A beginner’s guide for 12v generator battery

A beginner’s guide for 12v generator battery

We live in the era of fast-paced technology, and our businesses can’t tolerate any interruption. Power cut-off while working in the office or any other place is irritating. But now, standby generators are available in the market to eliminate the awkward moment of a power outage.

However, the 12V generator battery is the reason behind the smooth workflow. It instantly ignites the generator without any manual command. As this is not a common technology, you might have many questions about these batteries. Don’t worry. Just go through this article, and you will find the answer to your every query.

Let’s get started!

What is generator lithium ion battery

Like any other electric storage device, generator lithium-ion batteries store the energy and supply it at the time of power outage. These batteries are commonly found in standby generators, and their purpose is to start the generator when needed. Standby generators automatically sense the power cut-off and get started to supply electricity.
Lithium-ion battery helps start the engine’s motor and then stop supplying energy. But a small amount of battery energy is consumed in powering control panels and other small electric devices. Sometimes, when there is a high load on the generator, battery power is also utilized. Apart from this, the batteries smoothen the supply when voltage varies.

What to look for when buying a generator lithium ion battery

A battery failure is actually a generator failure. Selecting an excellent lithium-ion battery is a critical step because it’s considered the generator’s heart. But finding the perfect battery from the long list of options is a tiring task. Don’t worry, as this guide will cut down the whole procedure in a few simple steps.
Here we listed the factors that need to be confirmed before purchasing a generator lithium-ion battery. Let’s uncover them one by one.

Life cycles

Life cycles determine how long the battery will perform up to mark. These are the number of charges and recharges, which gives a rough idea of the battery’s life span. On completion of lifecycles, the battery performance starts decreasing. When purchasing the battery, make sure it has enough life cycles. In general, a battery with a high number of cycles is more expensive. But they also last longer, eliminating the cost of frequent battery replacements, and are therefore worth it. So, a battery with life cycles of 1000 or more is perfect. However, lithium-ion batteries can usually achieve more than 2500 cycles, which is why it should be the first choice for generator batteries.

Battery management system

Battery Management System (BMS) is the brain of lithium-ion batteries which monitor the whole battery. BMS makes sure that the battery is not overcharging/recharging and avoid any hazard. You should confirm the reliability of BMS integrated into the battery. Now some BMS features an LED control panel on the battery. Try to get one like that for more detailed information.

Capacity

Another important aspect to check the reliability of a 12 volt lithium battery for generator is how long it last in one charge. The storage capacity is represented in amp-hours. You can find the range of capacity but choose according to your requirement. Picking an option of low capacity would irritate you in recharging frequently. That’s why to go for high capacity, as you often don’t have recharging resources at some places.

Self discharge

Battery self-discharge is the phenomenon of losing capacity while sitting idle for a long time because of internal chemical reactions. To use the battery after a long time, you need to recharge it again. But that’s not the case with lithium-ion batteries. Their self-discharge rate is 1.5-2% per month which is low compared to other batteries.

Temperature rating

Weather conditions highly affect the battery’s performance, and it’s critical to check the temperature rating. For instance, if you live in snowy areas, choose the options according to that. Every battery has a temperature range for storage, charging, and discharging. If you try to operate in an unstable environment, you will definitely lose the battery’s performance.

Warranty

Last but not least, it’s important to check how much the generator battery manufacturer is confident about his product. The generator lithium-ion battery is an electronic device, and there is always the possibility of error and flaws.
So, a good warranty period saves you from extra expenditures of repairing. You can send back your battery, and the battery company will mend the problem. Commonly, lithium-ion batteries have a warranty of 5 to 10 years, depending on generator battery manufacturers. However, the battery with more warranty period will be expensive.

Why use lithium ion batteries over other conventional batteries

Lithium-ion batteries created a new hype because of their distinctive features over other conventional batteries like lead-acid. Almost every electrical component will be on lithium-ion batteries soon. Let’s look at the benefits that make them unique and superior.

Lightweight

The lithium-ion battery manufacturers put a special effort into reducing the weight of the battery by integrating the latest technology. Even after reducing the weight, the capacity and performance are still the same. For instance, if you require a capacity of 1 KWh from the lead-acid battery, you have to bear with its 30Kg weight. On the other hand, a 6Kg lithium-ion battery will serve the purpose. Having a lightweight battery would allow easy transportation and replacement. Moreover, it doesn’t overweight the generator as well.

No memory effect

The major issue with conventional batteries is the ‘memory effect,’ which reduces the performance of the battery capacity. The memory effect happens when you recharge the battery before hitting the DOD. But you don’t need to worry about this thing if you have a lithium-ion battery. Whenever you charge and discharge, the battery capacity would never affect.

High depth of discharge

The depth of discharge (DOD) is the available capacity for a single charge. For example, you can consume only half of your battery capacity if its DOD is 50%. The battery performance and lifetime will be affected if you use it after passing the DOD point. Normally the batteries have 50% DOD, while the lithium-ion batteries offer you 80%. It means you can consume energy for a longer time before recharging the battery.

