Every ARK Battery is equipped with a special balancing system to ensure that all cells are charged and discharged equally. This serves the same purpose as 'equalizing' does for a lead-acid battery. While LiFePO4 batteries may not be equalized externally, it is critical that all cells within maintain the same voltage. An 'imbalanced' battery will result in nuisance BMS shut-offs, lower capacity and a drastically reduced cycle life.
Most batteries in today's market come with a small balancing system known as passive balancing. In passive balancing, a set of resistors begin to dissipate (burn off) power from any cell that has an individual voltage higher than 3.6V. This dissipation typically occurs at 50-100 ma (5% to 10% of 1 amp). We have found this balancing method to be ineffective to meet the stringent requirements of cell balancing. In short, it is too slow as well as inefficient.
IMPACTIV balancing, used in all ARK Batteries channels extra power from high-volt cells to low-volt cells, and deploys additional dissipative consumption should a cell reach critically high voltage.
Passive Balancing - Dissipates a small amount of power (usually 1/10 Amp or less) when a cell reaches a critically high level.
Impactiv Balancing - Transfers current (power) from highest cells to lowest cells to keep all cells equal.
IMPACTIV balancing kicks in any time that a single cell's voltage varies from the rest of the pack. This can be a higher voltage (top-balancing during charge) or a low cell (bottom balancing, during discharge). A special extra boost is applied if a cell's voltage reaches 3.55V. Balancing is performed at up to 20 times the speed of passive balancing while maintaining a much higher efficiency and adding up to 30% to your battery life.
Efficiency Efficiency is the name of the game. Coming from an off-grid way of life, we breathe efficiency. We have designed our batteries to be unbelievably efficient from every possible aspect.
Storage Efficiency Most batteries have a round trip (charging power vs. available discharge power) of only 80-90%. Power is lost through charging inefficiencies, self-discharge, heat losses and other factors. ARK Batteries are nearly 100% efficient. What you put in, you can draw out!
Self-Consumption Efficiency All electronic components in our battery are completely shut down when the breaker is off to reserve the power for your energy needs.
Cost Efficiency ARK Battery has the lowest cost per lifetime KWH on the market!
Space Efficiency Our space-efficiency rule is simple; "Up instead of out." All of our larger batteries have layered cells to maintain a small battery footprint in your utility room. If your project requires multiple batteries, our heavy-duty steel cased Gold Series batteries can be double and even triple stacked, while our state of the art modular series can be stacked up to 8 high.
Cell Type Efficiency We use prismatic cells in all our batteries to improve overall efficiency. Our prismatic cell batteries have fewer connections, lower resistance and use less space than cylindrical cell counterparts.
Installation Efficiency ARK Batteries are designed by installers for installers. We have implemented features such as casters, Anderson connectors and bluetooth monitoring for an easy and time-effective installation process.
Balancing Efficiency We use a balancing system called impact balancing that channels power back and forth between cells as needed. Traditional balancing systems dissipate (waste) power from cells with the highest voltage.
| ARK 256200 | ARK 512100 | ARK 512200 |
| Nominal Battery Voltage | 48 | 48 | 24 |
| Actual Voltage | 51.2 | 51.2 | 25.6 |
| Amp Hours | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| KWH | 5.1 | 10.2 | 5.1 |
| LCD Display | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max Continuous Charge/Discharge Amps | 100 | 140 | 140 |
| Breaker Size (Amps) | 125 | 160 | 160 |
| Minimum Temperature | 32F | 32F | 32F |
| Maximum Temperature | 115F | 115F | 115F |
| Maximum Charge Volts | 57.6 | 57.6 | 28.8 |
| Recommended Charge Volts | 57.2 | 57.2 | 28.6 |
| Float Volts | 54.4 | 54.4 | 27.2 |
| BMS Protected | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cell Chemistry | LiFe PO4 | LiFe PO4 | LiFe PO4 |
| Cell Format | Prismatic | Prismatic | Prismatic |
| Certifications | UL 1642 & UL 1973 UN 38.3 | UL 1642 UN 38.2 | UL 1642 UN 38.3 |
| Warranty | 5 year full | 5 year full | 5 year full |