Solar batteries can greatly improve your experience with your solar power system, but with so many different types of solar batteries on the market, how do you choose the right one? While there are many different factors to consider, one of the important things to look at is just how much maintenance each type of battery requires. Keep reading to get a quick look at the maintenance requirements for different types of solar batteries.
Lead-Acid Batteries
This popular battery composition has been around since long before solar and has been a reliable option as a power storage solution ever since. But its maintenance requirements leave something to be desired. In addition to maintaining a temperature-controlled environment for the batteries and cleaning the battery terminals regularly to avoid corrosion, you’ll also need to maintain the batteries’ fluid levels. This specific type of lead-acid battery is known as a flooded lead-acid battery, or FLA, because it requires distilled water to function. You’ll need to regularly check and top up those water levels on FLAs.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
Another popular decision, lithium-ion batteries have quickly become the leader in solar power storage. Highly reliable and efficient, these batteries are also virtually maintenance free. Just keep them in an environment without major temperature fluctuations, and they’ll run well for years with minimal interference. Of course, it’s always a good idea to check them for damage periodically, but your lithium-ion batteries won’t need much more attention from you than that.
Nickel-Cadmium Batteries
Also known as NiCd batteries, this battery type is not as popular as those listed above. This is primarily because NiCd batteries don’t allow deep discharges, which are a common need for solar power storage. A deep discharge involves using all or nearly all of the power stored in a battery, leaving it with next to zero charge. While other battery types can handle very deep discharges when your home needs to pull that much stored power, NiCd batteries are sensitive to deep cycling and can be damaged by it, so, you’ll need to avoid deep discharges to prolong their battery life. You’ll also need to ensure proper ventilation wherever you set up your battery bank to dissipate heat generated by these batteries.
Absorbed Glass Mat Batteries
This is another great low-maintenance battery option. Absorbed Glass Mat, or AGM, batteries really only need to be cleaned regularly to prevent corrosion and check for damage. So long as you do this and treat your batteries right by not overcharging or undercharging, your AGM batteries will continue working for years without interference.
Be sure to keep maintenance requirements in mind when you’re choosing your solar battery storage solution.
