Wondering how you can power your home when using solar panels in Kenya the moment the sun goes down?
The solution is solar batteries!
A solar battery is a device used to store excess electricity generated for later use. Solar batteries are pretty popular for domestic use. Since they go hand in hand with solar panels, they often act as back-up when solar panels don’t produce enough electricity.
In addition, the benefits associated with solar batteries are incredible. Some of these benefits include being environmentally friendly, saving on cost, being noise-free, etc.
However, most people don’t know what factors to consider when purchasing solar batteries. Purchasing the best solar battery in Kenya, especially for the first time, can be tricky. For this reason, we have compiled a handpicked list of some vital factors to consider.
Looking for Reliable & Cost Effective Home Solar Power System in Kenya? Contact us today on 0715 020605 for quotation/site survey/installation
How to Choose the Best Solar Battery in Kenya to Store Energy?
1. Capacity
Solar Battery capacity is the quantity of electric power stored in it.
As a rule of thumb, always estimate your peak power requirements using amp-hours. A battery rated 200 amp-hours, for instance, can theoretically put out 1 ampere of electric energy for 200 hours or 10 amps for 20 hours. When selecting a solar battery, understanding your power needs is the key to choosing the battery with sufficient energy storage.
For instance, if your average daily output is 5 kW and you want to store energy for 3 days, you need about 15 kWh battery. However, the storage capacity of the Solar Battery depends on the maximum daily consumption of electricity in your home.
If the capacity of your solar battery in Kenya is not enough, you will not get sufficient power from it for the required duration.
2. Efficiency
More commonly known as Round Trip Efficiency, it states the percentage quantity of the electricity or energy stored in the battery which you can utilize.
Always purchase a solar battery that has a high round trip efficiency. Ensure that you are not losing extra energy that your appliances could have utilized. For example, if the battery stored energy is 10 kWh but the energy delivered is 8 kWh. Then the round trip efficiency is 80%. The battery’s operating system utilizes 2 kWh.
Looking for Reliable & Cost Effective Home Solar Power System in Kenya? Contact us today on 0715 020605 for quotation/site survey/installation
3. Depth of Discharge (DoD)
Depth of discharge (DoD) is the capacity available for usage. It is the capacity you can utilize comfortably without straining the battery’s system.
Flow batteries tend to have a higher DoD compared to other batteries. They have 100% DoD, meaning you can utilize this battery until its charge is fully depleted.
Lithium-ion batteries have a 90% DoD. Once you utilize 90% of its capacity, you should recharge it to prevent damage.
Most Gel batteries have a 50% DoD. This means once it reaches 50% utilization, it should be recharged to avoid damage.
Hence, a higher DoD indicates a higher capacity of the battery.
4. Lifespan and Warranty
There are a variety of solar battery in Kenya available in the market, but all are not reliable and trustworthy. When choosing a Solar battery, your best bet is to select one of high-quality and mid-range. These tend to have a long cycle life, which means they can cycle many times over their lifespan without losing capacity.
Most solar batteries have a lifespan of 5 to 10 years. Lithium-ion batteries are more durable as they have 10 to 15 years.
Lead-acid batteries are the least durable, with a lifespan of 5 years. On the other hand, Flow batteries can last up to 30 yrs. The life expectancies of these batteries all depend on how well you maintain them.
You should look at the manufacturer’s warranty and return policy to ensure they protect your investment if something goes wrong during installation or operation.
The lifespan of a Solar battery depends on the brand you choose and how much capacity it loses over the years. To ensure maximum energy storage and lifespan of the battery, it is always best to ask questions before purchasing them.
You will have to practice proper maintenance procedures if you wish to have a long battery lifespan. Protect your Solar battery from excessive heat or cold and keep it at standard room temperature.
5. Manufacturer
Increasing demands of Solar technology have led many organizations to manufacture Solar batteries to tap Solar power for future use.
Purchase your Solar battery from trusted producers. They will provide a quality product and the best after-sales service for you to enjoy the benefits of the product.
Some of the best locally available solar battery brands in Kenya include RITAR, Invatubular and Eastman. It’s important that you purchase your solar batteries only from the authorized distributors / approved resellers. Most importantly, ensure you get the warranty and any other documents to ensure you’re covered in case of problems. Contact us on 0715 020605 for Reliable, Original and Quality Solar Batteries in Kenya
