Lithium batteries are a crucial component of modern technology, widely used in devices such as smartphones, power banks, electric tools, and new energy vehicles. However, there are significant differences among various types of lithium batteries in terms of materials, form factors, and performance. This article provides a detailed, professional overview of several common lithium batteries, their characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, and typical applications.

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We often encounter different types of batteries, such as the battery, ternary lithium battery, lithium iron phosphate battery, lithium cobalt oxide battery, polymer lithium battery, blade battery, battery, and so on. With so many varieties of lithium batteries available, the question arises: What types of lithium batteries are used in the products we commonly see, and what are the differences between these types?

In fact, the terms related to lithium batteries can be categorized into three dimensions: form factor, cathode material, and electrolyte type. This helps clarify the distinctions. For example, a ternary lithium battery can be manufactured in a cylindrical shape like the or in a soft pack format. Similarly, smartphone batteries are typically polymer lithium-ion soft pack batteries with lithium cobalt oxide as the cathode material.

Dimensions for Categorizing Lithium Batteries:

• Form Factor: Includes cylindrical (e.g., ), prismatic, and soft pack batteries.
• Cathode Material: Different chemical compositions lead to variations in battery performance.
• Electrolyte Type: Can be liquid, solid, or polymer.

Detailed Overview of Major Lithium Battery Types:

1. Lithium Cobalt Oxide Battery (LiCoO2):

• Applications: Widely used in consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
• Advantages:
  • High Energy Density: Provides higher capacity for the same weight compared to other types, suitable for devices needing long battery life.
  • Stable Voltage Output: Ensures consistent performance.
• Disadvantages:
  • High Cost: Due to the expensive cobalt, these batteries are costlier.
  • Safety Issues: Potential for thermal runaway under overcharge, puncture, or high temperatures.
• Safety Measures: To mitigate risks, manufacturers use stricter quality controls, such as automated production lines and dust-free environments, as well as advanced safety protection circuits.

2. Ternary Lithium Battery (NCM/NMC):

• Applications: Mainly used in electric vehicles, portable electronics, and power tools.
• Advantages:
  • Balanced Performance: Offers a balance between energy density, safety, and lifespan.
  • Varied Options: By adjusting the proportions of nickel, cobalt, and manganese, performance parameters can be optimized.
• Disadvantages:
  • Complex Production: Requires advanced manufacturing processes, resulting in higher production costs.

Performance Table:

Characteristic 811 622 523 Energy Density High Medium Lower Safety Medium Higher High Lifespan Lower Medium High Cost High Medium Low

3. Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery (LiFePO4):

• Applications: Popular in new energy vehicles, outdoor power sources, and photovoltaic energy storage.
• Advantages:
  • High Safety: Excellent thermal stability and safe operation at low temperatures.
  • Long Lifespan: Can exceed charge cycles, suitable for long-term applications.
• Disadvantages:
  • Lower Energy Density: Larger and heavier, not ideal for weight-sensitive devices.
• Note: A significant drawback is poor low-temperature performance, which can severely reduce capacity in cold climates.

4. Lithium Manganese Oxide Battery (LiMn2O4):

• Applications: Commonly used in power tools, power banks, and some cost-effective electric vehicles.
• Advantages:
  • Low Cost: Lower material cost makes it suitable for large-scale production and use.
  • Good Safety: Performs well under high temperatures and overcharging conditions.
• Disadvantages:
  • Short Lifespan: Typically less than charge cycles.

Comprehensive Comparison of Lithium Battery Characteristics:

Type Applications Energy Density Safety Lifespan Cost Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCoO2) Smartphones, laptops, tablets High Low Medium High Ternary Lithium (NCM/NMC) Electric vehicles, electronics, tools Medium to High Medium to High High Variable Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) Electric vehicles, energy storage Low to Medium High Very High Low Lithium Manganese Oxide (LiMn2O4) Power tools, power banks, budget EVs Low Higher Low Low

Considerations for Engineers and Industry Professionals:

When selecting a lithium battery, engineers should consider:

• Energy Density: Especially important for space and weight-constrained applications, such as portable devices and electric vehicles.
• Safety: Crucial in applications where personal safety is a concern, such as medical devices and aviation.
• Cost: Essential for cost-sensitive applications, including consumer electronics and large-scale energy storage systems.
• Environmental and Operating Conditions: The impact of extreme temperatures and mechanical stress on battery performance.

