Battery pack quotes mix Ah, voltage, and chemistry—fair comparison starts with watt-hours and $/Wh. This guide walks through the battery pack cost calculator: capacity in Ah, nominal voltage, price per Wh, and total estimated pack cost.
Benefits
- Total cost = Ah × V × $/Wh (energy × unit price).
- Normalizes different voltage packs to Wh for apples-to-apples deal checks.
- Typical LiFePO4 range $0.10–$0.25/Wh built into the workflow.
How it works
- Enter pack capacity in amp-hours (Ah) from the spec sheet or label.
- Add nominal voltage (12 V, 24 V, 48 V, etc.) and your $/Wh quote or market rate.
- Read estimated pack cost and implied Wh—compare against retail listings.
FAQ
How do I calculate battery pack cost?
Pack cost ≈ Ah × V × $/Wh. Example: 100 Ah × 12 V = 1,200 Wh; at $0.15/Wh → 1,200 × 0.15 = $180. Same energy at 24 V would be 50 Ah × 24 V = 1,200 Wh—same cost at the same $/Wh.
What is a good $/Wh for LiFePO4 packs?
Complete LiFePO4 packs with BMS often land around $0.10–$0.25/Wh depending on form factor, brand, and shipping. DIY cells can be lower; turnkey RV or solar racks may be higher. Enter the $/Wh you were quoted to sanity-check the total.
Why use Wh instead of Ah alone?
Amp-hours alone ignore voltage—a 100 Ah 12 V pack is 1,200 Wh; 100 Ah at 48 V is 4,800 Wh and costs far more energy. Multiplying Ah × V gives Wh so $/Wh comparisons work across system voltages.
Technical specifications
- Wh = Ah × V.
- Pack cost $ = Wh × price_per_Wh.
- Implied $/Wh from retail = list_price ÷ rated_Wh.
- Related: battery-cost, ah-to-wh, solar-battery-bank.