Solar panels are getting popular nowadays. It saves so much on energy and electricity costs. In ordinary cases, solar panels use a lithium battery for this purpose.
So the most common question that people ask for solar panels is can I use a car battery for a solar panel?
Car battery only has a life span of 2 to 3 years, so is there a possibility to use these batteries for solar panels energy reservoir? The answer is yes. You may use it to store power for your solar panels.
We all know that vehicle battery is sometimes used in powering up generators to light up the house or a building during electrical power shut off.
Therefore, we can also use it for powering a solar panel. However, using it continuously for a cosmic panel purpose can only last up to 3 years alone.
Besides, a car battery can power a small solar panel. Imagine how many car batteries you need to light up the entire house? Practicality wise, it isn’t right to be using car batteries for solar panels.
But you can use it temporarily to power up your panels. So what type of batteries can we apply for solar panels?
There are several other batteries which you can use for your solar panels. Take a look, and you might find what is right for your usage.
Different Batteries You Can Use For Your Solar Panels
You can use these different battery types to power up your solar panels. Each battery has its specifications, and you better look into the specs of the cells to fit your solar panels.
Lithium Battery
This battery is one of the best types of cell to use for solar panels. It has a longer life span and can stand the charge and recharge cycle of batteries. Lithium batteries stand out from other battery types because of their energy efficiency and high recharge ratings.
Lead Acid
Commonly used in cars and automobiles. Lead acid batteries can also be used for solar panels. However, you cannot use it continuously as it has a shorter lifespan than lithium batteries.
Nickel Cadmium
These are alkaline based batteries where the positive material is nickel, and the negative one contains cadmium. This type of cell is suitable for emergency use or stand bys. You cannot use it for daily cycles or use.
Another thing is the price of this battery. It is quite expensive compared to others.
Nickel Iron
It’s another kind of alkaline based battery which runs on potassium hydroxide. Nickel Iron type of cells discharges fast. The efficiency rating of this type is low considering the amount of energy it releases after charging.
Though you can use it for your solar panels, it will not be a good idea to use it in the first place.
Saltwater Battery
Does it sound strange to you? The saltwater battery is new in the trends of the cell. It bears no chemical except the electrolytes coming from salt water. The good thing about this type of battery is that it can be easily recycled.
These are the possible battery types which can be used for solar panels. However, a car battery can be used for this purpose but, the life expectancy cannot be observed that long compared to a deep cycle battery.
What Is A Deep Cycle Battery?
Deep cycle cells refer to the process used in solar panels. The sun charges it in full cycle while discharging it at night and the period begins again. When it comes to solar panel charging, deep cycle batteries are known for its durability, efficiency, and power.
With a constant usage for everyday life like solar panels, it needs a battery that can match the power required to supply the households. These type of cells are the one used and recommended by solar panel manufacturers.
There are so many things that you need to know about solar panel energy and the battery that powers it.
How does a solar panel system make use of the sunlight to power the entire household?
How do the panels keep the power of the sun?
Solar panels are one of the best ways to conserve energy and to use natural resources to give us the electricity we needed without the rising cost and expense.
Electric companies are juicing up on the consumers through the power consumed. Solar panels free us from the electric bills and give us the same amount of power we need for the day.
All we need is the battery, of course, to store up the energy collected from the sun. The battery serves as the power reservoir which throws the power back to our household when we need.
When we have consumed the energy stored in the battery, we should replenish it again by the use of the solar panels. So, in simple language, the heat is running in a cycle, a continuous cycle that never ends.
What powers up your boards is the sun, stores it in the battery then send back the power to our house as electricity and then the cycle begins again.
Seeing how the panel works, you will notice how the battery plays a significant role in giving us the free natural energy from the sun.
Since we will be dealing with this kind of system daily, we need a durable battery that can work longer for this purpose alone, providing the energy we needed through the solar panels.
Therefore the next question you have in mind is how to choose the right battery for your solar panel system?
Everyone who is planning to switch to solar panels is thinking about this particular question in mind.
4 Ways To Choose The Right Battery For A Solar Panel
Solar panels give you a lot of savings money wise. However, you need to capitalize on the installation and maintenance of your solar panel system.
Selecting the right battery that will last up to 15 years is significant savings and an efficient way of using your solar panel effectively.
1. Specifications
You have to know exactly what specific battery will work best for your panel. You can do this by looking for the battery specification of your solar panels. It is usually found in the manual, or you can ask the manufacturer.
You must also understand the different battery types which we have explained on top. Knowing these battery types will correctly guide you on how to buy the right kind for your panels. The best battery will be the best off-grid storage for your boards.
2. Materials And Manufacturing Details
It is equally important to know what materials are used for manufacturing the battery for your solar panels. Elements significantly affect the performance of the cell. The cell produces energy through a chemical reaction that converts it into electricity.
All these processes begin in the lead. The amount of lead used will determine the performance of the battery itself.
Some batteries contain metals. Metal grids often hold a lead paste that makes power storage possible. The primary material here is the lead content of the array.
The way a manufacturer produces its batteries varies. The amount of lead will tell you the lifespan of your cells. A right amount of lead will end up to a longer battery life span.
Consumers don’t need to change their batteries more often if the manufacturers work on the lead content of their cells.
3. Quality
As a consumer, you must check on the quality of the battery you are choosing to use for your grid. Do your part by selecting the best among the best. That way you know that you have chosen the right one.
Renewable energy cells are easier to find. You need to consider the manufacturing details and techniques, and you will surely get the kind that will last and work with quality.
4. Size And Capacity
Find the right size and the capacity that will suit your solar panels. Your batteries will depend on the size and position of your boards. Of course, bigger panels demand a bigger battery that will match the power of storing your off-grid energy storage.
You also need to compute on the number of appliances that will be powered on your panels. All these will tell whether the capacity of your batteries will be enough to power up your 2 air-condition units and two refrigerators at the same time.
The secret here is the computation of wattage to determine the right energy needed by the battery to supply you with the electricity you needed.
Everything that you need to know about solar panel batteries are found here. I hope I have answered that one particular question, can I use a car battery for a solar panel? Having all the thoughts and notes here, you can easily spot the answer.
