In your quest for minimising power bills, you came across renewable energy storage allowing you to save more money in the long run – solar batteries uk. In the past, powering homes with solar energy does not often include solar batteries because it is expensive.
The good news is that due to the significant drop in solar battery prices around the world, many homeowners are now empowered to move to solar power. Before making the big switch, it is important that you know how a solar battery works and how to choose the right one.
How does solar battery work?
Typically, when there is sunlight, the solar panels will produce energy. However, if more energy is produced than required, the excess electricity will simply escape into your main electricity grid.
With the coming of solar batteries, it can store this excess electricity, which can be used for later. This means it will no longer escape into your main electricity grid. When you look at it closely, this is beneficial at nighttime or on gloomy days when the solar panels are not producing electricity.
How to choose the right solar batteries if you have an existing solar setup?
If you already an existing solar setup, you should not worry because most setups are compatible with solar battery technology. However, you need to assess the solar system size and current inverter.
Here’s a quick guide to choosing solar batteries if you have an existing solar setup:
- Do your research: at the onset, you need to research. Information is widely available so you can find it easily.
- Talk to an expert: you can also try to speak to an expert about your household needs – just make sure that the expert is an accredited solar installer.
- Speak to the electric company: before you make a decision, you should speak to the electric company so you can compare the best plan according to your setup and location.
- Obtain quotes: the cost will determine the battery or service but do not solely focus on it.
How to choose the right solar batteries if you want to get a complete setup?
If you are completely starting from scratch, here’s a quick guide to choosing solar batteries:
- Understand basic setup: the basic setup of a solar battery storage system includes solar panels (converts sunlight to direct current), inverter (manages the flow of power from panels to batteries) and solar battery. In most cases, homeowners also employ a smart energy management system.
- Pick the right type: there are different battery types from lead-acid batteries to commercial starter batteries, UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply), deep-cycle batteries and flooded batteries. Of these batteries, the most common is flooded. These batteries are affordable, reliable, long-lasting and easy to maintain.
- Check the materials used: when it comes to materials, you should look into the amount of lead as well as the additive formulation and the lead-oxide production. Typically, you want to consider thicker and heavier plates that can withstand corrosion longer and store more lead for chemical reactions thereby increasing battery life.