A Dakota Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery has a typical self discharge rate of 5% per month. In other words, it takes six months for a Dakota Lithium battery to self discharge to the same level a conventional battery reaches in just thirty days. That means your battery will hold energy for longer until you are ready to use it. It also makes it an optimal battery for emergencies, or back up power for when the lights go out.
As a battery ages the self discharge rate will increase, after 4-5 years of use you may find your battery has a self discharge rate of 10-30% a month. When a battery reaches a self discharge rate of greater then 50% in a 24 hour period this is an indicator of end of life. Typically this happens between 2,000 – 3,000 recharge cycles, or roughly 5-11 years with regular use.
