Need to Know About Lithium Ion Deep Cycle Batteries

by Mikal Jason Educational Professional

At every level of life, batteries play an integral part. From keeping electrical appliances powered when grid electricity goes out through an inverter or UPS to going completely off grid with solar panels - batteries play an essential part. Furthermore, RVs, boats, and electric cars all rely on them. When buying one it should come from a recognized 12 V deep cycle battery manufacturer.

What Is A Lithium-Ion Battery?

Since their introduction as the superior and safer replacement to lead acid batteries in 1996, lithium ion batteries have rapidly gained recognition in numerous applications such as aircraft, marine systems, automobiles, households and electrical appliances.

Lithium Ion Deep Cycle Batteries use graphite carbon as their anodes; noncompliance issues related to environmental concerns have not hampered performance; they boast excellent lifespans; their long service lives make for versatile power solutions; plus these 12V deep cycle batteries don't contain cobalt.

Why shouldn't You Use Lead Acid Batteries?

Limited Power It is often recommended to limit battery usage to 30%-50% of their average "Deep Cycle" battery capacity when operating standard lead batteries; for instance, using only half or one quarter of 600 amp battery provides at best 300 amp hours in capacity if regularly discharged beyond this point will significantly shorten battery lifespan and increase risk.

Lead Acid Batteries with Limited Cycle Life Even with careful usage and regular inspection of deep cycle lead acid batteries for deep cycling applications are generally only designed to last 500-1000 cycles before needing replacing sooner than two years later.

Slow and Ineffective Charging

Unfortunately, only 20-25% of lead acid battery capacity can be charged rapidly with current. While up to 80% can quickly be charged using three phase chargers such as AGM batteries (that withstand current batch charges), once drain phase begins charging capacity drastically decreases and will need more time than initially estimated for full recharge.

This may not be a big issue if charging overnight, but can become problematic when leaving your generator running all night (which can be noisy and expensive). If relying solely on solar charging methods instead of artificial means - such as charging at home through sunlight only - and it sets before 20% is finished being charged off, leaving batteries only usable up to 30% capacity.

Burned Power

Lead acid batteries face an efficiency challenge beyond time wasted with generators - losing up to 15% of energy through failing to charge naturally and thus only saving about 85 amps instead of 100. This can prove particularly troublesome when trying to maximize efficiency before sunset or cloud cover arrives - an inefficiency which must be solved using solar system charging as efficiently as possible before sunset or cloud cover occurs.

Energy Loss

The sooner a lead acid battery of any kind is discharged, the less power can be extracted from it. This effect is quantified using Peukert's Law (proposed by German scientist W. Peukert). With high current loads like air conditioners, microwaves or input cooktops using up energy too quickly from batteries such as these, Peukert's Law predicts they could end up only providing up to 60% of their average volume output - leaving users to make do without energy when needed most. This represents massive energy loss when needed most.

Lead acid batteries emit toxic acid gas when charging and should be placed in an enclosed box that drains well, keeping upright to avoid battery acid spillage. Lithium DCS batteries do not present such challenges when installed in an aerated environment - one reason they have become popular with mariners.

Voltage SAG

A fully charged 12-volt lead acid battery initially produces 12.8 volts when fully charged; as its power decreases with use, however, electricity drops below 12 volts once the remaining capacity drops to around 35% of what was originally available and some electrical equipment may cease functioning under its standard 12V supply; leading to dimmed lighting conditions as it "sags."

Size And Weight

A standard 8D battery typically used by large battery banks is 20.5 inches by 10.5 inches by 9.5 inches in size and weight (with regard to full capacity of 230 amps) respectively. When choosing an individual 8D model such as Trojan 8D-AGM battery you have approximately 115 hours of real time use with only 70 high performance applications!

For wide boondocking, at minimum four and potentially up to eight 8D batteries will be necessary, which increases your weight significantly and decreases fuel economy. Furthermore, their size limits your capacity in case your rig doesn't offer much space.

Why Use Lithium Batteries?

Researchers can now turn various static gadgets and appliances into portable ones powered by electrical energy stored in battery cells thanks to lithium batteries. Unfortunately, traditional lead acid batteries were limited by mass and other disadvantages; but thanks to contemporary Li-ion energy storage technology advancements that address each drawback of previous generations' batteries (150 years later!), lithium ion deep cycle batteries offer great deep cycle battery performance with features designed specifically to meet modern living demands.

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Created on Dec 31st 2023 02:30. Viewed 119 times.

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