Introduction
When it comes to finding reliable battery reviews, we are delighted to share the real-world testing from our partner A Simply Fab Life. In their review, they put the Hoolike 12.8V 100Ah LiFePO4 battery to the test in both RV and solar power applications. This battery is designed for off-grid living, camping, and backup energy needs, offering a lightweight yet high-capacity solution that’s easy to install and built for long-lasting performance.
📺 You can watch their full test video on YouTube here: A Simply Fab Life - Hoolike Battery Test
📖 Read the original blog post here: Hoolike 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery Review – Solar Tested
Below is an excerpt from their review, giving you a closer look at how the Hoolike battery performs in real-life conditions.
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Well, this one’s new for us. We’re a bit late to the lithium game, but after nursing along a very tired old AGM that couldn’t hold a charge to save its life, it was time for an upgrade.Enter the Hoolike 100Ah 12.8V LiFePO4 battery
Lightweight, compact, and promising longer life and deeper discharges than the old AGM and the lead-acid clunker it replaced before that. 100Ah is your basic entry-level lithium size if you’re running a camper, boat, or small off-grid setup. We hooked it up to our basic solar system to see what it could do.
Why Switch to LiFePO4?
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Weight: This thing is ridiculously light compared to AGM or gel – I could carry it in one hand.
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Deep Discharge: You can run it right down without killing it.
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Longer Cycle Life: Should last thousands of charge cycles if treated well.
We’ve been running an AGM for years, and the difference is night and day.
Watch the Full Video Review Here!
The Test Setup
Here’s our basic rig:
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Solar: Two 100W panels on the roof (giving ~105W), plus a Renogy 100W portable panel (another ~5A).
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Controller: 10A solar charge controller – definitely the bottleneck here.
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Inverter: 2000W unit (overkill, but it’s what we have).
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Loads: Drinks fridge (23W), under-bar fridge (~43W), small fan heater (30W), a couple of laptops, two ceiling fans (~40W each), LED lighting, and a water pump.
Not the most minimal load, but it’s our normal day-to-day.
Real-World Performance
With our setup, the Hoolike gives us around 8–9 hours before the inverter alarm kicks in (around 3 am – not the nicest wake-up call). We weren’t charging it to full (14.4V) during the day because our solar capacity just isn’t there.
But… It runs everything well once charged, and it’s handled a full discharge–recharge cycle without complaint. Temperature readings haven’t budged since day one, which is either excellent stability or a very calm sensor.
The Wiring Situation
It’s not going to win any Instagram awards – thick red cables from the inverter, one from the solar charge controller, another to the 12V line, plus a feed for the diesel heater. It works, and that’s what matters. Just be aware that there may be some current draw somewhere, and it could (did) spark when you connect it. Lesson learned…
Pros and Cons
Pros:
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Light and easy to install
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Handles deep discharges well
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Stable voltage under load
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Plug-and-play simplicity
Cons:
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100Ah is borderline for full-day off-grid use with moderate loads
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Needs more solar to keep it happy (I’d say 200Ah battery + 900W solar is ideal)
Who This Battery is For
If you’re a weekend camper, boater, or vanlifer running modest loads, this battery is a great option. It’s also a good “first lithium” if you want to test the waters without spending top-end money.
Final Verdict
The Hoolike 100Ah LiFePO4 has impressed me. It’s well-made, easy to fit, and does exactly what it says on the box. Pair it with a beefier solar setup and you’re set.
Thanks to Hoolike for sending this one over for testing. If you’re looking to upgrade from AGM or gel, and you don’t need to run big loads all night, I can recommend it.
If I had one extra tip – get a Bluetooth battery monitor. Knowing your amps, watts, and state of charge in real-time takes a lot of guesswork out of off-grid living.
Thanks for reading! Happy solar generating.
