FAQs Archive - Lithium Battery Systems

Q: Can I use a volt meter to display state of charge?

The simple answer is no. With a lead acid battery voltage begins to drop as soon as a load is applied and so the drop in voltage over time can be used to estimate state of charge. Because lithium batteries have a very flat volt curve, voltage cannot be used to determine the battery's state of charge. Instead we have to count amps in and amp out of the battery to calculate the state of charge. This requires a software algorithm within the BMS to perform and display on the screen as a 0-100% readout.

Q: Does the battery come with a display?

Yes. All of our lithium batteries are supplied with a remote display LCD screen control panel (connected via cable to our battery) which gives you access to vital information like SOC (state of charge), hours remaining at current usage rate, voltage, temperature etc.

Q: Can I use my existing chargers with your lithium battery?

In most cases yes, but it is best to contact us first to confirm. We will let you know if your charger, whether it be solar, DC from the alternator or AC mains charger is compatible with our lithium batteries.

Q: How fast can a lithium battery be charged?

Our 100Ah lithium batteries can be charged in one hour with the correct chargers which is 2.5 times faster than lead acid batteries. You can charge our lithium batteries at 100A total, which could be a combination of solar, DC and AC chargers.

Q: Are lithium batteries cost effective?

Our lithium batteries deliver at least 6 times more usable amp hours over their lifetime compared to lead acid batteries. This reduces the cost of replacement, installation and inconvenience every 3 years, saving you money in the long run. You have to look at the total life cycle of the battery and not just the upfront cost.

Q: What is a Battery Management System (BMS)?

A Battery Management System (BMS) is a key part of a lithium battery. Unlike lead-acid batteries which do not require a BMS, lithium batteries do. A BMS primarily is a circuit board which manages, monitors, controls and protects the lithium cells from being over charged or over discharged, which can lead to permanent damage or in the worst case lead to fire . It also needs to be able to disconnect your battery before the cells go outside of their safe operating limits. Therefore it is vital that your investment in a lithium battery is not compromised by using an inferior BMS. That is why we have opted to design, engineer and manufacture our very own BMS right here in Brisbane, Australia - so that we can control its functionality, quality and reliability.

Q: Do lithium batteries explode or catch fire?

Yes, some do and have done in the past . But we need to understand that there are many different lithium 'chemistries' on the market today, some are more volatile than others. We use lithium iron phosphate, a particular type of lithium ion chemistry that is considered the most stable and not prone to 'thermal runaway' (which is a fancy name for fire). Our cells have even undergone puncture testing with a nail - no fire or explosion resulted. This also highlights the safety-critical importance of a Battery Management System (BMS ) which has the important job of preventing the cells from going outside the safe limits in the first place. In fact I would say that it is usually the fault of a dodgy or ineffective BMS that causes thermal events. Therefore the cells that we use, in conjunction with our BMS, provides for a very safe and reliable battery.

What does the BMS do?

By Website Administrator|2016-11-12T19:16:06+11:00November 11th, 2016|Battery Management Systems|

Our Battery Management System (BMS) is made up of a printed [...]

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Can I use a volt meter to display state of charge?

By Website Administrator|2016-11-11T22:50:03+11:00November 11th, 2016|Lithium Technology|

The simple answer is no. With a lead acid battery [...]

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Does the battery come with a display?

By Website Administrator|2016-11-12T18:38:57+11:00November 11th, 2016|Lithium Technology|

Yes. All of our lithium batteries are supplied with a [...]

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Can I use my existing chargers with your lithium battery?

By Website Administrator|2016-11-11T22:43:17+11:00November 11th, 2016|Lithium Technology|

In most cases yes, but it is best to contact [...]

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How fast can a lithium battery be charged?

By Website Administrator|2016-11-12T18:39:41+11:00November 11th, 2016|Lithium Technology|

Our 100Ah lithium batteries can be charged in one hour [...]

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Are lithium batteries cost effective?

By Website Administrator|2016-11-11T22:37:53+11:00November 11th, 2016|Lithium Technology|

Our lithium batteries deliver at least 6 times more usable [...]

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Why should I consider a lithium battery for my RV?

By Website Administrator|2016-11-12T18:45:50+11:00November 11th, 2016|Lithium Technology|

There are numerous advantages that lithium batteries have over lead [...]

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What is a Battery Management System (BMS)?

By Website Administrator|2017-01-31T10:55:11+11:00November 11th, 2016|Battery Management Systems|

A Battery Management System (BMS) is a key part of [...]

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Do lithium batteries explode or catch fire?

By Website Administrator|2016-11-12T19:09:37+11:00November 11th, 2016|Lithium Technology|

Yes, some do and have done in the past. But [...]

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