Quote:
Originally Posted by Daox
I'd highly suggest sticking with lithium. Their cycle life is rated around 3000 cycles under ideal circumstances. Under those circumstances you can use up to 80% DOD. With lead acid, you get at most 800 cycles at 50% DOD. So lets do some math:
65Ah lithium @ 80% DOD gives 52 usable Ah.
40Ah lead battery @ 50% DOD gives you 20 usable Ah. In order to get 52 usable Ah out of a lead acid battery, you actually need it to be 104Ah. That is a big battery, I know because I have four of them on my riding lawn mower.
Now, you have the same usable Ah, but you still have a battery that weighs a TON more, and is only going to last at most 1/4 as long as the lithium. Also, refurbished batteries won't have near the rated capacity of a new cell.
|
Thanks for the info. I understand the concept now, but I'm still confused as to what I should be looking for. I guess I don't understand the whole "40Ah isn't really 40Ah once it starts discharging" concept.
That and I'm just confused by browsing EValbum. I see people with 40Ah Lifepo4 batteries getting a 35 mile range and then I'll see other bikes using 70 Ah batteries getting 35 mile range. I do realize there's a lot of variables in play here, like sprocket size, controller, motor efficiency, etc... But is it really that complicated?