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Category : Energy Storage Batteries
- Q: What kind of battery shall I choose for my solar panel of 12V ( 15V peak) ?
- A: You can choose 12V SLA, NiCd , Li-Ion and LiFePO4 battery based on you budget. SLA is cheaper but heavy, NiCd is lighter but cost more. The best storage battery is LiFePO4 battery because it has less weight than SLA with same capacity, but more expensive than NiCd. LiFePO4 battery also has the longest cycle life and better high temperature performance. NiMH battery is not good choice for solar panel because it has higher self discharging rate.
- Q: What capacity of battery ( mAh or Wh ) shall I choose for my solar panel ?
- A: It depends on wattage of your solar panel and expected charging time for storage battery. If your solar panel is 10W, you want to charge it for 5 hours to full, you shall choose 50Wh battery pack ( e.g. 12V < 4.2Ah pack). Higher ( Ah or Wh ) rated battery needs longer charging time at a certain wattage, or higher wattage of solar panel will provide shorter charging time for a certain capacity battery
- Q: Do I need a charger controller to charge battery pack?
- A: It is not necessary if you choose a right battery capacity with limited charging time because you know when battery is full. Especially Li-ion battery pack has protection circuit board (PCB ) inside, which will cut-off power when battery is full. However, if you try to charge a small battery in high wattage solar panel without attention, you need to add a controller between solar panel and battery.
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