What’s New in Drift PRO Gen2? A Technical Breakdown

The original Fogstar Drift PRO, launched in 2023, was the first 12V lithium leisure battery in the UK to offer built-in Victron integration. It quickly became a go-to choice for system installers and off-grid builders looking for a reliable, plug-and-play solution that worked seamlessly with Victron Energy setups. 

But technology doesn’t stand still — and neither do we.

Drift PRO Gen2 builds on the foundation of the original PRO, refining key aspects to reduce install time, eliminate unnecessary components, and improve long-term system performance. It’s still the same format and performance on the outside, but with smarter functionality where it counts.

Here’s a detailed look at the upgrades, and what they mean in practice.

🔋 Integrated Active Balancing

Original Drift PRO:
Balancing was handled manually using an external Active Balancer. When cell voltages became uneven, users would connect the unit temporarily and allow it to rebalance the cells over a few charge/discharge cycles. This approach avoided unnecessary energy loss, as the balancer could be disconnected when not in use. A permanently installed balancer (external to the BMS) would typically draw around 1Ah per day, even while idle - not ideal for off-grid systems trying to conserve every watt.

Drift PRO Gen2:
Gen2 solves this by integrating a 2A active balancer directly into the BMS. It's not a bolt-on component; it's built in and intelligently controlled. The balancer only activates when required and uses minimal power, ensuring long-term cell balance without constant drain or user intervention.

Why it matters:

• No manual balancing process
• Avoids constant 1Ah/day drain seen in always-connected external units
• Less cabling and external kit
• Ongoing cell maintenance is automatic and efficient.

🔗 Simplified Battery Linking

Original Drift PRO:
Battery-to-battery communication required manual configuration — functional but fiddly, particularly when scaling up to larger systems.

Drift PRO Gen2:
Now equipped with dedicated RJ45 Battery-Link ports, allowing units to be daisy-chained in seconds. Batteries automatically communicate as one with your Cerbo GX MK2, Ekrano GX, or other GX-enabled Victron hardware.

Key Benefits:

• Faster installs
• Fewer setup errors
• Better scalability
• Cleaner wiring and system layout.

🌡️ Improved Internal Layout

Original Drift PRO:
The layout in the PRO is solid, but some feedback highlighted room for better thermal management and easier internal servicing.

Drift PRO Gen2:
The internal configuration has been redesigned to optimise thermal control, cable paths, and service access. These improvements are subtle but meaningful in long-term use, particularly for high-load or space-restricted systems.

Key Benefits:

• Better temperature control under load
• Easier troubleshooting and maintenance
• Improved system reliability.

🧠 Streamlined Victron Integration

Both versions of the Drift PRO were designed with Victron compatibility in mind, but Gen2 simplifies the process further.

Drift PRO Gen2 supports:

• Native CANbus communication
  
• Direct cable connection from battery to Cerbo GX BMS-CAN port, or to VE.Can on the Cerbo Gx MK2 or Ekrano GX (once reassigned in settings)
• Pre-set BMS config, ready to communicate out of the box

Key Benefits:

• Quicker setup for installers
• No need for adapters or custom firmware
• Fully compatible with both existing and future Victron platforms.

🔄 Transitioning from PRO to Gen2

The original Drift PRO range is being phased out. From here on, Gen2 becomes the standard PRO variant across our lithium leisure battery line.

We’ve taken everything that worked in the original - great pricing, robust build quality, system compatibility, proven performance - and removed friction points like manual balancing and complex comms setup.

Important Note on Compatibility:
Drift PRO and Gen2 can be used together in series or parallel, but communication between them is limited. Gen2’s daisy-chained comms system only works within Gen2 units. So while they’ll function as a bank electrically, they won’t behave as a single unit for data or system monitoring.

✔️ To Summarise

• Same 300A BMS, now with built-in smart balancing
• Easier installation with plug-and-play comms via RJ45
• Improved serviceability and thermal design
• No price increase despite the upgrades
• Fully compatible with Victron Cerbo GX, Ekrano GX, and GX-enabled inverters
• Original PRO units still supported but no longer in production.

➡️ Take a look at the full range of Drift PRO Gen2 batteries here.