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Is the Quality of Epoch Essentials on Par with other Epoch Models?

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Axeman

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Apr 29, 2024
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Space Coast - FL
I'm considering the Epoch Essentials 460ah battery for a travel trailer were purchasing. The "standard" Epoch batteries seem to be fairly well regarded. I'm trying to determine if Essentials uses downgraded components, manufacturing, etc. or if they're similar in quality to other Epoch models, but just include fewer features (e.g. Victron comms, internal type-T fuse, additional terminals, etc.).

The travel trailer we're purchasing has 400w of solar on the roof, a port for a portable panel (yet to be purchased), Victron components (solar controller, DC-DC charger, smart shunt, etc.), 1500w inverter, compressor fridge.

The battery is on sale for $1,189 after discount on the Epoch website or $1,399 from Current Connected.

I'm a relative novice and would appreciate any experience that can be shared regarding the Essentials brand in general or this battery specifically.

Thanks!
 
Note the Epoch Essential battery has a lower continuous discharge rate in addition to the other differences you noted.
Probably still fine for most rv use cases, just sayin’.
 
Anyone else have any thoughts on Epoch Essentials? I'm considering getting one as well, especially since they're not as tall as the Marine water sealed ones, I have some height restrictions in my vintage travel trailer (caravan for you Continental types).

If it's basically the same inside, just lower waterproofing/sealing, that'd be fantastic. Especially with the built-in class-T fuse. Unfortunately I can't seem to find any Epoch Essentials teardowns to see the insides.

I'm actually contemplating the soon to release 460Ah Essentials, since its only $300 more than the 300Ah on their website, and it's actually shorter, although longer and a bit wider which works even better for me.
 
I have the basic Epoch 300 battery, works perfectly. Only had it a few months but I love it. It powers the Nova Kool dual compressor 12v fridge and the Keurig coffee maker thru a Giandel PSW 2200 inverter. A little microwave use as well.
I have 720 watts of solar on the roof. Back to full before noon. Rockin’ in the free world!
 

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Unfortunately it looks like only the $2K Marine 460Ah has the built in class t fuse. Their V2 300Ah doesn't :( It'd be so nice if it did. Amazing if the Essentials did, but I can understand them not for getting the price down.

I don't need marine/waterproofed batter, so the general V2 would work great. If only it had the built-in fuse.
 
Drizzt321 said:
Anyone else have any thoughts on Epoch Essentials? I'm considering getting one as well, especially since they're not as tall as the Marine water sealed ones, I have some height restrictions in my vintage travel trailer (caravan for you Continental types).

If it's basically the same inside, just lower waterproofing/sealing, that'd be fantastic. Especially with the built-in class-T fuse. Unfortunately I can't seem to find any Epoch Essentials teardowns to see the insides.

I'm actually contemplating the soon to release 460Ah Essentials, since its only $300 more than the 300Ah on their website, and it's actually shorter, although longer and a bit wider which works even better for me.
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The continuous discharge rate and a few other specs are less robust on the Essential 460ah compared to it’s marine counterpart… It’s not just a pretty case. I haven’t looked at any specs but would imagine similar things with the smaller ah Essential batteries as well.
Simple cost cutting moves.
 
We've had 2x 300AH essentials in our Class B van since December. No issues at all.
 
The only essentials brand to consider should be the metal one that you can open up, the other ones that are perm sealed, you might as well go litime and save the money because NON servicable batteries automatically must be ranked lower than servicable ones. At the very least you should be able to replace a BMS even if you can not replace the cells.

So IMHO the essentials brand is Litime with blue tooth and now LiTime has bluetooth as well.

Personally I would say pony up the cash and get the roypow versions they look so slick.
 
Alkaline said:
The only essentials brand to consider should be the metal one that you can open up, the other ones that are perm sealed, you might as well go litime and save the money because NON servicable batteries automatically must be ranked lower than servicable ones. At the very least you should be able to replace a BMS even if you can not replace the cells.

So IMHO the essentials brand is Litime with blue tooth and now LiTime has bluetooth as well.

