Curious about the 3.2V LiFePO4 battery? These batteries are increasingly popular for their reliability and safety. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into what these batteries are, their advantages and disadvantages, their applications, and how to build battery packs with them. Let’s get started!
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A 3.2V LiFePO4 battery is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that uses lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) as its cathode material. Unlike other lithium-ion batteries, it has a nominal voltage of 3.2 volts per cell. This battery type is known for its long cycle life, thermal stability, and safety, making it a preferred choice for many modern applications ranging from electric vehicles to renewable energy storage systems.
You might wonder why the voltage is specifically 3.2V. The 3.2V rating comes from the inherent electrochemical properties of lithium iron phosphate. When fully charged, a LiFePO4 cell reaches about 3.65V; when fully discharged, it drops to around 2.5V. The nominal voltage of 3.2V represents the average operating voltage during discharge. This stable voltage is one of the reasons why LiFePO4 batteries are highly regarded for their reliability and performance.
Advantages
The voltage range of a 3.2V LiFePO4 battery is typically between 2.5V (fully discharged) and 3.65V (fully charged). Operating within this range ensures the battery maintains its health and longevity. Keeping the battery within this voltage range also helps prevent potential damage and ensures optimal performance.
The price of 3.2V LiFePO4 batteries can vary significantly based on their capacity and application. For instance:
Due to their stable performance and safety, 3.2V LiFePO4 batteries are used in numerous applications, including:
The lifespan of a 3.2V LiFePO4 battery is one of its most attractive features. These batteries can last between to charge cycles, which significantly exceeds the lifespan of many other types of batteries. In practical terms, this translates to approximately 5 to 10 years of use, depending on how frequently the battery is charged and discharged. Proper maintenance, such as avoiding extreme temperatures and not over-discharging the battery, can extend its lifespan even further.
3.2V LiFePO4 batteries are among the safest lithium-ion batteries available. Their safety features stem from the stable chemical structure of lithium iron phosphate, which is highly resistant to thermal runaway—a condition that can lead to overheating and fire. Additionally, LiFePO4 batteries do not contain cobalt, which can pose environmental and health risks. Their robust design also includes safety mechanisms to prevent overcharging and deep discharging, further enhancing their safety profile.
The above is a common LiFePO4 Battery capacities table.
Building higher voltage battery packs with 3.2V LiFePO4 cells involves connecting multiple cells in series. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide for each configuration:
To build a 12V battery pack, you need to connect four 3.2V LiFePO4 cells in series:
Gather Components:
For a 24V battery pack, you will need eight 3.2V LiFePO4 cells connected in series:
Gather Components:
To build a 48V battery pack, connect sixteen 3.2V LiFePO4 cells in series:
Gather Components:
The 3.2V LiFePO4 battery offers a robust, safe, and long-lasting power solution for a variety of applications. Whether you’re powering an electric vehicle, storing solar energy, or building a custom battery pack, understanding the intricacies of these batteries
The LiFePO4 voltage chart is an important tool that helps you understand the charge levels, performance, and health of lithium-ion phosphate batteries. The chart illustrates the voltage range, including fully charged and discharged states, to help you identify the current SoC (State of Charge) of your batteries. With the LiFePO4 battery voltage chart, you can gauge performance, ensure optimal usage, and extend the battery's lifespan.
The voltage of the LiFePO4 cells depends on the state of charge. Whenever the battery charges and discharges, the LiFePO4 battery voltage rises. If the LiFePO4 battery voltage is higher, it can store more energy and increase the overall capacity.
A LiFePO4 voltage chart is a reference tool that correlates the voltage of a lithium iron phosphate battery to its state of charge (SoC). It represents the state of charge (usually in percentage) of 1 cell based on different voltages, like 12V, 24V, and 48V. Here is a LiFePO4 Lithium battery state of charge chart based on voltage for 12V, 24V, and 48V LiFePO4 batteries.
