Leisure battery + inverter system
for a food trailer.
A battery and inverter setup is the quiet alternative to a generator, and for a small coffee trailer it can be transformative — no noise, no fumes, no fuel run. The limits are real though, and being clear-eyed about them is the difference between a system that works and an expensive disappointment.
The numbers
- Footprint
- Battery bank ~400 × 300mm per 100Ah unit, plus inverter — weight matters
- New (indicative)
- €800 – €6,000
- Used (indicative)
- €300 – €2,000
- Checked
- 2026-08-01
Power figures are ranges across models commonly sold into the Irish trailer trade — read the rating plate on the actual unit before you build a load budget on them. Prices are indicative guidance bands, not quotes, and no supplier is named or implied.
What a battery system can realistically run
Battery power suits low, steady loads: lights, a water pump, a till, a phone charger, a small fridge. It struggles badly with sustained high-wattage heating, which is exactly what an espresso machine and a water boiler are. Running a 2-group machine off batteries needs a bank large enough to be heavy, expensive and slow to recharge. The realistic sweet spot is a small coffee setup with a 1-group machine used intermittently, or a battery system for the ancillaries alongside gas for the heat.
Lithium versus AGM
Lithium (LiFePO4) costs considerably more up front but you can use most of its rated capacity, it charges much faster, weighs far less and lasts several times as many cycles. AGM is cheaper but you should only draw it down to about half its rating before damaging it, meaning a 200Ah AGM bank gives you roughly the usable energy of a 100Ah lithium one at more than twice the weight. On a trailer where weight is a constraint, lithium usually wins on total cost over its life.
Where the charge comes from
A battery bank is only as good as its recharging. Solar on a trailer roof helps but Irish solar yield is modest and seasonal — treat it as a supplement, not the plan. A DC-to-DC charger from the tow vehicle while driving is genuinely useful, and mains charging overnight is the most reliable option where you have a hookup. Many operators run a hybrid: battery for silent running, with a small generator held in reserve.
Questions
Can I run a coffee trailer entirely on batteries?
A small one, yes — a 1-group machine used intermittently plus lights, pump and till is achievable with a properly sized bank. A 2-group machine and a water boiler are sustained high-wattage heating loads, and a bank big enough for those becomes heavy, expensive and slow to recharge.
Lithium or AGM batteries for a trailer?
Lithium (LiFePO4) usually, despite the higher price. You can use most of its capacity where AGM should only be drawn to about half, it charges faster, lasts several times as many cycles and weighs far less — which matters on a trailer where weight is a real constraint.
Is solar worth it on a trailer roof in Ireland?
As a supplement, not a plan. Irish solar yield is modest and strongly seasonal, so it extends your running time rather than replacing charging. A DC-to-DC charger from the tow vehicle and overnight mains charging are more dependable.