Leisure battery capacity is measured in Amp Hours (Ah), which indicates the total energy a battery can store. However, the usable energy depends on the battery type and its Depth of Discharge (DoD).
Depth of Discharge (DoD) is the percentage of a battery’s capacity that can be safely used without reducing its lifespan:
- Lead-based batteries (Wet Lead, AGM, Gel) should generally not be discharged beyond 50%.
- Lithium batteries can be safely discharged up to 90–100%, giving most of their capacity as usable energy.
Real-World Example
| Battery | Nominal Capacity | Usable Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 100Ah Wet Lead | 100Ah | ~50Ah |
| 100Ah Lithium | 100Ah | 90–100Ah |
In practice, a 100Ah lithium battery can provide similar usable energy to a 200Ah lead-acid battery bank, allowing you to either stay off-grid longer or run more powerful appliances without increasing battery size.
Understanding Ah and DoD helps you realistically plan how much energy is available for lights, pumps, fridges, heaters, and inverters and how long you can spend off-grid before recharging.
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