Percentage (SOC)
1 Cell
12V
24V
48V
100% Charging
3.65
14.6
29.2
58.4
100% Rest
3.40
13.6
27.2
54.4
90%
3.35
13.4
26.8
53.6
80%
3.32
13.3
26.6
53.1
70%
3.30
13.2
26.4
52.8
60%
3.27
13.1
26.1
52.3
50%
3.26
13.0
26.1
52.2
40%
3.25
13.0
26.0
52.0
30%
3.22
12.9
25.8
51.5
20%
3.20
12.8
25.6
51.2
10%
3.00
12.0
24.0
48.0
0%
2.50
10.0
20.0
40.0
Individual LiFePO4 cells typically have a 3.2V nominal voltage. The cells are fully charged at 3.65V, and at 2.5V, they become fully discharged. Here's a 3.2V LiFePO4 voltage chart:
12V 100Ah LiFePO4 batteries are a great upgrade for 12V lead acid batteries. They are one of the safest batteries for off-grid solar systems. When they are fully charged, the battery voltage becomes 14.6V. It drops to 10 volts when fully discharged. The below 12V LiFePO4 voltage chart reveals how the voltage drops with respect to battery capacity.
You can either purchase a 24V LiFePO4 battery or buy two identical 12V LiFePO4 batteries and connect them in series. These batteries are fully charged at 29.2V and drop to 20 volts when discharging. Here's the 24V LiFePO4 voltage chart:
48V batteries are generally used in larger solar power systems. The high-voltage solar system keeps the amperage low, helping you save high on equipment and wiring costs. Here's the 48V LiFePO4 voltage chart:
A battery's SoC (state of charge) indicates the remaining capacity that can be discharged over the battery pack's total capacity. Suppose you have a battery pack rated 100Ah and still have 30Ah left to discharge. In this case, the SoC will be 30%.
In other words, if you charge the battery to 100Ah and then discharge around 70Ah, it will still have 30Ah left. The SoC of a battery depends on its voltage and vice versa. When the battery is charged, the voltage increases.
The following SoC and LiFePO4 charge voltage chart reveals the relationship between the two parameters.
SOC (100%)
Voltage (V)
100
3.60-3.65
90
3.50-3.55
80
3.45-3.50
70
3.40-3.45
60
3.35-3.40
50
3.30-3.35
40
3.25-3.30
30
3.20-3.25
20
3.10-3.20
10
2.90-3.00
0
2.00-2.50
There are different ways to determine the battery's SoC, such as voltage, counting coulombs, and specific gravity.
If you want to extend the battery's lifespan, you need to charge the LiFePO4 battery properly. Each battery type has a level of voltage that must be reached to get maximum performance while improving the battery's health. You may use the SoC chart as a guide while recharging the batteries. For example, 90% charge for a 24V battery is 26.8V.
The state of the charge curve indicates how the 1-cell battery voltage varies depending on charging time.
Some basic LiFePO4 battery charging parameters include different types of voltages, such as charging, float, maximum/minimum, and nominal. The below table reveals the battery charging parameters at 3.2V, 12V, 24V, and 48V.
One important thing to note is that lithium only supports bulk charging. Once the LiFePO4 battery is fully charged, it shuts off.
The three most common types of voltages include bulk, float, and equalize.
Bulk Voltage: This is the voltage at which the battery is charged faster. It usually occurs during the initial stage of charging, when the battery is completely discharged. The bulk voltage of a 12-volt LiFePO4 battery is 14.6V.
Float Voltage: The float voltage of a LiFePO4 battery ensures the battery remains in the fully charged state without causing damage or degradation over time. The float voltage of a 12-volt LiFePO4 battery is 13.5V.
Low Voltage Cutoff: A low voltage cutoff of around 2.5 volts per cell is recommended for LiFePO4 batteries and discharging below the particular voltage might cause damage to the battery and reduce its lifespan.
Recovery Voltage Setting: The recovery voltage setting for LiFePO4 battery will depend on whether the battery is over discharged or overcharged.