For more information on the lithium battery technology best suited for your application, please contact MOTOMA. Our expert team will provide tailored solutions to ensure you choose the highest performance battery products.

Batteries For Inverter Calculation

To illustrate further, suppose you bought a W inverter with a 12V input. If you use the inverter’s full capacity, that is 416 amps an hour. (W / 12V = 416). Theoretically a 450-500ah battery can run the system for an hour. But inverters are not perfect and some energy is lost, so more likely it is 30-45 minutes. Of course the figure will be different if you have a 24V, 36V or 48V battery.

However that figure supposes you will run the battery down to zero, or a 100% discharge. We have stated in other posts on this site that lead acid batteries should be recharged at 50%. So you need at least a 750ah-800A battery to run the inverter for 30-45 minutes without totally depleting the battery.

No matter what the voltage is, the ah rating in series configured batteries will always be that of the smallest battery in the setup. Multiple batteries increases voltage so the power supplied (in watts) increases.

With four 210ah 48V batteries, the inverter receives 104ah hourly. With a full discharge the inverter can run at maximum load for two hours or 10kwh (10,000W). Bottom line: no matter what the battery bank voltage, it must provide W for every hour you want the inverter to operate.

1. Add Your Total Load Requirements

W is a lot of power but do you really need that inverter size? The best way to find out is to add up the total watt usage of all your loads. Include every appliance and device you plan to run on the inverter. Do note that refrigerators and air conditioners have surge requirements so a large system is definitely required.

2. Check The Inverter Input Voltage

A lot of inverters have 12V or 24V input, but 36V, 48V and even 96V and others are not uncommon. Make sure your battery matches the input. The battery doesn’t have to be a specific match as long as the total is the same. Example, a 48V inverter will work with a 12V battery if you have four hooked up (12 x 4 = 48).

3. Determine How Many Hours You Need To Run The Inverter

This is crucial. How long do you plan to run the inverter? Is it for a couple of hours? 5 hours? 12 hours or more? This tells you how many watt hours you need and how much the battery capacity has to be.

Suppose your W, 48V inverter needs to run for 6 hours. If the power load factor is 0.8 then the volt amperes (VA) is 130 amperes. Your battery must be able to provide minimum 130 amperes. 48V 130 ampere batteries are uncommon so you may opt for a 200 amperes instead.

4. Calculate Battery Storage Capacity

Battery capacity is measured in amp hours (ah). With our example here you need four 200ah-220ah batteries. That should be sufficient to run a W inverter for 8 hours more or less.

These steps are best suited for homes that need a large power backup. For RVs, the needs are usually smaller and the calculations more straightforward.

Lithium Polymer batteries popularly referred to as LiPo is now gaining massive popularity. Now everyone that needs high and long-run power wants to use lithium Polymer. But do they understand how it works? Very few people do. As long as you follow instructions and treat them well, they will serve you for a long time.

The main benefits for lipo batteries are; Light, higher capacity, and discharge rates. Since nothing is perfect, they have some drawbacks as well. For example, they have a much shorter lifespan and also need a lot of care and attention. Many, lithium polymer batteries contain a plastic pouch known as a pouch cell. They are very efficient for building multi-celled packs.

Pouch cells hold all the cells firmly without leaving any airspaces like in the round packed battery cells. Besides, the pouch cell is lighter compared to metal cans hence making them the most preferred for aircraft applications. By contrast, lithium-ion cells are heavier by 20% more than regular lipo pouch cells.

LiPo pouch cells allow more gassing and thermal expansion due to its flexible pouch casing. Furthermore, inside when you open the cell, you will find a polymer, which is a thin plastic microporous film. It is located within the copper anode, cathode electrodes, and lithium coat aluminum. However, they are all laminated, alternating each other from the back and the front side of the polymer separator film.

The long film, which sometimes can be over seven feet long, is folded in an alternating cathode/anode stacking. Also, a thin continuous layer of polymer separator is inserted to separate them. If you lipo cell leaks at any given time, please do not use it. The pouch is pressed under some pressure before the final heating and sealing. That helps to remove the air that is remaining inside before its ready to be used.

How long it will take for me to charge a car battery at 50 amps.

This a friend asked before. And later there are some other customer ask for some similar question like: How long to charge a car battery at 40 amps. Of cause, there will be some more ask 30amps or 60amps.

