WML Energy

We are often faced with questions around batteries and what type to use.
If you are ready to make the switch from Lead Acid batteries to Lithium, or you have decided to bite the financial bullet that accompanies Lithium battery purchases, you are on a winning streak. The best thing about this lithium battery is that you won’t have to worry about exceeding 50% depth of discharge as you have with deep-cycle lead-acid batteries. You can get the full 100ah or 200ah from the battery. But remember the recommended depth of discharge is 80% for longer battery life.

What to look out for:
Voltage: Depending on your requirements you will use a 48V system in a residential or small scale commercial environment. 24V and 12V is better suited to the recreational market (camping, boating etc) although some 24V systems can provide limited AC power for residential backup (laptop, TV and a lamp or two).

Amp-Hour Rating: An essential factor to look at when considering battery storage options. Batteries are rated in Ah (amp-hours). The amp hour rating is a measurement of the current output over time. For example a 1 amp-hour battery should be able to continuously supply 1 amp for an hour.
The Amp-hour rating dictates how long you can use the battery and what types of loads you can place a battery. The goal is to run the battery over an extended period of time (with loadshedding 2-4 hours +)

Battery “C” Rating
“C” rating is very important, and often overlooked in making battery decisions, A battery “C” rating indicates the maximum current a battery can deliver at any given moment. The “C” value is simply a multiplier of the amp-hour capacity rating of the battery. A battery rated as 3C can deliver a maximum current of 3 times the C value of the battery.

Cycle Life
Every time a battery is discharged and recharged this is called a cycle. Cycle life is the number of times a battery can be charged and discharged. This is used to calculate the life of battery. A lithium battery can last up to 5000 cycles at 80% depth of discharge.

BMS (Battery Management System)
A BMS protects the battery from overcharging, undercharging and discharging too fast. Most lithium batteries should come with an built-in BMS which interfaces (ideally) to your inverter. This ensures that your battery and inverter are optimally synchronized.

The above are but a few consideraions you should look at when evaluating batteries and the cost thereof

Another satisfied client that does not worry about loadshedding