Quick Answer
To calculate the total energy capacity of your LiFePO4 setup, multiply the capacity of each battery in ampere-hours (Ah) by the number of batteries in series and parallel, then convert the result to watt-hours (Wh) if necessary.
Understanding LiFePO4 Battery Capacity
When calculating the total capacity of your LiFePO4 setup, it’s essential to consider the capacity of each individual battery. The capacity is usually specified in ampere-hours (Ah), indicating how much energy the battery can store. For example, a 50Ah battery can provide 50 amps for 1 hour or 1 amp for 50 hours.
Calculating Total Capacity in Ah
To find the total capacity in Ah, you need to multiply the capacity of each battery by the number of batteries in series and parallel. If you have two batteries in series and three in parallel, for instance, the total capacity would be the capacity of one battery multiplied by the number of batteries in parallel, then multiplied by the number of batteries in series. In this example, if each battery is 50Ah, the total capacity would be: 50Ah * 3 * 2 = 300Ah.
Converting Ah to Wh
If you want to express the total capacity in watt-hours (Wh), you’ll need to multiply the total Ah by the nominal voltage of the battery. A typical LiFePO4 battery has a nominal voltage of 12.8V. To convert 300Ah to Wh, you would multiply 300Ah by 12.8V: 300Ah * 12.8V = 3840Wh. This is the total energy capacity of your LiFePO4 setup in watt-hours.
Find more answers
Browse the full Q&A library by topic, or jump back to the topic this question belongs to.