Energy Research Power Buddy Lithium battery LiFePO4

LiFePO4 accumulators are a advancement of the known lithium ion accumulators. They provide higher discharge currents and don't deposit lithium or release oxygen when overcharging. Therefore even an overheating caused by a chemical reaction isn't possible. Although these batteries are maintenance-free, there are a few things to follow.
For easier monitoring, the free Power Buddy smartphone and tablet app can be downloaded. It shows interesting information such as the remaining time or the currently used amp. The battery can also be locked via the app at the push of a button, so that no current flows.

Capacity data / Current drain

For lithium batteries the nominal values of the amperes are calculated with a 1-hour extraction period, that means a battery specified as 100 Ah can be charged for 1 hour with 100 ampere removal. For conventional Lead/Acid or AGM/Gel batteries, this information is based on a 20h loading period. In order to drive ~3 hours with, for example, a Minn Kota Endura 30 electric outboard with 30 Ah power consumption, you need at least one 120-160 Ah AGM battery. In comparison, a 100 Ah lithium battery suffices for the same journey time.

Weight

Another extremely big advantage of lithium batteries is the low weight. Based on the example above, a 100 Ah lithium battery weighs 12kg, an 120-160 Ah AGM battery about 30-45kg. The weight saving is therefore about 60%!

Charging duration / techniques

As with the current drain, lithium batteries can be charged with a charging current that corresponds to the full nominal value - i.e. a 100 Ah battery with a charging current of up to 100 Ah. Thus, this battery is fully charged in one hour. This is very useful in applications where a quick charge is needed. However, we point out that the cycle life suffers. We also recommend using only our Energy Research chargers for lithium batteries. Only then the expected cycle stability and, if applicable, guarantee is fully guaranteed. The Energy Research lithium batteries are equipped with an internal electronic system, which protects the battery from deep discharge by an automatic shutdown function.

Cycle stability

In addition to the low weight and the possible high current flows, the durability or cycle life is the most important criterion for a lithium battery, so that despite the high price, a charging cycle is far cheaper than with conventional consumer batteries. The Energy Research LiFePO4 accumulators are based on an average cycle life of 2000 units. This means when it reaches 2000 cycles, the performance of the battery is still over 75%! ATTENTION: A series circuit of e.g. two 12 V Energy Research lithium batteries on 24 V is not possible, as these batteries are equipped with internal electronics! This electronic is designed for the nominal voltage of the battery! A parallel connection of two identical batteries, i.e. to double the capacity while maintaining the same voltage, is possible, taking into account a suitable charger.