Here Let me simply anwser this question here.

When we talke about car battery. It is normally a lead acid battery inside of the car. And a normal one is about 70amp hour or 60ah. Let’s say, if the battery can take as much as 50 amps current. Based on the calculation, we understand, it will be fully charged by 1 hour more.  But from acture operation, this could be much more then 1 hour. Or maybe 2 hours. We know the battery start charge will accept the peak current. later, when the battery voltage goes up, the charging current will slow down. We call it floating charge. During floating charge, you will not possible to load the large current. That’s why it will takes much longer based on your battery.

Learn how to charge the battery

This is a sad question when people ask.

When you try to charge your car battery. Means your car battery is almost dead. If you have time to learn how long it takes to charge the battery at some current( 40 or 50 amps.). why not just think how to find a new one for replace. Or maybe you will stuck on the road most probebely , and you don’t know when that’s will comes to you.

Think about a LiFePo4 battery to replace the lead acid car battery?

Let’s check if CMX can provide such a battery or not?

How To Tell If A Deep Cycle lithium ion Battery Is Bad

Deep cycle lithium-ion batteries are normally serving for marine, Recreational Vehicle (RV), solar energy power, and similar applications. These battery packs normally made by cells or some other lithium prismatic cells. They are different from your lead acid car starting batteries. Analyzing cells inside a battery pack takes a sophisticated set of measurements against certain exact parameters. To know the battery state and make sure it working in good conditions. You should know how to determine if it is bad or not. Here are some basic points you can check if the battery bad or still possible to serving.

Find out Factory Datasheet:

Check out what kind of lithium battery it is and try to find manufacturer specs datasheet. And find out what exactly the battery should behave about voltage limits, current, internal resistance etc.

Check if cell characteristic Meet

Use proper tools like multimeter, try to measure voltage, resistance and performance. Compare these values with manufacturer datasheet specifications. Match it? Or it is far away? Simple as that.

• Specifications Meet: If you measuring match more or less what manufacturer saying, it should be ok.
• Not meet the specifications – well, probably it is safer to discard such battery. No worth for risk fire or anything such.

In case if manufacturer data are not available, then try to find out what kind of lithium battery (cell) it is and upon that measure it. There are

many different types:

SINC(vi,ar,pl) contains other products and information you need, so please check it out.

Most common lithium rechargeable batteries are

• li-ion with nominal voltage 3.6V or 3.7 volt Most of them , and some prismatic lithium NCM batteries.
• lifepo4 with 3.2V. Same as above. Mostly are large lithium cells
• LTO with 2.4V

The easier way how to find whether lithium battery is bad or not

Try to charge it to full SoC (near 100%) and then measure voltage drop when discharge.

Example: battery cells with rated capacity mAh have nominal voltage 3.6V, full charge 4.2V and cut-off discharge limit 2.75V. Charge to somewhere around 4.1–4.2V and then start discharge with 1A current. In that moment measure voltage drop. It should not go below 4V at all. If it going much below, like 3.9, 3.8 or lower, the cell is very old and ready to bin.

Check Cell Temp

Also, if such cell (as mentioned above) heating too much when charging/discharging by 1A, it is again not safe to use it anymore and better to discard it.

Voltage Drops rate

Self-discharge speed can tell you, whether cell is good or bad. Charge it fully and place somewhere safely. Read voltage after few hours. note it. After one month (or even two), measure voltage again. Should not be different from first measure more than 10% of total value. If it’s more, cell is poor/bad.

Caution:

This is not for the novice as there can be fire involved if you do test wrong. As a cursory test leave the battery or cell in the device it was designed for and run the device. If it does not run full speed or at all put the charger that was designed for that device on and wait the appropriate amount of time. All the engineering needed to safely cycle that battery or cell is in the charger and in the device that used that cell or battery. A voltage check is good for a quick screen but voltage alone does not give enough information. Testing under a load can again create fire so don’t just start adding load randomly. Our system does not require the user have anything to do with battery anything. Every part of energy delivery is hands-off automatic so the user does not need to know what charging method or voltage or current to memorize. They just drive with unlimited miles on a monthly subscription. All battery failures or maintenance is hidden completely and super accurate to keep everyone moving. End of life is contained by us so you do not need to replace anything or test for failures. We recycle every metal inside those cells where some on this question mention throwing them away which is unwise in the bigger picture. If the cell is pouched out it is BAD. If the terminal wire is burned in two in a large pack that cell is bad. That burned link is a fuse and was burned in two on purpose. The cell below it is bad. Do not try to solder over the open circuit link.

