Everyone knows that the voltage of batteries is not limited to 12V. There are also 24V, 36V, 48V, 60V, 72V, and 96V batteries. However, you may often come across 12V batteries, as it is a very popular topic. So, what is a 12V battery?
12V Lifepo4 Battery Series
Contents
- 1 What Is A 12V Battery？
- 2 Types of 12V Batteries
- 3 What Is A 12V Battery Can Be Used for?
- 4 How to Choose 12V Battery Fit For Your Devices?
- 5 FAQ
- 5.1 What Is The Most Common 12v Battery?
- 5.2 How Long Do 12V Batteries Last?
- 5.3 Which 12V Battery Lasts The Longest?
- 5.4 Can You Recharge A 12V Battery?
- 5.5 Are All 12v Batteries The Same Size?
- 5.6 What Are Amp Hours On A 12-Volt Battery？
- 5.7 What Does 12V 7Ah Battery Mean?
- 5.8 What Battery For 12V Trolling Motor？
- 5.9 What Is A 12 Volt DC Battery？
- 6 Conclusion
- 7 Maybe You Will be Interested In
What Is A 12V Battery？
Yes, the single-cell voltage of a 12V battery is 12V, and it is composed of multiple cell cores connected in series to form a battery pack. In fact, the 12V battery is a large category, with different composition materials resulting in different battery performances. According to different battery performances, they can be applied to various devices to fully realize their value. Next, let’s talk about the types of 12V batteries.
Types of 12V Batteries
Most 12V batteries are rechargeable batteries. According to different internal materials, we can divide the commonly seen 12V batteries in the market into two categories: lead-acid batteries and lithium batteries. Let’s continue to further classify these two categories, so that we can better identify which type of 12V battery is more suitable for you.
12V Flooded Lead-Acid Battery（FLA）
As you can tell from the name, the 12V flooded lead-acid battery is a type of lead-acid battery. It is composed of positive and negative plates, electrolytes, and plastic casing. Because its internal space is filled with electrolytes made of sulfuric acid and water, and the liquid level is higher than the plates, it is called flooded.
Advantage
The manufacturing cost of 12V flooded lead-acid batteries is relatively low. If you have a limited budget for this project, you can consider flooded lead-acid batteries. They can provide high current to some equipment with high power demands. Although the battery life is not long, it is sufficient to support the normal operation of your equipment.
Disadvantage
Although it is a flooded lead-acid battery, you still cannot avoid the regular maintenance of it. This is because it generates heat during the charging and discharging process, leading to a reduction in the water content of the battery. If not regularly maintained by adding water, it is easy to cause damage to the battery and shorten its service life. In addition, lead-acid batteries contain heavy metals and during operation, they release gases that are harmful to the environment, so they need to be carefully handled.
Application
The application scope of 12V sealed lead-acid batteries is still very wide. They can be found in the power systems of our daily transportation tools, such as electric bicycles, cars, motorcycles, and other means of transportation that require high power. They can also be used in solar energy storage systems as essential power equipment for our daily lives.
12V GEL Battery
Different from flooded lead-acid batteries, 12V GEL batteries are sealed lead-acid batteries with adjustable valve control. Its electrolyte is not a mixture of sulfuric acid and water, but a silicon gel with a higher boiling point that presents a gelatinous substance. In addition to having the characteristic of a high boiling point, the solidification point of the silicon gel is also very low. This allows the 12V GEL battery to work without easily evaporating water, so you don’t need to regularly add water. Thanks to the sealed casing, you can install GEL batteries according to your needs. However, compared to traditional lead-acid batteries, the manufacturing cost of 12V GEL batteries is slightly higher.
12V AGM Battery
What is a 12V AGM battery? Like the 12V GEL battery, it belongs to the valve-regulated lead-acid battery category. Because it uses a semi-saturated absorbent glass mat instead of separators, the electrolyte cannot flow freely. In addition, the sealed plastic shell of the 12V AGM battery allows for installation in any orientation without the concern of liquid leakage. The 12V AGM battery does not require regular water topping up, but excessive water loss can lead to battery corrosion, affecting its lifespan. The cycle life of a 12V AGM battery typically ranges between 500 and 1300 cycles, and its self-discharge rate is lower than that of traditional lead-acid batteries. AGM batteries have the highest manufacturing cost among all lead-acid batteries.
Lead Acid Battery
12V Lithium Battery
A 12V lithium battery also has positive and negative electrodes, electrolytes, separators, and a metal casing. The positive and negative plates of lead-acid batteries are made of lead, while the positive electrode of lithium batteries is usually a lithium-ion compound. Depending on the different lithium-ion compounds, we can further classify 12V lithium batteries. However, when we mention lithium batteries, we usually refer to lithium iron phosphate (lifepo4) batteries.
