Solar systems have become one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity. The solar industry doubled in size in 2016, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. The growth in solar power usage has contributed to the rise of solar batteries – a green technology.
They are majorly used to store the additional solar power generated by the panels for later use. Solar batteries are often referred to as rechargeable batteries.
Off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) power equipment includes a battery to store the energy generated during the sunny hours. Such solar batteries store electricity from the sun, while traditional batteries get charged from the supplied power. Lead-acid batteries are preferred in most applications since they are maintenance-free and do not emit any hazardous gases during the charging process.
Working of A Solar Battery
The primary function of solar panel batteries is to store solar energy during the day. Solar batteries are mostly attached to an inverter and provide integrated energy conversion. The greater your battery’s size and capacity, the more solar energy it can store.
When you connect a solar panel battery as a part of your solar panel system, you can store the energy at home instead of sending the surplus power back to the grid. The energy goes towards charging the battery if your solar panels generate more electricity than you need. Later, you can draw the energy stored earlier in the battery to use at night-time when the solar panels aren’t working or during a power outage. Once your battery is fully chanrged, then only you will send the surplus electricity back to the grid, and likewise, draw electricity from grid when your battery is depleted.
Working of A Normal Battery
A normal battery works on the oxidation and reduction reaction of an electrolyte with metals. When two different metallic substances, called electrodes, are placed in a diluted electrolyte, depending on the electron affinity of the electrode’s metal, oxidation and reduction reactions take place in the electrodes. As a result of the oxidation reaction, one electrode gets negatively charged (cathode). While another electrode gets positively charged because of the reduction reaction (anode). It is how they generate power that is used for various home electrical appliances.
What Is The Difference Between Normal Battery And Solar Battery?
Solar lead-acid batteries look very similar to power back up lead-acid batteries. However, the internal composition of chemicals are different. Solar batteries have stronger plates and have more lead in comparison to normal inverter batteries. It is the reason you will find solar batteries heavier than inverter batteries of the same capacity.
In solar application, only solar batteries should be used as they have been specifically designed for this.
There are 2 Key Benefits of Solar Batteries:
- Solar panel battery gives higher backup – Solar Batteries are rated as C10, whereas normal Inverter batteries are rated as C20. A C10 battery has a 10% higher power capacity than a normal C20 rated inverter battery. It means a 150 Ah C10 solar battery will give approximately 10% more power back up than a 150 Ah C20 inverter battery.
- Solar panel batteries have a long life in solar applications. Solar batteries are engineered for solar applications and have a longer life than a normal inverter battery. Most solar batteries offer a 5-year warranty. In comparison, inverter batteries usually have a 3 or 4-year warranty.
Hence, you must always choose a solar panel battery while installing a solar panel system in your home. One reliable brand that offers the best solar panel battery in India is Luminous. They offer C10 rated deep cycle solar batteries under the range of L series and H series. Both versions need very little maintenance, and they can be topped with water once every 8 to 10 months. Since they provide high-temperature efficiency functions, they can even withstand severe weather conditions. So, what are you waiting for? Explore their website and get the best solar panel battery now!
