Why choice LiFePO4 batteries for my application?

What is LiFePO4 Battery?

Lithium iron phosphate battery (usually shortened due to its chemical composition, LiFePO4 battery; or even shorter, LFP battery, representing lithium iron phosphate) is a lithium ion battery, and its cathode material is made of lithium iron phosphate.

Now that we know the difference between "lithium ion" and "lithium iron", let's understand why LiFePO4 battery pack is the best choice for electric propulsion of leisure ships and small commercial ships.

Advantages of LiFePO4 Battery

Safety

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery is best known for its strong safety performance, which is the result of extremely stable chemical properties. In case of collision or short circuit and other dangerous events, they will not explode or catch fire, greatly reducing the chance of any injury. In contrast to lead-acid batteries, 100% of the nominal capacity of LiFePO4 batteries can be used. When you use 100Ah batteries, you can use 30Ah to 50Ah with lead-acid batteries, and 100Ah with LiFePO4 batteries.

Perform

The service life of LiFePO4 battery is much longer than that of lead-acid battery. It can work perfectly for 5-7 years, and the cycle life can reach 2500 times. This trade-off may be offset to some extent by slower capacity loss compared to other formulations. One year later, LiFePO4 batteries usually have the same energy density as LiCoO2 lithium-ion batteries. The battery charging time is also greatly shortened, which is another convenient performance advantage.

Weather resistance.

Lead acid battery and LiFePO4 battery will lose capacity in cold environment. The energy loss of LiFePO4 battery is the minimum. Compared with 30% when using AGM battery, it is - 20 ˚ 80% capacity at C. For many areas with extreme cold or hot weather, LiFePO4 battery is the best choice.

Light weight

Compared with lead-acid batteries, LiFePO4 batteries are almost four times lighter. For example, a 150ah lead-acid battery weighs about 50kg/110lbs, while the LiFePO4 battery on the other side weighs only 15kg/30lbs. For many solar applications, this brings huge benefits, reducing installation costs and speeding up project execution.

Fast charging

The LiFePO4 battery can be quickly charged to 100%. The lead-acid battery must be charged at the absorption stage to charge the last 20%.