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Its no longer news that there’s no attaining successful gain from your renewable energy/backup systems without carefully selected batteries, whose main function is to store excess power generated from energy sources,
There are different kinds of batteries in use today, from Nickel Cadmium, to NiFe batteries, Lead acid batteries and the widely-acclaimed Lithium ion battery. For solar, our emphasis will be on the Deep cycle Lead Acid battery, because Lithium, though a more excellent choice because of its lighter weight and relative environmental friendliness is yet to be commercially developed for more extensive functions as large-scale renewable and back up storage.
The Lead Acid battery comes in three distinct variants:
The Flooded Lead acid (FLA) battery– Otherwise known as the wet cell/golf cart battery, these batteries are popular for their heavy duty capabilities. They have an average lifespan of four to five years, but they are extremely durable and can be greatly undercharged but still function just fine.
They are best suited for outdoor/industrial settings or remote locations with prolonged periods of power outage but cumbersome to some because they require periodic flooding (pouring water to keep liquid levels at optimum) and must be kept upright all times. Most popular flooded battery in Nigeria is the TROJAN range.
The VRLA/SLA (Valve regulated Lead acid/Sealed lead acid) battery– This variant of the lead acid battery is not as volatile as the wet cell, and often comes in form of dry cell (i.e. powder-based electrolyte) or gel cell (as the name implies). These batteries are most popular in Nigeria because they require zero maintenance, are stackable and can withstand random movement.
They are also more readily available than the industrial brands and have a life span of 2-3 years. They are however, highly sensitive to charge levels and often lose some of their life span if kept undercharged/discharged for a long period. Popular brands in this category include Gacia, Quanta, FullRiver, Long, MaximumPower, Optimum, etc. These batteries also come in Slim/Sleek formats, and are ideal for use at Telecoms sites.
The AGM (Absorbed Glass mat) battery– This battery is a variant of the sealed lead acid battery above, distinct in its use of the glass matt technology to keep its content in place and maximize cycle time (i.e the time between charging the battery and its discharging).
Ideally, the VRLA/SLA and AGM batteries are functionally similar, the only difference being in their structural makeup. AGM batteries are also good for versatility, short periods of intense activity and have a span of 2-3years. A good brand of AGM batteries in Nigeria is SuperMax.
Other battery types good for backup include:
The OpzS battery– The heaviest, toughest of the solar backup battery types, OPzS is used to refer to a flooded type of tubular-plated, lead acid, deep cycle batteries. They are generally used in stationary mode and have a life cycle of 5-10 years. Though flooded, they require top-up only once in 3 years or more. They are also called Traction batteries.
The Car battery– This model is an absolute no-no for renewable/backup storage. This is because car batteries were never built for this purpose and shouldn’t be continuously drained and recharged (which is what they need to do in a solar panel system).
Car batteries are built only for starting and ignition. In fact, they are also called Shallow-cycle batteries, because they can’t survive prolonged charge-discharge. (We just added it to the list to drive home a point).
As you can see, each variant of Lead-acid storage is distinct in its own way, and there is no one-size-fit-all battery type that can deliver 100% on all required factors for maximum storage.
To make inquiries on listed battery brands from 5ah to 1000ah, for your solar/backup projects, or install a customized solar system for your home or office, please call 08150906094 or email info@energymall.ng
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