Solar Battery Buying Guide Everything You Need To Know, solar system,off grid solar,best solar battery for off grid,inverter battery buying guide,best solar battery system,best solar battery for home
When installing a solar system, there are several factors that need to be considered. However, if you install an off-grid solar system, you also need to pay attention to the batteries. In off-grid solar systems, batteries are required so that you have backup power during nighttime or when there is a power outage.
If you purchase the wrong type of battery, you may not get the expected backup duration. The backup you receive may not match your estimates. Therefore, when buying batteries, it’s important to consider certain factors to ensure you get a good backup performance.
Although many people use regular batteries with solar panels, this approach is only suitable to some extent. You cannot use a normal battery with every solar system because solar batteries come with different ratings compared to regular batteries.
What Are Solar Batteries
Solar batteries are used to store excess energy generated by solar panels (photovoltaic panels) for later use. They are also known as solar energy storage systems or solar battery storage. They play a crucial role in optimizing the efficacy and dependability of solar power systems, particularly in situations with intermittent sunlight or unreliable power grids.
Solar batteries function by converting and storing the direct current (DC) electricity produced by solar panels into alternating current (AC) electricity, which is used by the majority of household appliances and electronics. This stored energy can then be used when the sun is not shining, such as at night or on cloudy days, providing a consistent power supply and decreasing reliance on the traditional electrical infrastructure.
How Do Solar Batteries Work?
The easiest way to think about batteries is to imagine that energy flows through your house’s wires like water flows through pipes. Batteries store energy and make it easy to get when it’s needed, just like water pressure tanks and water heaters do with water.
When batteries are used for energy, their stored electricity is used up. However, in a properly wired system, they can be instantly refilled by “catching” any extra electricity flowing through the system from sources like solar panels or the grid.
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Different types of solar Batteries
There are various types of solar batteries that can store and distribute solar-generated electricity. You can use solar energy more efficiently and become less reliant on the grid by utilizing solar batteries. There are four primary varieties of solar batteries:
Lead-acid Battery
Lead-acid batteries are the cheapest and most affordable form of solar batteries. They are dependable and simple to recycle, but require regular upkeep and ventilation. They have a limited depth of discharge (DoD), meaning they cannot utilize a significant portion of their capacity before needing to be recharged. Additionally, their lifespan is between 5 and 10 years.
Lifepo4 Battery
A lifepo4 solar battery is a type of rechargeable battery that employs lithium iron phosphate as the cathode material and is capable of storing and supplying solar-generated electricity. It has several advantages over other battery varieties, including: Longer lifespan, Fast recharge Rate, Low self Discharge etc.
Lithium-ion Battery
These are the most popular and advanced form of solar batteries: lithium-ion batteries. They require no maintenance and have a high energy density, meaning they can store more energy in less space. They have a high DoD, which allows them to utilize more of their capacity before requiring recharging. Additionally, they have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years.
Nickel-cadmium Battery
Nickel-cadmium batteries are an additional form of outdated and inexpensive solar batteries. They are resilient and resistant to extreme temperatures, but they suffer from memory effect, which causes them to lose capacity if they are not completely discharged before being recharged. In addition, they contain toxic substances that are detrimental to the environment.
Flow Battery
Flow batteries are an innovative and novel form of solar batteries. They store and discharge energy by circulating liquid electrolytes through a cell. They have a high DoD and a lifespan of more than 20 years. However, they are costly, cumbersome, and require pumps and containers for operation.
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Battery Rating C10 Vs C20
150 Ah @C20 – If you purchase a battery with this rating, you can charge and discharge it at 7.5 amps. This means you can use this battery for longer backup times. However, it may not be suitable for running higher loads. For most regular inverters found in homes, the charging current is typically around 10 amps. Therefore, you can use a 150 Ah @C20 rated battery with that inverter. However, when it comes to solar systems, the battery is charged by both solar panels and a solar inverter.
That’s why this battery is charged with a higher current. This allows the battery to charge quickly. For solar inverters, a 150 Ah @C10 rated battery is used. Here, the C10 rating means that if your battery is 150 Ah, it should be charged and discharged at a current of 15 amps over 10 hours. Similarly, a 200 Ah @C10 rated battery should be charged and discharged at 20 amps over 10 hours.
So, if you’re considering buying a solar battery, go for a battery with a minimum of 150 Ah @C10 rating. If you plan to run higher loads on your inverter, then consider purchasing a 200 Ah @C10 rated battery. However, below are some points to help you decide how many Ah (ampere-hours) of battery capacity you should buy.
How many Ah batteries should you buy?
Here, Ah refers to Ampere-hours. X Hours, so the more Ah battery you buy, the more backup it will provide. However, to obtain full backup from the battery, you need to use it under certain conditions. Only then will it provide you with good backup, as illustrated in the example above.
If you charge and discharge a 150 Ah @C10 rated battery at 15 Amperes, it will give you the correct backup. But if you charge or discharge it at a current greater than 15 Amperes, the battery will not provide you with 150 Ah of backup, and it could also deteriorate quickly. Therefore, always use the battery according to the given rating for charging and discharging.
Now, let’s discuss how many Ah battery you need. For this, you need to know how much load you will be running and for how long. Only then will you determine the Ah rating of the battery. Below is a formula that can help you estimate the battery’s Ah value. While this calculation won’t provide precise information, it will give you a rough estimate.
For example
let’s assume you have the following appliances in your home:
- 2 Fans = 140 watts
- 3 LED Bulbs (20 watts each) = 60 watts
- 1 TV = 70 watts
- 1 Refrigerator (190 Ltr) = 150 watts
- Total = 420 watts
- You need to run this load for 3 hours.
- 420 watts X 3 hours = 1260 watt-hours
Battery’s Ah value:
- 1260 watt-hours / 12 volts = 105 Ah
Based on this calculation, you would need around a 105 Ah battery. However, when DC is converted to AC inside the inverter, there is a significant loss of power. Therefore, you should consider getting a battery that is about 30% to 50% larger in size.
So, if your calculation gives you around 105 Ah, you should opt for a 150 Ah battery. If your calculation is closer to 150 Ah, consider a 200 Ah battery.
Similarly, if your calculation points to around 200 Ah, then you might need a 300 Ah battery. In that case, you would require two 150 Ah batteries. This way, you can choose the appropriate battery size based on your calculation. However, always opt for a larger battery based on your calculation.”
However, lead-acid batteries may still be cost-effective for certain applications and are commonly used for automotive and small-scale energy storage. The choice between the two depends on budget, performance requirements, expected cycle life, and intended application.
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