460Ah Lithium Battery Buyers Guide

RV owners are now choosing high capacity 12 volt lithium batteries instead of smaller 100Ah capacity models. The benefits are clear. Here is a comparison of the top four 460Ah 12V LiFePO4 batteries that will save you money, consume less space, and simplify your installation.

These 460Ah batteries from EPOCH, VATRER and LiTime use eight 230Ah EV-grade LiFePO4 battery cells to achieve the 460Ah capacity. Where they differ are in design and build component, features and price. Let’s take a closer look.

What are the Benefits of Larger Batteries?

There a number of ways you will benefit by installing high capacity 12 volt lithium batteries. Significant cost savings for one is hard to deny, but there is more. Here is the full list of benefits.

• Simplified installation
• Less Space
• Fewer connections
• Fewer cables
• Fewer points of failure
• Fewer BMS modules
• Lower cost

Simplified Installation

Decreasing the number of batteries required is the biggest benefit. There are fewer components to install which results in a simplified installation that takes up less space.

One high capacity battery provides the same amount of energy storage as multiple smaller batteries. For example, a 460Ah 12 Volt battery will replace up to five 100Ah 12 volt lithium batteries. To double your capacity to 920Ah, you just need to add a second battery in parallel.

Fewer Connections and Points of Failure

12 Volt battery installations at 400Ah or higher can deliver a higher level of electrical current. Higher rated cables, fuses, busbars, circuit breakers and switches are required to safely deliver this current. Equipment with high current ratings are also more expensive.

Reducing the number of batteries eliminates the majority of expensive wiring needed to connect multiple batteries together. This significantly reduces material and labor costs.

Reducing the number of connections also minimizes failure points in your system. Most wiring problems occur at the connection points wherever cables connect. Loose or improperly assembled connectors are potential failure points that require regular inspection. This is especially true in mobile or marine installations where constant motion can loosen things up.

One BMS vs Multiple

Most lithium batteries have an internal Battery Management System (BMS) which monitors conditions inside the battery and keeps it operating safely. Larger batteries require only one BMS. Not only does this save money, it also promotes efficient battery cell balancing and eliminates the need to keep multiple batteries balanced. 

What are the Drawbacks of Larger Batteries? 

Single Point of Failure

Whenever you combine functions into a single piece of equipment, you potentially create a single point of failure. For example, if one of five batteries in your battery bank fails, you can remove it and still operate with less capacity. This is not the case with a single battery.

Eliminate the single point of failure problem by installing two or more batteries in parallel
If one battery fails you can still operate with the remaining battery. Temporarily bypass the bad battery until you can have it replaced. 

Large Batteries are Heavier

The 12 Volt 460Ah batteries we will be discussing weigh 80-100 pounds. A typical 100Ah lithium battery weighs around 30 pounds. Of course, the combined weight of five 100Ah batteries is still much higher than a single 460Ah battery. Heavier batteries like these usually incorporate handles of some kind to help with lifting.

460Ah Lithium Battery Comparison Chart

These 12 volt batteries have different form factors but share the same 460Ah capacity. They also contain high-quality EV grade prismatic LiFePO4 battery cells. 

	EPOCH 460A 12V Premium	EPOCH 460A 12V Essentials	VATRER 12V 460A	LiTime 12V 460A
Capacity (Ah)	460 Ah	460 Ah	460 Ah	460 Ah
Capacity (Wh)	5,796 Wh	5,796 Wh	5,796 Wh	5,796 Wh
Chemistry	LiFePO4	LiFePO4	LiFePO4	LiFePO4
Size	Group 8D	Group 8D	19x11x10 inch	Group 8D
Weight	97 lbs	84 lbs	104 lbs	86 lbs
Expansion	up to 4	up to 4	up to 4	up to 4
Terminals	M8	M8	M8	M8
Discharge Amps	300A	200A	250A	250A
Charge Amps	230A	200A	120A	250A
Charge Temp	24 – 131 F°	24 – 140 F°	32- 113 F°	32- 122 F°
Discharge Temp	24 – 140 F°	24 – 140 F°	24 – 131 F°	-4 – 140 F°
Self Heating	Yes	Yes	No	No
IP Rating	IP67	IP54	IP54	IP65
BMS Power Button	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth / App	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
RS485 / CANbus	Yes	No	No	No
Cycle Life	3,500	4,000	5,000	4,000
Warranty	11 Year	11 Year	10 Year	5 Year
Price per Wh	$0.31	$0.22	$0.24	$0.23
PRICE	$1,799	$1,299	$1,399	$1,349

