If you are looking for durable and worthy power storage for your motorhomes or caravan, a lithium leisure battery is an excellent solution.
Not familiar with it? Browse and learn more about its features, capacity, advantages, and other factors from this ultimate guide.
Read more to learn more!
What is Lithium Leisure Battery?
Lithium leisure batteries typically have increased energy compactness. They also have half of the lead-acid batteries’ weight. Moreover, compared to other batteries, the lithium-made ones last for about 10 times longer with about 80% discharge strength.
How The Battery Works
The flow of electrons and lithium ions in a battery creates electricity. Then, the positive and negative charges were formed when there is the absence or obtaining electrons.
Since Li-ions and electrons are forced-attached together, allowing lithium batteries play on. The joint load around terminals enables the electron and ions to move from two elements.
By utilizing separators, the ion is pressured to move through electrons and batteries. That makes them travel across the electricity path. These movements form electricity, making the load possess power. The recharged power storage inverses the procedure, changing the Li-ions and electrons in an anode.
Why Choose Lithium Leisure Battery
There are numerous reasons why you should use lithium batteries instead of other power storage type. They have the following advantages.
Durability
Compared to most batteries, only lithium stands at high advantages. In terms of durability, they are excellent in many aspects. One of them is its discharge rate.
Unlike lead acids, lithium leisure batteries can still work well even at 90% discharge. That’s because this battery’s technology doesn’t sulfate. Therefore, even though they haven’t been used for a while, but still work just as new.
Modern Features
Lithium batteries have a built-in battery management system. By doing so, the balance of the cells is guaranteed. It shields the battery from typical problems as well.
And the other excellent feature it has is Bluetooth. This modern feature allows others to view the battery’s current status. That includes the power, state of charge, and voltage through a device.
Weight
Unlike what others assume, lithium leisure batteries are lightweight. Half a percent lighter than lead acids. Therefore, they are easy to move if necessary.
Lithium can effectively save hundreds of kilograms when linked in series or parallel. And that’s in addition to its benefits, like better MPG.
Life Cycle
Lithium batteries usually last longer than others. But that depends on how they are maintained. According to some estimates, they may last up to 20 times longer.
Therefore the battery can be 50% DoD with more than five thousand cycles. That explains why they may seem expensive but are far less costly than lead acids.
Available Sizes According to Capacity
To understand your needed sizes of lithium batteries for leisure, you can calculate first their total capacity. The complete range of devices’ wattage is cut up by the voltage. And that finally gets the total Amp hour required for batteries.
The following table is a rough guide to standard Li-battery capacity.
| Battery Capacity | |||||||||||
| 86Ah | 105Ah | 110Ah | 120Ah | ||||||||
| V | Hrs | Watts | V | Hrs | Watts | V | Hrs | Watts | V | Hrs | Watts |
| 12 | 35 | 30 | 12 | 42 | 30 | 12 | 44 | 30 | 12 | 48 | 30 |
| 12 | 6.9 | 150 | 12 | 8.4 | 150 | 12 | 8.8 | 150 | 12 | 9.6 | 150 |
| 12 | 1.03 | 1000 | 12 | 1.26 | 1000 | 12 | 1.32 | 1000 | 12 | 1.44 | 1000 |
Suitable Applications
Lithium batteries are designed for different leisure applications. That includes;
Motorhomes
Lithium leisure batteries are excellent for homes with wheels. They can accommodate powered accessories such as lights, washing machines, gadgets, and even tv. In addition to that, lithium also has more advantages when utilized, such as
- 30% lighter
- Maintenance-free
- Usable capacity up to 100%
- 2000-5000 cycles
Caravan
Batteries are required to provide the necessary amps, discharge, and other attributes for moving vehicles. Fortunately, they are fulfilled by using lithium leisure batteries. They were created specifically for these applications. The more qualities that make them suitable include
- Chargeable even at 20% without damage
- Safe of non-toxic nature
- can power 12V devices
- Flexible to install
Boat & Marine
Onboard technology heightens the enjoyment of water experiences. Lithium leisure batteries can meet such a demand. Also, this battery does not create unwanted noise or vibrations. Moreover, they are ideal for these reasons
- No memory effects
- Low monthly self-discharge (3%)
- High power density
Campervan
A lithium leisure battery is excellent for the best performance on campervan necessities. This battery doesn’t require maintenance and functions well even in cold temperatures. Its more benefits are listed below.
