5 Things to Know Before Buying Lithium Battery

A Lithium battery is often the most expensive element in a solar installation, and as a battery is a long term investment, it is important to take into account all aspects of a battery before buying. There are a number of parameters that are important to consider when buying batteries, for example:

• Voltage and capacity
• charge / discharge rate (C-rate)
• Depth of Discharge (DoD%)
• Life span, warranty and (local) back-up support
• Expandability
• Mounting
• other

Voltage and Capacity

The Voltage of a battery will have to match the Voltage of your inverter. These days, most home solar or backup installations are 48 Volts (V). The higher the voltage, the less energy losses take place inside the system.

The Capacity of a battery is the total amount of electricity that it can store, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) or Ampere-hour (Ah). If the battery capacity is measured in Ah, just multiply the Voltage of the battery with the Ah rating:

Wh = Ah x V

To calculate how long a battery will last, for your intended use, you can multiply the loads you want to connect, by the duration you want to run the loads for. For example, your load is 1 kW (1,000 Watts); a battery with a useable capacity of 4 kWh will run this load for 4 hours.

Time (hours) x kW = kWh

C-rate
While capacity tells you how big your battery is, the C rate tells you how much power a battery can provide at a given moment, or how quickly the battery can be charged or discharged.

A battery with a high capacity and a low C rate would deliver a low amount of electricity (enough to run a few crucial appliances) for a long time. A battery with low capacity and a high C rate could run your entire home, but only for a few hours. The C-rate is relative to the capacity of the battery, e.g.:

In summary, 1C means that the battery is fully charged and discharged within one hour, 2C is 30 minutes, and 0.5 C means 2 hours.

Example: a Pylontech USC will have a C-rate of 0.5, while some other batteries have a 1 C-rate. To be sure that a 5 kVA / 4 kW inverter can run at its full potential, you would need at least 3 of these Pylontech batteries.

Depth of discharge (DoD)

The Depth of Discharge (DoD) of a battery refers to the amount of a battery&#;s capacity that has been used. Most battery manufacturers will specify a maximum DoD for optimal performance. For example, if a 10 kWh battery has a maximum DoD of 90 percent, you shouldn&#;t use more than 9 kWh of the battery before recharging it. 

In theory, all Lithium batteries can be discharged at 100%, but this will shorten its cycle life and might affect warranties. The stated DoD in battery specifications should therefore always be considered together with the life span (see below).

Life span, warranty and back-up support

In general, most Lithium batteries will have an expected life-span of somewhere between 8 and 16 years. In most home solar systems, your battery will &#;cycle&#; (charge and discharge) daily. Over time, your battery will lose some of the charge.

This is similar to the battery in your &#; you are charging your each night, and as your gets older, the battery doesn&#;t last as long as it did when it was new. Extreme temperatures can affect the life span of a battery. The life-span of a battery is often stated in number of cycles, e.g. 4,000 cycles.

Your battery will have a warranty that guarantees a certain number of cycles and/or years of useful life, often for a certain maximum DoD. Warranty often states for example &#;10 years at a maximum (or average) DoD of 80%&#;, and that after 10 years &#;60% of the battery&#;s capacity&#; will remain. Always try to check for this statement in a battery&#;s specification, the DoD in combination with life span and remaining capacity.

Another aspect to consider is back-up support, and whether this support can be provided locally as well. For example, if a battery is assembled locally, and there is a specific battery cell that happens to be faulty, the manufacturer can come and simply swap out that cell. However, for many imported batteries, the unit has to be sent back to its origin for repairs, and you might have to wait for a long time to get your battery back once it is repaired.

Expandability

Most batteries are designed to be &#;expandable,&#; which means that you can add multiple batteries to your solar system to get extra capacity. Check for this option to make sure you can expand your system in the future.

Mounting

Some batteries can be wall-mounted, others have to be placed on the ground, and sometimes you need to buy specific cabinets. If, for example, you have limited space in your garage next to the DB board, the mounting system is something to consider as well.

Other considerations

Other aspects to consider are, whether you need extra specific battery cables, whether the battery is compatible with your brand of inverter and whether the battery is able to communicate with the inverter, and last but not least of course the what the total price is, compared to the quality of the battery. Price per kWh would be useful for comparison, taking into account, warranty, number of cycles etc; in short considering all the issues discussed above.

