Test/review of Shockli 14430 LiFePO4 450mAh (Purple)

HKJ · 2019-06-28T16:10:24.000Z

Shockli 14430 LiFePO4 450mAh (Purple)

Official specifications:

Discharge current: 0.01A - 1.0A
Charge voltage: 3.65V
Charge current: 0.1A - 0.4A

The two cells tracks nicely and can very easily deliver rated current (1A) and as can be seen above considerable more (3A looks nice), but it may affect the lifetime.
As always with LiFePO4 the voltage is very constant during discharge.

Conclusion

Not much to say about these cells, they works perfectly for LiFePO4 with lower but stable discharge voltage and do easily deliver rated current.

Notes and links

The batteries was supplied by Shockli for review.

How is the test done and how to read the charts
How is a protected LiIon battery constructed
More about button top and flat top batteries
Graphical comparison to other LiIon batteries
Table with all tested LiIon batteries

DavidEF · 2019-06-28T18:43:16.000Z

Nice cells, it seems. Now we need a new flashlight that can use these cells!

EDIT: A XP-L2 HD is rated for 3A at 3.2V and produces over 1300 emitter lumens at that point. We NEED a new tiny light!

HKJ · 2019-06-28T19:17:15.000Z

DavidEF:

Nice cells, it seems. Now we need a new flashlight that can use these cells!

They may not be ideal for most flashlights, I always think about a solar powered IOT device when looking at these batteries. A 3.3V microprocessor and a solar panel with a LiFePO4 battery as backup, how many years would that last? You do not even need a real voltage regulator, just a shunt regulator to prevent voltage from getting to high.

DavidEF · 2019-06-28T20:26:27.000Z

Well, with today’s low Vf emitters, a LiFePO4 cell voltage is plenty. Who needs the extra voltage of a Li-Ion just to burn it off as heat? Like I said above, the XP-L2 is only really rated up to 3A anyway, and at that current, the Vf is 3.2 volts. An old 8-chip Qlite driver rated at 3.05V is right there in the same sweet spot. I know it has been BLF tradition to push emitters and cells alike to the brink of destruction, but it’s not necessary to do so, especially for EDC. Since LiFePO4 keeps close to full voltage until the end, it would make a great regulated pocket light, IMHO.

BlueSwordM · 2019-06-28T20:31:13.000Z

Not bad energy density for a LiFePO4 cell too.

105Wh/kg. That’s really good actually.

Lightbringer · 2019-06-28T22:21:24.000Z

I love LFP cells. I can stick ’em in my bobofett light for something quite bright (and constant), without worrying about alkaleaks taking a dump inside it. And it won’t fry the boost circuit like a regular 14500 would.

Barkuti · 2019-06-30T03:40:36.000Z

There's some advancement in LiFePO₄ batteries, neat thing.

I am here to ask a simple and straightforward question, why is LiFePO₄ charged to 3.6/3.65V maximum? By looking at the discharge curves I knew I could do with just 3.4V, already tried. The following article just confirms such a thing: https://www.powerstream.com/lithium-phosphate-charge-voltage.htm

Of course nowhere I have read this but, essentially, looks like the 3.6/3.65V figure was likely selected because it fits well with automotive and other lead acid voltage regulators and chargers. Going deeper I'd say the chemistry and battery characteristics were specifically designed as a lead acid battery replacement in a 2S:3S cell ratio.

I wonder, though, if that extra voltage is detrimental for battery life. You know, I like things to last, I'm a built to last philosophy devotee.

Cheers

BlueSwordM · 2019-06-30T04:34:10.000Z

Huh, you are right.

I’ve just noticed something interesting too, in the discharge curves.

It never goes above around 3,45V.

Seems like LiFePO4 cells have the same kind of discharge curve as most lithium ion cells, and therefore, the same property of having the lowest internal resistance during discharge rather than at full charge, and so, as I’ve tested it(but never posted), there’s almost no difference in capacity between 4,13V and 4,20V.

However, that effect seems to be amplified by a large margin with that chemistry, losing almost no capacity until below 3,4V charging voltage.

Shockli-Simon · 2019-07-04T10:24:35.000Z

DavidEF:

Well, with today’s low Vf emitters, a LiFePO4 cell voltage is plenty. Who needs the extra voltage of a Li-Ion just to burn it off as heat? Like I said above, the XP-L2 is only really rated up to 3A anyway, and at that current, the Vf is 3.2 volts. An old 8-chip Qlite driver rated at 3.05V is right there in the same sweet spot. I know it has been BLF tradition to push emitters and cells alike to the brink of destruction, but it’s not necessary to do so, especially for EDC. Since LiFePO4 keeps close to full voltage until the end, it would make a great regulated pocket light, IMHO. :partying_face:

thanks for HKJ TEST and hard work.

Hi DavidEF

may be you are right.

the LiFePO4 3.2V 14430 or LiFePO4 3.2V 14500 are designed for solar light. It mainly used on the lawn solar light that require 3.2V battery.

the lifepo4 3.2V 14500 is not a replacement for 14500 3.7V battery and AA 1.2v NIMH battery.

the lifepo4 3.2V 14500 can use for flashlight when the flashligth work volt can hold 1.5-4.2V
If the voltage is too high, it may burn out your device. I used 14500 3.7V on the mouse once. The mouse used to use two AA 1.2V batteries. As a result, the voltage is too high. My mouse is broken.

Shockli-Simon · 2019-07-04T10:46:51.000Z

Barkuti:

There’s some advancement in LiFePO₄ batteries, neat thing.

I am here to ask a simple and straightforward question, why is LiFePO₄ charged to 3.6/3.65V maximum? By looking at the discharge curves I knew I could do with just 3.4V, already tried. The following article just confirms such a thing: https://www.powerstream.com/lithium-phosphate-charge-voltage.htm

Of course nowhere I have read this but, essentially, looks like the 3.6/3.65V figure was likely selected because it fits well with automotive and other lead acid voltage regulators and chargers. Going deeper I’d say the chemistry and battery characteristics were specifically designed as a lead acid battery replacement in a 2S:3S cell ratio.

I wonder, though, if that extra voltage is detrimental for battery life. You know, I like things to last, I’m a built to last philosophy devotee.

Cheers

Hi Barkuti

The material of the material is different, which leads to the different charging voltage.

The advantages of LifePo4 battery is High Cycle Life (1500-2000 cycle life), high temperature resistance and safe working at 60 degrees, so it is used in outdoor solar light, of course, many electric vehicles in China are also lithium ion batteries with LiFepo4 batteries(because the high cycle life)

The advantages of li-ion battery are high capacity and good low temperature resistance.

Below 0 degrees in winter, lithium ion performs better than Lifepo4

Shockli-Simon · 2019-09-02T06:36:51.000Z

Updated on 09/02/2019 —shockli -simon

Some 14430 and 14500 lifepo4 battery give away to BLF member(Only ship to USA, can not ship to other address)

thank BLF member’s support, Shockli provide some give away to thank BLF member(USA), The give away product now only in stock in the USA amazon , so only available for USA address , please check the following give away product (leave message or email sales@shockli.com to me, quantity is very little quantity)

NOTE: 1）14430 and 14500 lifepo4 3.2V battery are use for solar path lights 2）Ship Time : It will take 20-25day

If you need a product, Please do the following two steps

step 1: please copy the following and reduce the quantity of the product by 1, so that you can tell how many give away are still available

step 2: leave message or email sales@shockli.com to me , told me the shipping information