Lithium Vs. Lead Acid: Debunking Deep Cycle Lithium Battery Myths

Here are the top 5 differences between both battery chemistries and some instances of which innovation to choose when going electrical.

Misconception # 1: Lithium batteries are more pricey than lead-acid batteries

Just how much do lithium batteries cost? While it’s true that lithium batteries often have a greater upfront cost point, they use a lot longer life expectancy and also far higher useful capability than lead-acid batteries. A solitary lithium battery lasts 10 times longer than its lead-acid counterpart usually. The cost of lithium-ion batteries gradually can be a whole lot more affordable than lead-acid. Determined by cycle life, or the number of times a battery can be drained and then reenergized prior to it needing to be changed, lithium-ion batteries supply a 6,000 to 10,000 cycle life when discharged approximately 80 percent. Swamped lead-acid and also VRLA batteries, on the other hand, just provide around a 400 to 500 cycle life when released up to 80 percent. If you cycled your lithium battery once a day, it would supply greater than 14 years of life, while a standard lead-acid battery typically lasts less than 2 years.

Beyond cycle life, what usually stops working to consider is that you need to get much more lead-acid batteries – sometimes double, triple, or quadruple as lots of – just to get to the exact same usable capacity as much fewer lithium batteries. This is because many just check out the complete rated, or nameplate, the ability of a battery (i.e., the kWh the battery is in theory able to shop) as opposed to the usable capability (i.e., the kWh the battery has the ability to store after factoring in the depth of discharge, performance and also charge/discharge price restrictions). You can think of nameplate versus usable ability like you would think about the income specified in your company’s deal letter versus real net pay; Theoretically, your deal letter claims you will earn $70,000, however with tax obligations, social security, health care, and also various other expenses got rid of, you are entrusted to simply $55,000 of functional revenue. Lead-acid batteries have a reduced permitted deepness of discharge, effectiveness rates, and charge/discharge rates that straight affect the number of batteries you require to purchase upfront, but additionally, significantly influence the Levelized Price of Storage or the total cost per kWh you can obtain from a battery over the course of its lifetime.

Misconception # 2: Energy and also Variety

Comparing both chemistries side-by-side, lithium-ion accomplishes a power thickness of 125-600+ Wh/L versus 50-90 Wh/L for lead-acid batteries. To put it simply, if you were to drive the exact same distance utilizing each type of battery in the same lorry, the lead-acid battery can use up to 10 times the volume that the lithium-ion would, as well as it’s additionally larger. For that reason, utilizing lithium-ion batteries permits areas for other vital payloads, for example, more passengers in a bus or more parcels in an electric delivery truck. A high energy density likewise pays for the vehicle a lot longer variety, implying the individual does not need to bill as commonly when powered by lithium-ion modern technologies.

Misconception # 3: ANY BATTERY CHARGER WILL DO.

REALITY: While it holds true that all batteries need to be charged, it’s false that all battery chargers are developed equal as well as, as a result, up for any job. In the excellent old days, yes, almost any type of charger would certainly do yet not any longer, since battery, and also battery charger, innovation has actually altered.

Some battery kinds (i.e. lithium) call for detailed chargers to attain optimum performance, as well as some batteries call for consistent charging.

Billing a lead-acid battery can take greater than 10 hours, whereas lithium-ion batteries can take from 3 hrs to as little as a few mins to the bill, relying on the size of the battery. Lithium-ion chemistries can approve a much faster price of existing, billing quicker than batteries made with lead-acid. This is crucial for time-sensitive applications where vehicles have high utilization as well as fewer break periods. In the case of an incurable tractor, every minute that the ship is docked at the port has monetary repercussions on the fleet proprietor, so the battery must be billed rapidly during breaks to fill the ship.

There is no one-size-fits-all strategy to batteries, rather, it is about supplying the appropriate Lithium battery remedy to fulfill the demands of the application. BSLBATT Battery designs as well as offers adaptable, scalable lithium-ion batteries as a prime source of power for commercial vehicles, and other mobile and also fixed applications.

Misconception # 4: Lithium batteries do not work in cold weather

Whether you’re preparing to make use of lithium batteries or lead-acid batteries, chilly temperature levels must be taken into consideration, as they can frequently cause permanent damages to particular kinds of batteries. As an example, with common lead-acid batteries, the cold can seriously weaken the lasting efficiency as well as life-span of the device. Temperatures below the 32 ° F mark will noticeably lower both efficiency and usable ability of lead-acid batteries, giving just 70 to 80 percent of its rated ability at 32 ° F.

