The 3 Best Batteries For An Off-Grid Energy System

It’s the question that anyone using alternative energy inevitably asks at some point…

What are the best batteries for an off-grid energy system?

Because of the falling prices of renewable energy systems, more and more people are looking to use alternative energy sources as a way to:

• Save money
• Become more energy independent
• And break their dependence on the big energy companies

However, installing a renewable energy system, in most cases, requires you to make a considerable initial investment that you won’t get back for several years.

One of the biggest expenses associated with alternative energy systems is the batteries in the battery bank.

So choosing the correct batteries for your off-grid system is crucial (and keeping the batteries alive as long as possible is also critically important)!

You Don’t Have To Buy New Overpriced Batteries

Before we tell you what 3 batteries we recommend for your alternative energy system’s battery bank…

It’s important to first note that you don’t have to buy the 3 batteries we recommend brand new.

Instead, you can use the EZ Battery Reconditioning program to:

• Get old or used batteries for free (or dirt cheap)
• Recondition them back to “like-new” condition
  • Then use those reconditioned (like-new) batteries in your alternative energy system’s battery bank INSTEAD of buying new overpriced batteries

  Doing this will will save you a considerable amount of money when building a battery bank and it helps make alternative energy accessible to those with a tighter budget!

  But that still leaves the questions…

  What are the best batteries to use in your solar power, wind power, or other alternative energy system?

  In this blog post we’ll try to answer that question in a very simple and straightforward manner.

  Here’s what we’ll go over:

  1. Lead Acid-Batteries VS. Other Battery Technologies in a battery bank
  2. Deep Cycle vs. Shallow Cycle Batteries in a battery bank
  3. Flooded Lead-Acid Batteries (FLA) VS Sealed Lead-Acid Batteries (SLA) in a battery bank
  4. And finally, which 3 Batteries we recommend for your residential off-grid energy system (based on the criteria we go over in this article)

  Lead Acid-Batteries vs. Other Battery Technologies

  Many of the batteries that are used in renewable energy systems were originally designed for other purposes. The most prominent example of this is the lead acid battery which has dominated the industry for a long time.

  Deep cycle lead-acid batteries have proven to be one of the best (and most affordable) battery types for alternative energy system battery banks for these reasons:

  • They’re able to withstand frequent discharging,
  • They’re cheaper than other kinds of batteries,
  • They have more rugged durability,
  • They deliver more consistent performance than other batteries.

  The fact that they are widely produced also means that they are relatively easy to replace if a battery in your battery bank needs replacing.

  It should be noted though, that as of late, lithium ion batteries for residential alternative energy systems, like Tesla’s Powerwall, have been gaining ground – but the initial investment into lithium ion batteries is still much more than the initial investment into lead-acid batteries.

  The Powerwall may eventually change this but at the moment deep cycle lead-acid batteries are the cheapest and most practical solution for a home battery bank.

   

  Deep Cycle vs. Shallow Cycle (Car) Batteries

  Back when the renewable energy industry was still picking up steam, people that wanted to go completely off the grid would often have to improvise and make do with car batteries. However, car batteries were never built for this purpose and shouldn’t be continuously drained and recharged (which is what they need to do in a solar panel or wind turbine system).

  Car batteries are supposed to be used only for starting and ignition. If you take a look inside one, you will see that they have a large number of thin plates.

  These plates have a big total surface area that can facilitate a large number of chemical reactions. When you start your car, these reactions produce the sudden burst of power that is needed for ignition.

  Deep cycle batteries on the other hand, have thick lead plates that don’t give much room for chemical reactions. Though they produce less current, they are designed to do so for a much longer period of time.

  In essence, car batteries are “shallow cycle” batteries that will quickly burn out when used as storage for renewable power.

  Flooded Lead-Acid Batteries  (FLA)  VS  Sealed Lead-Acid Batteries (SLA)

  Before telling you what three batteries are best for alternative energy system’s battery banks, it should be made clear why flooded lead-acid batteries (FLA’s) are better for renewable energy than sealed lead-acid batteries (SLA’s).

  One of the reasons that some people favour SLA’s is because they require little maintenance. Unlike FLA’s that need to be checked regularly for water level, SLA’s that are used properly can be left alone.

  However, sealed lead-acid batteries have two big flaws: they are sensitive and wear out quickly. So if you’re planning on using your solar panel or wind power system every day, this will eventually pose a problem.

  So, here are the categories of flooded lead-acid batteries that are best for an off-the-grid power system:

  The 3 Best Batteries

  So now that we know we want a lead acid battery, that’s flooded (FLA), and also has deep cycle properties …here are our 3 favorite batteries for an off-grid system’s battery bank:

  1) Golf Cart Batteries

  Golf cart batteries are the most widely manufactured batteries on this list.

  They also work great in an alternative energy system application. So it’s no surprise that they’re one of the most commonly used batteries in battery banks for renewable energy systems.

