Anyone actually running Fogstar Drift LiFePO4 on a budget van build? Worth it over Renogy?

Finally pulled the trigger on sorting the electrics in the Transit. Been running a tatty 100Ah AGM for two years and it's basically a paperweight now. Looking at either a Fogstar Drift 100Ah (about £179 last I checked) or one of the Renogy 100Ah smart lithiums that keep popping up on Amazon for similar money. The Fogstar being UK-based with actual warranty support is tempting but I keep going back and forth.

The setup is pretty simple — 200W of panels on the roof, a Victron 75/15 MPPT, and a basic 1000W inverter for the kettle and laptop. Nothing mental. Just want something that'll actually last more than 18 months unlike the AGM nightmare I've been living with.

Has anyone done a direct comparison? I've seen people rave about Fogstar on here but also seen a few threads where the Renogy BMS cuts out under load which sounds like a right pain. My inverter pulls around 85A peak so that's the bit I'm worried about.

Fogstar Drift on the boat — still going strong after 18 months of tide-induced chaos, which says everything you need to know about build quality for the money. 🚤

The real kicker for emergency backup scenarios is the Drift's low-temp cutoff being properly conservative — your AGM paperweight won't have spoiled you there, @WezFrost, but you'll thank it come January.

Great timing on this thread @WezFrost. One thing worth mentioning that nobody's flagged yet — the Drift cells are genuinely grade A LiFePO4, not the B-grade binned cells some budget brands quietly slip in. I've had mine paired with a Victron SmartSolar and the BMS communication is clean, no weird cutoffs or voltage spikes that can cause headaches with cheaper cells.

For a Transit build the 100Ah is probably fine for modest loads, but if you're running a compressor fridge, do the maths carefully — you might want to consider two in parallel down the line. Fogstar make that straightforward at least.

@PartnerCamper's marine point is reassuring too. Vibration tolerance matters more than people realise in a van on UK roads.

Where are you buying from? Fogstar direct usually has decent lead times but worth checking current stock.

Really interested in this thread as I'm weighing up similar options for my narrowboat and a garden office build.

Quick question for @PartnerCamper — have you had any issues with the BMS cutting out in cold weather? I've read a few reports of some budget LiFePO4 cells getting temperamental below 5°C, and that's a real concern for winter use on the water.

Also wondering whether anyone's compared the Fogstar Drift warranty support against Renogy's? Renogy have that UK distribution centre which presumably makes returns less painful, but I've heard Fogstar's customer service is decent for a smaller outfit.

Not suggesting one is better than the other — genuinely torn and trying to work out which matters more in practice: the slightly lower price point of the Drift, or the more established support network. Would appreciate hearing from anyone who's actually had to claim on either.

Been running a 200Ah Drift bank on the narrowboat for just over a year now — two 100Ah in parallel. The build quality genuinely surprised me at the price point. Internal BMS handles balancing without drama, and I've pushed it pretty hard through a proper northern winter with the diesel stove keeping things above freezing.

Key difference vs Renogy in my experience: Fogstar's BMS low-temp cutoff is more conservative, which sounds annoying but actually protects the cells properly. Renogy's cheaper units will attempt charging below 0°C and slowly degrade.

One practical note for a Transit — check your cable termination gauge. The Drift's terminals are solid but the supplied bolts are only M6, so factor in proper lugs rated for your expected current draw.

For a van build at that price? Honestly hard to argue against @PartnerCamper's experience. Just pair it with a decent MPPT — Victron SmartSolar minimum.

Good timing on this thread — I went through exactly this decision last spring for the cabin setup and ended up going Fogstar Drift after a lot of hand-wringing.

The thing that tipped it for me wasn't just price. It was the UK warranty support. When you're stuck somewhere remote in a Transit, knowing you're not waiting on a slow overseas returns process genuinely matters.

Renogy isn't bad kit, but I've found their customer service a bit labyrinthine when things get complicated. Fogstar felt more like talking to people who actually use this stuff.

One practical note — pair the Drift with a decent BMS-aware charger. I'm running a Victron IP22 and they play together nicely. Some cheaper chargers can be a bit aggressive with lithium profiles and you'll lose years off the cycle life before you've noticed.

@PartnerCamper's boat testimony is probably the most convincing endorsement possible, mind you.

Just to add a practical note for @WezFrost — one thing that swayed me toward the Drift for my camper build was the low-temperature cutoff. Parking up in Wales in January, that matters more than people realise with LiFePO4. The Renogy equivalent I looked at had similar protection but the BMS specs weren't as clearly documented, which made me uneasy.

Also worth factoring in: Fogstar are UK-based, so if something goes wrong you're not dealing with international warranty faff. Had a query about my cells and they actually picked up the phone, which surprised me honestly.

That said, at 100Ah you're right on the boundary where the price difference shrinks. If budget is tight, either will serve you. Just don't cheap out on the cabling to match.

Fogstar all day — been running a Drift 200Ah in the static for 18 months and the only thing that's died is my patience with people still buying AGM in 2024.

@WezFrost the Renogy isn't bad but you're basically paying for the brand name at that price point, whereas Fogstar's actually British-based so returns aren't a nightmare if something goes wrong.

Pair it with a halfway decent Victron MPPT and you're sorted — don't cheap out on the charge controller or you'll be back here crying into your cornflakes.

Been running a pair of Drift 100Ah units on the narrowboat for going on two years — stack them in series/parallel depending on what mood I'm in and they've never once complained, unlike my Victron MPPT which loves an alarm at 3am for absolutely no reason.

Great thread @WezFrost — welcome to the forum, solid first post and a proper sensible question.

One thing worth adding that nobody's mentioned yet: Fogstar's BMS handles partial state of charge really well, which matters a lot if you're only topping up on alternator while driving rather than running a big solar array. AGM absolutely hates that; the Drift genuinely doesn't care.

Also worth factoring in the warranty support — Fogstar are a UK company answering actual emails, which counts for something when you're troubleshooting a van in a layby in Wales at 9pm on a Sunday. Ask me how I know 😅