If you want a battery that lasts longer, packs more of a punch with less weight, and has a fast charge time, switching to lithium batteries is most likely the right move for you. However, not all lithium battery brands are created equal, particularly when it comes to battery safety, the company&#;s track record, and customer support. So how can you ensure you select the right brand in order to make the most out of your energy storage investment?

Here is a list of the top factors to consider when making your lithium battery selection:

1. What Is The Lithium Battery&#;s Chemical Makeup?
2. The Company Ethics
3. UN38.3 Certification
4. The Variety In Product Offerings
5. Customer Experience

What Is The Lithium Battery&#;s Chemical Makeup?

Lithium battery chemistry is significant, as it directly impacts the safety and longevity of your energy storage system. There are many different lithium battery chemistry options to be aware of, ranging from Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP or LiFePO4) to Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) to Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO) to Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (NCA). The most widely used lithium battery chemistries can be categorized as either cobalt-based or non-cobalt-based (e.g. LiFePO4 or LFP) lithium batteries, with the latter representing the safest, most environmentally benign, and longest-lasting lithium battery chemistries on the market.

The oxygen and the phosphorus atoms in LFP batteries are strongly linked by covalent bonding, unlike the weaker cobalt-oxide bond in cobalt-based lithium batteries like LCO, NMC, and NCA. This is advantageous because the phosphate-oxide bond offers enhanced stability. On the other hand, lithium cobalt-based batteries can release excessive heat and create fire hazards when they are overcharged or subjected to damage. Due to their superior chemistry and resulting in greater safety, LiFePO4 batteries are able to be installed on their side and in more space-restricted compartments. RELiON exclusively offers lithium batteries that utilize lithium iron phosphate chemistry for these reasons.

The Company

Although the first commercial lithium-ion battery was developed over three decades ago, the use of LFP batteries in high power applications is still relatively new. As a result, top-tier lithium battery manufacturers have had to continually innovate and build their knowledge of the technology to maintain a competitive advantage. Lithium batteries contain much more sophisticated technology than lead-acid batteries, so designing, engineering, testing, and manufacturing the highest-quality lithium batteries requires highly developed technical skills and expertise.

When considering a lithium battery brand, the experience of the company is tantamount. RELiON&#;s engineering and manufacturing teams have honed their lithium battery expertise, specialty over the past several decades and have a proven track record to stand behind with distribution networks located on nearly every continent. RELiON has cultivated a team of experts with a combined 190 years of experience and invests exclusively in people with the necessary expertise, training, and relationships to ensure customers&#; success.

The financial security and robust operations of a company are important to consider, too. With RELiON, customers don&#;t have to worry that the company won&#;t be around if they want to seek customer support down the road. RELiON&#;s recent acquisition by Brunswick, a major player in the marine industry, has taken RELiON&#;s reliability to the next level. Customers can have peace of mind that the company not only has strong financial backing but will be there to support them and their systems, should the need arise in the years to come.

UN38.3 Certification

Lithium batteries must go through a rigorous testing and certification procedure to meet UN38.3 standards and be certified for transportation. However, the responsibility of certification falls on the seller, and there are many products in the market that fail to meet the UN38.3 standard. To be approved, the battery must not rupture, leak, disassemble, or catch fire through eight rounds of testing that include altitude, thermal, vibration, shock, short circuit, impact, crush, and forced discharge testing. These tests provide an extremely important safeguard for the customers, which is why RELiON invests in the certification of all products, ensuring they meet the industry&#;s quality and safety standards.

Variety Of Product Offering

Having options for how much power and space you need is important to make sure you find the best lithium battery to fit your specific needs and application. Most lithium battery manufacturers offer limited options in terms of battery shape, size, and voltage due to the fact that it is often more cost-effective for them. However, RELiON has one of the largest LFP product offerings available - ranging from 12V to 24V to 48V batteries that power nearly every application. RELiON batteries also come in virtually any shape or size to enable you to find the perfectly sized lithium battery for a wide range of installation locations. Facilitated by the years in the field under their belt, RELiON&#;s expert engineering team has also developed the ability to customize batteries, enabling outside manufacturers to integrate them into their own products. 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.

