Whether it’s to maintain the critical loads during the power outage or as a means of reducing the demand charges for the cheaper electricity tariffs as far as the electric bill is concerned, the solar storage is very helpful to the solar owners.
Solar batteries give you the ease of using free power from your solar system whenever you want. However, installation of solar storage system demands some capital to enable the set up of the system to be done. It presents the context under which people need to decide whether they want to install solar batteries, including their expected to lifespan and when to replace them.
In this blog post, I shall discuss how long does solar batteries last and other factors relaying on Solar industry watch.
How Long Will Solar Batteries Last?
Currently, majority of the solar batteries in use have a lifecycle of between half a decade and two and a half decade. This would indeed be quite long, but one should also remember that within the time frame of most solar systems, often advertised as 25 to 30+ years, they will probably have to be replaced.
What Determines the Lifetime of Your Battery
There is also a question as to why solar batteries have such longevity differences. Different batteries and their uses, the frequency of usage, and how you store your battery greatly affect the battery’s lifespan.
- Usage Frequency
If you are frequently charging and discharging your battery, this contributes to the total amount of cycles defined as the cause of battery aging. This is true since just like any other battery of a smartphone would diminish in its ability to hold charge after time solar batteries also wear out with continuous use.
If you have a system that you regularly discharge each night because of being off-grid your batteries will not last as long as a system that only discharges during a power outage assuming that’s the only time you use batteries in a grid-tied system.
To increase the overall life of the battery, one has to ensure that they obey the set Depth of Discharge that the manufacturer has provided. DoD is the portion of the battery’s overall capacity that you discharge, as defined by the Department of Defense. For instance, if your battery boasts of a capacity of 13. 1 The DoD is the total amount of energy that a battery discharges divided by total energy a battery can discharge without damage which if you discharged 5 kWh and you use 10 kWh, your DoD would be about 74%. You should not charge your battery over the DoD as it cuts your battery’s life short, go by the manufacturer’s recommendation.
- Battery Type
The kind of battery used in your solar power systems for home is also another determinant of the system’s lifespan. Here are the three most common types of batteries used in solar applications: Here are the three most common types of batteries used in solar applications:
- Lithium-Ion Batteries: These are the most durable today and do last the longest and can store plenty of data when the occasion arises. Even though they may include higher capital investment, they are long-lasting and have a high DoD that ranges from 70% to 80%.
- Lead-Acid Batteries: One of the go-to technologies for off-grid systems because of the low initial capital cost, lead-acid batteries, however, have a shorter cycle than lithium-ion. These are normally less cycle-listening and are characterized by a lower DoD, which ranges between 0. 3 to 0. 5. This means this you can only harness a small portion of the energy that is stored and this results to more frequent replacements.
- Saltwater Batteries: This newer technology use non corrosive materials hence are safe to use and are environmental friendly. In comparison to these two, saltwater batteries have a longer lifespan than that of a lead-acid battery but is not as long as the lithium-ion battery. They also have comparably high rate of decline of capacity (DoD) to lithium ion ones.
It is vital to be keen on the warranty given by the manufacturer if you are choosing a solar battery. This type warrants a certain number of cycles or a certain period during which you are shielded from low-quality merchandise.
- Environmental Conditions
It is also understood that batteries in warmer temperatures undergo chemical reactions at a faster pace, thus lowering their lifetime through the added stress. Conversely, in extremely cold temperatures, the movement of electrons slows down—for this reason batteries will drain quickly.
- Lead-Acid Batteries: These being more sensitive to temperature changes, optimal storage conditions for these products are between 40°F-80°F.
- Lithium-Ion Batteries: They are more robust with the ability to work in temperature that can go as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 140degrees Fahrenheit though a moderate climate is ideal.
- Saltwater Batteries: Optimal temperatures for the use of these batteries are above 23°F and below 104°F; are better than lead-acid batteries but worse than lithium-ion batteries.
Summary of Battery Lifespan
Depending on the type, the expected lifespan of a solar battery ranges from 5-15 years, thus means you might have to replace at least once in your solar system lifespan of 25-30 years. In this way, along with proper battery care, good choices in products that come with strong manufacturers’ warranties, and proper storage in a cool environment, one can achieve maximum battery life.
The Financial Consideration
Although costs for solar batteries have comparatively dropped in recent past, they however, remain rather expensive. Together with Solar Industry Watch, you enjoy the opportunity to make your right choices that would fit your specific energy strategies. If the sun goes down and leaves you in the dark about what battery backup systems can power, we’re here to help.
Conclusion
Solar batteries are critical developments in modern solar energy systems since they provide dependable and efficient periods in solar energy systems. Thomas has stated that knowledge of the lifespan of the products and the external influencing factors might assist one in making the most suitable decisions concerning the energy supply. Purchasing good quality items and taking proper care of those, the positive effects of solar power usage can be observed for several years.
Solar Industry Watch is the perfect place to find out more about various solar batteries and get a custom solar storage solution if that’s what you’re interested in! This is therefore in good preparation of our team of solar energy specialists to assist in your endeavor for the green future.
