Today’s lead-acid batteries use a combination of materials such as sulfuric acid and lead plates. In 1859, this was the first type of battery that could be recharged. On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries are a new invention. Its commercial production began in the 1980s. Below are some of the main benefits of LiFePO4 batteries. Keep reading to know more.
1. No voltage drop
As for lithium batteries, their discharge curve is flat. This means that if you have a 20% charged unit, you will get the same output grade as an 80% charged unit.
And this can avoid many problems due to “voltage drop”. In addition, there is a voltage loss of almost zero percent. In other words, lithium ion units can provide full rated capacity at high current rates. On the other hand, lead-acid ones can lose up to 40% capacity if you put a lot of load on these units.
2.Longer life cycle
If you get a high quality LiFePO4 unit you can get thousands of cycles out of the product. In real life they can offer up to 2000 cycles considering 80% depth of discharge at 1C rate of discharge. And the rest of the capacity remains above 80%. It is important to note that these values depend on the download rate and the quality of the product.
Also, these charge cycles are higher than NCA or NMC. On the other hand, if you get the best lead-acid products, you won’t be able to get more than 1000 cycles.
3. Optimal capacity
Unlike a lead-acid unit, LiFePO4 ones allow you to use up to 90% of the nominal capacity. In some cases, the capacity is even higher. For example, if there is a 100 amp hour unit, you can get up to 90 amps without a problem.
4.Easy to maintain
Easy maintenance is another advantage of these units. The balance system ensures that all battery cells are fully charged. All you need to do is charge the unit and it will be ready to go for hours.
5. Efficient charging
The good thing is that lithium-ion batteries allow you to quickly charge them to their full capacity. On the other hand, the lead-acid ones have an absorption phase in case you want to get the 20% stored. Also, if you use a powerful charger, you can charge these drives much faster. In fact, you can charge your unit in just 30 minutes.
6. No waste of energy
From an efficiency standpoint, lead-acid batteries take years to store energy. Lithium units charge at about 100% efficiency, as opposed to the 85% efficiency offered by most lead-acid units. This is true if you are going to charge the units using a solar system.
In short, these are just some of the main benefits of LiFePO4 batteries in the here and now. Hopefully, you will be able to get the most out of these drives.