PRI 2014: Lithium Pros’ Self-Managed, Light Lithium-Ion Batteries

Wouldn’t it be great if automotive batteries had the same “smart” technology that modern cell phones and other electronic devices have when it comes to power management, allowing them to essentially power themselves down when the battery runs too low, or when they’re not being used, to both save and protect the battery? Well, they do in fact, and the folks at Lithium Pros — who have made a name for themselves for producing some of the lightest racing batteries in the industry — have just such a product in their “L” series of Lithium-Ion batteries that contain a full internal Battery Management System.

This particular battery on display here at the PRI Show is their top-of-the-line 16-volt (20Ah) piece that weighs in at just 10.1 pounds. The BMS system monitors all the cells in the battery at all times to ensure maximum life cycle, with low and high voltage, over-current, short-circuit, and thermal protection all built right in. It’s also fully compatible with 16V alternators.

If an issue were to arise, or a cell pack failed, the BMS will automatically shut off the power to the terminals, which isolates the cell pack and prevents complete failure of the battery. But as Lithium Pros’ Kevin Bennett points out, one of the greatest advantages to this technology is that one can turn their vehicle off, walk away and leave the vehicle stored for weeks or months, and the battery will automatically power itself down. Then, when it senses a load again (fly flipping on a fan or a water pump, for example), it will power itself back on.

…a real achilles heel for lithium-ion batteries has been over-discharge. Having a computer that intelligently shuts it down and lets you store it is key to it living for a long time. – Kevin Bennett

With a standard lead acid battery, one has to be boost-charging it all the time to maintain its life cycle. But with the BMS, during winter storage, the battery will consume about 25% of the energy from the battery, and then power down.

“This technology allows the battery to have a much longer shelf life. It’s a big deal if you’re a distributor that’s going to buy the product and have it sit for a long period of time, or a racer who that’s going to let the car sit over the winter. That’s a big thing, because a real achilles heel for lithium-ion batteries has been over-discharge. Having a computer that intelligently shuts it down and lets you store it is key to it living for a long time.”

The L1600A has a fast 90-minute fast recharge time, with a recharge time of typically less than 20 minutes after a pass at the drag strip.