Ideal Operating Temperature for Lithium-ion Battery

Lithium-ion batteries are currently the best in the world of power storage systems. They offer more capacity, better performance, and are extremely long-lasting.

Because of these batteries, we have seen more?advanced technologies like electric vehicles. It would be extremely hard to have such without reliable power sources.

However, batteries have always faced one big issue – temperature. We have seen batteries explode or get damaged when used under unrecommendable temperature conditions.

Unfortunately, most end-users are not aware of the consequences heat or cold conditions have on their batteries. They will just use the devices in certain conditions without understanding how they may affect the batteries or the devices they use.

Today, we will be discussing such important matters. We hope it helps you keep your battery safe.

Lithium-ion Battery Temperature Storage

As you may already know, properly storing lithium-ion batteries is extremely important. It does not only touch on the safety aspect but on efficiency too.

If you are not careful how you store the batteries, for short or long terms, you may end up with damaged batteries. Your battery may overheat and cause an effect called thermal runaway.

So, what is the ideal temperature for storing li-ion batteries? This is a question that has been debated for so long by different experts and users.

There are those who argue that lower temperatures are the ideal conditions for such, while others recommend room temperature. Sometimes it all comes down to the quality of your battery.

Generally, the optimum storage temperature of these batteries is 10C or 50F. High temperature affects the rate of self-discharge. The higher the temperature, the faster the battery will self-discharge.

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Hence, we recommend always checking to ensure your battery is in the best storage conditions. This is why many people recommend storing the battery at a temperature below freezing point. This will not adversely affect the battery since it does not contain water.

However, it is still crucial that you don’t keep the batteries in sub-zero temperature conditions. The freezing temperature may not be the most ideal.

You should always check for the ideal conditions, especially when storing for a long time. It is not just about storing the battery but keeping it safe too.?

lithium-ion battery in Hot Car

Lithium-ion batteries are definitely the best for all your power needs. They are designed to offer more performance than other batteries and last for a long time.

Despite this factor, they are extremely sensitive to temperature. Even though modern versions and improvements offer better performance with improved tolerance for temperature conditions, the batteries are still vulnerable.

They come with highly reactive materials that behave differently under certain temperature conditions. The reactions increase or decrease depending on the temperature.

Leaving lithium-ion batteries inside a hot car is extremely dangerous. The hotter the conditions, the higher the reactions. This may lead to leakage, explosions, and fires.

You look at a permanent capacity loss when leaving the battery in such conditions. Here are some of the consequences.

Explosions

Depending on the materials they are made from, there are different types of lithium-ion batteries. The most common type in many homes today is lithium-ion phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. Whereas they are the strongest and most effective batteries, temperature still affects them.?

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Due to the advanced technology, these batteries are particularly not very explosive. Lithium-ion batteries used in computers, phones, and such devices are more vulnerable to explosions. This is because they have a higher energy density, which increases performance but makes them more explosive.

So, when you leave your Smartphone or laptop inside a hot car, expect it to be affected by the heat.?The device will most likely go off automatically, thanks to the battery management system that checks such conditions.

Swelling

If the battery does not explode, it will swell and become useless. And Increased internal reactions can cause leakages of gases, which could make the battery swell.

It is advisable that you immediately discontinue the use of such batteries and dispose of them immediately. Even if you wanted to use the battery, it might not fit in the device anymore after increasing in size.

A swollen battery can easily explode and catch fire. The gasses produced are mostly flammable. Therefore, it is best that get rid of the battery immediately.

Summary

Extreme heat and extremely cold temperatures are the biggest threat to the performance and durability of lithium-ion batteries. You may not understand the effect of such conditions until you face an exploded battery.

The heat inside your car acts as an oven and a catalyst that increases the chemical reactions inside the battery. When conditions become too unbearable, your battery will just let go and explode.

In short, leaving your devices inside a car packed directly under the sun can be extremely dangerous. It is important to keep the battery under optimum conditions, whether when operating or in storage.

What is a Temperature Bad for Lithium-ion Batteries?

As stated above, the temperature is the biggest threat to the performance and durability of lithium-ion batteries. There are two types of temperatures you don’t want to keep your batteries in:

Freezing temperature

While some people say freezing temperatures are the best for storing lithium batteries, it is not true.??

A frozen battery creates the same strain on chemical reactions as a heated battery. The batteries struggle to balance the internal temperature, which could even cause an explosion.??

Extreme Heat

Thermal runaway is one of the main results of batteries staying under high temperatures. It is a condition that occurs when the heat generated in the battery cell grows beyond the heat dissipation capacity. Higher temperature triggers exothermic reactions in the battery, leading to thermal runaway.

These reactions produce more heat and increase internal battery temperature. The end result is a damaged battery. You will have to deal with workplace fires and explosions in worse conditions.

A great solution is buying a high-quality battery that always ensures the temperature is controlled. The last thing you want it buying another battery to deal with the damages.