What You Need to Know About
Solar Battery Lifespan

Solar battery lifespan is a major factor that manufacturers take into consideration to make the solar batteries robust. They are designed in such a way that they can resist heat and cold cycles. Unfortunately, solar batteries are not perfect and will eventually age.

Thus, it is important that the owners are knowledgeable about solar batteries so that proper steps can be done to prolong their lifespan. The type of battery is important as well: Lithium batteries have a lot of benefits to them that, as consumers, you may not know about.

What affects solar battery lifespan?

Do you ever wonder why some solar batteries last longer than the other despite having the same source of power? Three factors normally affect the lifespan of your solar batteries:

	Cyclic Life The lifespan of a solar battery is primarily determined by its use cycles. A flooded battery may last for 300 to 700 cycles during normal use. A gel battery may last for 500 to 5000 cycles. Lithium batteries can reach up to 2000 cycles.
	Depth of Discharge The depth of discharge is the extent to which a solar battery is used relative to its overall capacity. Batteries degrade as they are charged and discharged. This slowly reduces their capacity to store energy. For example, a battery with a nominal capacity of 100 kWh at 60% DoD will have 40 kWh of charge remaining.
	Temperature Chemical activity is higher in a battery when stored in high temperatures. As a result, the solar battery’s capacity decreases when the temperature of the room is too low. However, the battery’s cyclic life decreases at higher temperatures.

How can you prolong solar battery lifespan?

No matter how good the design of your solar battery may be, it will not last long if proper maintenance is not done.Here are some steps you can do to extend its life:

• • Control the number of batteries.
    Try to minimize the number of batteries you use in the bank. Using more batteries increases connection and resistance which may lead to uneven charging. Try to limit the number of batteries you utilize for your bank to 4 or less.

• • Do not leave solar batteries uncharged for a very long time.
    Solar batteries can get damaged if they are left uncharged for a long period of time. Ensure that your charging source is always turned on so that the batteries charge continuously.

• • Perform equalization on your solar batteries.
    Battery equalization is the process of overcharging your solar batteries at a controlled manner. Uneven charging of batteries causes sulphation on the plates. Overcharging removes this through gassing. Our solar batteries have a controller to avoid overcharging so this operation is not needed for our products.

• • Use the right type of solar batteries.
    Lithium batteries are more recommended to use because they can last up to 8 years. They can be easily replaced if they are not functioning properly due to the special waterproof plug and connectors used. Ensure that the lithium battery you use has a rated voltage of 12.8V or 25.6 V to ensure that it will last long and they are much cleaner and safer for the environment

Do you have other questions regarding solar battery lifespan?
Feel free to ask our team at TR SOLAR, your trusted experts when it comes to Solar Light Manufacturing. We aim to provide world-class solar solutions worldwide at affordable prices. We provide spare parts for at least 5 years.