Best Lithium Battery in South Africa: What to Consider

Not all lithium batteries are the same. When you’re looking for the best lithium battery in South Africa, there are many factors to consider – from chemistry and cell quality to safety and environmental considerations.

Here, we outline what to consider when choosing the best lithium battery. And we explain why REVOV’s batteries satisfy all criteria.

The best lithium battery chemistry

There are a whole variety of lithium batteries, such as lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium manganese oxide (LMO) and lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide (NCA).

Each type uses unique active materials and chemical reactions to store energy. From a chemistry point of view, which should you choose?

There’s no debating the fact that LiFePO4 batteries are the safest, non-toxic lithium battery option. Unlike lithium cobalt-based battery chemistries, LiFePO₄ batteries have extremely stable chemistry.

LiFePO₄ batteries generate very little heat and don’t overheat to unsafe levels. This is because the charged and uncharged states are physically similar and highly robust, which enables the ions to remain stable during the oxygen flux that occurs during charge cycles.

LiFePO₄ batteries are incombustible and can withstand harsh conditions. If they’re subjected to hazardous events – such as a collision or short-circuiting – they won’t explode, as some batteries do.

What size lithium battery suits your needs

When you’re considering a lithium battery, you must decide on the size that suits your needs.

If you’re thinking about a backup battery as a load-shedding solution, you’ll be wondering what you can power and for how long.

Do you want a lithium battery to back up Wi-Fi, electric fencing and a few lights? Or, are you wanting to go off grid? This article will help you determine the size you require based on your needs.

Lithium battery cell quality

It’s important to consider the number, configuration and quality of cells in the lithium battery you choose. These factors affect both capacity and performance.

A 16-cell battery is superior to a 15-cell battery in terms of capacity, as it contains an extra cell. One cell from a 15 to 16-cell configuration can make a surprising difference. In certain conditions, performance can be three to four times better than a 15-cell design.

Many initially more affordable new lithium iron phosphate battery systems use 48V 15-cell configurations. REVOV’s 2^nd LiFe battery systems always use 16-cell configurations. This results in significantly higher usable capacity and provides far superior performance at higher continuous current and voltage discharges.

Also, REVOV 16-cell batteries, such as the R100 and R9 batteries, make use of extremely high-grade, 2^nd LiFe LiFePo4 batteries from the automotive industry. Such high-grade cells offer superior performance to storage-grade cells commonly used in backup systems.

Battery warranty period

No battery lasts forever, but some last longer than others. When you’re considering the best lithium battery, always look at the battery warranty period.

The warranty period is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, it tells you about the quality of the battery. Higher quality batteries last longer.

The warranty period also reveals how long the manufacturer believes the battery will last. Again, the longer warranty, the better-quality battery.

Expect at least a five-year warranty. You’ll pay more for a lithium battery with a longer lifespan, but you won’t have to replace it anytime soon.

REVOV batteries, including our 2^nd Life LiFePO₄ batteries, come with a warranty of 10 years or 3,500 cycles.

Environmental considerations

All batteries contain chemicals and metals that can be harmful to the environment, so it’s important to carefully consider any battery – lithium or lead acid.

While mining lithium does pose environmental concerns, lithium batteries are relatively green to manufacture – using naturally-occurring lithium and metal alloys.

What’s more, the surge in demand for lithium-ion batteries has meant manufacturers are continually investing in ways to reduce the environmental impact of lithium batteries, such as:

• repurposing rather than disposing of end-of-life batteries
• using repurposed batteries to make alternative, sustainable power sources, like solar, more viable and affordable.

REVOV’s 2^nd LiFe batteries are perfect examples of this. Our 2ndLiFe batteries are cost-effective, environmentally responsible LiFePO₄ batteries that have been repurposed from electric vehicles.

As stationary energy storage solutions, they’re ideal for storing solar energy, making sustainable energy an affordable reality for South African homes and businesses.

Lithium ion battery safety

Safety is of paramount importance when considering batteries for stationary energy storage in your home or business.

All batteries contain toxic and hazardous materials, so it’s important to compare battery types to determine the safest.

There’s no disputing the fact that lithium batteries are considerably safer, with much lower risks of leaks and emissions, compared to lead-acid batteries.

Lead-acid batteries must only be installed in an upright position to prevent any issues with venting. While sealed lead-acid (SLA) batteries are designed not to leak, venting allows for a residual release of gases.

Lithium batteries are individually sealed and cannot leak. A lithium battery can be installed at any orientation.

As said earlier, the chemistry of lithium batteries means they’re far less likely to overheat. Compared to lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries are lightweight, safe, reliable and worry-free.

Lithium battery management

A battery management system (BMS) is essential for any lithium battery set-up. It ensures that batteries are safely looked after to ensure performance and longevity.

A BMS controls each battery cell, measures temperature and voltage, manages the state of charge (SoC) calculation and communicates with external devices.

If anything goes wrong with an individual cell, the battery management system picks it up and switches off the entire battery bank.

REVOV batteries are available with built-in battery management systems. For some batteries, like this one, there’s a convenient Bluetooth app for monitoring of total voltage, remaining capacity, temperature and time left until fully discharged.

At REVOV, we offer the best lithium batteries in South Africa, including high-quality LiFe and 2^nd LiFe lithium-ion batteries for use in residential, commercial and industrial settings. Contact us for a registered REVOV installer who can assist you in the quoting and installing of REVOV products.