Customer experience

Choosing a company that will work closely with you to provide expert guidance - both when you are deciding which battery to select for your specific situation as well as after you have made your purchase - is necessary when investing in lithium batteries. Being able to communicate easily with experts about this technology will ensure that you are able to get the most out of your equipment and use it hassle-free long-term.

RELiON&#;s dedicated team of customer service and technical support staff are always there for you whenever you need them. RELiON customers are able to directly engage with their experts and receive the highest-level guidance because RELiON offers users the ability to buy directly from their site, in addition to major retail stores.

RELiON has been in the industry for 20+ years, which means that as a customer, you will have a talented team of experts ready to assist you in any way. Don&#;t just take it from us though; RELiON&#;s reviews speak for themselves:

&#;Why did we switch to RELiON? Easy: their reputation. We didn&#;t have much experience with lithium batteries, but knew we&#;d be in good hands based on all of the positive feedback our friends in the RV community provided about RELiON batteries and RELiON&#;s excellent customer service.&#; - Leigh and Brian, RV campers

&#;Our experience with RELiON and their LiFePO4 batteries has been very positive from the very beginning. While installing our two RB200 batteries into our RV I had some technical questions and was connected directly with a RELiON engineer who answered them quickly and thoroughly. Now, nearly a year later, we are still 100% satisfied with the performance of our RELiON batteries.&#; - Fate Unbound, RV camper

&#;Their customer service is top-notch and their batteries have been proven time and again to be very reliable and long-lasting. I know a lot of professional anglers that have made the switch to RELiON batteries.&#; - Matt Arey, Bassmaster Elite Pro Angler

Lithium batteries can provide you with a lighter, more powerful alternative to lead-acid batteries to help you challenge your limits by spending more time on the water and off the grid. Before you decide to make the switch, it&#;s important to research which brand will help you reach your goals best by taking into consideration if a company makes LFP batteries or not, the variety they offer, and the company&#;s expertise and customer relations reputation. These are all factors that play heavily into the successful integration of lithium batteries into your energy system.

Mounting

Some batteries can be wall-mounted, others have to be placed on the ground, and sometimes you need to buy specific cabinets. If, for example, you have limited space in your garage next to the DB board, the mounting system is something to consider as well.

Other considerations

Other aspects to consider are, whether you need extra specific battery cables, whether the battery is compatible with your brand of inverter and whether the battery is able to communicate with the inverter, and last but not least of course the what the total price is, compared to the quality of the battery. Price per kWh would be useful for comparison, taking into account, warranty, number of cycles etc; in short considering all the issues discussed above.

If you want a battery that lasts longer, packs more of a punch with less weight, and has a fast charge time, switching to lithium batteries is most likely the right move for you. However, not all lithium battery brands are created equal, particularly when it comes to battery safety, the company&#;s track record, and customer support. So how can you ensure you select the right brand in order to make the most out of your energy storage investment?

Here is a list of the top factors to consider when making your lithium battery selection:

1. What Is The Lithium Battery&#;s Chemical Makeup?
2. The Company Ethics
3. UN38.3 Certification
4. The Variety In Product Offerings
5. Customer Experience

What Is The Lithium Battery&#;s Chemical Makeup?

Lithium battery chemistry is significant, as it directly impacts the safety and longevity of your energy storage system. There are many different lithium battery chemistry options to be aware of, ranging from Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP or LiFePO4) to Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) to Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO) to Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (NCA). The most widely used lithium battery chemistries can be categorized as either cobalt-based or non-cobalt-based (e.g. LiFePO4 or LFP) lithium batteries, with the latter representing the safest, most environmentally benign, and longest-lasting lithium battery chemistries on the market.

The oxygen and the phosphorus atoms in LFP batteries are strongly linked by covalent bonding, unlike the weaker cobalt-oxide bond in cobalt-based lithium batteries like LCO, NMC, and NCA. This is advantageous because the phosphate-oxide bond offers enhanced stability. On the other hand, lithium cobalt-based batteries can release excessive heat and create fire hazards when they are overcharged or subjected to damage. Due to their superior chemistry and resulting in greater safety, LiFePO4 batteries are able to be installed on their side and in more space-restricted compartments. RELiON exclusively offers lithium batteries that utilize lithium iron phosphate chemistry for these reasons.

