approximately half the size of my bulky and heavy old battery. It measured just L384 x W194 x H248mm. And it’s also significantly lighter than the old one, which is 27kg compared to 36kg!

Installation was super easy and quick using the 35mm² battery cable (240 amp). I simply bolted the cable onto the battery terminals using the M8 bolts provided in the package (I wired them all with the proper fuses). After that, I connect my 320W solar panel, which is on the roof of my van, to a Victron Bluetooth solar controller and also a Victron 30A DC to DC Bluetooth Charger. Finally, the batteries can be charged by the solar panel when the van engine is started, and also when I'm driving. All of this was only a simple change because all the wiring is right in the place of the old battery’s installation.

The power and capacity of the WattCycle LiFePO4 Lithium battery fully meet my needs. Although I'm not a high-power consumption user, my setup includes a range of very practical and essential appliances. Please refer to my configuration: I use a 2000W pure sine wave inverter to run a 1400W air fryer and to charge my e-bike. On the 12V DC side, I have an LG 50-litre compressor fridge, LED strip lighting throughout the van, several USB 3.0 ports, two MaxxAir extractor fans, and a 5kW diesel air heater.

I also left sufficient space for the addition of a second WattCycle LiFePO4 Lithium battery should my power requirements increase. The battery's compact size is a significant advantage! It enables the installation of multiple batteries even in limited space, allowing them to meet your campervan's substantial power demand.

Battery Performance

I have installed the WattCycle 314Ah mini LiFePO4 Lithium battery for 6 weeks now, and I am really pleased with it. I can honestly say it has been outperforming my expectations.

I have been away for 2 weekend trips and a 1 week holiday in my campervan since the initial install.

The WattCycle LiFePO4 Lithium battery has performed flawlessly, not causing any issues. I haven't had to use EHU (electric hook up) as my solar panels keep it topped up every day and my DC-DC device charges it too when I'm driving from place to place.

It has performed really well under the load of the 2000-watt pure sine wave inverter that pulls 114 amps to the 1400W air fryer without any issues. The 314Ah has a max 200A BMS for continuous discharging, so this was well within the specs.

Temperatures got down to minus-5⁰C to plus 25⁰C, but didn’t cause any issues to the battery because of its automatic low temperature protection.

The WattCycle APP has been awesome and very useful to keep an eye on the state of how the LiFePO4 Lithium battery is performing. It was set to the factory settings, so I did not have to change or modify anything - just left it as is.

BMS (Battery Monitoring System) has done its thing without the need for me to worry about anything with its function of battery temperature control, cell charging and discharging function, etc.

Conclusion and Recommendation

I will review and come back to this again in the future and revisit my experience, which will keep you posted and updated after about 12 months. At present, I would highly recommend this WattCycle LiFePO4 Lithium battery, whether you are looking to start fresh with a new build or looking to upgrade from your own lead acid setup, AGM, etc. You would never regret it!