In our relentless pursuit of reliability and performance, we have teamed up with, Victron Energy, the market leader in providing the very best in Lithium battery chargers. They offer multiple charging solutions for all your Lithium Battery charging needs.
We understand the importance of a dependable lithium battery charging source for your power supply and that’s why we’ve chosen to align ourselves with the unparalleled expertise of Victron Energy. Renowned for their high quality charging solutions.
Our collaboration brings you the assurance of a charging solution that adapts to every scenario. Whether you’re charging from your vehicle’s alternator, harnessing solar power from the sunshine or utilising the convenience of a mains 240V supply, We offer a range of chargers designed to excel in all environments.
Harness the suns endless supply of free energy with solar panels and using a 'MPPT' 'Charge Controller to charge your battery
Charge your battery by connecting to the grid. Fit a 'MAINS' Charger that supplies a regulated voltage.
Capture the surplus power created by your vehicles alternator by fitting a 'DC-DC' Charger
Follow the flow chart below to work out what chargers you require to best charge your LithiumPro battery.
If you require any further help choosing or setting up your chargers with LithiumPro batteries please contact us here
In short, no, it is not compulsory to use a dedicated lithium battery charger to charge Lithium Pro batteries. While it is recommended for optimal performance, it is not essential. If your lead-acid charger operates a CCCV charge profile and charges between 13.8V and 14.6V, it will charge a LithiumPro battery safely. However, charging may take a bit longer and be slightly less efficient compared to using a dedicated lithium charger with a LiFePO4 charge profile. But due to our on-board 1-5A Active-Balancing your battery will remain at optimal balance every cycle.
Yes, a lead-acid charger will charge your new Lithium Pro battery just fine. Most Lead-acid chargers output between 13.8v – 14.6v which will charge a LithiumPro battery just fine. (this is not the case with all Lithium Batteries) LithiumPro’s BMS is designed to accept a broader charge voltage than other lithium manufacturers.
Its worth noting it will take longer to charge as lead-acid chemistries like to be charged slower than their more efficient LiFePO4 alternatives. However, with Lithium Pro’s new SMARTCOMM SERIES all come with ‘Active-Balancing’ built-in as standard, this ensuring no matter what charger you are using the Active-Balancer will ensure the cells are optimally balanced every charge cycle ready to provide 100% capacity every time.
The chargers in most motorhomes or caravans are surprisingly old and basic technology. Their logic and technology has not been updated for many years. Some offer alternative charging profiles for ‘GEL’ or ‘AGM’, few have a dedicated Lithium ‘LiFePO4’ charging profile. Newer motorhomes are now starting to install more advanced chargers as Lithium is becoming an every day essential within the leisure industry and the van life community.
In almost all cases you can continue to use your existing chargers with Lithium Pro batteries. Most existing chargers in motorhomes are compatible with Lithium Pro batteries; from CBE, Dometic, Nordelectronica, Sargent, Schaudt, Truma, Victron and Voltronic will all charge Lithium Pro batteries with the optimal 14.4v. However, If you have a Bailey, Coachman or Elddis that uses a BCA mains charger, these are not true chargers. They are considered trickle chargers that prevent your lead-acid battery from over discharging and sulphating. Their maximum output is 13.8v, note this will also fully charge a LithiumPro battery. However, it is worth noting, it is not charging at the optimal charge voltage of 14.4V, so it will take longer to charge your LithiumPro battery but will still charge to 100% State of Charge (SOC). In this instance, if you would prefer to charge you battery faster and with the optimal charge profile you should opt to upgrade to a LiFePO4 compatible charger that outputs between 14.2-14.6v to ensure your Lithium Pro battery is fully charged and the cells are balanced, providing optimal performance every cycle.
Call or email for instructions of how to replace your existing BCA charger.
If a Lead-Acid charger does the job, why should I upgrade my charger? We hear you say… There are several factors to consider when charging lithium batteries. Lithium chargers are designed to fully charge and balance your lithium battery at an optimal and regulated charge voltage of 14.4V.
Whilst Lithium Pro Energy recommends using a dedicated lithium charger, as it will offer a more efficient charge for your battery and help prolong its lifespan, it is not essential. However, there is a code in the electrical industry known as ‘good electrical design’, meaning it is considered ‘good practice’ within the electrical industry when designing and installing off-grid electrical systems to have more than one fail safe within the deisgn. Having dedicated lithium chargers designed into a system, offers extra safety protection in case of system failure.
Lithium chargers are designed to charge lithium batteries with a regulated voltage and current, they use a Constant Current Constant Voltage, CCCV profile. Charging your lithium battery faster and more efficiently than a lead acid charger. Charging with a regulated voltage of 14.4v and shutting the charger off at the correct voltage is essential to protecting the longevity and lifespan of your lithium battery. Buying a lithium charger ensures you get the best protection for your investment by looking after your battery correctly.
If you battery bank is less that 200AH we recommend using a 15-20A charger. If above 200AH then recommend upgrading to a 30A charger.
As we design larger & larger lithium batteries with ever greater capacities for the everlasting off-grid solution, we must consider how we can recharge them more efficiently.
Charging a powerful battery with capacities in excess of 280ah – 460ah may take several hours if not days with the small 15-20A chargers currently supplied in todays motorhome or campervans. They were only ever designed to charge a single battery with a capacity 75- 100ah rather than the powerful alternatives we have on offer today.
If you have a large battery bank and require quicker charging times, it is worth considering multiple charging sources whilst on the move not just static charging from a mains 240v ‘hook-up’ source. Very efficient and effective solar, and DC-DC chargers are also available to boost the amount of charge you can put back into your battery whilst on the move, see below.
You can also double up on chargers and install them in parallel to increase your charging capability.
All LithiumPro batteries are equipped with our proprietary advanced Battery Management System (BMS), a sophisticated control module that regulates the batteries operational parameters for optimal safety, performance and longevity. The BMS will automatically shut down the battery to protect itself should it detect conditions that may harm the battery, such as overheating, overcharging, over-discharging, or a short circuit. It’s important to note that not all lithium batteries are built to the same standards or specifications, and many do not feature the same level of logic and control functions for optimal battery safety and performance. Chose LithiumPro for peace of mind and safety certification
Lead-acid chargers were never designed with lithium batteries in mind — lithium technology simply didn’t exist at the time. However, because lead-acid and lithium batteries share similar charging profiles, a lead-acid charger can more often than not work with a LithiumPro battery, depending on the quality and logic of the battery’s BMS (Battery Management System).
At LithiumPro, our batteries are compatible with most lead-acid chargers. But it’s important to understand the limitations of not upgrading to a dedicated lithium charger.
Some older lead-acid chargers are designed not to start charging unless they detect a minimum voltage at the battery terminals. If they don’t sense this voltage, they assume the battery is damaged and won’t begin charging. Lithium batteries, on the other hand, are far more advanced. Their built-in BMS acts like a mini onboard computer that protects the battery by shutting it down if certain safety thresholds are reached — for example, if the battery is deeply discharged.
When this happens, the BMS disconnects the battery, and the terminals may read 0 volts. While this is a normal and safe function for lithium batteries, a standard lead-acid charger may interpret 0V as a fault and refuse to charge. This is where a lithium charger makes the difference — it’s designed to recognize 0V as a BMS shutdown and will apply a recovery voltage to ‘wake up’ the battery and resume charging.
Delivery is free to all mainland UK, with the exception of NI, Scotland and the isles. Our couriers charge a small premium to delivery to these locations. This will be calculated at checkout based on your postcode.
