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If you have been putting up with substandard batteries that do not give you the specifications you need, what better time to upgrade than the present?  Ultralife manufacture both rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries that utilize modern chemistries and designs to offer significant advantages over other portable power solutions in the marketplace.

Here we focus on three possible upgrade solutions but many more are available:

Upgrade from Sealed Lead Acid to Lithium Iron Phosphate (Rechargeable)

Over the last ten years, due to the ever-growing desire for lighter and longer-lasting batteries, many companies have made the switch from using Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) chemistry to Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4).  LiFePO4 batteries are three times lighter than SLA batteries of the same capacity (15Kg compared to 45Kg) and have a service life of 5 to 7 years, compared with around 2 years for SLA.  They are also a lot easier for the user to maintain, as they do not require topping up with water.  They can also be embedded into the device more easily because they do not need gas extraction facilities.

Case Study:  Ultralife URB1270 vs. SLA Equivalent

The URB1270 is one of ten Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries manufactured by Ultralife, with others including a hot-swappable medical cart battery, a stackable 24V power storage battery, and an embeddable U1-size battery.

Upgrade from Alkaline 9 Volt to LiMnO2 9 Volt
(Non-Rechargeable)

Just as with rechargeable batteries, a key reason to upgrade non-rechargeable 9 Volt batteries would be to increase service life and decrease the size/weight.  Traditionally, 9 Volt batteries used alkaline chemistry but, depending on use and device cut-off voltage, Lithium Manganese Dioxide (LiMnO2) batteries can offer up to five times the capacity of a leading alkaline 9V (meaning LiMnO2 last longer).  LiMnO2 batteries also have a higher energy density than alkaline, which means they can be smaller but produce the same amount of energy.

Case Study:  Ultralife 9V vs. Typical Alkaline 9V

Ultralife 9V weighs approx. 18% less than the average alkaline 9V (37g) Ultralife 9V has the highest energy density among all brand name 9V batteries Ultralife 9V has an operating temperature range of -40ºC to +60ºC, compared to -18°C to +55°C for most alkaline batteries

In addition to outperforming alkaline 9V batteries, the Ultralife Lithium 9V is also superior to other lithium competitors.  Where the competition offers lithium 9V products that boast 800mAh of capacity, the Ultralife Lithium 9V battery offers 1200mAh or 50% more energy. 

Upgrade from Coin Cells to Ultralife Thin Cell®
(Non-Rechargeable)

Unlike SLA to LiFePO4 and alkaline to LiMnO2, which are upgrades achieved by switching chemistry, both Coin Cells and Ultralife Thin Cells® (a battery technology pioneered by Ultralife) utilize Lithium Manganese Dioxide.  However, due to their design, Ultralife Thin Cells® have a higher running voltage during discharge, so consume less current, which is vital in today’s constant power-driven applications.

Case Study:  Ultralife Thin Cell vs. Typical Coin Cell

Ultralife Thin Cells® offer continuous discharge currents 10 times that of coin cells of the same capacity. Ultralife Thin Cells® have capacities up to 1900mAh, compared to a maximum of 1000mAh for Coin Cells Ultralife Thin Cells® are very customizable in terms of size (see Thin Cell® Calculator), compared to the small number of standard sized Coin Cells

Conclusion

If a chemistry (whether rechargeable or non-rechargeable) or battery design is not working for you, there are others to choose from that can give the size, weight, and performance you need.  Speaking to a battery manufacturer like Ultralife can help.

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