CATL 3.2V 280Ah LiFePO4 Battery Cell, Threaded M6 Terminal – ~5000 Cycles, ≤0.15mΩ IR for Solar & Off-Grid Storage

Product Description

CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited) is one of the largest battery manufacturers in the world by volume, and this 3.2V 280Ah LiFePO4 cell is one of the most common building blocks for home energy storage, off-grid solar systems, and low-speed vehicle battery packs. This listing is the stud terminal version — instead of the flat factory terminal, the cell ships with welded threaded studs, a standard alternate terminal format used across the retail/DIY LiFePO4 market specifically so busbars and connector plates can be bolted on directly, without drilling or sourcing custom adapters.

Why the stud terminal matters: flat factory terminals vary in shape between manufacturers and don't always match standard busbar hardware, which means DIY builders either hunt for compatible connectors or get custom plates made. Stud terminals standardize that interface — they're a purpose-built format (welded stud + base, typically M5/M6/M8) used widely across CATL, EVE, and other major 280Ah cell suppliers for exactly this reason, not an aftermarket workaround.

Core specs (as provided on the manufacturer's data card):

A note on the discharge rate: 3C on a 280Ah cell works out to a theoretical peak of roughly 840A. That's the cell's short-duration ceiling, not a number your BMS, busbars, or wiring are necessarily rated to sustain continuously — most home storage and solar setups run well under this figure in normal operation. It's also worth knowing that some CATL 280Ah documentation describes the cell's continuous charge/discharge rating as closer to 1C (280A), with 3C reserved for brief pulses — confirm with us if your application needs a specific continuous-current guarantee.

A note on the cycle life figure: the manufacturer's data card for this listing states ~5,000 cycles, but doesn't specify the test conditions (depth of discharge, C-rate, temperature) used to reach that number — this matters, because cycle life figures for 280Ah-class cells vary a lot depending on test methodology. For comparison, EVE publishes its LF280K cycle life (≥6,000 cycles) with full test conditions disclosed: 0.5C charge/discharge, 300±20kgf clamp force, 25°C, to 80% remaining capacity. We're working on getting the equivalent test conditions from CATL for this cell and will update this page once we have them.

A note on terminal thread size: the default stud thread on this listing is M6. If your build needs a different thread size, contact our customer service team before ordering — other sizes are available on request.

How to Verify You've Received a Genuine, Grade A Cell

CATL's 280Ah cells are among the most counterfeited and mislabeled products in the DIY solar/storage market — partly because CATL's own Grade A production is heavily allocated to automotive and large OEM contracts, which means genuine Grade A CATL 280Ah cells are relatively scarce in the retail/wholesale market compared to brands like EVE, where Grade A supply is more consistently available. This scarcity is exactly what makes the category attractive to counterfeiters and relabelers. A few things worth checking:

• Barcode/QR placement: on genuine CATL 280Ah cells, the barcode is located between the negative terminal and the vent, close to the vent — a barcode in an inconsistent location is worth questioning.
• Weight and dimensions: genuine cells should measure close to 5.35kg and 207x174x72mm. A meaningful deviation outside normal manufacturing tolerance (a few hundred grams or a few millimeters) is a red flag.
• Grade A vs. Grade B: ask your seller directly which grade you're being sold. Grade B cells (minor capacity or cosmetic deviations from spec) are common and legitimate in this market at a lower price point, but should be sold as Grade B, not passed off as Grade A. A seller who can't or won't answer this question directly is a bad sign.
• Test reports and batch documentation: genuine cells from reputable channels typically come with some form of batch test report or data sheet. If a seller can't provide any documentation beyond a generic spec sheet, that's worth factoring into your decision.

We can provide grade and batch documentation on request — ask before ordering if this matters for your project.

CATL vs. EVE LF280K: How the Two Compare

These are the two most commonly compared 280Ah cells in the DIY/retail energy storage market. Here's how they stack up on publicly available specs:

How to think about the choice: if Grade A availability and fully disclosed cycle-life testing conditions matter most to your project, EVE's LF280K currently has an edge in transparency. If you specifically want CATL's brand reputation (it's one of the largest EV/ESS battery suppliers globally, including as a Tesla supplier) and are comfortable with Grade B being the more commonly available retail option, this CATL cell is a solid choice. Note: we haven't included REPT in this table because publicly documented specs for their 280Ah cells are less standardized across sources — ask us directly if you're comparing against a specific REPT model.

System Integration Notes

If you're building a full battery pack rather than buying single cells, a few practical numbers worth knowing:

• Series configuration for common voltages: 16 cells in series (16S) gives you a nominal 51.2V pack — the standard voltage for most 48V-class home energy storage and solar systems. 4S gives 12.8V, 8S gives 25.6V, for smaller 12V/24V-class systems.
• Stud torque: for M6 stud terminals on LiFePO4 cells, published manufacturer specs across the industry generally fall in a 6-9 Nm range (EVE, for example, specifies a 6 Nm maximum on its LF280K studs). That said, experienced DIY pack builders frequently report better real-world results in the 4-5 Nm range, since stud bases are often soft aluminum and can strip above that — clean, oxide-free contact surfaces matter more than pushing torque to the rated maximum. Use a calibrated torque wrench rather than tightening by feel, and check connections periodically after initial assembly and a few charge cycles.
• BMS selection: match your BMS to your actual series cell count (commonly 4S/8S/16S for this cell) and your system's real continuous current draw, not the cell's peak 3C rating. Contact us if you'd like a recommendation based on your specific pack configuration.

Where this cell fits:

• Home energy storage battery packs / off-grid solar systems
• Telecom base station backup power
• Low-speed EV battery packs (golf carts, forklifts, AGVs)
• RV and residential backup power systems
• DIY battery pack builds and bulk purchasing for pack assembly

Bulk orders: available in larger quantities for full pack builds (e.g., 16S/48V configurations) or with BMS integration — contact us for a quote on custom configurations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a genuine CATL cell, and what grade is it? We source these as genuine CATL cells and can confirm the specific grade (A or B) at the time of order — ask our customer service team before purchasing if grade matters for your project. As noted above, Grade A CATL 280Ah cells are less consistently available in the retail market than Grade B.

What's the difference between the stud terminal and flat terminal versions? Electrically, nothing — same cell inside. The stud version has welded M6 threaded studs added to the terminals for direct busbar connection, which is the standard approach for DIY pack assembly. The flat version is the unmodified factory terminal.

How many cells do I need for a 48V system? 16 cells in series (16S) gives a nominal 51.2V pack, which is the standard configuration for most 48V-class home energy storage and solar systems.

What torque should I use on the M6 studs? Manufacturer specs for M6 LiFePO4 stud terminals generally range 6-9 Nm, but many experienced builders use 4-5 Nm in practice to avoid stripping the soft aluminum stud base — use a calibrated torque wrench and prioritize clean, oxide-free contact surfaces over pushing to the rated maximum.

Why don't you list REPT in the comparison table? REPT's 280Ah cells don't have as consistently documented public specs across independent sources as CATL and EVE do. If you're specifically comparing against a REPT model, contact us with the details and we can help you compare.

How does this cell's cycle life compare to EVE's LF280K? EVE publishes ≥6,000 cycles for the LF280K with fully disclosed test conditions (0.5C, 300±20kgf clamp, 25°C, to 80% capacity). This CATL cell's data card states ~5,000 cycles, though the manufacturer hasn't published the specific test conditions behind that figure — we're following up to get that confirmed and will update this page.