When it comes to batteries, consumers are always told that lithium is more effective than traditional…but why? If you’re bored of blindly following the recommendations of so-called ‘experts,’ you’re in the right place to learn the truth for yourself!
Longer Life
Firstly, experts love lithium batteries because they last much longer. If you use a battery and then charge it back up, this counts as one cycle. Fortunately, lithium batteries can handle significantly more cycles compared to traditional lead-acid batteries. In fact, you only need to look at the respective warranties to see that lithium battery manufacturers are more confident in their products. Depending on the conditions, you’ll replace a traditional battery between three and five times before having to replace a lithium battery.
More Efficient
When it comes to batteries, the model and condition contribute heavily to performance. This being said, the maximum efficiency that you can expect from a lead-acid battery is 85%. Sometimes, this falls to 80%. On the other hand, lithium batteries charge faster and are 95% efficient. Whatever the application, it’s always beneficial to have more efficient batteries. It saves time and money, reduces the need for a large backup generator, and changes the required battery capacity.
Deeper Discharges
What does this mean? Ultimately, the term ‘discharge’ is used to describe the period when the battery is being used. In other words, the time between charges. All batteries have a recommended discharge depth – how low the battery depletes before charging again. Rather than depleting entirely, all batteries will retain a small level of charge. The important detail here is that you can drain lithium batteries much further than traditional lead-acid batteries. With the latter, manufacturers typically recommend draining to 50% if you don’t want to affect the lifespan of the battery. Elsewhere, the discharge depth of lithium batteries often goes beyond 90%. In simple English, the usable capacity is much higher with lithium batteries than traditional batteries.
Faster Charging
You won’t be surprised to hear that lithium solar batteries charge faster than lead-acid batteries with higher efficiency. Why? It’s all to do with the amperage that batteries can take. Since lithium batteries handle a higher amperage, they charge at a faster rate. When lead-acid batteries use a similar amperage, they charge too quickly and overheat. Another problem with lead-acid batteries is that the charging process slows down once the battery reaches 85%. In some cases, the charging process for lithium batteries is twice as fast as with lead-acid batteries.
Return on Investment
Some people will be reading this guide knowing that lithium batteries are more expensive, and this is true. Yet, you need to look at the return on your investment rather than just the investment itself. Though you will pay more for lithium batteries, you won’t need to buy replacements as quickly compared to lead-acid batteries. Lithium batteries are a stronger investment with deeper discharges, faster charging, a longer life, and more efficient performance. Especially with solar projects, lithium batteries offer a much stronger performance from start to finish.
Summary
While lead-acid batteries are seen as the traditional choice, this doesn’t mean that they are the better choice. Traditional batteries performed an admirable service many years ago, but now there are more effective solutions. Lithium batteries are a perfect example of how time moves on and leaves tradition behind. So why not explore your options further today?