The 12V lithium iron phosphate battery inherits the excellent chemical properties of lithium iron phosphate, with stable safety performance and relatively high energy density. For the same volume, the 12V lithium battery can store more energy, but may weigh only half as much as a lead-acid battery. The number of cycles is several times that of lead-acid batteries, usually over 3000, and high-quality ones can be used for around 10 years.
Lithium batteries do not contain heavy metals, do not harm the environment, and do not require excessive maintenance. However, correspondingly, their manufacturing cost is higher than that of lead-acid batteries.
12.8V 300Ah LiFePO4 Battery Advantage
Related Article: Lithium Ion VS. Lead Acid Batteries | Compare Guide
What Is A 12V Battery Can Be Used for?
The application of 12V batteries can be said to be very extensive. They can be used as standby power sources, power batteries, and can also be used in solar energy storage systems. For example, in 12V lead-acid batteries, those with high output power can be used in electric vehicles, motorcycles, cars and other transportation vehicles. Other 12V batteries can be used in electric toys, power tools, solar power generation, and wind power generation systems.
12V lifepo4 Battery Application
How to Choose 12V Battery Fit For Your Devices?
To choose the most suitable and cost-effective 12V battery for your device, you can consider the following three aspects.
Application
Lead-acid batteries and lithium batteries have different performances and are suitable for different environments. They have their own advantages and disadvantages, which need to be taken into consideration when being used. For example, lead-acid batteries are not recommended for use in enclosed environments.
Budget
Although the above simply lists the cost of each type, in fact, you also need to consider the battery parameters and brand effects, the charge and discharge frequency and intensity of your device, and the regional supply differences.
Maintenance
In 12V flooded lead-acid batteries, regular watering is needed for maintenance. Although AGM batteries do not require regular watering, attention should also be paid to avoid acid-water imbalance. GEL and lithium batteries do not require watering, but relatively speaking, the later maintenance cost of lithium batteries is lower.
FAQ
What Is The Most Common 12v Battery?
The most common type of 12V battery is lead-acid battery, because it is relatively inexpensive and can be used as a starting power source, widely used in vehicle engine systems.
How Long Do 12V Batteries Last?
The lifespan of lead-acid batteries is approximately 2-4 years, and the lifespan of lithium batteries is 5-10 years. For example, the designed lifespan of Delong lithium batteries is 12 years. However, how long a 12V battery can actually last depends on various factors, such as the type of battery, capacity, charging and discharging frequency, and usage habits.
Which 12V Battery Lasts The Longest?
Generally speaking, the 12V lithium battery has the longest endurance. However, this also depends on the specific usage and maintenance conditions.
Can You Recharge A 12V Battery?
Of course, both 12V lead-acid batteries and 12V lithium batteries are rechargeable batteries.
Related article: 5 Types of Rechargeable Battery | Li-ion | NiMH | NiCd
Are All 12v Batteries The Same Size?
Not really. There are differences in batteries produced by different brands, and the sizes of batteries with different capacities also vary.
Related article: Comparing Group 24 and Group 27 Batteries
What Are Amp Hours On A 12-Volt Battery？
In simple terms, Amp hours (Ah) is the unit used to measure the capacity of a battery. The higher the value of Ah, the more electrical energy the battery can store and the longer the battery life.
What Does 12V 7Ah Battery Mean?
12V refers to the voltage of the battery, and 7Ah indicates the capacity of the battery. 12V 7Ah means that the battery can continuously supply a device at 7Ah current for 1 hour before charging. Similarly, 12V 100Ah means that the battery can continuously supply a device at 100Ah current for 1 hour before charging.
What Battery For 12V Trolling Motor？
12V trolling motors can be powered by various types of batteries, such as the aforementioned high-discharge lead-acid batteries and high-capacity, long-life lithium batteries. However, each type has its drawbacks, so you may want to compare them carefully before making a decision.
Related article: How To Choose The Best Battery For Trolling Motor？
What Is A 12 Volt DC Battery？
DC refers to direct current, which means the electric current always flows from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of the battery in one direction. A 12 Volt DC battery indicates a battery that provides direct current power at a voltage level of 12V.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we have introduced several types of 12V batteries. We don’t know if we have resolved your concerns and helped you make a decision.
Maybe You Will be Interested In
Here are several 12V lithium iron phosphate batteries from Delong Energy, commonly used for RV power, camping power, and as an alternative for Lead Acid / Gel / AGM batteries.
12.8V 7Ah LiFePO4 Battery DL-LFP-RP1207
12.8V 20Ah LiFePO4 Battery DL-LFP-RP1220
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