Quote:
Originally Posted by rsmurano
I had a LifePo battery for my RC sailboat and they recommended that I charge the battery in a special bag in case a fire got started during charging.
Lifepo batteries are indeed flammable under these situations:
Overcharging
Applying too much current to a battery can cause it to overheat and catch fire
Extreme temperatures
Freezing or extremely hot weather can cause a battery to release a large amount of energy and explode
Improper installation
Connecting batteries with different resistances can cause them to overheat and burn
There was a big push for everybody to buy electric everything. Those days are gone. Lithium golf carts cost more and are more expensive to maintain over the life of the cart. I’m including the many thousands of $$$ for new lithium batteries in 7-8 years and the expense of dumping these batteries as toxic waste
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Wow. So much mis-information here, where do I begin... (Note: I was an engineer in this industry for many years and understand this technology very well.)
Overcharging:
If you purchase from a manufacturer and it's not a DIY kit, the charging process is regulated and the battery cannot overcharge. Built in fail safes will disable charging if any faults occur with the regulator circuit.
Extreme Temperatures:
The temperature range for LiFePO4 batteries is typically -4°F to 140°F, but optimal performance is between 32°F and 113°F. There is no temperature we will ever see here in Florida that will come close to either end of the range.
Improper installation:
This is only a DIY issue. Easily avoidable by buying from a manufacturer that designed the cart specifically for LifeP04.
"Lithium golf carts cost more and are more expensive to maintain over the life of the cart. I’m including the many thousands of $$$ for new lithium batteries in 7-8 years and the expense of dumping these batteries as toxic waste"
Comparing an Evolution D5 Ranger fully decked out with a 205ah battery (70 mile range) to a brand new Yamaha:
- The Evolution is ~$10,000 less. (Yamaha $21,000 / Evolution D5 $11,000)
- The battery has an 8 year warranty, but is rated for 3,000 cycles. That equates to 210,000 miles before replacement. You'll be ready for a new cart before the battery needs replacing. And if it did need replacing, a new battery is currently $3,000 - so you could replace 3 times before getting to the cost of the Yamaha.
- Lithium carts have nearly ZERO cost to maintain over the life of the cart. You need to replace brake pads and tires (same as for a gas cart) and change differential oil every couple of years, but that's it. No gas to buy, no regular oil change, no clutch replacement, no tune-up, no filters.
- There is no cost to dispose of an old battery. There are locations that take an old battery at no cost. In fact, there are many places that will actually buy the old battery back as LifeP04 has a high percentage of recyleable components.