More than 10,000x the world’s current energy use strikes our planet from our sun every day. Imagine how much you could reduce your electricity bills if you could capture even a tiny percentage in a solar battery,
A solar battery, sometimes called a home battery, is a device that stores energy generated from solar panels or the electricity grid during off-peak cheaper hours. You can then use this stored electricity to power devices such as small electrical devices and gadgets, and even cars.
However, batteries can be degraded by temperature, and it is essential to learn how to store them properly. Keep reading to learn more.
Does Temperature Affect Batteries?
If you keep a 1kWh battery at the optimum temperature, it can hold enough charge to power 20 LED light bulbs for up to 9 hours. However, there are batteries with a greater capacity available as well. People often use solar batteries as a form of backup to provide extra coverage when there is not as much light available for PV arrays or an outage on the main electrical grid.
Batteries are tough and able to work in many environments, but the temperature will affect how well they can operate due to their chemical nature. Excessively high or extremely low temperatures will affect the chemical processes inside the battery. Also, scientific evidence shows there is a poor relationship between temperature and battery life.
Solar batteries, in particular, are usually installed outside as a space-saving mechanism. Indoor space can sometimes be limited, and you may not want to have a bulky battery sitting inside your garage or garden room.
Also, the closer a battery is to the panels reduces, the wear and tear on the copper wiring required to pass the voltage. It also saves on wiring installation in the first place. Therefore, you must understand the relationship between temperature and solar batteries and how storage is vital to their longevity.
How Are Batteries Affected by Temperature?
When a battery experiences high temperatures (above 77ºF) or more, it affects the battery life, sometimes up to as much as 50% or more. The capacity will be depleted, and the battery will need replacing after a much shorter period. The heat damage, once done, is irreparable.
The same is true for extremely low temperatures, or those lower than 15ºF. Below this temperature, the battery life will again reduce by half and stop working altogether at a temperature of -4ºF.
You can attempt to extend your battery’s shelf life by keeping it out of locations where it will be overly exposed. The battery should avoid direct sunlight in warm areas.
Ensure that the battery is kept under shade and not near lots of warm appliances that will heat the external temperatures. Also, look to buy batteries with corrosion-resistant grids that extend battery life like those you can buy at rbbattery.com
Likewise, keep your battery raised off the ground if you live in an area prone to ground frosts. Install it on a wall or shelf and look into thermal coverings that will help maintain a decent temperature during the winter seasons. If your battery is mobile consider bringing it inside during seasons that you are not using it for solar energy collection.
Keep Your Solar Battery Safe
Hopefully, this article has highlighted the importance of protecting your solar battery from extreme temperatures. If you let it get too hot or too cold, it will deteriorate. Keep your batteries in a safe, neutral climate if you want to extend their battery life.
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