With the recent increase in the price of solar products due to increase in exchange rate, knowing how to manage your battery as effectively as possible is very important. This isn’t only to keep costs down by reducing replacement frequency but also about getting the best performance from your inverter/solar system.

Here are some tips that will help you achieve just that.

1. No tools or objects should be placed on top of a battery to avoid shutting off the terminals.

2. Never use open flames or sparks near any battery even if the battery is sealed or semi-sealed. Evaporated gas can cause an explosion.

3. Ensure that your Inverter can charge your type of battery. There are different current charging systems for AGM, GEL and Flooded batteries. Good Inverters have selection button or switch to select the kind of battery you are charging. GEL batteries are delicate and must be charged appropriately to make them last longer.

4. Don’t buy batteries bigger than your charging capacity; be sure that the inverter/charge controller is supplying enough current to charge the battery bank. A battery passes through four (4) stages when charging: Bulk, Absorption, Float, and Equalization.

5. Don’t buy smaller batteries than your requirement. Trying to save at the beginning by installing the minimum number of batteries is a bad idea. Using appropriate battery size is important in order to avoid draining the batteries below 50% DOD. The lesser a battery is discharged the longer it will last. Some inverters have a battery DOD setting that shuts down the system to protect the batteries. Battery life is directly related to how deep the battery is cycled each time. If a battery is discharged to 50% every day, it will last about twice as long as if it is cycled to 80% DOD. This is explained in the graph below

6. Have at least two ways of charging your batteries. Using solar during the raining season may not be effective; charging with a generator may be necessary if the grid power is not stable.

7. Avoid placing batteries in a too-warm or too-cold environment; batteries are rated at 25 degrees Celsius. At high temperature (that is, over 30 degrees) the battery performance reduces, batteries must be kept in a cool and dry well-aerated environment (20-25 degrees centigrade).

8. Make sure your Inverter/Charger has a battery sensor. This controls the charging current when a battery is getting hot due to the charging current passing through it.

9. Avoid moisture and dirt, they can cause terminal corrosion.

10. For flooded batteries, check the liquid level regularly and top up fully when required. Also, use only distilled water and not tap water that can introduce impurities into the battery electrolyte.

11. Never mix batteries! All batteries must be the same age, type, brand, capacity and charging-level. Except where necessary, when you need a bigger capacity, do not add new batteries to the old ones. When batteries are mixed, the lifespan of the new batteries added will be reduced. It is better to sell the old ones if they are still in good condition.

12. Use battery monitors, like Midnite battery monitor, which will let you know if your batteries are being adequately charged or not. LED indicators show if batteries have received a full charge—whether recently, longer than one week or longer than two weeks.

13. For flooded batteries, use a hydrometer to check your battery water gravity regularly. Replace electrolyte if necessary.

14. Identify a bad battery on time. Especially in a system with more batteries, a bad battery will make other batteries go bad faster. Look out for any leaks, smell, heat, swelling, moisture or corrosion on the batteries. These are signs that a battery is defective. One defective battery can drain other good batteries and reduce their performance. This will in the long run leave you powerless.

15. Keep children away from batteries and store in a safe and secure place to avoid access by unauthorized persons.

As a guide:

• Use LED bulbs instead of CFL and Tungsten bulbs.
• Use low energy-consuming home appliances.
• Use LED TVs instead of Plasma and LCD TVs.
• Do not leave appliances on when they are not in use.
• Use timers to switch off home appliances when not at home.
• Cut back on the hours you use everything.

Holistically, energy management is very important in order to reduce energy demand.