Feature -Packed, Value Priced LiFePO4

Watt Cycle LiFePo4 – Killer Value!

LFP cell prices will remain low for a bit longer and will then slowly trend back up. Why? China spent Billions tooling up production for the EV market which has not been anywhere near as strong as expected. This has left cell maker such as EVE, CATL, REPT, Top Band etc. with piles of excess inventory and excess production. This means drop-in manufacturers can now get EV grade cells quite easily where just two years ago this was very tough.. They are currently attaining cells  at prices well below where they should be and below actual cost to produce when buying in bulk.. Manufacturers such as Watt Cycle are passing these savings onto you the end user..

On top of Watt Cycles inanely low pricing we have negotiated an 8% off coupon-code that works when used via the link below. The Coupon code is MHT8. Buying through the link gets you 8% off the already amazingly low prices plus free shipping and it helps keep this site alive. The Coupon code does not work on Amazon

Buy Discounted Wattcycle Batteries 

Now that we have two+ years of Amazon data from the MHT storefront, one thing has become abundantly clear, the readers of this site  are far more concerned over price than anything else. For example a reader reads an MHT article on battery lug crimping, clicks our link for the tool we have recommended, and a tool  that we have thoroughly tested then they buy a sub standard tool with dies that are not even AWG for $10.00 less. Don’t get me wrong we still get a commission but the reader gets a sub standard tool and may have unsafe terminations. In that regard MHT is going to be testing a lot more budget friendly products in the future.

As I mentioned these batteries represent an insane value! Plus, via our link above and the MHT8 discount code you get free shipping  and an additional 8% off making the mini just $174.80 delivered.. Hard to beat that..

Compare that to a crappy West Marine Flooded Battery rated at just 300 lab cycles to 50%.. D’oh

It should be noted that both of these batteries exceeded rated capacity by over 5% using our very accurate computerized capacity tester.

Ever since my complete debacle with the Power Queen  Mini 100Ah battery (Power Queen Problems) I have been searching for a well made “mini” LFP battery because I love this tiny form factor;  9.02″ long X 5.4″ wide X 8.2″ tall . When buying a 100Ah mini one must keep in mind that some Chinese manufacturers call a Group 24 battery a “mini” but it’s not. The Watt Cycle is a True Mini..

As can be seen in the image below cell technology has advanced tremendously since 2009. When I first started with LFP batteries, there was no such thing as a drop-in battery. They only way to get LFP on your boat was to physically build your own battery from raw cells.. The mini module below, includes the BMS, BT module, cell compression and the G-10 epoxy sheet insulators. The 100Ah cells on the left are just bare cells & they would still need a BMS, busbars, cell compression and a case…. This reduction in cell  size has been led by the EV industry pushing for lighter & smaller packs.. You can see from below why most 100Ah batteries were in a group 31 size case.

Why we Like These Batteries

1- Repairable/removable lid  (Mini Only)
2- Prismatic Eve grade A/EV Cells 
3- BT BMS (satisfies ABYC E-13)  
4- 1C  (mini) & 1.2C  (Trolling Motor) BMS
4- Price to Value  
5-  Very Responsive Customer support
6- Construction Quality
7- Laser Welded cells
8-Cell Compression
9- 200C wire
10- Overcharge Protection
11-Low temp (32F)  and high temp protection
12 UL Cells (Satisfies ABYC)
13- 200C internal wire
14- IP65 rating

Repair-ability

We’ve all seen Will Prowse destroy thousands of dollars in batteries by cutting them open. With the WattCycle Mini, 6 machine screws & a Silicone reusable gasket it’s all that stands between you and repairing the battery. we have cut open far too many batteries with failed BMS’s to ignore this MAJOR  feature in a budget friendly battery. The G-24 trolling motor battery  by Wattcycle is still glued together but they tell me they are considering making their entire line up “repairable”..

In the market  for true mini’s the Wattcycle leaves the rest in the dust. Li-Time, Redodo, & PowerQueen also make true mini’s but they are all built with pouch cells and do not even offer a BT BMS

Cell Module

As you can see  the cell module is well built, features G-10 fiberglass sheet /insulators, cell compression, a BMS protection bar/handle that is installed with machine screws not rivets. It is not all globs of solder.. Every balance lead wire  is well marked and the series busbars are laser welded..

What is “Over Charge Protection”?

Drop in manufacturers quietly began turning off the charge FET’s when the BMS deems the battery to be full. This started about 30 months ago. This is clearly to ensure the batteries out last the warranty period. The industry realized the vast majority of consumers buying drop-in batteries are using antiquated chargers designed for lead acid batteries that absorb for far too long.  I suspect within a few months every LFP manufacturer will be implementing “over-charge protection” if not already doing so most are already doing this. Over charge protection saves your battery from you overcharging it…

Important details:
 Cell Balancing: Begins at 3.40V if the cell volt difference exceeds 0.030mV
High Voltage Disconnect: Charging is disabled when any cell hits 3.65V or a Pack Voltage of 14.6V
Low Voltage Disconnect: 9.2V
Current Handling: (Mini = 100A continuous, 110A for 10s, 150A for 3s, 400A for 0.4s)  (G-24 = 120A continuous, 200A for approx 60s, 220A for 6s, 400A for 0.4s)
Battery Naming: Each Battery can be renamed in the BT app.
Can I Start my Engine: Not recommended (With batteries in Parallel current handling is additive)
Charge Temp Range: 32F to 122F
Recommended charge current: .2C (above .2C balancing may not keep up)
Storage SoC:  50-70%
Terminal bolt size: M8
Series Batteries: Max 4
Parallel Batteries: Max 4
Balancing Open (BT app): Just means that cell is being Balanced

Watt Cycle has other models but we will not review any battery that does not have a BT BMS. They have assured us more BT models are coming .