Won't use your LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate, a type of lithium-ion) battery this winter? Here's how to store lithium batteries for the winter in RVs, boats, golf carts and solar systems. The same steps apply whenever you store lithium batteries long term or when not in use. Lithium battery winter storage is simple. What ruins a stored battery: charging below 32°F (0°C), storing it hot, hidden loads that drain it flat, and months without a check.
How to Store Lithium Batteries for the Winter: 7 Steps
- Charge or discharge (run loads) to storage level: about 50% for most Epoch batteries, 60–90% for Big Box golf cart kits (see the storage table). Never store it empty.
- Turn off charge sources, then the inverter and loads: shore power, generator, solar (PV) breaker, alternator (DC-DC) charger; inverter off, not standby. Boat in the water? Leave the bilge pump, its battery and charger on.
- Disconnect the battery (afloat: not the bilge-pump battery): open the main disconnect or pull, cover and tie back the negative cable. Read the safety box first. RV: this cuts the LP/CO alarm and breakaway brake.
- Switch the battery off if it has a power button (afloat: not the bilge-pump battery). On most models that greatly reduces standby draw (the battery's own electronics), but it isn't isolation.
- Keep it dry and upright at 32–95°F (0–35°C) on most models, terminals covered, away from sun, heaters, engines and children. Removed? Use a shelf rated for its weight, off cold, damp concrete.
- Check and top up at least every 3 months (monthly if anything stays connected; first check at about 4 weeks if there's no power button). Charge non-heated batteries only at 41°F (5°C) or warmer.
- In spring, inspect it, let it warm, reconnect with everything off, then charge it fully so the battery management system (BMS) can balance the cells.
Can LiFePO4 Lithium Batteries Freeze?
Do lithium batteries freeze? Not the way lead-acid batteries do. There's no water inside to freeze and crack the case, and no single lithium battery freezing temperature: the electrolyte thickens in the cold, and its freezing point depends on its formulation. Even so, store most Epoch batteries at 32°F (0°C) or warmer.
Does Cold Weather Affect Lithium Batteries?
Yes, but mostly temporarily. Lithium batteries still work in cold weather, but cold cuts capacity and runtime until the battery warms: Victron's datasheet rates its 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 battery at about 80Ah at 32°F (0°C) and 50Ah at −4°F (−20°C).
Lithium Battery Storage Temperature: How Cold Is Too Cold?
How cold can lithium batteries get? It depends on the job (most Epoch LiFePO4 models):
- Charging (cell temperature): 32°F (0°C) or warmer; start a non-heated battery at 41°F (5°C). Heated models on a charger can start in colder air.
- Using: down to −4°F (−20°C); Big Box golf cart kits to 14°F (−10°C).
- Long-term LiFePO4 storage temperature: 32–95°F (0–35°C).
Some models allow 1–3 months below freezing (see the storage table); storing outside your model's range is out of spec and may not be covered by the warranty. Heat ages a stored battery far more than cold: storage-aging lab tests show LiFePO4 cells fading much faster at 113°F (45°C) than at 86°F (30°C), so within the range, cooler is better.
What Charge Level Should You Store a LiFePO4 Battery At?
Store most Epoch LiFePO4 batteries at about 50%: not full, and never empty. LiFePO4 battery winter storage targets vary by family (Essential Series, Eco Series, Elite Series, Pro Series, Big Box golf cart kits): see the storage table below.
Should lithium batteries be stored fully charged? Not for months. Calendar-aging data shows LiFePO4 ages faster when held at high charge, especially when warm. Never store it empty either. Self-discharge and hidden loads can drain it into low-voltage protection, and Epoch's manuals warn it “may not be recoverable if left discharged for an extended period.”
