Lithium Battery

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markiii

Junior Member
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73
Concious that batteries on Masers are often the cause of electrical gremlins.

Has anyone ever tried a lightweight Lithium?

Automotive and Supercars

The NEW Antigravity RS-20 Car Battery is a 20Ah Intelligent Lithium-Ion Starter Battery with a built-in Battery Management System + our exclusive RE-START Technology. Additionally, the lithium battery cells used by the RS-20 are rated at 2000 cycles nearly TWICE that of Lead/Acid!
www.antigravitybatteries-uk.co.uk
 
CatmanV2

CatmanV2

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48,837
markiii said:
Concious that batteries on Masers are often the cause of electrical gremlins.

Has anyone ever tried a lightweight Lithium?

Automotive and Supercars

The NEW Antigravity RS-20 Car Battery is a 20Ah Intelligent Lithium-Ion Starter Battery with a built-in Battery Management System + our exclusive RE-START Technology. Additionally, the lithium battery cells used by the RS-20 are rated at 2000 cycles nearly TWICE that of Lead/Acid!
www.antigravitybatteries-uk.co.uk
Click to expand...

They are quite popular on the Leftpondian site where everyone wants 'the best'

For me, I'm happy that lead electrons are the same as lithium ones ;)

C
 
Phil H

Phil H

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4,180
In my experience it's only when cars are left unattended for long periods, or batteries are past their prime anyway, that problems arise. Given the price of those Lithiums I don't think I'd bother. The website says "great for the following brands", it doesn't say 'endorsed by'.

I agree with C.
 
T

TimR

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2,731
I have them on my bikes...Pretty happy with the way they don't discharge when left ( current drains excepted, of course) and the weight difference is impressive.
 
lozcb

lozcb

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12,586
Looks like another solution to a problem that doesn't exist, for which they can charge you bucket loads more ...............My guess is that we will see this scenario happening more and more and Phils analysis that technology and innovation should be applied to area's where its sorely needed
 
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TimR

Member
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2,731
I know you're an old fuddy-duddy mate, but I couldnt agree and disagree with you more on this.
£200K lightweight Alpine anyone!!
 
jebroni

jebroni

Member
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137
I’ve been having a parasitic drain on my 3yr old Bosch which I’ve now pinned down to the alarm siren battery defunct.
Bought one of these Bluetooth battery check things & have been locking the car on the key instead of the remote & hey presto all good after 6 days instead of nearly flat after 3.
Hope this helps if anyone having similar issues.
 

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Zep

Zep

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There are a few benefits of Lithium for me.

1. They are high cyclic, so can be discharged lower and more regularly than a lead acid battery without damage

2. They have a much longer service life

3. The built in battery management system cuts off power if the battery power reduces to the point where it won’t start the car. Meaning you can always start even if it has gone “flat”.

Downside. They are chuffing expensive in comparison.
 
StuartW

StuartW

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9,320
My Trofeo race car has one, mainly for weight saving and they do hold their charge but the cold cranking ability for a big V8 is not the best. Luckily the race car fires up on the button but you only get a few spins before it starts to give up
 
Zep

Zep

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StuartW said:
My Trofeo race car has one, mainly for weight saving and they do hold their charge but the cold cranking ability for a big V8 is not the best. Luckily the race car fires up on the button but you only get a few spins before it starts to give up
Click to expand...

Probably because it is sized for the job and no more. You’d hope there would be a bit more leaway in a road car version.
 
StuartW

StuartW

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Zep said:
Probably because it is sized for the job and no more. You’d hope there would be a bit more leaway in a road car version.
Click to expand...

Yes, absolutely. Mine is a Super-B, as fitted to a bike and is super small and light but is impressive that it can even get a GT fired up, so a beefed up version would no doubt do the job very well
 
StuartW

StuartW

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9,320
Also, I use an OPTIMATE conditioner to look after the battery as the car is laid up for extended periods of time, and it does a great job
 
midlifecrisis

midlifecrisis

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16,250
Zep said:
There are a few benefits of Lithium for me.

1. They are high cyclic, so can be discharged lower and more regularly than a lead acid battery without damage

2. They have a much longer service life

3. The built in battery management system cuts off power if the battery power reduces to the point where it won’t start the car. Meaning you can always start even if it has gone “flat”.

Downside. They are chuffing expensive in comparison.
Click to expand...
Your alternator won't like it. That battery management system also prevents overcharging leaving the alternator to charge into nothing.

I wouldn't use lithium in a car.
 
Zep

Zep

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midlifecrisis said:
Your alternator won't like it. That battery management system also prevents overcharging leaving the alternator to charge into nothing.

I wouldn't use lithium in a car.
Click to expand...

How do you mean? The IGBT in the alternator diode pack regulates the voltage to meet the required demand.
 
midlifecrisis

midlifecrisis

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Zep said:
How do you mean? The IGBT in the alternator diode pack regulates the voltage to meet the required demand.
Click to expand...
But not current.

The charge characteristics are different. Yes it will work but the risks can be catastrophic.

A Lithium battery will absorb as much charge as it can get when it's depleted. The alternator will happily supply a high current, even if the voltage remains constant.. Unfortunatley the wiring is only rated to a certain current. Too much current and the wiring can over heat as its resistance is fixed, unless you replace it with thicker wires (less resistance) .

If the Lithium Battery has a Management System, it should restrict the current by mimicking the Lead Acid Charge Characteristics but is it really worth it? A LiFePO4 battery is superlight, a 100Ah one can be picked up easily in one hand, but in a 2-ton car, is it worth the extra cost and risk?


Side note: IGBT? A woke alternator? ;)
 
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Zep

Zep

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midlifecrisis said:
But not current.

The charge characteristics are different. Yes it will work but the risks can be catastrophic.

A Lithium battery will absorb as much charge as it can get when it's depleted. The alternator will happily supply a high current, even if the voltage remains constant.. Unfortunatley the wiring is only rated to a certain current. Too much current and the wiring can over heat as its resistance is fixed, unless you replace it with thicker wires (less resistance) .

If the Lithium Battery has a Management System, it should restrict the current by mimicking the Lead Acid Charge Characteristics but is it really worth it? A LiFePO4 battery is superlight, a 100Ah one can be picked up easily in one hand, but in a 2-ton car, is it worth the extra cost and risk?


Side note: IGBT? A woke alternator? ;)
Click to expand...

Current = Voltage / Resistance.

You are right, a lithium battery will take a much higher charge rate, if the power is available. Given that it isn’t, it won’t.

Anyway, rate of charge isn’t one of the advantages over Lead Acid, it’s just a feature.

But that doesn’t explain “Charging into nothing” - when a VRLA battery is fully charged, what does the alternator do then?
 
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M

markiii

Junior Member
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73
I prefer to look at it as where else could you get ewquivelant weight savings cheaper?

assuming you already did wheels and brakes
 
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