Do you think you’re are someone that is considering installing a standalone solar powered system for your home. For anyone who is needless to say you not only need to get the right kinds of solar panels but in addition the proper kinds of batteries where the power collected from the sun will then be stored. For this kind of system you’ll absolutely need to spend money on getting some deep cycle batteries such as the Optima Battery.
While you might think it would be cheaper to use some conventional car batteries, they cannot handle the task in hand. These particular batteries will find it not merely hard to store but additionally discharge the energy collected and will need replacing often. Plus of course these type use considerably more resources to create them when compared to the deep cycle kind so are far more harmful to the environment.
After you have chosen to work with deep cycle batteries for your solar powered system at this point you should decide the type to work with. Below we take a brief look at just what can be obtained.
Type 1 – Flooded
These are very similar to the batteries you use in your car but have much thicker lead plates. Although they are well suited for use in solar powered systems they do come with some of the problems associated with conventional car batteries. They do not have such a long serviceable life, the dissipation of electrolytes can be poor, and they can become stratified. Plus you can find that these are difficult to transport and there’s a chance that the gases within them may explode.
Type 2 – Gel
These batteries contain acid like other batteries but additionally have a gel that makes for the acid being converted into a jelly. So naturally even if the batteries become broken there is no chance that the acid inside will spill out. Not only can these kinds deep discharge well but are able to deal with high temperatures better. It’s also possible to only partially recharge this type and no serious damage will be caused to them. They are also able to much more easily able to accept a charge because of their low internal resistance. But you shouldn’t recharge them using high voltages.
Type 3 – AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat)
Between each lead plate in this sort of battery a boron silicate glass mat will be placed. As a result the electrolyte (acid) within the battery becomes immobilizes so if the battery is broken the contents will not spill out. You’ll find that this type such as the gel type can deep charge and can cope with high temperatures. Plus even if you only partially recharge these types of deep cycle batteries you will find that it will not cause any serious damage to the battery itself as it has low internal resistance. Yet in relation to this type of battery you will find that is much more effective at you using high voltage charging that the gel and flooded type cannot handle.