Step 1. Check the connections.
It may seem improbable, but the stability of any power connection is limited by its weakest link. Check the contacts and terminals for dirt, oils, corrosion, excessive wear or anything that can hamper a good, stable connection. This includes the battery contacts with application, in the charger, and on the battery itself.

Step 2. Reseat the battery in the devices.
It seems unlikely, but it happens. Some application require a tight fit with the battery and may seem attached when they are not fully locked in place. Make sure the battery is seated properly and the battery pack locks firmly in place when attaching it.

Step 3. Verify you are using the correct battery charger.
Using the wrong charger can not only prevent your  battery from charging properly, it could damage your equipment. It can also be potentially dangerous.

Step 4. Check to be sure the charger is plugged in and turned on.
Sound silly, doesn’t it? Well, it isn’t really, because it does happen. It’s one of the easiest mistakes to make when charging a fleet of batteries and one of the simplest to resolve.

Step 5. Reseat the  battery in the charger.
Battery seems like it’s connected to the charger when it’s not making contact at all. If it is a drop-in or desktop charger with a pocket or tray, the radio and/or battery may be able to sit in the tray without actually touching the contacts. If it is a plug-in type of charger, the plug may not be fully inserted. Be sure the radio/battery is properly seated or fully connected and the charging indicator light is on.

Step 6. Charge another battery of the same make and model in the charger.
Determine if the issue is really with the battery pack.

Step 7. Swap out the charger.
Sometimes a dead battery is the result of a dead charger.

Step 8. Charge the battery again.
Just to be sure, give it another chance.

Every battery has a limited life span determined by a number of different factors, including but not limited to how and where it is used, how much it is used and under what conditions. There is no set time table before a battery “kicks the bucket”. If your battery has reached its End of Life, it’s time to purchase a new one.

First, the production cost of lithium batteries is high, the production equipment is expensive, the labor cost accounts for about 40% of the production cost, and the price is about three times that of lead-acid batteries. The triple price of lithium batteries brings about low cost performance, fairly smooth feeling, and it is difficult to recycle lithium batteries, and the utilization rate is not high. Due to the small size of lithium batteries, multiple lithium batteries are connected in series during the assembly process, which may lead to the disconnection or welding of a solder joint during transportation and use, which is a common problem in the connection of lithium batteries.

Secondly, the high current discharge characteristic of lithium ion power supply itself is short plate. Considering the frequent start-up of congested roads, the battery life will be greatly shortened. Lithium batteries have potential safety hazards of fire and explosion. Nobody wants to buy a “time bomb” and put it under his body. Especially when consumers do not know the fact that they have purchased some inferior lithium batteries online, the sealing condition of electric vehicles is not very good, and it is easy to cause unsafe contact due to dampness and other reasons. Some people may say that lithium battery technology is developing very fast, there will be no such problem, but no one can guarantee that this problem will not happen.

Thirdly, compared with lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries have the same weight and volume. The capacity of lithium batteries is generally about three times that of lead-acid batteries. However, for electric vehicles as alternative tools, the effect is actually limited, because many lead-acid batteries also greatly improve their endurance, which reduces the gap between lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries.

4. If lithium batteries are used instead of lead-acid batteries, it must also be considered that the voltage of lithium batteries must be the same as that of original lead-acid batteries. In addition, a special lithium charger must be replaced. Of course, there is another problem. If the lithium battery is improperly installed or has quality problems, the controller may burn out, which is one of the reasons why the installation is not recommended.

Fifth, coupled with the promulgation of the new national standards, speed limits of 25 km/h and other provisions, consumers will not be too harsh on the pursuit of electric vehicles, so that consumers spend several times the money to pay, I believe that not many people will be willing. The price of lithium batteries is several times higher than that of lead-acid batteries, reflecting the low price ratio of lithium batteries, which does not meet the standard for ordinary users to choose electric vehicles. Although lithium batteries have the characteristics of light weight, long life and long service life, the effect is not obvious in actual operation. To replace lead-acid batteries with lithium batteries, we must also consider the size of the battery bunker. Generally speaking, lead-acid batteries are larger and lithium batteries are smaller. If you want to replace them, you must take this into account. If the gap after installation is too large, it is easy to cause small shaking inside the battery and reduce its life.

