Guide · Choosing your battery
Lithium or gel battery: which one for Togo?
Published 13 September 2026 · 7-minute read
How each one works
A lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery stores energy in lithium cells stabilised by iron phosphate. It is the lithium chemistry recognised as the most stable: it withstands deep discharge without shortening its useful life, and it lasts several thousand charge-discharge cycles, an order of magnitude generally accepted for this technology. It is what equips most premium solar kits worldwide today.
A gel battery is an evolution of the lead-acid battery: the liquid electrolyte is replaced with a silica gel, which removes routine maintenance — no water to top up — and reduces the risk of leaks. But lead-gel chemistry remains heavier at the same advertised capacity, tolerates repeated deep discharges poorly, and its lifespan is counted in a few hundred cycles, an order of magnitude generally accepted for this older technology, still the majority chemistry on the Togolese market today.
The five criteria that matter
A quote only shows a price. Here is what else to ask for.
| Criterion | LiFePO4 | Gel |
|---|---|---|
| Usable discharge | Up to 95% of nominal capacity, with no loss of lifespan | Markedly more limited: keeping it shallow preserves the battery's life |
| Cycle count | Several thousand cycles, an order of magnitude generally accepted | A few hundred cycles, an order of magnitude generally accepted |
| Behaviour in heat | More stable chemistry, better suited to daily cycles under constant heat | More sensitive to heat, which speeds up its ageing |
| Safety | The most stable lithium chemistry, certified to IEC 62619 and UN38.3 | No liquid leak risk, but without the same batch certifications |
| Cost over ten years | Higher purchase price, but a single battery over the period | Lower purchase price, replaced once or more over the same period |
Weight matters too, especially for installation and any future replacement: at the same advertised capacity, a gel battery weighs noticeably more than a LiFePO4, which needs no lead plates to store the same energy.
Why you'll still see gel in Lomé
Gel hasn't disappeared from the Togolese market — it remains the majority chemistry there. The reason isn't technical: it comes down to the first figure a customer sees, the one on the quote. A gel battery costs less to buy than a LiFePO4 of equivalent advertised capacity, and that figure is what decides a cash purchase, in a market where the price gap is obvious immediately and the difference in longevity only shows up later.
What the customer doesn't see at the moment of signing: the depth of discharge actually usable, the number of cycles before replacement, how the battery behaves under Lomé's constant heat, its weight, and the maintenance it requires. They find out through use, when the battery can no longer carry them through the night, or after two or three years, when it needs replacing even though the seller had advertised a ten-year warranty.
How to read a battery's data sheet
A battery data sheet almost always gives the voltage (in volts, V) and the capacity (in amp-hours, Ah). To find the energy actually stored, in watt-hours (Wh) or kilowatt-hours (kWh), simply multiply the two: 51.2V × 100Ah = 5.12kWh.
That figure is the nominal capacity, not what you can use every night. Usable capacity is obtained by multiplying nominal capacity by the depth of discharge the manufacturer allows: this is where the gap between the two chemistries shows up most, LiFePO4 accepting a markedly deeper discharge than gel without losing lifespan. Two batteries advertising the same number of kWh on the label can therefore deliver very different nights.
What we chose, and why
The entire AFRO-ENERGY range runs at 48V, with lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries, certified to IEC 62619 and UN38.3. It is the chemistry that matches what we sell: kits designed to run one air conditioner per bedroom all night, in a climate where constant heat tests batteries every day.
On every shipment, we hold back batteries from the same production batch as those installed: a battery of the same model and batch can be added within twelve months, without changing the inverter, if the kit turns out to be a little tight. The manufacturer warranty runs up to five years on the inverter and ten years on the battery depending on the kit. The guide which kit for my home explains how this upgrade path protects against a sizing mistake.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a LiFePO4 lithium battery really last longer than a gel battery?
- Yes, by a significant margin. Lithium iron phosphate accepts a usable discharge of up to 95% of its capacity and lasts several thousand cycles, against a few hundred for a gel battery — hence a lifespan roughly three times longer.
- Why is a gel battery still sold in Togo if it lasts less long?
- Because it costs less to buy, and that is the figure the customer sees on the quote. It remains the majority chemistry on the Togolese market today; the real cost only shows up at replacement time.
- How do you read a solar battery's data sheet?
- Voltage × capacity in amp-hours = energy stored in watt-hours: 51.2V × 100Ah = 5.12kWh. Usable capacity also depends on the depth of discharge the manufacturer allows.