Lawrence Rhodes via EV wrote:
Even a Yellow Top is the wrong battery for the job in your Leaf. It too is optimized for engine starting. But it does have enough amphour capacity to also support the large number of "always-on" computer loads in modern cars that will run down the batter in a few weeks if you don't have a high enough amphour capacity.
If 41 lead acid amp hours is adequate for a Leaf how many LiPO amp hours do you need?
41 amphours, if you want it to power all the vampire loads for weeks if the car has to sit.
You can only cut back on the amphours if you are willing to shorten the length of time the car can sit without being used.
If I knew how much a Leaf used daily I could calculate the proper sized battery for as many months unused a Leaf has to endure.
Yes. It's not too hard a measurement to make, either. Put an ammeter in one of the battery leads. Check it several times while the car sits to get an idea of the average current (it wouldn't surprise me if there are some loads that cycle on/off on some schedule).
Since LiPO performs better than lead then a smaller battery should work
LiPO performs better at high currents. At low currents, both lead and lithium will deliver essentially all their rated amphour capacity. Lead-acids may even do better, since the capacity is usually specified at the "20-hour" rate, and discharging over many weeks is far slower.
however the smart thing to do as with an ICE... simply use a battery tender or fully charge every few weeks from external sources... maybe > a little solar panel in the windshield some Leafs have it built in.
Yes. In fact, I added a small PV panel to our Prius for exactly this reason. Its 12v battery only lasts about 3 weeks if the car isn't driven. That occasionally happened, when the car was left at the airport when we went on vacation, etc. The PV panel completely eliminated the problem.
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