Technology doesn’t trump a quality design

It bothers me to see how often technology is used to counter a poor system design.  It just doesn't make any sense.  And often times, the technology isn't being used for its actual purpose.

A prime example of this is charge controllers.  A charge controller is a device that takes the input power from the solar module and regulates the output.   By doing this, a charge controller can provide the right type of energy required by your battery.  More advanced charge controllers can actually assist in the maintenance of the battery itself. 

So far so good!  However, the charge controller's efforts are really only as good as the overall system design.  The available energy of a system is not based on the battery capacity.  The true limiting factor in available energy is the solar module production.  The solar module is the fuel for the battery.  A charge controller cannot compensate for a lack of energy production.  You must properly pair your solar module production with your battery.  Otherwise, your result will be deficit cycling.  Or in simple terms, you have a battery that just won’t last.

Top 5 Battery Bank Mistakes!

Battery banks are becoming a popular choice for off-grid power however there are a plethora of mistakes being made in the maintenance of these battery banks.  Here are the top 5 mistakes I am finding.

1)  Over discharging your batteries.

Batteries use chemical reactions to produce power.  During recharging, the chemical reaction is reversed.  Over discharging a battery can make the reactions permanent.  A good guideline is to only use 70% to 50% of your batteries capacity also referred to as the Depth of Discharge.  If you use your batteries daily, a 50% Depth of Discharge is appropriate for you. Whereas, a weekend use or occasional use system you can maintain your battery life with a 70% DOD or Depth of Discharge. 

2)  Not letting your Batteries come to a Full Charge.

When you consume the power stored in your batteries you will need to recharge them.  However, a point that is often overlooked is allowing the batteries to come back to a full charge.  This means you may have to let your battery sit for a day or several days in order to insure they hit that full charge.  Remember that the process of discharging and recharging the battery is a chemical process.  By denying your battery a chance to fully charge you are reducing your battery's capacity, effectively shortening its life.

3)  Equalizing your Batteries too Often (For Flooded Lead-Acid Batteries)

A common practice is to equalize your batteries once a month.  Unfortunately, this is not required.  In fact, when you equalize your batteries you are, in affect, overheating them.  While this is a necessary step to "clean" your battery, too much heat will again shorten battery life.  In reality, a maintained battery bank only requires 2-3 equalizations per year.

4)  Throwing Out a Dead Battery.

Why would you keep a dead battery?  The truth is that a dead battery might not be lifeless.  Just because batteries are not taking a charge does not mean they can’t be reconditioned.  Sometimes a battery can be recovered by setting the float voltage a little higher than normal.  Reconditioning a battery can take a few days up to a few months.  However, if you are dependent on your battery bank, this tip is indispensable.

5)  Not letting your Batteries Breathe (For Flooded Lead-Acid Batteries)

You must vent your batteries.  During the process of discharging, the batteries release hydrogen gas.  While this is not enough to cause a massive explosion it is enough to destroy your batteries and anything near them.  It is critical that your batteries are properly vented to breathe.

Take care of your batteries, and they will take care of you.

Paradigm Shift

Solar arrays consisting of a single module connected into a battery date back to the 1950’s.  A simple setup used by the Telecom companies to provide power in remote locations.  With growing grid instability and preparation for natural disasters, this grass roots design is re-emerging.

Most people are looking for a way to have backup power in the event of a grid outage.  And a simple solar module connected into a battery is a great way to do that.  This grass roots design doesn't require fuel or the utility grid to operate.  With the addition of a battery, you can operate the system at anytime of the day.  Even better, is the quiet peaceful production making it perfect for locations with ordinances.  There is one exception though.  Because most people want a system that can power AC appliances we must introduce one necessary component to our setup.  The modern version of the grass roots design now incorporates an inverter.  This addition greatly increases the versatility of the system.  You can run DC appliances directly off of the battery and AC appliances off of the inverter. 

Choose Solar for your backup generator!