- Ten-year warranty
- Charged and discharged in -20C degree
- Sustains high current discharges
- In-built BMS
When is the Lithium Battery Need for Leisure
The following tells the basic factors when you need lithium batteries.
Essential Space and Weight
The lithium-type of battery for leisure is perfect when needing an immense power storage bank. If you choose a lead-acid one, it consumes large space yet has limited weight balance.
Power Requirement
You’ll need lithium-type batteries when you use them for appliances that require high power. It helps support extreme electricity discharge yet maintains its capacity.
Thinpack typically advised such batteries when your application requires more than 460Ah.
Living Time-Span in Your Van
Lithium batteries are suitable for your van with weekend or holiday usage. However, aiming to live there the entire week and time requires a lengthy battery lifespan. This time you’ll need an AGM battery – a larger capacity bank.
Lithium Leisure & AGM Battery Differences
Lithium and AGM batteries are both beneficial in suitable applications. However, they come with comprehensive differences.
Consider the information below.
Discharge Depth
Lithium batteries have about 98% depth discharge. They can be discharged totally without impairing the battery.
The new AGM batteries have about 80% depth discharge and up to 50% if aged. That allows them to be slighter diligent than lithium-type leisure batteries.
Lifespan
The lithium phosphate batteries always come with high durability, offering up to 10,000 cycle life in charging.
AGM battery impairs easily, having 500 charges and discharge life cycles. Therefore, lithium ones have more lengthy service life than AGM power storage.
Weight & Sizes
Lithium batteries have lesser weight since they don’t contain liquid acid. Whether small or large Li-ion batteries have higher depth, making them possess the same level of power.
On the other side, AGM batteries involve liquid acid, making them possess heavier weight. Moreover, their low-depth discharge requires a big battery for certain usages.
Energy Density
For specific usages, Li-ion has a lesser size compared to AGM batteries. Meaning, they come with lesser embodied energy. Thus have increased density than AGM ones.
Charging Period & Efficiency
AGM power storage is slower to charge than Li-ion ones. Since lithium has increased efficiency. However, AGM batteries are quicker to charge than wet lead-acid power storage.
Lithium Leisure & Lead Acid Battery Variation
Lithium leisure and lead acid batteries have various factors. They each possess qualities that allow one to outperform the other in particular instances.
Similar to how lead acid batteries have dynamic cell balancing. On lithium leisure batteries, this is different. Solar panel applications may suffer as a result of such a situation. A failure happens when the cells are exposed to rising voltage.
Additionally, heating electronics can help warm the batteries in low temperatures. That might be quite simple, but on traveling vehicles, it’s a bit hassle. They also cause additional costs, particularly on the comprehensive kind. Therefore on this part, a fully charged lithium battery outperforms the lead acids since it doesn’t need one to function well.
Different Charging Methods
The following explains various charging methods for lithium-type leisure batteries.
While Driving
The simplest method for charging a lithium battery is this one. Only a charger with a DC-DC connection with the battery starter is required. It is installed through a second battery or on the engine compartment. As you drive, the battery is charged.
Solar Panels
Other than mentioned above, utilizing solar panel systems is another easy way of charging. It only needs a portable system to be installed on the roof. Also, they are available based on the required power needed.
Using 240-volt lithium Charger
The last method to charge a lithium leisure battery is with a charger. All it’s required to power the battery is to plug them into an outlet.
Conclusion
Therefore, we can conclude that lithium leisure batteries are a more beneficial, durable, and cost-effective solution than other batteries. Various capacities and sizes are available to suit certain setups.
The above information can indeed help you decide and think about when you need to use lithium batteries for leisure.
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