Types
3.2V
12V
24V
48V
Bulk
3.65V
14.6V
29.2V
58.4V
Float
3.375V
13.5V
27.0V
54.0V
Equalize
3.65V
14.6V
29.2V
58.4V
Discharge means the power is withdrawn from the battery to charge appliances. The battery discharge chart typically represents the relationship between voltage and discharge time.
Below is the 12V LiFePO4 discharge curve at different discharge rates.
One of the most important things you need to extend the battery's lifespan is DoD or Depth of Discharge. It is the discharged battery capacity in relation to its overall capacity. In other words, the more the LiFePO4 battery is charged and recharged, the shorter its lifespan will be.
The discharge is typically shown using charts and curves. You will need to look at the depth of discharge to determine the fraction of power withdrawn from a battery. A battery discharge rate is the process when the battery completely loses its charge.
The following table reveals the batteries with different Ah ratings and their maximum discharge current at different time intervals.
Battery or Battery Pack Ah Rating
7 Minute Maximum Discharge Current
30 Minute Maximum Discharge Current
5Ah
15 Amps
10 Amps
7Ah
21 Amps
14 Amps
8Ah
24 Amps
16 Amps
9Ah
27 Amps
18 Amps
10Ah
31 Amps
21 Amps
12Ah
36 Amps
24 Amps
14Ah
42 Amps
31 Amps
15Ah
44 Amps
32 Amps
18Ah
57 Amps
40 Amps
22Ah
66 Amps
46 Amps
35Ah
105 Amps
Link to SINC
84 Amps
LiFePO4 battery voltage affects the performance, power it can deliver, the overall lifespan, and the amount of energy it can store.
Capacity: The two important terms — battery capacity and voltage — are directly proportional to one another. When the voltage increases, the battery capacity also increases. This means a 24V LiFePO4 battery has a higher capacity than a 12V battery of the same size.
Charging: All the LiFePO4 batteries need a specific charging voltage and current for best performance. When the charging voltage is too low, the battery will not charge fully, eventually reducing capacity. If the voltage becomes too high, it often contributes to overcharging and can damage the battery.
Discharging: The discharge voltage of the LiFePO4 battery also affects the performance. When you discharge the battery below the recommended voltage level, it leads to irreversible battery damage and reduces its lifespan.
Efficiency: LiFePO4's battery is directly proportional to the voltage. A higher voltage battery is more efficient in supplying power to the devices. If you want a highly efficient LiFePO4 battery, consider choosing a higher voltage of LiFePO4.
Lifespan: A LiFePO4 battery with higher voltage may have a longer lifespan than a low-voltage battery. This means a higher voltage battery can handle more charge cycles.
Checking the open circuit battery voltage via a multimeter method is moderately accurate. However, there is one downside. You'll have to disconnect all loads and chargers and keep the battery at rest.
First, you must remove the loads and chargers attached to the LiFePO4 battery. Wait 15-30 minutes before measuring the open circuit voltage using the multimeter. You can compare it with the SoC chart in your battery manual or the voltage curve chart.
This is one of the most accessible and reliable methods to measure battery capacity. All you need to do is connect a high-quality battery monitor to the battery and determine the charge level.
Using the solar charge controller to determine the battery capacity may seem convenient, but it is not a very accurate method. The voltage reading is mainly inaccurate as the measurement is done with loads and chargers attached.
Besides LiFePO4, there are many other batteries available in the market. In this section, we will reveal different types of batteries and their voltage charts.
The lithium-ion batteries are popular choices for modern electronics, portable devices, and electric vehicles. They have better performance than their traditional counterparts and are best known for their high energy density. Additionally, they are highly efficient and have quick charging capabilities, making them ideal for many applications. Here's a lithium-ion battery voltage chart at 12V, 24V, and 48V.
