What is the low temp for a lithium battery? Comparison and Performance

Lithium batteries are present in almost everything around us today. Our smartphones, tablets, watches, headphones, laptops, and even cars use these batteries. However, it seems strange to many users that their battery suddenly changes its performance and backup when the temperature changes.

Lithium batteries are known to have a performance drop at lower temperatures, but how low is too low? Here you will learn everything about the operational temperature ranges of lithium batteries.

What is the low temp for a lithium battery cell?

When it comes to the operating temperatures of a lithium battery cell, it ranges between -20 and 60 degrees Celsius. While there are not many issues at high temperatures, as those conditions are not very common, there could be certain issues at low temperatures.

It is because people live in freezing temperatures in several parts of the world for months. So it is important to know the effect of taking your smartphone out in the open when it has a lithium battery.

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Charging Low Temperatures

Although the operational temperature range of the lithium battery ranges between -20 and 60 degrees Celsius, when it comes to charging temperatures, it must be between 0 and 45 degrees Celsius maximum.

?You can charge your lithium battery cells at the lowest temperature of 5 degrees.

?If the temperature is below that and you charge the battery with a normal current, it will permanently damage the cells because the diffusion rate on the anode of the battery is less. 

So, if you want to charge the battery, it is recommended to decrease the current or increase the temperature of the environment.

When the cells are cold, their internal resistance increases, and charging them at normal temperature will go against the resistance, causing damage. That is why opting for slow chargers in cold temperatures is better.

Discharging or Using the Battery

The discharging range of lithium batteries is between -20 and 60 degrees Celsius. The performance will be better at normal and higher temperatures at this temperature. -20 degrees Celsius is the lowest range at which you must use your battery, and even at this temperature, you will note a significant drop in the performance of your battery.

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Lithium-ion Cold Battery Temperature Performance

It is no surprise that lithium-ion batteries perform even in freezing temperatures. You can use these batteries in extreme conditions like -20 degrees Celsius, but there will be a lower capacity difference than in normal conditions. Apart from the backup capacity, there could be long-term capacity loss and permanent damage if these batteries are used for a prolonged time in such conditions.

Lithium-ion Battery Performance Drop under Extreme Conditions

Let's take an example of a standard 18650 battery that holds 3350mah capacity under normal operating temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius and discharge it at 0 degrees Celsius. The remaining capacity will be 3080mah, 92.6% of the original capacity under normal temperature ranges.

Similarly, suppose we further drop the temperature to -10 degrees Celsius and compare it to the normal capacity at 25 degrees Celsius. In that case, it will be only 2920mah making 88% of the capacity in normal operational temperature ranges. It means a battery that had a total capacity of 3350mah at 25 degrees Celsius showed the following results:

25 degrees Celsius: 3350mah

0 degrees Celsius: 3080mah

-10 degrees Celsius: 2920

Here we can note a significant crop of 12 percent in capacity between 25 and -10 degrees Celsius. Remember that this result can vary depending on the batteries, previous conditions, and specifications. This drop in the capacity is measured while maintaining the same discharge current for the same battery. If the discharge current or battery specifications like total capacity vary, the results will also significantly vary.

What about the damage done to the battery?

As you are using a lithium-ion battery under cold temperature conditions, the battery will continuously get permanent damage to its cells. The temperature will become more as you decrease the temperature. A high discharge current may not damage the lithium-ion battery as much as a low temperature.

What temperature should lithium batteries be?

When we use lithium batteries, the temperature to care for is not only environmental temperature. The temperature of the battery itself matters a lot. For optimal performance and lifespan, the ideal temperature at which your battery works must be between 10 and 45 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the battery will give peak performance, lasting up to 6000 cycles with average usage.

However, these results may vary for different batteries depending on their usage conditions and operational capacity. If you don't care a lot about the cycle count and can go for a shorter lifespan of around 3000 cycles, then you may consider your battery good in temperature between 0 and 50 degrees Celsius.

Remember that your battery's temperature will increase when you start using it and decrease when you stop because of the flow of electrons.

How to protect lithium battery cells?

Now that you know at what temperature these should battery work, it is important to know how to protect them from taking permanent damage due to carelessness. You need to maintain certain conditions to get favorable results from your battery.

For instance, if you are going out only for 30 minutes in freezing temperatures, it won't be a huge issue as the battery will return to normal indoor temperature when you get back home.

For longer trips, you may shelter the device with a battery to ensure that it does not take any damage.

On the other hand, if you are in a life-threatening cold condition, it is better to make the most out of the battery as long as it helps you save your life.

The lithium batteries are good when used under favorable temperature conditions. When the temperature conditions go out of range, these batteries start lowering their performance and capacity, and there is some permanent damage to the battery.

Final Remarks:

The worst part is that most users know the battery temperature ranges. So, if you also have some devices that work on lithium batteries, charge and discharge them only within the favorable temperature range. Otherwise, you must alter the charging specifications to protect the life and performance of your battery.