Cost Of Hybrid Batteries

Solar Power System Batteries

There are a few different types of batteries, but which one is best for solar power? By the end of this article, you will know the answer. The sun doesn’t shine all the time (take for example, night) so if you are planning to install a solar power system and are going to want to use electricity when there is no sunlight, you’ll need some method of storing the power generated when there is sunlight. The way to accomplish this is with batteries and a proper charge controller. So, let’s talk about the different types of batteries and which type is best for solar.

Many people would probably first think of the new battery technologies used in devices like cell phones, laptop computers and also in hybrid cars. There are reasons these batteries are a good fit for those devices, but as you’ll see they don’t apply to solar power systems.

These types of batteries are much smaller and weigh significantly less than older battery types. These newer battery technologies, though, cost a great deal more than the older technologies for the same capacity. In applications where size and weight are very important, like laptop computers, people are willing to pay extra to have a smaller, lighter device.

Your solar power system, though, isn’t going to move around. What is going to be important is having as large a capacity as you can. So, much more important than size or weight will be cost per watt/hour of capacity.

If you want the best value for a given battery capacity, you can’t beat regular sealed lead acid. This is the same type of battery that is used in cars. Sealed lead acid batteries will be 50-25% the cost of the newer battery types for similar capacity. Sealed lead acid batteries are rugged, cheap and safe.

The most common voltage for sealed lead acid batteries is 12 volts. Most solar installations use some multiple of 12 volts like 12, 24 or 48. By wiring together 12 volt batteries in series, you can obtain any of these voltages. You can then begin to increase the number of appliances you can supply electricity to and also increase the amount of energy you can store by combining the groups of batteries in parallel.

For charging your 12 volt batteries, you should use a 12 volt solar charger. The charger prevents overcharging of the batteries by making sure the correct voltage is supplied to the batteries.

A power inverter will allow you to supply power to appliances you would normally plug into the wall . You’ll need a grid tie inverter if you plan to sell excess electricity back to the power company. A regular power inverter will power all your appliances and be less expensive if you don’t need to tie into the grid.

That’s the whole story. While the newer, high efficiency technology is best for solar panels, old fashioned technology is best when it comes to batteries for a home solar power system. Sealed lead acid batteries are the best choice for home solar power systems.

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