Are you having some second thoughts on buying Lithium-Ion batteries for your RV, or are you still undecided whether to buy the lithium-ion type or the lead-acid type of battery for your vehicle? If your answer is yes, then this article might be of great help to make your decision-making faster because the main point of this article is to list down the pros and cons of Lithium-ion batteries for your RV.
What are Lithium-ion batteries?
Before we begin breaking down the pros and cons of Lithium-ion batteries, let us first tackle Lithium-ion batteries in general. What are Lithium-ion batteries? What are its components?.
A lithium-ion battery uses advanced technology on batteries in which the manufacturers use lithium ions as the main component of the battery’s electrochemistry. When the battery undergoes a cycle of discharging, the atoms of the element lithium in the anode are ionized and disconnected from its electrons. In addition, lithium ions shift their position from the anode and pass through the electrolyte until they can reach the cathode, where they can join their electrons and proceed to neutralize electrically.
Lithium-ion batteries use several different materials as electrodes depending on the specific need. The most common combo used in manufacturing is lithium cobalt oxide and graphite – this combo is usually found in portable electronic devices such as cellphones and laptops. Moreover, lithium manganese oxide and lithium iron phosphate are typically used in powering hybrid electric and electric vehicles.
What are the Pros and Cons of Lithium ion batteries?
Admit it or not, almost everything has its own sets of pros and cons. The only thing you can do to make the best out of it is to weigh them down by listing each of its advantages and disadvantages. To help you conclude – well, in this case, we will enumerate the pros and cons of Lithium-ion batteries for your beloved RV.
Pros
In this area, we will list down the perks that you can gain once you decide to own a lithium-ion battery for your RV.
- Sufficient energy levels. Lithium-ion batteries release energy according to the amount required by the RV. Lithium-ion batteries can supply all your RV’s electrical needs, and all electrically powered appliances can simultaneously run if the need arises.
- They have a substantially constant voltage. It is expected that the voltage of all conventional deep-cycle batteries steadily drops when they are discharging, and usually, the amount ranges from 12.75–11.4 volts. In addition, the battery’s voltage also begins to drop as the load increases. It will also maintain substantially constant voltage regardless of the load. Portable and Lightweight. Compared to other rechargeable batteries, Lithium-ion batteries are lighter. Given that it has a great capacity, Lithium-ion batteries are more efficient to use because of their portability. They are now widely used as batteries for electric devices, electric cars, and of course, in RVs as well.
- They have an efficient and quick charging ability. Charge lithium batteries are much more quickly than lead-acid batteries making them more time-saving and efficient. It is because they can be charged at a higher level of amperage. Amperes are a form of measurement of electrical speed. Load the battery with a massive amount of electricity that results in a quick-charging effect.
Cons
In this part, we will list down some of the downsides that you’ll encounter once you decide to purchase a lithium-ion battery for your RV.
- They are more costly. Lead-acid batteries are still the go-to electricity source for most RV campers because the price of materials keeps them from purchasing one. An RV lithium battery will hinder you from buying one because the cost is more likely to range for about $1300. If you are on the budgetary side, this will probably take you back down on buying Lithium-ion batteries.
- They are not advisable to use in cold temperatures. This one is where the Lead-acid batteries gain more advantage because they will still charge and proceed to do their functions even in a sub-freezing environment when it comes to cold weather. Lithium batteries will discharge much quicker when it encounters severe cold weather, and charging them at a sub-freezing temperature will make them unstable.
They are more likely to cause danger. Lithium is a reactive metal. It’s so reactive it will react with water. That means if the electrolyte ever dried up somehow and the two metals inside came in contact, the battery could explode or, at the most miniature, catch fire.
Tips on selecting the best lithium-ion battery for your RV
Now that you have decided to acquire and purchase Lithium-ion batteries, let us tackle some factors to consider in selecting the best lithium-ion battery for your RV.
- Time warranty. Look for brands that are offering an extended warranty period. An extended warranty period can signify that their product is well built and will last for an extended period.
- The charging ability. Although almost all Lithium-ion batteries have a fast charging ability, you should still look at whether the battery will not be easily damaged once you accidentally discharge it fully.
- Weight. Yes, it’s true that Lithium-ion batteries are much lighter compared to the lead-acid type but try to find the lightest among all of them so that you’ll lessen any unnecessary additional weight on your vehicle.
Conclusion
Deciding the best option for some things is sometimes hard, especially when talking about wads of cash that can be wasted when you fail to choose the right product suitable for your RV.
In this scenario, you can see that Lithium-ion batteries have a couple of advantages and disadvantages, so if you plan to purchase Lithium-ion batteries, make sure that you can maintain them well to serve their purpose in the long run.