Choosing the battery that powers your boat is a major decision that requires short-term and long-term thinking. In the past, there weren’t many options for marine batteries, but the options have grown in recent times. Where lead-acid batteries were once the go-to standard, lithium-ion batteries have a stronger stance nowadays. We’ll go over the differences between lithium-ion and lead-acid marine batteries so that you can see the differences.
Further, you may wonder why lithium batteries are a better choice compared to lead-acid when it comes to your boat. Some of the significant benefits of lithium batteries include longer shelf life, constant power, temperature resistance, faster charging, no maintenance, lightweight and they’re safe and non-hazardous. Now, let’s jump into the differences between each type of marine battery.
What is the difference between a lithium battery and a marine battery?
Differences in Lifespan
Marine batteries are often measured by the number of charging and discharging cycles they can undergo before needing a replacement. Between lithium-ion and lead-acid marine batteries, lithium-ion batteries beat out the competition. Lithium-ion batteries allow for a few thousand charge cycles, and that’s without any serious maintenance. On the other hand, lead-acid batteries require more maintenance, but might not even make it to a thousand cycles before giving out on you.Reference Information:marine lithium battery factory
Weight Considerations
Your boat’s weight is a huge factor in its capacity and mobility, and your boat’s battery is an important part of this measurement. For an average lead-acid battery, around 100 Ah, expect a weight from 60 to 80 pounds. A comparable lithium-ion battery is far lighter, sometimes coming in at half of the weight of a lead-acid battery.
Power Storage Capacity
Lithium-ion marine batteries gained popularity when boat owners discovered their increased power storage capacities. Another important thing to consider is lead-acid batteries run into issues if you discharge them too much, too quickly. You can damage a lead-acid battery if you discharge it, usually below half its capacity. Lithium-ion batteries allow more discharge without drawbacks, some allowing a full discharge without any issue.
Comparative Costs
Cost is one issue that might drive you one way or another. There’s no doubt that a comparable lead-acid battery costs less than a lithium-ion one. However, you have to understand what exactly you’re paying for. While lithium-ion batteries are more expensive upfront, they last far longer and require less maintenance. With a long-term mindset, buying a lithium-ion battery actually saves money compared to buying a lead-acid one.
How To Charge Marine Batteries
When comparing lithium marine batteries to lead-acid, lithium batteries can charge at a much higher current and they charge more efficiently. This means they can be charged faster. Lithium batteries have other advantages and do not need to be charged if they are partially discharged. Unlike lead-acid batteries, which when left in a partial state of charge will sulfate, drastically reducing performance and life.
We recommend using a multi-bank charger so that each 12v 100ah lithium ion deep cycle battery can be charged separately to ensure they stay balanced and get fully charged. Ideally, use a charger with a lithium charge profile, however, most AGM charge profiles will work just fine.
LiFeP04 marine batteries can also be charged with most alternators. Depending on the quality of the alternator, it should work with LiFePO4 batteries. Low-quality alternators with poor voltage regulation can cause the BMS to disconnect LiFePO4 batteries. If the BMS disconnects the batteries, the alternator could be damaged. To protect your LiFePO4 battery and alternator please be sure to use a compatible high-quality alternator or install a voltage regulator.