Rechargeable LiPo Battery 2000 mAh – 7.4 V

Description

Rechargeable LiPo (lithium polymer) battery with a nominal voltage of 7.4 V and a capacity of 2000 mAh. Discharge rate: 25C, balance charge connector: JST-XH, voltage output connector: Deans T; dimensions (mm): 107x35x16; weight: 105 grams.

Note: the battery must be charged only and exclusively with chargers specifically designed for LiPo.

Pros and cons

Compared to Li-ion batteries, Li-Poly batteries have a higher degradation rate over their life cycle. However, manufacturers have recently claimed to have achieved 500 charge/discharge cycles before capacity drops to 80% (see Sanyo). Another variant of lithium polymer batteries is the “thin-film rechargeable lithium battery,” which has made more than 10,000 charge and discharge cycles possible. One of the great advantages of Li-Poly technology is that manufacturers can shape the batteries more or less as they wish, which can be important for cell phone makers who constantly work on smaller, thinner, and lighter phones. Another advantage of lithium polymer batteries over Ni-Cd (nickel-cadmium) and NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) batteries is that the self-discharge rate is much lower. One of the main drawbacks of the technology is the need to use specific chargers to avoid fires and explosions. The battery can explode if short-circuited, due to its very low internal resistance and the consequent tremendous surge current through the cell. Furthermore, a Li-Poly cell can easily catch fire if punctured, so batteries are, in various applications, covered with a plastic casing that should prevent punctures. In specific applications (e.g., radio-controlled cars), electronic torque controls are also required for the electric motors connected to the cell, in order to limit discharge currents and consequently battery damage. A problem with lithium-based batteries is the supply of raw material: lithium is available in nature in limited quantities and requires particularly complicated and expensive extraction processes; the market is dominated by a few manufacturers, FMC and CHEMETALL.