ALPHA 5 - 48V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery

A 4.8kWh rack-mount battery for whole-home and commercial storage. Buy one and expand later, or start with three or more and the server rack is included at no charge. Each battery ships with the RS485 cable and parallel cables needed to stack it.

Why this battery

• 4,800Wh from 100Ah at 48V nominal - the building block for a home backup bank, not an RV battery.
• Rated for more than 7,000 cycles at 1C charge and discharge, 77°F and 80% depth of discharge. Rich Solar quotes a 20-year service life on that basis with proper maintenance.
• 100A continuous charge and 100A continuous discharge, so a single battery keeps up with a 5kW inverter.
• Every cell is individually fused. If one cell fails it isolates itself and the battery keeps working rather than taking the pack out.
• RS485 communication cable and a set of parallel cables are included with each battery, so stacking does not need a separate parts order.
• Removable carry handle - useful, because the battery is 92.6 lb and 19 x 17.7 x 5.2 in.
• From three batteries up, the steel server rack is included free. That is the point where this range starts to make financial sense.
• Two things to know before ordering. First, this is pre-order only at the manufacturer - allow up to 60 days, as production runs to demand. Second, it is IP20 rated, meaning indoor, dry-location installation only; this is not a battery for an exposed lean-to or a bilge.

Installation

• Charge voltage range is 52.0 to 52.5V with a constant-current, constant-voltage smart charger. Overvoltage shutdown is 52.5V ± 0.2V and the discharge cut-off is 42V ± 0.5V.
• Charge between 32°F and 113°F; discharge and store between -4°F and 122°F. The BMS disconnects at 149°F on the high side and 32°F on the low side - there is no heater, so a cold garage will stop it charging.
• Self-discharge is under 3% per month at 50% state of charge, which makes long shelf storage practical.
• Batteries connect in parallel for larger banks using the supplied cables.
• Rack-mount format is 19 in wide - it fits a standard rack, but confirm depth clearance at 17.7 in.

Warranty

• Covered by Rich Solar's limited warranty; ask us to confirm the current term for the ALPHA 5, as no specific length is published on the product page.
• California Proposition 65 warning applies: this product can expose you to chemicals known to cause cancer and reproductive harm.