

This means the cells need to be arranged in 4 master packs of 5 cells in parallel (5P), and the 4 master packs are placed in series (4S) for a total of 20 cells. When building a pack, you’ll also need to decide the amperage required for your application.įor example, if you are using a 25 amp-hour (AH) 3.2 V prismatic cell to build a 125 AH 12.8 V battery, you will need a battery pack built in a 4S5P configuration. When building a lithium battery, once you have selected the type of cell you’ll be using, you will need to decide the amp-hours and voltage needed for your application.
#TYPES OF BATTERIES HOW TO#
HOW TO CONFIGURE A LITHIUM PACK (BATTERY) For example, in a power tool the user expects the tool to run for a total of an hour or so before charging, but a scooter user would not be happy if their scooter died after one hour of use. All lithium cells are good for cyclic applications – even power cells – but as noted above, the length of the cycle varies. Energy cells are designed to deliver sustained, continuous current over a long period of time, making them ideal for use in motive cyclic applications like scooters, e-bikes, etc. Power cells are design to deliver high current loads over a short period of time at intermittent intervals, making them ideal for use in high rate and starter applications or power tools which generate high loads/torques. But what exactly does that mean and how are lithium power cells and energy cells different? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A POWER CELL AND AN ENERGY CELL?įirst, we should note that all types of cells cycle – it just varies to how deeply and how quickly ( See battery C ratings). Likewise, an energy cell is designed to deliver high energy. A power cell is, you guessed it, designed to deliver high power.

In addition to the lithium cell form factor, you will also need to decide if you need a lithium power cell or a lithium energy cell. However, cylindrical cells are most ideal for applications like smaller Ah batteries, power tools, drones, children’s toys, and medical equipment where space is limited and weight is a factor in overall performance.

These types of cells can be used for large and small battery packs of varying capacities and voltages. Cylindrical lithium cells come in different widths and lengths, varying amp-hours and as energy or power cells. CYLINDRICAL LITHIUM CELLSĪ cylindrical cell looks most like what you think of with a traditional household battery – like a AA battery – and that is exactly where this form factor drew it’s inspiration for shape when they first came to market in the mid-1990s. For the purpose of this blog, all cells are lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) and 3.2 volts (V). There are three types of cells that are used in lithium batteries: cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch cells. When you take off the top of a lithium battery pack, you’ll first notice the individual cells and a circuit board of some kind. This blog will delve deeper into lithium cells, their configurations, what they mean in practical applications, and how the construction of a lithium battery better aligns it to perform for specific applications.
#TYPES OF BATTERIES FULL#
If you are looking for a full breakdown of the differences between SLA (sealed lead acid) and Lithium batteries, you can read about it here. A secondary lithium battery performs similarly to other primary batteries and their various chemistries in that it powers other devices (this is called discharging), but then can be charged so you can use it again.
