Are Lithium Batteries Good For Cold Weather?

1 What Happens To Batteries In Cold Weather?

The job of a battery is to store and give off energy. Cold weather can make it hard for these batteries to function properly. Your battery takes a few minutes to warm up after being outside, just like your body does. When it’s cold, a battery’s internal resistance goes up. This can make the battery less powerful. In other words, the battery can’t give off as much energy or hold a charge when it’s cold. 

So, you guessed it, you’ll have to charge those batteries more often when it’s cold outside. Another essential thing to remember is that one can only charge a battery for a limited number of times before it dies.

2 Do Lithium Batteries Work Well In The Cold?

Winter is coming soon, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop having fun! No battery can perform at its peak efficiency in winter conditions. But lithium batteries can perform twice as good as any other batteries in winters. Some vehicle owners live and travel in icy places, which makes lithium batteries an excellent choice for consistent, reliable power. Any battery owner needs to be aware that cold temperatures can harm a battery’s health. 

However, it raises a good question: how do different types of batteries work in cold weather? And on top of that, how do you take care of your batteries when it’s cold outside?  Follow along as we discuss what you can do to keep your batteries safe this season.

3 Lead Acid Batteries Vs. Lithium Batteries: Which Is Better For Extreme Cold?

Even though no battery works perfectly when it’s cold, lithium batteries work much better than lead-acid batteries and other types. There are a few things that make the higher price worth it in the long run, like:

• Lithium batteries work well in extreme temperatures.
• Lithium batteries are a safe choice and offer longer life.
• Most lead-acid batteries are about twice as heavy as lithium batteries, but lithium batteries are only half as heavy. Most electric vehicles use lithium batteries for this reason. 

Lead acid batteries only last 400 cycles, while ionic lithium can run between 3,000 and 5,000 times. What a big difference!

Lithium batteries are miles ahead of the competition. Since you’ll save money in the long run, the initial cost is worth it.

4 What Kind Of Lithium-ion Battery Works Well At Low Temperatures?

Soft Low-Temperature Lithium Batteries

These batteries should work best at low temperatures. These batteries can be fabricated in any shape and size. This way, the space in a product isn’t wasted, and the space is used to its full potential. Low-temperature LiPo batteries can work in temperatures between -50°C and 60°C. They get a lower internal resistance and they release more than 80% of their energy at -40°C to 0°C . When charged at 20°C to 30°C the efficiency can stay above 85% even after 300 cycles, suggesting that the battery life is good.

Lithium-ion 18650 Batteries For Freezing Temperatures

Low-temperature 18650 lithium batteries are round, have a steel shell and are always the same size. Since the electrolytes are liquid, the battery’s ability to discharge changes significantly in harsh conditions.  Due to its fixed performance and size, one can only use it for a limited number of things. However, its production and manufacturing costs are lower than other low-temperature lithium-ion polymer batteries.

Lithium-ion Batteries With Low-temperature Phosphate (LiFeP04)

There are two kinds of low-temperature phosphate lithium-ion batteries. One has a steel case, and the other is a soft-pack lithium iron phosphate battery that works like other LiPo batteries. The technology behind lithium iron phosphate batteries differs from that of the other two low-temperature batteries, and manufacturing it isn’t easy. These batteries work well at low temperatures because they use functional materials in the electrolytes and have great technology that has been improved over time. At -20°C, -30°C, and -40°C, the discharge current with an efficiency more than 85% of its initial capacity.

5 How to Charge Lithium Batteries In Cold Weather?

When it’s cold, there’s a different way to charge, which is essential if you want your investment to last. When the temperature drops, almost every battery needs to be charged more complicatedly. Lead acid has a smaller range of good charging conditions than lithium. Both need to be charged at a slower rate and within their normal temperature range.

When a battery is charged in colder weather, the damage is proportional to how fast it is charged. One can lessen the damage by charging much slower, but this is rarely a good solution. When the temperature is between 0 and -10 degrees Celsius, you can’t charge batteries at more than 1 degrees Celsius. When the temperature is between -10 and -20 degrees Celsius, you can’t charge batteries at more than 5 degrees Celsius. Because you might not know how cold it could get during a charging cycle, these charging rates will make charging take longer and make the whole process more complicated. In some places, it could be 4 degrees Celsius when you go to bed and -8 degrees Celsius when you wake up. If you charge at a higher rate overnight, the temperature drop could damage your battery in a way that one can’t fix.

When it comes to charging batteries in cold weather, the number one rule is not to charge them when the temperature is below freezing without lowering the charge current. This can be hard to do if your BMS doesn’t talk to your charger and your charger can’t respond to the information it gets. If you charge when it’s below freezing, you must ensure the charge current is between 5 and 10% of the battery’s capacity.

6 Does Cold Weather Affect The Performance of Lithium Batteries?

Even lithium batteries lose power when it’s cold outside. But, lithium batteries can still work at 95–98% of their capacity with very little loss.

When the temperature is moderate and the battery is being charged, the porous graphite that makes up the anode (the negative end), soaks up the lithium ions like a sponge. But when the temperature is extreme, the anode can’t absorb the lithium ions. Instead, a lot of lithium ions coat the surface of the anode. It is called lithium plating. When this happens, less lithium is available to make electricity flow, so the battery’s capacity goes down. Charging a battery in freezing temperatures or at the wrong rate also makes the battery less stable and more likely to fail suddenly.

When the temperature is below freezing, lithium ions can’t find their way to “work” in the graphite anode. These ions end up plating the surface of the anode instead of intercalating. Charging in temperatures below freezing can cause plating, which lowers the battery’s capacity and makes it harder to use. If there is enough plating, it can poke a hole in the separator and cause a dangerous short inside the cell. However, you can prevent this by ensuring proper maintenance. 

7 How To Keep Batteries Safe In Winter?

With the right preventative measures, your batteries can survive and thrive this winter.

Make Sure The Battery Is Clean

Even in the winter, it’s essential to keep your battery clean. It is especially true if you have a lead-acid battery. It’s vital before putting things away for a long time. Dirt and corrosion can be nasty for batteries and cause them to die faster. Look right at us, lead acid. Before putting away a lead acid battery, you should clean it with baking soda and water. On the other hand, lithium batteries don’t need any care. Yes, you heard right.

Before You Use Your Battery, Let It Warm Up

We’ve already said that because Old Man Winter has come, adventures don’t have to end. You might be a snowbird who wants to drive your RV to the south for the winter. We don’t blame you. Or are you ready to go hunting? No matter what, don’t let the cold stop you! Please do the same thing for your deep cycle batteries as you would for your car before you drove it. Get them hot! So you won’t suddenly jump and shock the battery.

Sounds a little like you. You can start slowly with your battery.

Keep Your Battery In A Cool Place

You won’t have complete control over this because it depends on where you keep your battery. But you still need to know the best temperature for storing batteries. That range is between 32 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but your lithium batteries will only work at temperatures higher or lower than that. They will, but they will only be able to do so much. You might notice that they run out of power faster than usual.

Fill Up Your Batteries Often

Ionic Lithium Batteries can be used and discharged no matter how cold, which is different from many other types of batteries. Phew.

So, there you have it. You know that lithium batteries are the best option when it comes to cold weather. Make sure you follow the tips mentioned in this article to prolong the life of your batteries.