LiFePO4 batteries pack a punch. Knocking out traditional lead acid batteries, LiFePO4 is the more efficient technology. Many manufacturers, businesses and individuals are making the switch and converting to custom lithium batteries.
Lithium technology offers many advantages over traditional batteries. It requires no maintenance and does not produce dangerous hydrogen gas. It offers as much as 10 times the life span compared to lead acid batteries. LiFePO4 also weighs 1/3 as much as lead acid batteries and charges up to five times faster, depending on the charger that’s used.
When you convert to LiFePO4, you double your battery capacity and operational time, plus you reduce energy waste. Lithium is a green product with no heavy metals and no carcinogenic properties. Its longer life span significantly reduces manufacturing and transportation emissions when compared to lead acid.
Lithium’s long battery life span is due to the low resistance of its chemistry. Very little heat is produced when charging and discharging, protecting your battery against the diminishing effects of high temperatures. Because you don’t have to change out your battery as often, you have fewer replacement and labor costs. These savings make lithium batteries a more valuable long-term investment than lead acid batteries.
Lithium Batteries Offer Savings For Solar Applications
One customer switched from a lead acid to lithium power source in its solar applications. The applications power security cameras mounted at the top of light poles and used to need battery replacements every 18 months. Servicing these units required the customer to hire someone with a bucket truck. The contracted cost of changing the battery averaged $500.
By powering the applications with lithium solar batteries, the company added over six years of battery life, reducing labor costs over this period by more than $1,500. Additionally, the applications were more efficient with 30 percent faster charging. This is just one example out of many lithium customers that are seeing similar savings.
Lithium Reduces A Material Handling Company’s Costs
As another example, a material handling company located in a factory that operates three shifts a day reduced its total energy costs by 65 percent. After analyzing its energy usage required to charge cart equipment, it switched from lead acid to lithium and started saving $1,100 per cart annually.
The company had been changing out lead acid battery packs multiple times a day so that carts could be used continually. With lithium, the company is now charging quickly at several points in the day and no longer has to change out battery packs.
The savings you’ll receive from replacing your lead acid batteries with lithium allow you to focus more of your budget on higher priorities. So, consult a professional for advice on powering your application, and knock out your excessive costs by converting to lithium.
To learn more about how to calculate your energy needs and find the optimal battery for your application and usage, visit our Lithium Battery Selector Tool.