Lithium Battery vs Alkaline Battery-Cycle Life, Compatibility, Pros, and Cons

A Lithium battery is a type of rechargeable battery. A Cycle life of a battery refers to how many charges and discharges are complete of rechargeable batteries that can be put into use before the battery can no longer keep any charge. An alkaline battery on the other hand is a primary battery known of deriving its energy majorly from a reaction between Zinc metal and manganese oxide.

How much longer do lithium batteries and alkaline batteries last?

How long a battery can last depends on many things among them the type of device they are fixed into since some device use more power than the others.  Run time refers to the time a battery can last when used once while shelf life is the time a battery lasts when it’s left on the shelves unused. Lastly is the cycle life which refers to the times' complete charges and discharges a rechargeable battery can take before it cannot store any charge.

Alkaline batteries differ in the run time since different devices consume different powers. It is hard therefore to roughly estimate its runtime so it varies.  At room temperature the alkaline batteries, shelf-life range from 5-10 years. Unlike lithium batteries which are rechargeable, alkaline isn't, and therefore that rules out its cycle life. In short alkaline batteries have no cycle life. It is hazardous to charge alkaline batteries as they are non-rechargeable and unsafe.

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Earlier we discussed lithium as rechargeable batteries however there are also lithium non-rechargeable batteries which are similar to alkaline batteries in terms of cycle life for they both do not have it. Research has shown that these batteries last for 10-12 years, besides some have shown that in rare circumstances the battery lasted up to 20 years. The shelf life of this battery is 10 years left under 70 degrees temperature.

Lithium rechargeable batteries exist in many types example; lithium-ion, lithium polymer among others. One of the lithium types containing carbon anodes has over 10, 000 life cycles however the normal consumer-based batteries give a life cycle of about 600- 1000 cycles. The shelf life of these batteries varies on how they have used and the chemical compounds that make them. One battery alone can last for four years. Besides the shelf life is at most two years.

Are lithium battery and alkaline battery compatible?

Both alkaline and lithium batteries come in different sizes that are AAA, AA, and C, the alkaline batteries are used majorly in toys and other electronic devices while lithium batteries are incorporated in laptops and cell phones. The two batteries are made of different materials which contribute to a difference in performance in each.

Lithium batteries are way much better than alkaline batteries. For example, lithium batteries have a longer-lasting time compared to lithium batteries which make them better used in high tech and smart devices. Alkaline batteries cannot be incorporated in these devices for their less lasting and cannot offer the mentioned devices the time needed for them to operate.

Outdoor applications where the temperatures get as low as 20 degrees, use the lithium batteries since they can operate in low temperatures, unlike the alkaline batteries. The lithium battery is not susceptible to low temperatures hence it shows it can sustain that as well as maintain its performance.

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Lithium batteries are mostly used in portable devices because they are lighter compared to alkaline batteries. They have a better chance because users go for the lightest portable devices. Lithium batteries can be used instead of lithium batteries for its better advantages as mentioned above.

A lithium battery is compatible with the alkaline battery however at a higher cost. Lithium is made from a more expensive technology hence one has to incur more costs to replace the two for each other. The longevity of this battery is beyond explanation since it has a longer lifespan than other batteries. Some air travel agencies recommend that their passengers carry items with lithium batteries.

Manufacturers of all batteries advice that every user should always check the manufacturers’ guidelines for compatibility before doing any battery replacement. It is important to note that lithium and alkaline batteries are compatible however the user should check the manufacturer’s guidelines for further compatibility instructions.

What are the pros and cons of the lithium battery and alkaline battery?

Lithium batteries have a higher energy density which means that it is not bulky at the same time it has a higher power capacity. For this reason, it's still used in laptops and smartphones mostly for its higher density and its less bulky feature.

Lithium batteries self-discharge slowly. The batteries compared to other rechargeable ones has the lowest self-discharge rate. Ones it's unplugged from a source of power, they lose power at very minimal speed and have a range of 1000-5000 cycles before they lose 20% of their complete charge.

Low maintenance. Lithium batteries do not require regular checkups for their performance. Another importance of a lithium battery is that it has a property of fast charging, that is most of the portable devices use it due to their frequent charging demand.

Unlike other batteries, lithium batteries do not require to be charged and discharged fast before they are used. These batteries again are essential because they have a longer lifespan that is they still function well even after 5000 cycles.

Cons of lithium batteries include; cost, lithium batteries are very expensive because their manufacture is as costly as well. Unlike other batteries lithium batteries, need to be monitored to prevent overcharge and discharge. The worst disadvantage of lithium batteries is their susceptibility to fire as most of them overheat hence causing an explosion. The lithium batteries age and this depends on the times it has its charge-discharge cycles.

Pros of alkaline batteries; they are less expensive, they do not cause any environmental damage, they have a longer shelf life than many other batteries, higher energy density, function as good even at low temperatures.

Cons of alkaline batteries; they are bulky, they are easily susceptible to fires, they easily leak and damage devices.