LiFePO4 Battery Chargers
A charger that is merely "compatible" with LiFePO4 is not good enough. Absorption voltage, float voltage, cut-off and temperature behaviour all have to match the pack, or you have paid for a shorter life.
The three settings that matter
Absorption voltage. Generally 3.55–3.65 V per cell, so 14.2–14.6 V for a 12 V pack and 56.8–58.4 V for a 48 V pack. Too low and the pack never fully charges, so the BMS never balances. Too high and you accelerate calendar ageing for no gain in capacity.
Float voltage. For LiFePO4 this is a harsh compromise. Holding a cell at 3.4 V indefinitely shortens life compared with charging then resting. Where the application allows, set float at or below 3.35 V per cell — or do not float at all, and recharge on a state-of-charge trigger.
Charge cut-off and restart. Charging should stop when the current tapers to roughly 0.02C, and restart when the pack has dropped a defined amount. Poorly implemented charge restart causes a pack to micro-cycle while parked, which quietly consumes cycle life.
Why a lead-acid charger is not suitable
Three behaviours of lead-acid chargers damage LiFePO4 packs:
- Equalisation and desulfation modes raise the voltage to 15 V or higher on a 12 V system. LiFePO4 cells cannot absorb this.
- Float at 13.6–13.8 V for a 12 V pack holds the cells above their resting voltage continuously.
- Temperature compensation increases voltage in cold weather — the opposite of what LiFePO4 needs, where charging below 0 °C must be stopped entirely rather than compensated for.
If the application must keep an existing charger, we will review its profile and tell you honestly whether it can be reconfigured. If it cannot, replacing it is cheaper than the cycle life it costs.
Products
Portable and on-board chargers from 12 V to 72 V, 10 A to 60 A, with optional CAN communication so the charger follows the BMS limits instead of running on a fixed profile. On-board units are IP65 and vibration-tested for vehicle and marine mounting. Custom cable lengths and connector types are built to order.
Available models1 series
| Model | Type | Typical applications | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 CHG-48-20
|
CC/CV LiFePO4 charger, 48 V 20 A | Charging 51.2 V LiFePO4 packs, workshop and service use | Optional CAN version follows the BMS limits instead of a fixed profile |
Models with links have detailed specification pages; unlisted models are also available on request. Capacity and quantity should be sized by our engineers against the actual load — never by nameplate rating alone.
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