6. Lithium batteries are more stable than lead-acid batteries. If they are exposed to water or improperly treated, they can easily explode. Therefore, this is an important reason why I do not recommend replacing lead-acid batteries with lithium batteries. Another point to note is that lithium batteries are multi-piece structure, as long as there are problems, it will affect the overall quality.

In short, lithium batteries are not conducive to their promotion, regardless of safety or cost. As far as current technology is concerned, lead-acid batteries are still the main ones. Want to replace lead-acid electric cars with lithium batteries? In addition to safety, when implementing the new national standards, modifications may be defined as vehicles exceeding the standards. If you are really interested in lithium batteries, it is recommended to buy lithium trams that meet national standards.

It is hard to determin the exact capacity of the battery cell after it is produced from a lithium battery factory, and this is especially true with lead acid and other batteries that involve manual assembly. Even fully automated cell production in clean rooms causes performance differences. As part of quality control, each cell is measured and segregated into categories according to their capacity levels. The high-capacity NiMH and other cells may be reserved for special applications and sold at premium prices; the large mid-range will go to commercial and industrial markets; and the low-grade cells might end up in a consumer product or in a department store. Cycling will not significantly improve the capacity of the low-end cell, and the buyer should be aware of differences in capacity and quality, which often translate into life expectancy.

Cell matching according to capacity is important, especially for industrial batteries, and no perfect match is possible. If slightly off, nickel-based cells adapt to each other after a few charge/discharge cycles similar to the players on a winning sports team. High-quality cells continue to perform longer than the lower-quality counterparts, and fading is more even and controlled. Lower-grade cells, on the other hand, diverge more quickly with use and time, and failures due to cell mismatch are more widespread. Cell mismatch is a common cause of failure in industrial batteries. Manufacturers of professional power tools and medical equipment are careful with the choice of cells to attain good battery reliability and long life.

Let’s look at what happens to a weak cell that is strung together with stronger cells in a pack. The weak cell holds less capacity and is discharged more quickly than their strong brothers. Going empty first causes their strong brothers to overrun their feeble sibling to the point where a high load can push the weak cell into reverse polarity. Nickel-cadmium can tolerate a reverse voltage of minus 0.2V at a few milliamps, but exceeding this will cause a permanent electrical short. On charge, the weak cell reaches full charge first, and then goes into heat-generating overcharge, while the strong brothers still accept charge and stay cool. The weak cell experiences a disadvantage on both charge and discharge; it continues to weaken until giving up the struggle.

The capacity tolerance between cells in an industrial battery should be +/– 2.5 percent. High-voltage packs designed for heavy loads and a wide temperature range should reduce the capacity tolerance further. There is a strong correlation between cell balance and longevity.

Rechargeable lithium batteries produce 3.7 or 3.2 volts, depending on the type of battery and the chemicals it uses. To make batteries with higher voltages, manufacturers link identical batteries in a series circuit. In this way the voltages of the individual batteries are added together, so three 3.7-volt battery cells become one 12-volt battery (3.7x 3 = 11.1 volt). You can use the same electrical technique to create your own battery packs at home. Doing so requires basic math and no electronic skills.

Select the type of batteries from which to create a 12 volt rechargeable lithium battery pack. You might consider their size, shape or amp/hour capacity to be important, or you may just choose the batteries readily available where you live. It is important to use identical batteries in your pack. They must all have the same voltage and current characteristics.

Calculate how many batteries you need by dividing 12 by the voltage of the batteries.

Link together the batteries, connecting the positive terminal of the first battery to the negative terminal of the second. Link all the batteries in the same way, always joining opposite polarity terminals. You can stack cylindrical batteries, such as the A, C and D series batteries, on top of each other in a plastic or cardboard tube, or wrap them together in sticking tape. When using larger batteries with spring terminals, such as rectangular 6-volt batteries, join them with short lengths of wire.

Run a wire from the unused terminals at each end of the line of batteries. The voltage between the two wires is 12 volts.

If you want DIY for fan, Welcome to discuss and get help from Coremax Technical team. If you are looking for a professional 12 volt rechargeable lithium battery pack, please send business inquiry to Coremax. We are glad to offer all in one solution for you.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Li-ion Battery mAh Factory.