Personally I would say pony up the cash and get the roypow versions they look so slick.
Click to expand...
Your point is well taken, and due to the DIY nature and popularity of this website, can’t argue. Anyone here with at least 50 posts seems to know their stuff, and I have learned a lot from you guys. I don’t feel comfortable speaking for the RV crowd, but if they’re like me (and I know I am), I wouldn’t feel comfortable opening one up even if I could. I’m just buying what I consider reasonable quality, treat it well, monitor it thru Bluetooth, and hope for half the cycles it promises.
 
Juniper, having the capability to replace a battery management system can be really handy, and was not difficult at all for our SOK batteries. One would think EPOCH would be similarly straightforward. SOK provided a video how to change out the BMS.

Returning heavy batteries seems such a waste, if it is a BMS problem.

Of course you will decide.
 
Yep SOK is actually one of the most serviceable batteries around and some have even changed the BMS to a JBD/overkill and they have room to fit. So serviceability is key.

So replaceable bms and cells = GOLD
Replaceable BMS but not cells = SILVER
Non serviceable = BRONZE

Generally with manufacturers using grade A cells its pretty unlikely you'll need to change cells, but BMS do fail and a manufacturer is far more likely to send you a replacement BMS then they are to replace an entire battery and deal with shipping it back and forth; that is also assuming you can even do it, if you go to UPS and say "Aaa I have broken Lithium Battery I need to ship" you'll find your self in a world of pain, so more than likely the manufacturer is going to have to send you a return label.

A buddy of mine had a MillerTech 100ah stop working and he foolishly went to the ups store to try to ship it, well he found out he would have to get a UPS account, then would have to pay $39.00 Class 9 hazardous goods on top of the shipping cost, get a certificate of training for shipping batteries, but then they told him he needs to get a DOT approved 24/7 emergency response number from a company called Chemtrec which costs $1000.00/year.

I thought this all insane and went to verify and yep, to ship a lithium battery legally you need to spend like a $1200.00 for anything that is over 100 watt/hours


So in other words, to return the battery you will have to lie and say its a boom box form the 80's to ship it back.:ROFLMAO:
 
I am interested in the Epoch essential as well. It seems their soon to be released battery also has built in heating which is a plus in the winter around here. As others have mentioned, it seems the max output current has been reduced, Victron comms have been eliminated, and they do not appear to have the ability to be opened. Another strange thing I have noticed is that their sales literature claims 6000 cycles while if you zoom in on the pictures of the battery cases themselves the sticker claims 4000 max cycles...both of which are arbritary numbers to be sure, but if their attention to this detail is lacking, what other more important details are they missing as well?
 
I, too, would love to see a dissassembly video of one of these Epoch Essentials batteries if anyone knows of one out there.
 
I just stumbled upon THIS bit of info reguarding Epoch batteries with Victron comms. To summarize, it suggests disconnecting the Victron comms from the battery because the battery has a problem where it asks for 14.6v from the charge source, but then has parameters in the BMS that shuts down charging if the battery sees 14+ volts and absorbs 3.5A or less for 10 consecutive seconds. This of course results in a battery that does not top balance well and, with most charging sources, will deliver a high voltage spike when the battery disconnects for this reason. The solution is to set the absorbtion voltage to 13.9 or less on your charging source and disconnect the Victron comms.
 
Epoch is popular because the high end units have victron comms, which is rare for 12v batteries.

Is your not getting Victron communication, is fall back to a little time, or a SOC if you value serviceability.
 
chicagoandy said:
Epoch is popular because the high end units have victron comms, which is rare for 12v batteries.

Is your not getting Victron communication, is fall back to a little time, or a SOC if you value serviceability.
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I love the little time...what a better name lol. I went with little time but figure I will never ship them back, just hope that the failure rate is lowish (under 5% or so) and so if I buy 8 batteries, at most I will be out $250 for one. It was a lot more of a concern back when the cheapest 100ah you could get was a battleborn at $1000 a pop.
 
IGBT said:
I love the little time...what a better name lol. I went with little time but figure I will never ship them back, just hope that the failure rate is lowish (under 5% or so) and so if I buy 8 batteries, at most I will be out $250 for one. It was a lot more of a concern back when the cheapest 100ah you could get was a battleborn at $1000 a pop.
Click to expand...
The ones I've bought have been great. I'll be surprised if you send any of them back.
 
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