Capacity (%)
1 Cell
12 Volt
24 Volt
48 Volt
100
3.40
13.6
27.2
54.4
90
3.35
13.4
26.8
53.6
80
3.32
13.3
26.6
53.1
70
3.30
13.2
26.4
52.8
60
3.27
13.1
26.1
52.3
50
3.26
13.0
26.0
52.2
40
3.25
13.0
26.0
52.0
30
3.22
12.9
25.8
52.5
20
3.20
12.8
25.6
51.2
10
3.00
12.0
24.0
48.0
0
2.50
10.0
20.0
40.0
Capacity
6V Sealed Lead Acid Battery
6V Flooded Lead Acid Battery
100%
6.44V
6.32V
90%
6.39V
6.26V
80%
6.33V
6.20V
70%
6.26V
6.15V
60%
6.20V
6.09V
50%
6.11V
6.03V
40%
6.05V
5.98V
30%
5.98V
5.94V
20%
5.90V
5.88V
10%
5.85V
5.82V
0%
5.81V
5.79V
The deep cycle batteries can provide steady power for long periods. They are ideal for situations that need consistent energy output, such as recreational vehicles or renewable energy systems. The new valve regulated lead acid deep cycle batteries like AGM and Gel are known for greater DoD (depth of discharge). Here's a lead acid deep cycle battery voltage chart at 12V, 24V, and 48V.
Capacity
12V
24V
48V
100% (charging)
13.00V
26.00V
52.00V
99%
12.80V
25.75V
51.45V
90%
12.75V
25.55V
51.10V
80%
12.50V
25.00V
50.00V
70%
12.30V
24.60V
49.20V
60%
12.15V
24.30V
48.60V
50%
12.05V
24.10V
48.20V
40%
11.95V
23.90V
47.80V
30%
11.81V
23.62V
47.24V
20%
11.66V
23.32V
46.64V
10%
11.51V
23.02V
46.04V
0%
10.50V
21.00V
42.00V
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Appliance running time:
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Appliance running time:
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LiFePO4 is a reliable and long-lasting battery that has recently gained popularity. With appropriate maintenance, these batteries can last up to ten years.
Here are a few factors that can affect the 12V LiFePO4 battery lifespan.
One of the simple methods to boost the lifespan or charging/discharging rates is by increasing the battery's Ah capacity. The nylon tape around the cells and keeping the battery at a cool temperature can also improve the lifespan.
The LiFePO4 charging voltage lies somewhere between 3.50 - 3.65V. It's worth noting that the charging voltage of LiFePO4 cannot exceed 3.65V because Li batteries are generally sensitive to over current and over voltage.
Lithium batteries have a nominal voltage of around 3.7V per cell. When fully charged to 100%, the 12V lithium LiFePO4 battery can hold around 13.3 - 13.4V.
The nominal LiFePO4 cell voltage is 3.2V. These cells are fully discharged at 2.5V and charged at 3.65V. It's important to note that these values might vary depending on the cell’s specifications.
The minimum voltage damage for 12V LiFePO4 batteries is around 10V. If the LiFePO4 battery is discharged below the minimum voltage, it will likely be permanently damaged. That's why it's vital to check the LiFePO4 battery voltage chart and ensure you safely charge your batteries.
The low voltage cutoff for LiFePO4 is the predetermined voltage threshold below which any battery should not discharge. The value for LiFePO4 battery is around 2.5V per cell.
The LiFePO4 bulk/absorb voltage lies between 14.2 and 14.6 volts. A voltage of 14.0 volts is also possible with the help of some absorb time. Slightly higher voltages of around 14.8-15.0 volts are also possible before disconnecting the battery.
No battery can last forever, no matter how good it is. A LiFePO4 battery may start degrading after a few years, and you may see some signs of degradation. Here are a few of them.
The LiFePO4 voltage chart can help you understand the performance levels of the batteries. Once you read and understand the LiFePO4 voltage chart, it will help you know how useful these batteries are for power backup systems.
For more information, please visit 3.2V Lithium Battery.