December 30, 2023

3 Tips for Maximizing Your Solar Battery Life

Short on Time? Here’s The Article Summary

To maximize your solar battery life, avoid complete discharge, choose the right battery type based on maintenance needs, and charge your batteries to 100% before use. Complete discharge can damage batteries, so use a Low Voltage Disconnect feature to prevent it. AGM batteries require less maintenance, while flooded-lead acid batteries need more attention. Charging batteries to full capacity increases longevity, so consider slightly undersizing your bank to ensure full charges. This prevents sulphate build-up, which can reduce battery lifespan.

Introduction

3 Tips for Maximizing Your Solar Battery Life

Once batteries start to fail, the potential for power loss is increased, especially in colder climates. You can help to maximize your battery life by taking into account these 3 tips:

1. Watch out for a complete discharge: If you want to do damage to your batteries then discharge them completely and let them sit that way. This normally only happens if something has gone wrong so keep an eye out for critters going after cables or problems with wiring etc. Lots of charge controllers can now offer an LVD (Low Voltage Disconnect) option which can save the batteries from draining completely by shutting down the load.

2. Choose the right battery type: Do you mind doing upkeep on your bank? Do you feel confident that you can care for your bank throughout the years? Or do you want to set it and forget it? AGM batteries are a smarter choice if you don’t want much maintenance and flooded-lead acid batteries require more attention.

3. Charge your batteries to 100%: Charging your batteries to 100% before use is a great way to increase their longevity. Therefore, its not a bad idea to slightly undersize your bank so that you can make sure to charge them to 100%. Charging your batteries will sulphate them, but using the batteries desulfates them. Therefore, if you are only able to lightly charge your batteries (not getting them to 100%), because you have an oversized battery bank, you wont desulfate enough which leads to sulphate build up and a lower lifespan for your batteries. That is why it can be a good idea to slightly undersize your bank!

P.S. If you got a solar powered car, check our solar car battery charger guide.

The Ultimate Solar + Storage Blueprint (Mini Course)

Struggling to understand how solar + storage systems actually work? Looking to build or buy your own solar power system one day but not sure what you need? Just looking to learn more about solar, batteries and electricity?

Join 15,000+ solar enthusiasts breaking free from their energy dependence with this short step-by-step video course that will make you a solar + storage expert. Start your journey to energy independence today.

Learn More Now

Who is ShopSolar.com?

ShopSolar.com is the #1 digital platform that enables consumers & businesses to source and purchase complete solar + storage solutions direct, saving you thousands in time, energy and money! With over 40,000+ happy customers, we’re on a mission to make solar simple, transparent and affordable.

Filed in: All Articles, Solar Batteries

Article by

Alex S

Alex is a co-founder of Shop Solar, a company that he established in 2018 to revolutionize the solar industry by simplifying the process and making it more simple and cost-effective. Under his strategic leadership, Shop Solar has grown into a comprehensive one-stop-shop, empowering over 40,000+ customers to access top-quality solar and storage solutions, comprehensive information, intuitive tools, and professional installation services.

With a passion for innovation and sustainable energy, Alex has successfully expanded the business's reach and impact, serving as a driving force in the company's growth and development. You can browse best seller's here.