Older portable lighting equipment often ran on lead-acid batteries, the same broad chemistry family used in vehicle starter batteries. Lithium packs have largely replaced them in newer equipment — here's what actually changes in the field, not just on a spec sheet.
Lithium cells store meaningfully more energy per kilogram than lead-acid, which is why a lithium-powered tower can carry enough capacity for a full shift's runtime without the pack itself becoming the heaviest part of the unit. This matters directly for single-person deployment — a lighter battery pack is part of what makes sub-10-second, one-person setup practical on equipment like the LI-300.
Lithium packs generally accept a faster charge and tolerate more full charge-discharge cycles before capacity noticeably degrades, compared to lead-acid. Over the working life of a fleet, this shows up as more usable runtime per pack over time and less frequent replacement, though actual cycle life still depends on charging habits and storage conditions — see our battery lifecycle guide for what affects that in practice.
Lead-acid batteries are more sensitive to being left partially discharged for extended periods, which can permanently reduce capacity. Lithium packs tolerate partial-charge storage significantly better, which matters for equipment that sits between deployments rather than running continuously.
A lighter pack isn't just a convenience figure — it's a direct input into how quickly and by how many people a light tower can be moved and set up. Equipment built around lithium packs can prioritise single-person operation in a way that's harder to achieve with the added weight of an equivalent-capacity lead-acid pack.
Every Litenza product uses lithium battery packs (LI-24 series) as standard, sized per model for the target runtime and deployment weight. See the LI-300 and LI-500 spec tables for exact pack counts and runtimes per model.
Lithium cells store more energy per kilogram, charge faster, and tolerate more charge cycles before capacity degrades — all of which support lighter, faster-deploying equipment.
For the same usable capacity, yes — lithium's higher energy density is a major reason single-person, sub-10-second deployment is achievable on equipment like the LI-300.
Yes. Lead-acid batteries are more sensitive to extended partial-discharge storage than lithium packs, which tolerate partial-charge storage better.
Lithium battery packs (LI-24 series) as standard across the product range.
What affects battery life and when to plan for replacement.
Read More →Runtime, noise, emissions and cost — a head-to-head comparison.
Read More →Self-contained towers vs separate generator-plus-floodlight setups.
Read More →