What You Should Know About Solar Battery

Solar Battery : Surely you have already heard about batteries for solar panels on more than one occasion, but did you know that there are several types, and that they are not always necessary in all solar panel installations ?

What Is A Solar Battery For?

Solar batteries are a type of device that stores the energy produced by photovoltaic panels. Its objective is that energy can be used at any time, for example, when the plates cannot work optimally at night. In addition, thanks to them it is possible not to depend on the electricity network, being the energy consumed free and sustainable.

How Do Photovoltaic Batteries Work? 

Solar batteries work thanks to a reduction-oxidation process . This is thanks to the fact that they are made up of a positive and a negative pole, in addition to electrolytes that make it possible for the electric current to flow out of the battery itself.

In this way, the capacity of batteries to accumulate energy and generate electricity is defined by two factors :

The depth of charge : amount of energy that the solar battery supports with each charge. The greater the depth, the less useful life, for this reason it is recommended not to let them drop below 40%-50% before putting them back on charge.

The speed of charging and discharging : speed at which the battery is filled and emptied. The more charges, the more its lifespan decreases.

What Kind Of Batteries Are Used For Solar Panels? 

Lithium solar batteries : the lightest and most compact, and with very agile charging times. They can be used in all types of installations, they do not require maintenance and are very sustainable. The only drawback is that its price can be a bit high.

AGM solar batteries : They do not require maintenance, and are perfect for small installations. Its operation is very optimal and its useful life is very long, as it can reach 10 years. On the other hand, they can be uneconomical.

Lead-acid batteries: of the oldest rechargeable batteries. As an advantage, it can be mentioned that they have great power. Their biggest drawback is that they can start to fail prematurely if they are not recharged to 100%.

Liquid batteries – liquid electrolyte : they accumulate energy thanks to a liquid fuel formed by electrodes or nanoparticles. Two subtypes are distinguished here:

Sealed : closed, but with valves to release the gases that can be generated in large loads.

Open : with lids so that the water can be changed. They are the oldest batteries, so their price is lower and they usually give few problems. On the other hand, there is always a risk of liquid leakage, they are sensitive to low temperatures and their useful life is usually between 300 and 400 load cycles.

How Many kWh Does A Solar Battery Store? 

The amount of kWh that solar batteries can store varies depending on their voltage:

12V batteries : for installations that consume less than 100 kWh each month and whose power is less than 1 kW.

24V batteries : for consumption between 100 and 150 kWh per month, and common power that varies between 1 and 5 kW.

48V batteries : for installations that consume more than 150 kWh per month and with a power greater than 5 kW.

What Is The Price Of A Battery For Solar Panels? 

Of course, the price of batteries depends on both the material they are made of, as well as their capacity. For example, a 12V lithium battery can reach approximately 1,000 dollars. On the other hand, a monoblock with the same capacity can cost half, that is, one 500 dollars. In general, the greater autonomy and better material, the higher its price.

Also Read : External Battery