Are lithium batteries great in winter? Lithium-ion batteries can operate with very little efficiency as well as capability loss in cold temperatures, providing 95 to 98 percent of the battery’s ability at 32 ° F. Even at 14 ° F, lithium batteries will certainly give 80 percent of their ranked capacity. Typically, the extra you pull from a lead-acid battery in cold temperatures, the weak the performance will become. Unlike lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries in cold weather will start to warm when you use them, which will reduce the battery’s resistance as well as increase its voltage, permitting you to correctly run your tools.

In addition, charging in cold weather calls for a different protocol and also is vital when you want to make your energy storage financial investment last. Virtually every battery – whether lead acid or lithium – needs an extra engaged charging procedure when the temperature begins to drop. Lead-acid batteries, nonetheless, have a tighter variety of ideal charging problems when compared to lithium batteries. Both lead-acid and lithium batteries need to be within their defined temperature ranges as well as must be charged at a slower than the regular rate. For instance, when charging lithium iron phosphate batteries (LiFePO4) in winter, specifically when temperature levels are below 32 ° F, the cost present has to be reduced to 0.1 C, and also when billing your LFP batteries listed below 14 ° F, the charge present must be decreased to 0.05 C. Failure to do so can cause permanent damage to your battery.

At BSLBATT Battery, we have resolved this inherent issue with billing lithium batteries in cool temperatures by developing and engineering a low-temperature LiFePO4 battery called the LT Series. The LT batteries have been rigorously created as well as tested to specifically excel in cold weather environments, as they can securely bill at temperatures to -20 ° C( -4 ° F) utilizing a conventional battery charger. The BSLBATT B-LFP12-100 LT 12v 100Ah Deep Cycle Lithium Battery includes exclusive innovation that attracts power from the battery charger itself, requiring no additional elements. When the battery is plugged into the regular lithium charger, the internal home heating and also surveillance system takes care of the rest. These batteries also include a robust battery administration system (BMS) that shields the batteries from irreparable damages in very cold temperature levels.

Myth # 5: All lithium batteries are inherently dangerous

You have seen the newspaper article regarding lithium batteries in hoverboards, laptop computers, autos, phones, and residences catching fire, however, did you understand that not all lithium batteries posture a fire risk? For beginners, there are a number of different lithium battery chemistry kinds:

● Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP or LiFePO4).

● Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC).

● Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO).

● Lithium Manganese Oxide (LMO).

● Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (NCA).

Unlike lithium cobalt-based battery chemistries, LiFePO4 batteries create extremely little warmth. This results from the fact that LiFePO4 batteries have incredibly stable chemistry. LiFePO4 batteries also use a superior chemical and also a mechanical structure that does not overheat to hazardous levels. This is since the charged, as well as uncharged states of these batteries, are literally similar as well as extremely durable, which allows the ions to stay steady throughout the oxygen flux that occurs during cost cycles. On the whole, the oxygen and the phosphorus atoms in LiFePO4 batteries are strongly linked by covalent bonding, unlike the weaker cobalt-oxide bond in cobalt-based lithium batteries like LCO, NMC, and also NCA. As a result, when a LiFePO4 battery is overcharged or subjected to physical damage, the phosphate-oxide bond stays structurally stable, whereas the bonds in lithium cobalt-based batteries begin breaking down as well as releasing excessive warmth, which ultimately leads to thermal runaway.

Since they are inherently more secure, LiFePO4 batteries consequently additionally do not need the added components, as well as therefore costs, associated with the air conditioning and warmth mitigation devices that are needed for lithium cobalt-based batteries. LiFePO4 batteries are additionally fireproof, can stand up to rough problems, and also when they go through hazardous events– such as an accident or short-circuiting– they will not blow up. LiFePO4 batteries are a secure, safe long-term remedy as well as a rewarding financial investment, which is why all BSLBATT lithium batteries only utilize one of the most innovative LiFePO4 chemistry.

The Bottom Line.

From life expectancy, depth of discharge, lithium battery cold weather charging, to battery safety, there are a number of aspects to think about when it comes to figuring out the very best battery to power your next adventure. The good news is, you are currently armed with a few of the most important realities to aid simplify your decision to convert to BSLBATT lithium batteries.

Likewise join us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to learn more about exactly how lithium battery systems can power your lifestyle, see just how others have actually developed their systems, as well as obtain the confidence to get out there as well as avoid there.

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