It's great to finally have the van back in the shop after months. Today, I’m diving into a fun electrical project—installing the biggest 12V lithium battery I’ve ever seen, the Vatrer LM12460. Vatrer sponsored a video by sending us the battery, and while they gave us the specs to share with you all, they didn’t dictate what I say and write, so you’re getting my honest thoughts.
This battery is a game-changer. It's 4.6 times the size of the one we had before, a standard automotive size 100ah lithum battery. With 460 amp-hours (5,888 watt-hours) of capacity, it completely blows away the previous setup. No more worrying about power management on the road—this battery can handle everything I need without constantly needing to conserve energy.
The Vatrer LM12460 weighs in at 100 lbs and is housed in a durable, metal case. It's a bit heavy, but surprisingly compact for the capacity it holds. It’s about the size of two typical trolling motor batteries but holds much more power. The build quality is solid—spring-loaded handles with rubber grips make it easier to move, and the whole thing feels like it’s made to last. There’s a vented design to help with heat dissipation, and removable plastic covers protect the battery terminals. Plus, there's a physical on/off kill switch for extra safety and convenience.
Any good lithium battery needs to have a solid Battery Management System (BMS), which ensures overcharge, undercharge, and temperature protections. I’ve been in situations before where battery management was a real concern, and this built-in system takes away that worry, particularly with low temperature charging. You don't want to have to disconnect your solar panels every time it dips below freezing in winter and you're not actively heating the van.
It’s also got a Bluetooth app that lets me monitor the battery’s state of charge and power usage in real-time. So, no more guessing how much juice I have left—it’s all right there on my phone.
Installing this monster wasn’t easy, though. The battery is massive, and I had to reconfigure the back of the power bay to make it fit. It’s tight, but I managed to secure it in place with cleats and a strap to keep it from shifting. Once it was in, I was impressed with how tidy and organized everything looked. And as for power, this thing is unstoppable. With 5,888 watt-hours of capacity, I can run everything in the van—lights, fridge, fan, you name it—for three to four days without needing a recharge.
Charging is where things get interesting. With my current 200W solar setup, it's going to take a few days to fully charge this battery—especially since it’s winter, and we’re not getting much sun right now. But when the sun is out, it’ll charge up much quicker. I’ll probably need to upgrade my solar panels to really take full advantage of this battery, but for now, it’s working great.
In the end, I’m super excited about this upgrade. With the Vatrer LM12460 I don’t have to worry about power anymore on our trips. The van’s power system is completely transformed, and I’m looking forward to the peace of mind this battery brings.
Vatrer was kind enough to send us a discount code, so be sure to use the link here on our site to get the best price on the LM12460.