Maintenance free

The irritating issue with conventional batteries is constantly worrying about their maintenance. You must be careful about their water level and other working conditions for lead-acid or any other battery. Your little negligence can be a reason for a big disaster.
However, this problem has been solved with the invention of lithium-ion batteries. But you just need to keep the lithium-ion batteries clean and dry. They are completely sealed and don’t require checking water or acid levels.

High charge rate

Once the lithium-ion battery reaches its depth of discharge, it will take almost 3 to 4 hours for complete charging. Instead, the normal generator battery requires 6 to 8 hours for recharging. Over this, the normal batteries start decreasing their efficiency in partial recharging. The lithium-ion batteries don’t get affected by charging in portions, and even 80% charging is possible in an hour. Hence lithium-ion batteries have a high charge rate without compromising on efficiency.

High number of life cycles

The lifetime of lithium-ion batteries is measured in terms of life cycles rather than years. However, you can estimate the years after knowing the number of cycles. The life cycles of any normal battery are in the range of 500 to 1000, which is not an exceptional figure. In contrast, lithium-ion batteries offer 2500 to 5000 life cycles, depending on your budget. Even if you purchase the cheapest option, it would be better than lead-acid or any other generator battery.

Highly safe

Safety is the major problem observed in all conventional batteries. The leakage or bulging happens, and there is no alert system in those batteries. If we talk about lithium-ion battery safety, then it has impressive integrated BMS. All problems get detected beforehand and saves you from a major loss.

Features of generator battery

Here are the few important features you can find in any type of 12v generator battery:
1.All generator batteries are rechargeable for repetitive use.
2.They can start the generator within 10 seconds when a blackout happens.
3.Minimize the voltage variation and smoothen the current supply.
4.Almost every generator battery has a jacket water heater to sustain the ambient temperature.

Pros and cons of lithium ion generator batteries

Market demand for lithium-ion batteries raises many questions in customers’ minds. What is extra in these generator batteries, and are there any downsides? Let’s explore the advantages and drawbacks of these batteries.

Pros

1.Lithium-ion generator batteries have a high charge density which means a single charge is enough to do the particular task.
2.There is an almost negligible self-discharge rate of these generator batteries. Just 1 or 2% battery capacity will be reduced after being idle for a month.
3.You have almost nothing to do in terms of battery maintenance. Although you need to check the terminals periodically, no frequent maintenance is necessary.
4.These batteries can bear more electric load than other normal batteries and support the generator in delivering the demanded power.
5.A customer can find various options according to demand and even make a customized one for specific tasks.

Cons

1.The major drawback of lithium-ion generator batteries is high-cost relative to other batteries. However, the features they provide are worth investing in.
2.When the battery completely loses its performance, you have to replace instead of repair it.

Charging and storage of lithium-ion generator batteries

Every lithium-ion generator battery needs to be recharged after a specific time. However, using the wrong generator battery charger can destroy the battery condition. That’s why we mentioned proper techniques to ensure good battery performance after multiple recharging.
●The power for battery charging should be separated and not dependent on the generator.
●The charger’s capacity should be lower or equal to battery capacity because the higher voltages can ruin the system.
●There should be an indication of charging completion in the form of a light or alarm.
●Try to charge and discharge the battery at the normal current instead of high. Although the charging would take time, it will enhance the battery lifespan.

FAQs

How much does a battery generator last

Generally, if there is no problem and you take every important precautionary measure, a battery generator would last for three years. But it’s recommended to replace after every two years for optimum results. However, it applies if you are using your generator regularly.

Are generator lithium-ion batteries eco-friendly

Lithium-ion batteries are less toxic while operating compared to other batteries. These are completely sealed, and no inner material would disturb the environment. However, it would be best if you didn’t leave the faulty battery in an open atmosphere. These should be decayed properly in the ground if you don’t want to recycle or reuse them.

Is there any special charger to charge a lithium ion battery

Yes, for the better performance of the lithium-ion battery, you need to charge it with the special charger recommended by the manufacturer. Using lead-acid or any other battery charger can easily destroy it and cause huge money loss for the owner.

What is the power rating of a 12 volt battery

A power rating is the number of amperages a battery can deliver in a specified time. For instance, a 12V battery has a power rating of 200Ah if it delivers 20 amps constantly for 10 hours without dropping the potential.

How many volts does a generator use

The generator motor consumes voltages just for ignition, and after that, it produces its voltages. Normally, the starter batteries in the standby generator provide 12 or 24 volts to start the generator.

Should I buy a 12 volt battery for my generator

Yes, the 12-volt battery is good enough to start the generator in an emergency.
Wrapping Up
If you own the standby generator to cope with emergency power cut-off, you should know its battery properly. Since the generator proficiency depends on battery performance. Due to high performance and less maintenance, lithium-ion batteries are recommended for the generator. Take all the precautions for battery safety. In the end, make sure your battery is properly charged all the time.