Epoch family | Store at | Storage temperature | Power button | Self-heated charging |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Essential Series 12V/24V and Eco Series | About 50% or higher | 32–95°F (0–35°C); no below-freezing allowance | None listed: disconnect loads and chargers | Heated Essential (-H models, 12334A-MC): from −4°F (−20°C). 1250A-ES and Eco: no heater |
Pro Series 12V 300Ah | About 50% or higher | 32–95°F (0–35°C); no below-freezing allowance | Yes: switch off | Warms to 50°F (10°C), then charges, from −4°F (−20°C); allow up to 60 minutes |
V2 Elite and V2-T Elite (12V, 24V, 48V) | V2 Elite and 48V V2-T: at least 50%. 12V/24V V2-T: about 50%, or check your manual | 32–95°F (0–35°C) up to 1 year; −4°F to 113°F (−20°C to 45°C) up to 1 month | Yes: switch off | V2 Elite and 48V V2-T: from −22°F (−30°C) ambient. 12V/24V V2-T: heater runs on charger power; minimum not published |
48V 125Ah Essential | About 30–50% | 32–95°F (0–35°C) up to 1 year; −4°F to 113°F (−20°C to 45°C) up to 1 month | Yes: switch off (cuts output only; still disconnect) | From −22°F (−30°C) |
48V 100Ah SR48100H server rack (indoor only, IP20) | Near 50%; not above 80% long term | 59–95°F (15–35°C) recommended; 32–86°F (0–30°C) up to 6 months; 14°F to 113°F (−10°C to 45°C) up to 3 months | Yes: switch off with its power switch; also open the DC breaker and disconnect loads and chargers | From −13°F (−25°C) battery temperature; needs at least 8A per battery |
Big Box golf cart kits (36V, 48V, 72V) | 60–90% | 32–95°F (0–35°C) up to 12 months, ideally 50°F (10°C) or warmer; −4°F to 131°F (−20°C to 55°C) up to 1 month. 48V 160Ah Complete Kit: no short-term range published, so keep it at 32°F (0°C) or above | Yes: case switch and dash remote both off; unplug the charger | No heater |
48V GC2 golf cart batteries | Check your manual or ask Epoch support | 32–86°F (0–30°C), under 6 months; no below-freezing allowance | Check your manual | No heater |
LiFePO4 Storage Voltage for 12V, 24V, 36V, 48V and 72V Batteries
The best LiFePO4 storage voltage for most models is the rested reading (2–3 hours with nothing connected) at about 50%: roughly 13.0–13.2V on 12V or 52.0–52.8V on 48V. But LiFePO4 voltage barely changes mid-range and can read up to about 0.15V higher on 12V after charging, even rested, so use the app's % as your main reading (power-button models: switch on to measure, then off). See the full LiFePO4 voltage chart.
State of charge | 12V | 24V | 36V | 48V | 72V class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100% (rested after a full charge) | 13.4–13.6V | 26.8–27.2V | 40.2–40.8V | 53.6–54.4V | 73.7–74.8V |
80–90% | 13.2–13.3V | 26.4–26.6V | 39.6–40.0V | 52.8–53.3V | 72.6–73.3V |
40–70% (about 50%: storage level for most models) | 13.0–13.2V | 26.0–26.4V | 39.0–39.6V | 52.0–52.8V | 71.5–72.6V |
20–40% (below most models' storage level: look for a drain) | 12.8–13.0V | 25.6–26.0V | 38.4–39.0V | 51.2–52.0V | 70.4–71.5V |
0–20% (recharge soon) | 12.0–12.8V | 24.0–25.6V | 36.0–38.4V | 48.0–51.2V | 66.0–70.4V |
Empty or in protection (below the 0–20% row) | Under 12.0V | Under 24.0V | Under 36.0V | Under 48.0V | Under 66.0V |
LiFePO4 Self-Discharge, Hidden Drains and Checks
LiFePO4 Self-Discharge Rate
Epoch rates its batteries at up to 3% a month. On rated self-discharge alone, a battery stored at 50% would take more than a year to run flat.
Parasitic Loads That Drain Batteries in Storage
A parasitic load keeps drawing power when everything looks off: a GPS tracker, stereo memory or fridge control board. Milliamps (mA) × 0.024 = amp-hours lost per day. For a 100Ah battery stored at 50%:
- Disconnect any load over about 15–20 mA. It can drain the battery to a 20% reserve in about two months (LP/CO alarm or bilge pump: read the RV and boat sections first).
- Can't remove a small load (under about 15–20 mA)? Store up to about 80% (Big Box kits: 90%) within your model's range and check monthly. Bigger one? Remove the battery or have a disconnect fitted.
- Measure with a battery monitor that has a shunt (current sensor) or a zeroed DC clamp meter (2A range); treat small readings as approximate. Never put a multimeter's amps leads across the terminals: that's a short circuit.
How Often to Check a Stored Battery
Set a reminder every 10–12 weeks. Epoch's warranty storage terms exclude “batteries left uncharged for more than three months.” Read the % in your model's Epoch app. No Bluetooth? Use a shunt monitor such as the Victron SmartShunt (Eco Series), your inverter display (SR48100H) or a voltmeter as a rough check. To top up a stored battery:
- Non-heated battery? Let it warm to 41°F (5°C) on its own, never with a heater (see Bringing a Cold Battery Indoors).
- Switch it on if it has a power button. Portable LiFePO4 charger: connect it, then switch it on. Installed charger: with it, the inverter and loads off, close the disconnect (gasoline boats: blower first), then switch the charger on.
- Stop at storage level, switch the charger off, then unplug it (or open the disconnect) and switch the battery off.
Charging a removed battery (top-ups or spring)? Use a ventilated area and a non-combustible surface away from flammables, and stay nearby: never in a bedroom or unattended overnight. Stop if the battery or charger gets hot, smells or swells.
