Lithium Iron Phosphate vs Lead Acid

The lithium iron phosphate cathode and graphite anode put a huge strain on lithium’s viability to be more commercially available. Lithium metal alone costs an astounding $7.48 USD per pound. That doesn’t even include the cost of the very specific type of graphite material that you need. In order to effectively flow current through a lithium battery, graphite needs to be “battery-grade” which can be upwards of $10 per pound, an absolutely overwhelming cost. Part of what makes lead acid so appealing is the fact that lead is cheap and easy to mine—its cost? 95 cents per pound. Price tag is just one of the more average consumers’ first thoughts when it comes to buying a battery, the next? Practicality. Rather, do they need it?

For example: the average parent would want their little ones to enjoy their tiny life through miniaturized toy cars. These “power wheel” toys often utilize lead acid batteries and every now and then, they need a replacement. Some curious soul might take the plunge and buy a lithium-based battery-- not so bad right? No more replacing for a long time! Fast forward 4 years and the power wheels toy gets damaged, now what? You’re left with a battery that was 90% the cost of the power wheels. Doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend so much for so little. Lithium batteries are amazing but there’s a line between naivety and ignorance.

All batteries require a certain level of maintenance to keep them from failing prematurely. To make the most out of LiFePO4’s 100% usable capacity, you require a LiFePO4 charger. Using a standard lead acid charger isn’t enough as the specifications just aren’t quite right to take care of LiFePO4’s needs.

Luckily, LiFePO4 batteries typically include a battery management system (BMS) to help regulate a lot of the potential damage that can be done to LiFePO4 batteries in the short term so you aren’t entirely in the dark when it comes to maintaining your lithium battery.

Lead acid doesn’t have the privilege of a BMS, they also don’t have 100% usable capacity. Unless a lead acid battery is “deep-cycle”, you should not discharge it below 50%. Discharging it will induce a chemical process known as “sulfation”. Too much sulfation occurs because of things like keeping the battery below 100% SOC when not in use, lack of periodic charging, constant cycling below 50% capacity, and discharging/charging too slowly-- eventually killing the battery.

I’ve discussed only the key differences between LiFePO4 and lead acid to help inform those that are taking time to learn more about what works best for them. The advantages of electric power are numerous; a variety of natural and free sources are available such as wind or solar, electricity can be generated by these resources, and stored in a battery for future use.

For General Use:
LiFePO4 Batteries are extremely reliable and will work in a variety of conditions. With greater life cycles in comparison to Lead Acid; these batteries will thrive for much longer periods of time especially when properly handled. This makes LiFePO4 batteries a great option for multiple applications especially those that require consistent and long-term use.

For Renewable Systems:
These sources are abundant but that does not mean you can't incorporate conventional power sources to your system such as your current Electricity Provider. The biggest concern most people have with using a natural resource as an electric power source is the misconception that they will be replacing or "switching over" to this new system when, in reality, it's more of an addition or incorporation to your already existing electric system. In fact, most modern solar home systems, for example, utilize both your cities electrical grid and solar energy to power a house or backup power in the form of a large battery bank. These systems are most favorable as they save average consumers money and provide peace of mind as a renewable backup system that is available in case of emergencies or blackouts. This makes LiFePO4 Batteries an invaluable component for any solar home system as they can handle both natural and conventional electric sources for longer and with less hiccups due to the intermediary BMS which protects these batteries form a variety of possible issues such as low or high temperature, short circuits, over charging, ect.

Solar systems provide an excellent source of renewable energy and we will talk about them in the future as well but for now I hope you were able to find this article informative and helpful in your search for the right battery.