Hi, this is Josh with Solar Tech TV from Wholesale Solar
and today we're going to talk about one of my favorite subjects batteries.
We're going to take a look at the main types of batteries that are offered by Wholesale Solar,
what some of the major differences are and why someone might choose one over the other;
let's take a look. The umbrella term lead acid battery covers a few different categories
and the most common ones you're going to bump are going to be flooded like this guy,
absorbed glass mat batteries like these guys
and to a lesser extent gel cell batteries they're all just some
combination of lead and sulfuric acid
they're just being used in different ways let's look at flooded batteries first
flooded batteries are definitely going to be the longest lasting and most
cost-effective lead acid battery available.
You're commonly going to find them in an off-grid system now keep in mind they do require maintenance
and they also require an enclosure thats vented to the outside
because the gases they make can be stinky and explosive
wholesale solar offers some vented enclosures or you can build your own
they're required by the NEC plus they protect your batteries from physical damage,
maintain a more consistent temperature; which can extend the life of your battery.
it's really easy to identify a flooded lead-acid battery
because they've got access caps on the top. And what that gives us access to
is the sulfuric acid solution inside. Now we want to be sure to add distilled water as needed
to replace the liquid that's lost during the charging and discharging process
that's part of your standard maintenance. Also
it's a really good idea to make sure all of your cables are tight
and free from corrosion. Absorbed glass mat or AGM batteries are
perfect for applications where maintenance is either impossible
or just undesired. AGM batteries are sealed,
they're non-spillable and they're also considered to be non-hazardous.
AGM batteries can be more deeply discharged, they can be mounted in any
orientation that the project calls for
but those conveniences come at a cost. An AGM battery can be
upwards of 50 percent more expensive than a flooded lead-acid bank
for the same capacity.
Gel cell batteries are also considered to be maintenance-free
spill proof, they're sealed batteries but they're a little different from any GM
in that the sulfuric acid solution inside is suspended in a jelly.
Now the gel cells aren't ideal for renewable energy applications because
they tend to have problems with high amperage charging and discharging.
High amperage mean high heat,
high heat means the gel bubbles, if it bubbles away from the plates
you've got dead spots and then you're in trouble. You've probably been hearing a
lot about lithium batteries recently
and while the technology is absolutely amazing; they're still a lot more
expensive than any of the other options
Wholesale Solar is not currently offering lithium battery
but we're keeping a very close eye on the ever advancing technology.
Which batteries are right for you? The flooded batteries are going to work
really well on an off-grid system
they can take a really high amperage charge and discharge
that's really helpful when you're trying to get all your power for a day in
five hours. They'll work out really well in a grid-tie with battery backup
situation as well
if you're willing to put in the maintenance on them. AGMs
are going to work out really well in a grid-tie with battery backup
where you could give them a lot more mellow charge over a longer period of time
at a lower amperage; they like that. You could use an AGM
in an off-grid system if you wanted to, it just has to be sized really meticulously.
And that is the scoop on lead acid batteries.
At Wholesale Solar, we know batteries, so if you've got any questions
give us a call or check out the website this is Josh with Solar Tech TV
have a great day!
half of it may not correspond
all explosive along travel