Charging Lithium Batteries in Cold Weather
Charge a non-heated LiFePO4 battery only once it's 41°F (5°C) or warmer, whatever the brand. Below freezing, some lithium plates onto the graphite anode (negative electrode) as metal instead of entering it. This lithium plating can permanently cut capacity and raise safety risk, even while charging looks normal. Most Epoch batteries block charging below 32°F (0°C), and Battery University's BU-410 advises reduced charge current below 41°F.
What Self-Heating Batteries Do (and Don't Do)
Epoch documents its heaters as running only while a charger is connected, so the cells can accept a charge; they don't keep a stored battery warm. Most heated RV lithium batteries can then charge in freezing air down to their rated minimum, once the heater has warmed the cells to 41°F (5°C); the Pro Series warms them to 50°F (10°C). The Essential heater needs a charger supplying at least 0.5A; in freezing weather, use one supplying several amps.
Can You Leave a Charger or Solar Connected All Winter?
Only on a system built for unattended charging, with all of these:
- a LiFePO4 mode set to your manual's voltages, checked at the battery terminals
- battery and charger manuals that allow long-term connection (Big Box kits: unplug)
- the battery stays within its storage range (32–95°F, or 0–35°C, on most models) and at 41°F (5°C) or warmer whenever it charges
- remote monitoring
Otherwise, switch chargers off and open the PV breaker (boat in the water: keep the bilge battery's charger on; see the boat section). See LiFePO4 charger and maintainer settings.
Bringing a Cold Battery Indoors to Charge
Seal it in a plastic bag before bringing it inside, so moisture condenses on the bag, not the battery. Leave it bagged until it reaches room temperature (several hours; overnight if it's large or has no app), then unbag it, wipe it dry and confirm 41°F (5°C) or more in the app, if it has one. Never warm a battery with a space heater, heat gun, hair dryer, heat lamp, heating pad, heat tape or light bulb. Stored colder than its rated range? Call Epoch support first.
Storing Lithium Batteries in Cold Weather: Garage or House?
Can lithium batteries be stored in the cold? Only within limits: most models, heated ones included, aren't rated for storage below 32°F (0°C), and a non-heated battery shouldn't be topped up below 41°F (5°C). Bring it indoors before the space freezes.
Storing LiFePO4 Batteries in a Garage
Can I store lithium batteries in the garage? Yes, within those limits, on a sturdy shelf away from gas cans, solvents and fuel-burning equipment. In deep-freeze regions, use a basement or heated space; in hot ones, avoid attics, sheds and closed vehicles.
Is It Safe to Store LiFePO4 Lithium Batteries in the House?
It can be, for an undamaged LiFePO4 battery stored as its manual directs. It's a stable chemistry, but no battery is risk-free: burning LiFePO4 cells can release toxic hydrogen fluoride. Store it dry, switched off, terminals covered, in a room with a working smoke alarm (not a bedroom or beside an exit), away from furnaces, water heaters, flammables, children and pets.
Winter Battery Storage: RV, Boat, Golf Cart and Solar
How to store LiFePO4 batteries in winter depends on where they're installed: start with the flowchart.
RV Lithium Battery Winter Storage
RV battery winter storage and maintenance come down to hidden loads and safety circuits (RV lithium battery guide).
- Safety first: with the RV unoccupied, close the propane valves, then tag the disconnect and entry door. Disconnecting turns off the LP/CO alarm and breakaway brake: restore power, then test the alarm before reopening the propane or using the RV, and the brake before towing.
- Then disconnect; don't trust the Use/Store switch. It often leaves the LP/CO alarm (about 17–110 mA), stereo memory, jacks and breakaway brake connected. Open the PV breaker, then the main negative disconnect, or pull the negative cable. No disconnect? Remove the battery or have an RV technician fit one.
Boat Battery Maintenance During Winter
- On a trailer or rack: storing the batteries indoors is simplest; otherwise, follow the flowchart.
- In the water: haul out if you can; if not, call Epoch support first. The bilge pump must keep running with the main switch off (BoatUS), from a battery that can recharge in freezing weather, so never switch off or isolate that battery or its charger. Have a marine electrician add a high-water alarm and remote alerts.
- Shrink-wrapping on land? Remove the batteries first, or isolate and switch them off and leave an access panel for checks.
- Trolling motor batteries and ice-fishing batteries: store indoors at your manual's storage level (most Epoch manuals: about 50%; none listed? Ask Epoch support); recharge only at 41°F (5°C) or warmer.
- Corrosion: clean and dry the terminals; if you use dielectric grease, put it over the finished connection only, never between cable end and terminal. More in the lithium marine battery guide.
How to Store Lithium Golf Cart Batteries for Winter
Here's how to winterize a golf cart with an Epoch Big Box kit; more in the lithium golf cart battery guide. Leave wiring on 48V and 72V packs to your dealer.
