Choosing the right battery chemistry for you and your system can be a little confusing at times. Three common battery chemistries offered are Lead Acid (Flooded or AGM-sealed), Lithium Ferrous (LiFePO4), Aqueous Hybrid Ion (AHI). Now let’s talk about what each battery is good for.
A Lead Acid or AGM battery is generally low cost and doesn’t require much maintenance, but in return they offer a lower recharge cycle count. These batteries often times will only be recharged from 50% depth of discharge (DOD) approximately 250 times before replacement is required. They are best used with residential or generally smaller systems. Flooded Lead Acid batteries are the tried and true batteries of the solar industry and cost the least, but require watering. The sealed version, or AGM, does not require watering but costs a bit more.
The Lithium battery is best for On-Demand/Grid-tied power management. This battery type is intended for grid-interactive systems to provide backup power and smart energy management. We are very excited about the potential of these types of batteries. Currently, they are expensive, but we expect prices to drop substantially in the coming years. These batteries are very energy dense, so they take up less space than most batteries for the same amount of energy storage. They are also lightweight and tend to have a much longer lifespan than other common types of batteries.
The great thing about LiFePO4 batteries is their ability to withstand heat and cold much easier than most along with the fact that they can be discharged down to 90% DOD. These batteries offer about 20 times the cycle count of lead acid batteries. Of course this is going to be pricier but they do very well in all weather conditions.
With all of this information, we would still love to hear from you and answer any questions you might have!
I’ve been looking for a good energy storage option, and I think that being able to get some ideas would be good. I’m glad you talked about being able to choose the right battery chemistry, and see what we can find. I’m going to have to look for a few good options, and see what I can find! Thanks!
Thanks for the comment! If there’s anything we can ever do to help with your solar needs, give us a call at (928)527-1034!
Thanks for pointing out that Lithium batteries work well for On-Demand/Grid-tied power. It seems like these would work well throughout a number of different appliances. It’s just important that you find the right battery for whatever it is that needs them. A store would probably do well to keep a lot of different types including Lithium ones.
Thanks for the tip about how lithium batteries are nice for on-demand power management. It would be good to consider this because it would ensure that you find something that will work. If I were looking for a battery, I’d want something that lasts a long time too.