The most common deep cycle batteries used in off-grid energy systems are (deep cycle) lead-acid batteries because they’re reliable, affordable, and able to repeatedly deeply discharge and recharge.
But a lot is asked of deep cycle lead-acid batteries in off-grid energy systems. The regular deep discharging then recharging they have to perform puts a lot of stress on the batteries.
But if you take proper care of the batteries also do a few tips and tricks we’ll teach you in this article, how you can maximize the lifespan of your deep cycle batteries.
In this article, we’ll not only show you our top 7 ways to prolong the life of your lead-acid deep cycle batteries…We’ll also point out some of the most common mistakes we see people making when they use lead-acid deep cycle batteries in their off-grid energy system (so you don’t make the same mistakes)!
The Battery Bank Is The Achilles Heel Of Solar/Wind/Off-Grid Energy Systems
Improper battery care often kills the batteries in the battery bank well before their time. This forces people to buy new expensive batteries and also cripples their off-grid system until they replace the dead batteries.
So proper care is critically important so you prevent premature aging of your batteries and maximize their lifespan.
7 Methods To Extend The Life Span Of Lead-Acid Deep Cycle Batteries
# 1) Use High Quality Batteries
Which means this tip probably seems obvious, nevertheless the old adage ‘You get everything you pay for’ holds true for many deep cycle batteries.
Cheap off-brand batteries from China are flooding the marketplace right now and you want to avoid using these. They often have a much shorter lifespan in comparison to quality batteries which you pay a little more for upfront.
Good quality flat plate batteries can last between 10-12 years. The greater amount of expensive tubular plate batteries may also be as durable as 20-25 years if maintained properly.
Paying for higher quality batteries upfront that last 10-25 years may seem expensive but it actually ends up being higher priced to purchase cheap batteries then replacing them every couple years (since they die early).
If you wish to save cash on your own battery bank don’t buy “cheap” batteries, instead get quality used batteries and recondition them back into their original condition.
# 2) Proactively Prevent Corrosion
Before you assemble most of the the different parts of your battery bank, be sure to individually coat the terminals, wire lugs, nuts and bolts with a non-hardening sealant.
You could apply a thin coating of petroleum jelly to your battery terminals for some extra protection. Lastly, seal exposed wire at a terminal lug using submersible rubber splice tape or something similar.
The reason why all this has got to be done before assembly is because it helps to ensure that every one of the parts are equally protected. In the event that you apply protective substances after you finish assembling the machine, there is certainly a good chance that dirt are certain to get into small spaces that weren’t properly coated.
# 3) Make certain that the Battery Bank and PV Array are Correctly Sized
If you’re using a solar panel or wind power system, you should make sure that the battery bank is large enough to carry six to ten days of load.
This ensures:
You’ll will have a fantastic back-up way to obtain power. And you’ll also manage to use your batteries a tad bit more gently and that means you don’t have to consistently drain them.
At the least, be sure to fully charge your batteries every 3 weeks.
This reduces corrosion from the inside and ensures equalization.
# 5) Keep Your Batteries at a perfect Temperature
Because temperature extremes cause batteries to deteriorate even more quickly, it's important that you maintain your batteries in a spot where in actuality the temperature is relatively stable.
Aside from enclosed above-ground structures, you can even create a structure that is partially underground. In this way the temperature into the structure will continue to be the same it doesn't matter what the current weather is like outside.
In addition, make sure that the charge controller or inverter system has a built-in temperature compensation feature. This might be necessary as the charge voltage limit of a battery increases as temperature drops and decreases at temperatures increase.
# 6) Don’t Install More Than Three Parallel Battery Strings
Ideally, your battery bank should simply be comprised of just one a number of cells. The greater amount of cells which are included, the larger the potential for there being random defects.
There’s also a better possibility of losing equalization, resulting in cells failing prematurely. In the event that you can’t adhere to just a single a number of cells in your battery bank, limit it to 3 parallel battery strings.
# 7) Install a Renewable Energy System Digital Monitor
A renewable energy system monitor can help you keep an eye on the performance of one's system (such as the battery bank). It will also help you troubleshoot any issue that comes up along with your system in order to troubleshoot it before it turns into a larger problem.
This is particularly important if you should be counting on the power from your own off-grid power system and surviving in a remote area. It will likewise assist you to sustain your batteries and that means you don’t have any surprise repairs which can be costly and might have now been avoided.
What else is it possible to do in order to make your lead-acid deep cycle batteries last for a longer time?
Additionally, you are able to bring old or dead lead-acid deep cycle batteries back once again to life again using the EZ Battery Reconditioning program. This can enable you to give your old batteries a “2nd life” so you don’t need to buy new pricey batteries for the battery bank.
You can also even build an entire battery bank with used batteries that will get for free (or dirt cheap), which you recondition with our bodies.
You can easily find out more here.
