Choices are like roads into a local market without walls, hence buyers and sellers can find their best routes into the market. Hence people can enter into the market through different avenues, same applies to the solar energy industry and use of batteries.
There are so many solar batteries in the market – gel, tubular, lead-acid, lithium-ion phosphate battery, AGM batteries etc. Most of the batteries aside Lithium-ion phosphate battery, come with their own disadvantage, and can’t work for longer hours, because of their chemical makeup.
For the sake of this write-up, we will compare Lithium-ion batteries and Lead battery Acids. Having a thorough understanding of their features will go a long way in influencing your Users’ battery choice.
Lead Acid Battery
This is a widely used battery that contain a mixture of water and acids. It uses one of the oldest battery technology that has been around for the past 150 years.
It is 99 percent recyclable and very affordable. Because of it affordability it is widely used although it only serves for a short time.
Within few months the battery will start experiencing some down side because lead acid batteries can only discharge 80% of whatever they have stored(depth of discharge), hence the remaining 20% is left to waste, not just waste, but it will over time damage the battery due to it off-gassing phenomenon that clogs and reduces it performance.
Do Lead-acid batteries really cost less? We will answer this question with this simple analogy- Let’s assume you want to 2KVA battery to power your building or office.
One 5 KVA Lithium-ion battery can do this job, in comparison with Lead acid batteries, you will need up to 6 of them to generate what one Lithium ion battery would do.
Also lead acid batteries would just litter the ground and occupy space.
Hence, they are more expensive, because you will need to buy more batteries and also replace them at least every 6 months or at most 1 year. Lead acid batteries have 80% depth of discharge and also 200 – 300 cycles(charging and discharging from 100% to 20%, and vice versa).
Lead-acid batteries don’t charge during the rainy season. They also take a longer time to change. Which means customers have to wait a longer time to enjoy their electricity and when the batteries get full they can’t dispense 100% electricity.
For Customers who want to upgrade their battery configuration, Customers want a system that is upgrade able, most times customers complain about their fear to upgrade lead acid or tubular batteries. I.e add additional units to increase the capacity of their battery.
In terms of warranty, lead acid batteries come with 6 months or 1 year warranties, hence, they are not reliable and can’t serve users for a longer time.
They don’t have the capacity to switch automatically from Sun to national grid, i.e they don’t have automatic switch ability.
Lithium ion Battery(LFP)
This is one of the latest technology in the solar industry. It uses lithium ion phosphate, this new technology last longer and can be discharged to almost empty power without reduction in it’s lifespan unlike lead acid battery. They also require no maintenance or venting.
Lithium ion batteries depth of discharge is 100% to 0% and 0% to 100% – the power stored can be used up by the user.
Also, they can be charged and discharged 3000 times, i.e 3000 cycles.
Lithium battery have a warranty of 8 to 10 years, which means users can enjoy longevity while using this type of battery.
Let’s look at why you should choose lithium ion battery
Why Choose Lithium ion Battery
Depth of charge
Most batteries have a recommended depth of charge. I.e the limit you have to use them and necessarily charge them to make them last long. Lead acid batteries have a 80% depth of charge while lithium iron battery has 100%. Which means you can use your battery to 0% capacity before charging without reducing it lifespan.
Efficiency
Lithium ion battery are more efficient. They can store more solar power than Lead acid battery. They are not affected by harsh weather condition which contribute to it efficiency. Especially in Nigeria where our weather is a little bit above the required temperature for optimum performance.
Space consideration
The lithium battery is more compact than lead acid battery. It occupies less space and can power more compared to it counterpart. Two lithium battery is equivalent to eight lead acid battery.
Fast charge
Due to it superb efficiency it also has a faster charge rate. They can handle more current from the source without emitting heat.
They can tolerate harsh condition
Batteries gives the best performance at a 25oC temperature. In order to give people that lives in a higher temperature region an equal chance to enjoy off-grid power. The lithium iron battery was designed to withstand higher temperature and still give a lifespan of more than 10 years.
Maintenance
Most people using solar for their business do not have time to services or maintain batteries. The lead acid battery does not give them this option while the lithium ion battery definitely gives room for no maintenance. Which makes it a pride of home/business owners
Beebeejump Battery
Beebeejump solar has since the past three years supplied homes/businesses solar power product. It has adopted the latest battery technology, lithium iron battery, to do this. With positive feedbacks from our customers we are encouraged to still distribute more to ensure a quality shift to renewable solar energy.
The H-series product is a higher capacity product that can power your pumping machine, freezers and high power home/business equipment.
The product uses the lithium iron battery as its primary storage. Beebeejump solar is a leading solar energy provider in Nigeria and will continue to use the lithium ion battery to provide quality solar systems for homes and businesses.
So the simple answer is lithium iron battery is the best Solar battery in Nigeria and even all over the World because they are durable, good dept of charge, efficient and requires no maintenance. Although they are more expensive.
SEE ALSO: Tizeti Solar Tech in Nigeria
For your Solar installation, contact mokoweb for the best services.
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