BACKUP POWER
BATTERIES FOR BACKUP POWER
A battery backup power is a power supply that provides emergency power to a load in the event of a blackout. It gives the option to keep working during and after a blackout, with minimal interruption. It can also be utilised to store the excess energy generated by the solar panels in between the periods when their energy is expected to be needed.
The battery backup is not designed to provide continuous power for an extended period of time, but instead provides enough electricity to run essential or critical loads such as computers, cash registers, security systems or communications equipment for key periods of time.
Power is often produced during times of low demand, when production costs are low and prices are competitive, which means that you can generate more power with less money by storing this power and utilising it at peak times, or capturing excess solar generated power from your solar panels at a lower cost than if they were only used during peak hours.
Installing a battery with your solar panels increases the number of hours per day, week, or year that your system will produce power and can help you to avoid price fluctuations because you’re storing them for later use.
With the current load shedding unpredictability the installation of an inverter and battery will support your home or business to continue to function in a similar manner to a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply). When the municipal power is switched off, your system can be switched over to your back up battery power to cover the load shedding period.
There are a number of solutions available depending on your requirements which we can advise on. Anything from an all in one solution to cover your basic requirements or essential load through to covering 80% of your power consumption.
Purchase a battery along with your solar panels today!
FAQS
A good quality lithium-ion battery may have a lifetime of 4,000 – 6,000 cycles which is considerably more than 12-15 years of normal usage. The built-in battery management system will ensure that the battery condition is always maintained in optimum condition and a full 10+ year life may be expected.
You complete one charge cycle when you’ve used (discharged) an amount that equals 100% of your battery’s capacity — but not necessarily all from one charge. For instance, you might use 75% of your battery’s capacity one day, then recharge it fully overnight.
Environmental conditions, not cycling alone, govern the longevity of lithium-ion batteries. The worst situation is keeping a fully charged battery at elevated temperatures.
A lithium-ion battery is a consumable so it will lose its charge over time, even if it is not being used. To prolong the life of your battery, you should keep it charged and try to use it on a regular basis.
Keep the battery free from dust to ensure that there are no short circuits.
LITHIUM-ION versus lead acid batteries
There are two main types of batteries that are utilised within the current backup and solar solutions, Lithium-ion and Lead Acid / Gel batteries.
Lithium ion batteries have a higher energy density, smaller size, and lighter weight than lead acid batteries. They also charge faster, can discharge far more power, 95% compared to 50% and have an approximately 60% longer lifespan. The current load shedding environment also reduces the lifespan of a Lead Acid / Gel battery due to the surge impact when power is restored.
Lithium Ion batteries are more expensive but this is based on the above details and the fact that they have a 10 year warranty.