What Are Amp Hours (Ah)?
Amp Hours (Ah) indicate the amount of energy stored in a battery, specifically how much current it can deliver over a one-hour period. Simply put, it's a measure of how long your battery can power a device before it needs recharging.
For example, our KickAss 12V 120Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery could theoretically provide 120 amps of current for one hour, or 12 amps for 10 hours. This figure gives you a useful estimate of how long your equipment will stay powered.
At KickAss Products, we offer a variety of battery sizes to meet your needs, ranging from our ultra-slim KickAss 105Ah Lithium Battery to our sturdy KickAss 12V 200Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery. The higher the Ah rating, the longer your battery will last on a single charge.
What Are Watt Hours (Wh)?
Watt Hours (Wh) go a step further by incorporating voltage (V) into the equation, giving you a more complete view of a battery's total energy capacity. To determine this, you multiply the voltage by the Amp Hours. For example, a 12V 100Ah battery provides 1,200Wh of energy.
Why is this important? Watt Hours reveal exactly how much work the battery can perform—essentially, how much energy it can provide to power your 12V fridge, camp lights, or electric BBQ.
For instance, let’s return to the example of our KickAss 120Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery. When you multiply its 12V by 120Ah, you get 1,440Wh—plenty of energy to keep your essential devices running while you’re off the grid.
How Does All This Impact Your Battery’s Lifespan?
To understand how Ah and Wh apply to practical use, these measurements are crucial for assessing a battery's expected duration.
If you have a 12V camping fridge that uses 5 amps of current, a KickAss 170Ah 12V Deep Cycle AGM Battery could theoretically power the fridge for up to 34 hours (170Ah ÷ 5A = 34 hours). However, this estimate assumes ideal conditions. In practice, it’s wise to avoid fully discharging the battery and keep it above 50% to extend its lifespan.
If you're using several devices at once—such as a fridge, lights, and a phone charger—you'll need to add up the total amps they consume. This total will help you estimate how long your battery will last before it needs recharging.
Why Do We Use Watt Hours (Wh) for Some KickAss Products and Amp Hours (Ah) for Others?
At KickAss Products, we use different measurements for our gear based on its typical use. Some products are labeled in Watt Hours (Wh), while others (such as our KickAss battery boxes) are labeled in Amp Hours (Ah). This distinction helps provide the most useful information for each product. Watt Hours give you a clear view of a product's total energy capacity, which is ideal for portable power packs that may need to charge various gadgets with different voltage needs. Conversely, Amp Hours are used for battery boxes because they indicate the battery's ability to supply a steady current over time, which is essential for running 12V systems like fridges, lights, and other camping equipment. This approach ensures you have
the most relevant details to select the right product for your requirements.
