lithium Charging Question

[tyrone shoelaces]

Is it better for a lithium battery to be charged once from 50% or twice from 75%.

In other words at the end of the life it would have half the charge cycles but at deeper discharges.

thanks for your help.

[ag4ever]

once from 50%

[Volt_Ampere]

I agree - once from 50%. I run mine down to about 25% before charging and I charge to about 90%. I have a 120AH pack so I can run quite a lot between charges.

[bronsonj]

For a long life, don't overheat the battery, don't charge to 100% and don't discharge too low. "Discharge too low" may depend on your chemistry but the battery university website can help you determine that.

[cgtech]

Also, they should be at about 70% SOC when left stored for any longer period of time than regular use.

[ag4ever]

With that being said, most are rated for over 2,500 charge cycles.

If you charge it once per day, all year long, that is 6.8 years. Charge every other day, that is 13.6 years. Charge 2x a week, that is 24 years.

For the most part, this is all academic. If you want a full charge and you are at 75% charge, it won't hurt the battery. If you are at 75% charge and dont need the range of a full charge, then dont charge it, wait until you are below your safe range threshold to recharge.

[DaveTM]

Well.....doing the math, if I charge (like AG numbers show) so I get 24 years outta mine....I'll then be 86 years old. Just young enough to replace my lithium batts with new one's so I can then chase young women lookin for boys with toys!!!!

[tyrone shoelaces]

Originally Posted by Volt_Ampere

I agree - once from 50%. I run mine down to about 25% before charging and I charge to about 90%. I have a 120AH pack so I can run quite a lot between charges.

Thanks for your insight.
To charge to 90%, I would need to interrupt the charge by simply pulling the plug out of the wall socket?
And (for me) I would have to estimate the % of charge around 90.

[Volt_Ampere]

I turned the voltage of my charger down to charge to 90%. I set it to 4.1V per cell instead of 4.2V.

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by DaveTM

Well.....doing the math, if I charge (like AG numbers show) so I get 24 years outta mine....I'll then be 86 years old. Just young enough to replace my lithium batts with new one's so I can then chase young women lookin for boys with toys!!!!

By then you'll need a buggy facelift. Chick magnet cars from the 70s don't work as well today.