
Batteries – The Lifeblood of Off-Grid Caravanning
Pack up the caravan, hit the road, and park up by that stunning seaside view you’ve always dreamed of. Sounds perfect—until the sun sets, and you realize you’ve got no power.
That’s where batteries and solar come into play. Almost every caravan relies on them, even those parked up in caravan parks with 240V hookup. But what type of battery should you use? And how much power do you actually need?
Let’s break it down—without getting too technical—and take a look at our battery setup over the years.
Our First Setup: AGM Batteries
For the first 2.5 years, we ran AGM deep-cycle batteries, which are the most common type used in caravans. Unlike your car’s starter battery, AGM batteries are designed to provide steady power over a long period rather than short bursts.
Our AGM Setup:
✅ 3 x 12V AGM Deep Cycle Batteries
✅ Each battery: 120Ah
✅ Total capacity: 360Ah
Understanding Amp Hours (Ah)
The Ah (Amp Hour) rating tells you how long a battery can supply power before going flat.
For example:
- A 100Ah battery can supply 1 amp per hour for 100 hours before being empty.
- If you run a 5A device, the same battery will last 20 hours.
When connecting batteries, you have two options:
🔹 Series Connection → Increases voltage, keeps Ah the same.
🔹 Parallel Connection → Keeps voltage the same, increases Ah (how most caravans are set up).

The Catch: You Can’t Use the Full Capacity
Deep cycle batteries don’t like being discharged below 50%. If they drop too low, their lifespan plummets.
So even though our AGM bank had 360Ah, only 180Ah was usable before we had to recharge. That meant:
🔹 Max daily usage: 180Ah
🔹 Hourly limit: 7.5A per hour
Go below that? Say goodbye to battery life.
🔍 Want to get nerdy with the science? Check out Battery University.
How Much Power Do You Need?
It’s different for everyone. Someone running three fridges, six inverters, and 20 laptops is going to chew through way more power than someone who just runs lights and a TV at night.
To get a rough idea of your needs, try using a solar & battery calculator.
Our Power Consumption:
💡 Daily average: 72Ah per day
🔌 Appliances we run regularly:
- 218L compressor fridge
- Inverters, phone & laptop chargers
- TV & LED lights
- Smart home network (router, 16 WiFi switches, 2 x Raspberry Pis, and more!)
The Lithium Revolution
In early 2019, we made the switch to lithium batteries—and it was a game-changer.
Sure, they’re not cheap, but prices have dropped significantly, and the benefits far outweigh the cost.
Why Lithium Beats AGM:
✅ More usable power – Lithiums can safely discharge down to 20%, unlike AGMs (50%).
✅ Consistent voltage – They hold voltage until nearly empty.
✅ Faster charging – Less downtime waiting for a full charge.
✅ Longer lifespan – Last years longer than AGMs.
✅ Lighter weight – Our AGMs were 32kg each, our lithiums are 11kg each!
For full-time caravanning—especially when camping off-grid for weeks—lithiums were a no-brainer.
Our Lithium Setup
🔋 Batteries: 3 x 120Ah iTechWorld lithium batteries
⚡ Total usable power: 288Ah (since we can use up to 80% safely)
☀️ Solar: 600W on the roof
Since upgrading, we never run out of power. Even if we get zero solar, we can last four days before needing to charge—though I still obsessively check the battery meter (because that’s just who I am 😆).
Oh, and yes, I can now lift a lithium battery with one finger—which is a big upgrade from those back-breaking AGMs.
Final Thoughts
If you’re just starting out, AGM batteries will get the job done. But if you’re serious about off-grid living, lithium is the way to go.
🔹 More power.
🔹 Lighter weight.
🔹 Faster charging.
🔹 Longer lifespan.
For us, switching to lithiums completely changed how we use power on the road. Pair that with 600W of solar, and we’re basically energy independent.
And no matter what setup you choose, always enjoy a happy and fully lit-up life! 🔋☀️🚐