- Charge to 60–90%, then unplug the charger (switching the battery off won't stop it charging). Never use a lead-acid charger.
- Switch off the case switch and dash remote; don't rely on auto-shutdown. Turn off any 12V converter or accessories. TOW/RUN switch? Follow your cart maker's instructions; if you use TOW, set the parking brake and chock the wheels.
- Garage below 32°F (0°C) for over a month (48V 160Ah Complete Kit: at all), or ever below −4°F (−20°C)? That's outside spec and warranty: store the cart somewhere heated or have your dealer remove the pack.
Solar, Off-Grid Cabin and Home Energy Storage Batteries
An idling mid-size 48V inverter/charger (3,000 VA class, about 11W) uses roughly 5% of a 100Ah 48V battery a day, so shut down solar and energy storage systems in this order:
- Charge to storage level.
- Open the PV breaker, then turn the inverter and loads fully off.
- Open the DC disconnect and switch the battery off.
- Cabin dropping below the storage range? Remove the battery (negative first; on 48V, a trained installer) and store it indoors.
Lithium Battery Winter Storage Myths
Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
Concrete floors drain batteries. | Modern sealed cases don't conduct. Elevate the battery only to keep it drier and off the coldest surface. |
Lithium batteries need a trickle charger all winter. | Not needed: self-discharge is up to 3% a month. Never use a lead-acid equalize or desulfate (repair) mode. Most Epoch manuals prefer float (maintenance) charging off or low: follow yours. |
The RV battery switch cuts everything. | It often leaves the LP/CO alarm and breakaway brake connected. |
A heated battery keeps itself warm all winter. | As Epoch documents it, the heater runs only while a charger supplies current, so the cells can accept a charge. It doesn't keep a stored battery warm. |
A battery reading 0V is dead. | It may be switched off or in protection mode. Don't jump it from another battery; call support. |
Spring Start-Up: Returning Your Battery to Service
- Inspect for cracks, swelling, leaks, heat, odor, corrosion, water or rodent damage. Found any? Don't connect it. Stored below its rated range? Call Epoch support first.
- Warm and clean: let a non-heated battery reach 41°F (5°C) on its own, never with a heater. Clean the terminals (soft brush or dry cloth). Wired in a bank? Match their charge first.
- Reconnect with everything off and the disconnect open (gasoline boats: blower first; 48V/72V: trained installer): check polarity, connect positive then negative, torque per your manual, follow any inverter pre-charge step, then close the disconnect.
- Switch the battery on (the V2 Elite must be on to charge), set every charger to LiFePO4 mode, then close the PV breaker last.
- Charge to 100% with your manual's settings (including any listed SOC recalibration voltage) to re-sync the % and balance the cells. Removed battery? Follow the charging rules above, over several attended sessions if needed.
- Restore and test the LP/CO and smoke alarms before reopening the propane, the breakaway brake before towing and the bilge pump before launching.
If Your Battery Won't Wake Up
Flat or in low-voltage protection for a long or unknown time? Call Epoch support before connecting any charger. If it just shut off or is asleep:
- Switch the charger or a load off and on. After a recent low-voltage shutdown, a load can't wake it: connect a LiFePO4 charger (never a lead-acid one).
- V2 Elite: hold the power button until the LED lights.
- Big Box kits switch off when left unused: press the switch twice. After a low-voltage power-down, switch on and charge immediately.
- Never jump it from another battery, bypass the BMS or use a lead-acid repair or desulfation mode. Use a charger's wake function only if your manual or Epoch support says to.
Questions about your model? Call Epoch support at 1-888-501-1846 (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–4 PM Eastern), email support@epochbatteries.com or contact support online.
Updated October 2026: storage charge now about 50% (was 50–80%), range 32–95°F (was 32–77°F), top-ups every 3 months. Sources:
- Epoch user manuals (2026) for the 12V 105Ah Essential (12105A-H), 12V 460Ah V2 Elite (C12460A), 12V 460Ah V2-T Elite (C12460A-A), 12V 100Ah Eco (12100-ECO), 12V 300Ah Pro (DP12300H) and 48V 105Ah Big Box golf cart kit (BB51105A-Kit), on Epoch's Manuals & Datasheets page
- Battery University BU-410: charging at high and low temperatures
- Keil et al. 2016, Journal of The Electrochemical Society: calendar aging by state of charge and temperature
- Calendar aging of graphite/LiFePO4 cells at 86–140°F (HAL open archive)
- NASA Tech Briefs: low-temperature lithium-ion electrolytes
- Victron 12.8V LiFePO4 Smart battery datasheet: capacity vs. temperature
- BoatUS: 10 tips to keep your boat safe this winter
- Larsson et al. 2017, Scientific Reports: fluoride gas emissions from lithium-ion battery fires
- US EPA: used lithium-ion batteries