EPOCH 12V 460Ah Battery with Victron Comms (B46012A)

The EPOCH B46012A is a premium marine grade battery with advanced features not found in most RV or marine batteries. The solid build quality, high-end components, power output ratings and advanced BMS justify the higher price point for this battery. 

This battery is a little taller than other Group 8D batteries in this class and offers improved cooling efficiency. 

EPOCH B46012A also includes BMS Communication. Included is a Victron VE.CANbus compatible wiring harness for simplified connection to Victron Cerbo GX or Color Control GX devices.

What is BMS Communication?

BMS communication enables lithium batteries to share internal battery data with other devices in an off-grid or backup power system. Is it necessary? This article I wrote explains it all.
What is BMS Communication? Do you need it?

A remote power button and state of charge gauge and also included.

What’s inside? This battery appears to have a proprietary 300A BMS with advanced features. The build quality looks very good with thick busbars and heat sinks. A 180 Watt heating pad is installed on one side across eight vertically mounted EVE LFP cells. Finally, a large 500 Amp T-style fuse is mounted near the positive battery terminal.

For marine applications, this is battery is your best option because of its IP67 rating. RV applications can also benefit from the solid build quality and power output of this model compared to the EPOCH Essentials battery. The deciding factor may be whether or not you want BMS communication features.

Here are the key features of EPOCH 460Ah B46012A battery

• 8 x EV Grade 230Ah LiFePO4 cells
• 300A continuous output
• Premium BMS with CANbus, RS485 and Self Heating
• BMS and Bluetooth communication (supports Victron GX)
• Integrated 180W heating pad for self-heating a low temperature
• Pre-wired Victron-compatible Cable Harness
• Remote Power Button with Status Light
• Remote State of Charge Gauge
• 500A internal fuse
• Air vent on top
• Marine Grade IP67 Waterproof Case and Connections

EPOCH 12V 460Ah Essentials Battery (12460A-H)

BEST VALUE CHOICE. The EPOCH Essentials 12460A-H battery is a powerful budget battery with great build quality. The integrated self-heating feature puts it on par with the premium batteries. 

My tests show that this battery outperforms is rated output which is a testament to its build quality. This battery is also the least expensive of the four 460Ah batteries listed. You could buy two of these for a massive 920Ah battery bank to maximize your savings.

What’s Inside? A 200 Amp JBD BMS (Model: JBD 200A BMS SP04S034-S), self-heating pad, and eight EVE LFP battery cells mounted on their side below the BMS.

Here are the key features of EPOCH Essentials 460Ah 46012A-H battery

• 8 x EV Grade 230Ah LiFePO4 cells
• 200A continuous output
• 200Ah JBD Battery Monitoring System with self heating
• Bluetooth via Mobile App
• Integrated 180W heating pad for self-heating a low temperature
• Sealed Weatherproof IP54 Case

The LiTime 460Ah 12V LFP battery has been a popular battery in this class for RV and marine applications. The features and price puts this battery on par with the VATRER and EPOCH Essentials batteries. 

There is no self-heating feature in this battery which also impacts its low temperature charging range. For this reason, I rate it just below the EPOCH Essentials battery.

This is a solid 460Ah battery option with high-ratings on Amazon.