About This FAQ
This page collects the questions that recur in B2B conversations about LiFePO4 packs: how they replace lead-acid, how they charge, what the certificates cover and how samples and shipments work. Answers are general and deliberately conservative; where a value belongs to a specific model or a specific order, the answer says so and points to the document that settles it.
Can a LiFePO4 battery replace a lead-acid battery directly?
In most deep-cycle positions, yes: the 12.8V class is built to sit where a 12 V lead-acid battery sat, and usable energy usually rises at the same amp-hour label. The charger profile and the physical fit need checking, so terminal type, footprint and charger settings should be confirmed before a batch conversion.
What charger should I use?
A charger with a lithium profile, set to the charge voltage and current on the model datasheet. Around 14.6 V is typical for a 12.8V pack, but the datasheet value governs. Avoid equalize programs and long float stages written for lead-acid.
How deeply can I discharge the pack?
The BMS protects the cells with a low-voltage cut-off, and daily cycling in the region of 80 to 90 percent of capacity is normal for this chemistry. Deeper repeated cycling shortens cycle life, so systems that need more energy should add capacity rather than lean harder on the same pack.
Can I use the pack below freezing?
Discharge works at temperatures well below zero, but charging below 0 degrees Celsius stresses the cells and should be avoided or blocked by the BMS. The tested temperature ranges for charge and discharge belong to the model datasheet and should be confirmed in writing for cold-climate projects.
How should I store packs between seasons?
Store at a partial state of charge, roughly half, in a dry place away from direct sun, and check voltage periodically. Avoid storing packs at full charge for months, because time at high voltage ages the cells faster than cycles do.
Can I connect packs in series or parallel?
Only within the limits of the installation manual: packs in a group should be the same model and firmware, connected with symmetric cabling, and the manual states how far series and parallel arrangements may go. Setting that is outside the manual is a question for the supplier in writing, not a field decision.
What does a cycle-life figure really mean?
It means the pack was cycled under a stated depth of discharge, rate and temperature until capacity fell to a stated end point, often 80 percent. The condition is the important part of the number; a cycle-life claim without its condition is marketing, and the test condition should be requested in writing.
What does the BMS actually do?
It monitors cell voltages, current and temperature, disconnects on overcharge, over-discharge, over-current, short circuit and out-of-range temperatures, balances the cells, and reports status over its communication interface. The full threshold list for a model is available in writing and belongs in the project file.
Do I need the communication link to the inverter?
It is strongly recommended with hybrid inverters. Over CAN or RS485 the BMS tells the inverter the state of charge and the allowed currents, and the inverter stops guessing from voltage, which a flat LiFePO4 curve hides. Protocol pairing for the exact inverter model should be confirmed before ordering.
Which certificates apply to my market?
For the European Economic Area, CE marking is the baseline conformity expectation, and the directives that apply depend on the product. For transport, UN 38.3 is required regardless of destination. Local installation and grid approvals sit with the installer or project owner. Certificate copies for the marks shown on the product are available on request.
Do I need UN 38.3 to ship a battery?
Yes, for transport the packs must pass the UN 38.3 test series, and the shipment carries a document set that includes the test summary and a dangerous goods declaration. The shipping checklist on this site lists the documents, marks and mode-specific limits.
What is the minimum order quantity?
Minimum order quantity is set per project and product line rather than published as one number, and it is to be confirmed in writing with the quotation. Sample quantities are handled separately through the sample program.
Can I get samples before ordering production?
Yes. Samples are arranged per project with a defined configuration, and sample cost and lead time are to be confirmed in writing. A written evaluation plan turns the sample period into evidence for the production decision.
What is the production lead time?
Lead time depends on the model, the order size and the production calendar, so it is to be confirmed in writing with each quotation. Ask for the confirmation to reference the agreed specification revision, so schedule and specification travel together.
What warranty applies?
Warranty scope, duration and claim process are commercial terms confirmed in writing per order. Keep the serial numbers and the commissioning records, because a warranty conversation starts with those documents on both sides.
Can the packs be OEM branded?
Yes, OEM and ODM work covers labels, manuals, packaging and agreed housing or connector changes within the development process. The agreed scope is written into the specification and confirmed in writing, so production matches the sample exactly.
How do I measure real capacity?
Discharge a charged pack at a defined rate and temperature to the BMS cut-off while logging current with a shunt, then integrate the result. The measurement condition should match or relate to the datasheet condition, otherwise the comparison misleads.
Why does my inverter show the wrong state of charge?
Because the inverter is estimating from voltage, and a LiFePO4 curve is flat across most of the range. Use the communication link so the BMS reports charge flow directly, or recalibrate the monitor with a full charge and discharge cycle.
Can I mix old and new packs in one bank?
Not recommended. Packs age together, so banks should be built from matched sets of the same model and firmware. Adding a new pack to an aged bank creates uneven current sharing and unequal aging; plan replacements in groups.
Do LiFePO4 packs need maintenance?
Very little: periodic visual inspection, terminal torque checks, firmware updates where the model supports them, and correct storage state of charge during long idle periods. There is no electrolyte to top up and no memory effect to manage.
What happens at end of life?
The pack should reach a licensed recycling operator, and its chemistry, labeling and documents should make that easy. The recycling article on this site describes what regulators expect and which documents an importer should keep on file.
Which product classes are in the YueQi catalog?
Four lines on LiFePO4: 12.8V and 25.6V battery packs, a 51.2V mobile storage line from about 5 kWh to 15 kWh, integrated home storage units at 4.2 kW with 8 kWh and 6.2 kW with 16 kWh, and portable power stations from 400 W to 2500 W. Model-specific values are to be confirmed in writing against the current datasheet.
Where YueQi Fits
YueQi New Energy, based in Zhongshan, Guangdong, answers these questions in writing as part of normal B2B work, and publishes catalog specifications for each model. Where an answer above points to a document, that document is the version to rely on for a project, and anything still open is to be confirmed in writing with the quotation.
Next step
Send your application, target specification and estimated quantity with your inquiry, and we will confirm matching products, samples and document requirements in writing. See the product lines or request a quote.