What size lithium battery do I need for my RV?
Add up the amp-hours your RV uses in a day, then size the battery so a day of use takes no more than 80% of its capacity. Most couples in a travel trailer use 80–150Ah a day; a Class A with a residential fridge uses 200Ah or more. Because LiFePO4 delivers nearly its full rating, one 100Ah lithium battery replaces two 100Ah lead-acid batteries. Every Expion360 house battery carries a 12-year warranty.
Which Expion360 battery fits which RV?
Every model is 12.8V nominal LiFePO4, UL1973 listed, and covered by the 12-year warranty. Weights and dimensions are from each product's published specification.
| Model | Capacity | Form factor | Weight | Dimensions (L × W × H) | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 24 60Ah / 80Ah | 60 or 80Ah | Group 24 | 19.2 / 24.0 lb | 10.2 × 6.8 × 8.6 in | Pop-ups, small trailers, drop-in for Group 24 lead-acid |
| Group 27 100Ah SmartTalk™ + VHC™ | 100Ah | Group 27 | 34 lb | 12.6 × 6.8 × 8.7 in | Class B vans and trailers used in cold weather |
| GC2 162Ah SmartTalk™ + VHC™ | 162Ah | GC2 | 39.5 lb | 10.2 × 7.1 × 10.9 in | Replaces pairs of 6V golf-cart batteries in fifth wheels |
| EX2 Edge 240Ah SmartTalk™ + VHC™ | 240Ah | Ultra-slim | 67 lb | 21.9 × 17.5 × 4.2 in | Under-bed and under-seat installs in vans |
How many amp-hours does an RV use in a day?
A typical couple in a travel trailer running LED lights, a water pump, a furnace fan, phone and laptop charging and a 12V fridge uses roughly 80–150Ah per day. Add a residential fridge, a CPAP or an inverter running a microwave and coffee maker and daily use climbs to 200–300Ah. The only way to know your number is to add up your own loads.
Multiply each appliance's amps by the hours it runs. A 12V compressor fridge drawing 4A for 10 hours of run time is 40Ah. A furnace fan drawing 6A for 5 hours on a cold night is 30Ah. Anything on the inverter counts too: 1,000 watts for 10 minutes is about 15Ah at 12V once inverter losses are included.
How much lithium capacity replaces my lead-acid batteries?
About half the amp-hour rating. Lead-acid batteries should only be discharged to 50%, so two 100Ah lead-acid batteries give you roughly 100Ah of usable power. One 100Ah Expion360 LiFePO4 battery delivers nearly its full 100Ah, at less than half the weight. If your rig runs fine on two Group 27 lead-acid batteries, one Group 27 120Ah lithium is a like-for-like upgrade.
Lithium also holds voltage under load, so a 12V fridge or furnace fan runs the same at 20% charge as it does at 90%. Lead-acid sags as it drains, which is why appliances start to misbehave long before the battery is empty.
1 lithium Ah ≈ 2 lead-acid Ah of usable capacity. Two 6V golf-cart batteries (≈ 200Ah, 100Ah usable) → one GC2 162Ah.
Your charger, converter and alternator need a LiFePO4 charge profile. Lead-acid profiles undercharge lithium or trip the BMS.
Group 24 vs Group 27 vs GC2 — which footprint should I choose?
Choose by the space you already have. Group 24 (10.2 × 6.8 in) and Group 27 (11.9 × 6.8 in) are the standard trailer and truck-camper trays. GC2 (10.2 × 7.1 × 10.9 in) is the 6V golf-cart footprint used in fifth wheels and larger trailers; one Expion360 GC2 162Ah replaces a pair of 6V batteries. If nothing fits, the EX2 Edge is 4.2 in tall and slides under a bed or seat.
Capacity per footprint: Group 24 tops out at 80Ah, Group 27 at 120Ah, GC2 at 162Ah in a single 12V battery. Heated VHC™ versions are available in Group 27 (100Ah), GC2 (162Ah) and EX2 Edge (240Ah).
How many days of boondocking will a lithium battery give me?
Divide usable capacity by daily use. A 200Ah bank (two Group 27 100Ah, or one GC2 162Ah plus solar) at 120Ah a day gives you a little under two days with no charging. Add 200–400W of solar and most rigs run indefinitely in summer. Size the bank for your worst day, not your average day, and plan for 20% headroom.
Cold weather changes the math: furnace fans run longer and solar output drops. If you camp below freezing, choose a VHC™ model so the battery can be recharged from solar or the alternator without waiting for the cells to warm.
Do I need SmartTalk™ or CAN Bus on an RV battery?
SmartTalk™ replaces a separate battery monitor: the app shows state of charge, voltage, current and cell status over Bluetooth. CAN Bus matters if you run an inverter-charger or system controller such as a Victron system, because it lets the battery talk to the rest of the power system. For a single battery in a travel trailer with a stock converter, neither is required.
How do Expion360 LiFePO4 batteries compare with AGM for an RV?
For the same box size, LiFePO4 gives you roughly twice the usable capacity at half the weight, charges up to three times faster, and holds voltage until it is nearly empty. AGM costs less up front but must be replaced sooner and can only be run down halfway.
| Expion360 LiFePO4 | AGM lead-acid | |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity from a 100Ah battery | ~100Ah | ~50Ah |
| Weight, Group 27 100Ah | 29 lb | 60–70 lb |
| Charge rate | Up to 0.5C (50A on a 100Ah battery) | Typically 0.2–0.3C |
| Voltage under load | Flat until nearly empty | Sags as it drains |
| Charging below 32°F | VHC™ models heat first, then charge | Yes, slowly |
| Monitoring | SmartTalk™ app on equipped models | External shunt required |
| Warranty | 12 years | Varies by brand |
Weight for AGM is typical for the Group 27 size class; check your battery's label.