Renogy Core 12V 300Ah Self-Heating LiFePO4 Battery
SVT Score, Mid
3,840 Wh 12.8 V LiFePO4 battery with a built-in heater that lets it charge down to -4°F, in a 60.63 lb IP65 case.
$1,089
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Usability
5.1 out of 10Its 12.8 V and 300 Ah give 3,840 Wh, so it scores 9 on capacity.
That 3,840 Wh in 60.63 lb works out to 63.3 Wh per pound, so it scores 8 on efficiency.
Renogy's manual caps continuous discharge at 200 A, a 0.67C rate on 300 Ah, so it scores 1 on operating range.
Better on operating rangeRenogy Core Mini 200AhRenogy's spec table rates its BMS at 200 A continuous. $653.99Scores 5.0Renogy rates it for 5,000 cycles at 80 percent depth of discharge with no end point published, two rungs down, so it scores 4 on lifespan.
Better on lifespanRenogy Core Mini 200Ah$653.99Scores 6.0Its heater lets it charge down to -4°F, and it adds an IP65 case and 4S4P expansion but no Bluetooth or CAN or RS485 port, so it scores 6 on features.
No certifier directory (Intertek, UL Product iQ, CSA, SGS, TÜV or the CEC lists) lists this model, so it scores 2 on verification.
Renogy gives it a five-year prorated material and workmanship warranty, so it scores 5 on warranty and support.
Renogy sets warranty terms by model, for the original buyer only, and takes unused renogy.com orders back within 30 days, lithium batteries within 7.
$1,088.99 at renogy.com.
Charges to -4°F, still capped at 200 A
The Core 12V 300Ah Self-Heating is Renogy's 12.8 V lithium iron phosphate battery with a built-in heater, in a 20.55 x 9.45 x 8.62 in case.
It suits a buyer who charges a van, RV or cabin bank below freezing, trading 5.5 lb and $209 over the Core Mini 300Ah for the heater.
Strengths
- Built-in heatercharge range -4°F to 131°F
- 200 A continuous charge and discharge
- 3,840 Wh at 60.63 lb63.3 Wh per pound
- IP65 case
- Up to 16 batteries as 4S4P
Drawbacks
- 200 A continuous discharge is 0.67C on 300 Ah
- Heater needs more than 10 A of charge current per battery, by the manual
- No Bluetooth or communication portmonitoring needs a separate shunt
- Cycle rating at 80 percent depth of discharge with no end point published
- Generation 2 does not connect with Generation 1 unitsper Renogy
- Five-year warranty is prorated
Specs
- Capacity3,000-3,999 Wh
- AC OutputNot applicable
- System Voltage12 V
- Panel PowerNot applicable
- Charge CurrentNot applicable
- Safety ListingNone verifiable
- Cell TypeNot applicable
- Low-Temp ChargingSelf-heating
- Warranty5 Years
- MonitoringNone
- Weight60.6 lb
At a glance
- Heater on below 32°F, off above 59°F
- 200 A charge and discharge, 390 A peak for 5 s
- IP65 case, 20.55 x 9.45 x 8.62 in
- M8 terminals, insulating sleeves included
Renogy is the brand of RNG International, Inc., of Ontario, California, which Dr. Yi Li founded in 2010.
It sells direct from renogy.com and its Amazon and eBay brand stores, and through Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy, Camping World and Walmart's marketplace.
The Renogy Core 12V 300Ah Self-Heating is a 12.8 V, 300 Ah lithium iron phosphate battery storing 3,840 Wh in a 20.55 x 9.45 x 8.62 in IP65 case. It weighs 60.63 lb. Its BMS is rated 200 A continuous charge and 200 A continuous discharge, with a 390 A peak for 5 seconds in the manual. A built-in heater starts below 32°F and stops above 59°F, and Renogy's manual says it needs more than 10 A of charge current per battery to run. Renogy rates it for 5,000 cycles at 80 percent depth of discharge and publishes no end-of-life capacity for that figure. It connects up to four in series and four in parallel, 16 as 4S4P. It has no Bluetooth and no communication port; Renogy's FAQ points to a 500 A battery monitor with shunt, sold separately. Renogy's page warns that its Generation 2 battery does not connect with Generation 1 units. The warranty is five years, prorated, on materials and workmanship.
Questions answered from our data
Is Renogy good?We list 30 Renogy products and score 30 of them. Their overall scores run from 4.0 to 6.3, with a median of 5.3, against a median of 5.3 for all 30 products we score.
How much does a LiFePO4 battery cost?The 8 LiFePO4 batteries we list run from $308 to $1,089, with a median of $642.
Are LiFePO4 batteries UL listed?None of the 8 LiFePO4 batteries we list carry a UL 1973-type listing we could look up by model.
Which LiFePO4 batteries can charge below freezing?Five of the 8 LiFePO4 batteries we list heat their own cells so they can charge below freezing.