The Company

Although the first commercial lithium-ion battery was developed over three decades ago, the use of LFP batteries in high power applications is still relatively new. As a result, top-tier lithium battery manufacturers have had to continually innovate and build their knowledge of the technology to maintain a competitive advantage. Lithium batteries contain much more sophisticated technology than lead-acid batteries, so designing, engineering, testing, and manufacturing the highest-quality lithium batteries requires highly developed technical skills and expertise.

When considering a lithium battery brand, the experience of the company is tantamount. RELiON&#;s engineering and manufacturing teams have honed their lithium battery expertise, specialty over the past several decades and have a proven track record to stand behind with distribution networks located on nearly every continent. RELiON has cultivated a team of experts with a combined 190 years of experience and invests exclusively in people with the necessary expertise, training, and relationships to ensure customers&#; success.

The financial security and robust operations of a company are important to consider, too. With RELiON, customers don&#;t have to worry that the company won&#;t be around if they want to seek customer support down the road. RELiON&#;s recent acquisition by Brunswick, a major player in the marine industry, has taken RELiON&#;s reliability to the next level. Customers can have peace of mind that the company not only has strong financial backing but will be there to support them and their systems, should the need arise in the years to come.

UN38.3 Certification

Lithium batteries must go through a rigorous testing and certification procedure to meet UN38.3 standards and be certified for transportation. However, the responsibility of certification falls on the seller, and there are many products in the market that fail to meet the UN38.3 standard. To be approved, the battery must not rupture, leak, disassemble, or catch fire through eight rounds of testing that include altitude, thermal, vibration, shock, short circuit, impact, crush, and forced discharge testing. These tests provide an extremely important safeguard for the customers, which is why RELiON invests in the certification of all products, ensuring they meet the industry&#;s quality and safety standards.

Variety Of Product Offering

Having options for how much power and space you need is important to make sure you find the best lithium battery to fit your specific needs and application. Most lithium battery manufacturers offer limited options in terms of battery shape, size, and voltage due to the fact that it is often more cost-effective for them. However, RELiON has one of the largest LFP product offerings available - ranging from 12V to 24V to 48V batteries that power nearly every application. RELiON batteries also come in virtually any shape or size to enable you to find the perfectly sized lithium battery for a wide range of installation locations. Facilitated by the years in the field under their belt, RELiON&#;s expert engineering team has also developed the ability to customize batteries, enabling outside manufacturers to integrate them into their own products. 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.

Customer experience

Choosing a company that will work closely with you to provide expert guidance - both when you are deciding which battery to select for your specific situation as well as after you have made your purchase - is necessary when investing in lithium batteries. Being able to communicate easily with experts about this technology will ensure that you are able to get the most out of your equipment and use it hassle-free long-term.

RELiON&#;s dedicated team of customer service and technical support staff are always there for you whenever you need them. RELiON customers are able to directly engage with their experts and receive the highest-level guidance because RELiON offers users the ability to buy directly from their site, in addition to major retail stores.

RELiON has been in the industry for 20+ years, which means that as a customer, you will have a talented team of experts ready to assist you in any way. Don&#;t just take it from us though; RELiON&#;s reviews speak for themselves:

&#;Why did we switch to RELiON? Easy: their reputation. We didn&#;t have much experience with lithium batteries, but knew we&#;d be in good hands based on all of the positive feedback our friends in the RV community provided about RELiON batteries and RELiON&#;s excellent customer service.&#; - Leigh and Brian, RV campers

&#;Our experience with RELiON and their LiFePO4 batteries has been very positive from the very beginning. While installing our two RB200 batteries into our RV I had some technical questions and was connected directly with a RELiON engineer who answered them quickly and thoroughly. Now, nearly a year later, we are still 100% satisfied with the performance of our RELiON batteries.&#; - Fate Unbound, RV camper

&#;Their customer service is top-notch and their batteries have been proven time and again to be very reliable and long-lasting. I know a lot of professional anglers that have made the switch to RELiON batteries.&#; - Matt Arey, Bassmaster Elite Pro Angler

Lithium batteries can provide you with a lighter, more powerful alternative to lead-acid batteries to help you challenge your limits by spending more time on the water and off the grid. Before you decide to make the switch, it&#;s important to research which brand will help you reach your goals best by taking into consideration if a company makes LFP batteries or not, the variety they offer, and the company&#;s expertise and customer relations reputation. These are all factors that play heavily into the successful integration of lithium batteries into your energy system.

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