Getting the Right Solar Power Batteries
Batteries are one of the most important parts of the solar power system but also one of the least understood areas as well. You need to make sure you get the right batteries before you even set up your own solar power system, so this article may prove helpful to many of you out there.
Most of the smaller or lower end solar panel systems are 12-volt DC. The power coming from your panels will go into these batteries and not directly into your house. Now there are also power inverters you can get to convert that DC into AC that you can use for household power consumption that is 120 volts. And of course in some cases you may use net-metering which ties in the power from the solar system directly into the power grid so you do not use batteries at all, but this is only when you have a large enough system capable of this power.
The wiring on some of these systems can be a little tricky so you may want to hire a qualified electrician to make sure you got it right. After all, it’s not worth using solar power if you end up burning your house down.
So what solar batteries do I need?
A battery bank is simply a place where all of the batteries are stored and connected to keep them from the elements and preserve their longevity. There are wet cells and sealed batteries and each battery is made to function for a different purpose. You may have been told that car batteries are all you need, but this is wrong. Car batteries are made to provide a short burst of power and then longer periods of minimal use. But with solar panel systems you will want long continued use.
The batteries used in golf carts provide a basic idea of what we need. These batteries are made to be used all day long and have long deep discharge, while having a short recharge to be powered again. Since most of these golf cart batteries are 6 volts, you will want to get them in pairs to get that 12 volts of power.
How much power will these batteries hold?
The typical golf cart 6 volt battery can hold 1 kilowatt hour of use. How much power is this? It’s enough to power two 5o watt lightbulbs for 10 hours. Not bad, but you will need more than one to power your entire home.
Other considerations
These batteries are very heavy so make sure the bank you make can hold all of them safely. You also need to provide proper ventilation because these batteries do vent gas. Make sure the batteries are never exposed to extreme temperatures as a swing too hot or to cold can cut the batteries ability to store energy in half.
Here is an example of a battery bank that someone has built.
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