  Even though the five to six year life span of golf cart batteries may seem relatively short, golf cart batteries more than make up for their deficiency in this area by being extremely durable and cheap (you can also use these 7 tips to extend the life of golf cart batteries).

  In addition, golf cart batteries can also be found almost anywhere, making them a great choice for battery banks.

  If you really want to build a high quality but inexpensive battery bank one of the best options is to:

  1. Get old or “dead” batteries from golf courses or golf cart shops for free …or dirt cheap (just call them and ask if you can have their old batteries probably lying around and cluttering their shop)
  2. Then recondition those batteries to like-new condition with the EZ Battery Reconditioning program
  3. Use those reconditioned batteries in your battery bank

  2) Industrial or Forklift Batteries

  A battery bank that uses one or more industrial batteries follows the opposite philosophy of a golf cart battery bank. Instead of relying on multiple strings of smaller batteries, you use a few or even one battery to store all of your energy.

  Because these batteries aren’t usually manufactured to standard dimensions, you will have to have one made that is just right for your needs.

  Or you can try to find an old industrial or forklift battery that’s the correct size for your system and use that.

  Like golf cart batteries, there are sometimes ways to get free or cheap forklift batteries.

  One way is to call up or visit industrial companies and see if they have old or “dead” forklift batteries. Offer to dispose of it for them or pay them a little bit. If they agree, you can then recondition the battery and use it instead buying a new pricey industrial battery.

  But if you choose to get a new custom made battery instead, you should expect to pay quite a bit. But the good news is these types of batteries are typically built to last 15 to 20 years.

  Other thing to consider are:

  • These bigger batteries will be heavier and more difficult to move around.
  • There may be advancements in battery technology that could make the battery obsolete in years to come.

  But if you don’t mind making a significant investment upfront (anywhere from $2,000 to $10,00) and are alright with spending time keeping your batteries in top condition, then industrial batteries might be right for you.

  3) L16 Batteries

  If you want batteries that have a little more capacity than golf cart batteries but don’t want to spend on industrial batteries, L16 batteries are a good middle ground.

  These flooded lead-acid batteries were originally designed for supermarket floor scrubbers.

  The good thing with these batteries is that they last a bit longer than golf cart batteries – about six to eight years. However, they are often twice as heavy and the 6-volt models can be twice as expensive.

  Conclusion

  Different homes will have different power requirement and will need battery banks that are sized accordingly.

  If you build a battery bank using any of the three batteries mentioned above, you should be able to create a battery bank that is just right for your needs.

  There are some exciting new developments in the battery world for alternative energy. These new products should be entering the market over the next couple years, like the lithium ion Tesla Powerwall. But at this time, our three favorite batteries for residential off-grid, alternative energy systems are golf cart batteries, L16 batteries, and industrial batteries.

  And if you’re interested in saving money on your battery bank, you can use the EZ Battery Reconditioning program to learn how to:

  1. Get old or “dead” golf cart batteries, L16 batteries, or industrial batteries for free or dirt cheap
  2. Recondition them back to 100% of their working condition
  3. Use those “like-new” batteries instead of buying new overpriced batteries to save a lot of money!

  Good luck with your battery bank! And Happy Battery Reconditioning!

best way to recondition batteries -> click here

A lot of people don’t realize that poor care and poor charging practices dramatically decrease the battery life of their lithium-ion batteries.

And the most crucial time in Lithium-ion battery care is during early use or when you first get the battery, phone, or laptop.

So to help you prolong and maximize the lifespan of your laptop, cell phone, or other electronic that uses a li-ion batteries (like an electric shaver)…

I’ll teach you what causes a lithium-ion battery to age prematurely …PLUS, tips, tricks, and crucial maintenance information you must know to get the most out of your Li-ion batteries.

So… How Does A Lithium-Ion Battery Work?

Lithium-ion batteries work based on ion movement between negative and positive electrodes.

Theoretically, lithium-ion batteries should work forever. However, high temperatures and cycling decreases their lifespan over time.

How To Prolong The Life of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Follow these tips to prolong the life of your lithium-ion batteries:

• For brand new batteries, it is important to charge them completely before you use the cell phone, laptop, or other electronic. This “teaches” the battery the extent of the charge.

• To prolong the life of a lithium-ion battery that sees a lot of use, like a laptop or cell phone, it’s better to charge it often for short periods of time (one to two hours) instead of charging it from a near dead state each time.

• While short charges are best, it is important to let the battery drain completely and then fully charge around once a month. This help maintain good battery health.

• It’s very detrimental to a lithium-ion battery if you use the device while it’s charging. This makes the battery overheat, which lowers a li-ion battery’s lifespan.

• If possible, use a charger with a lower voltage rating. While this will charge more slowly, it will charge at a lower temperature, preserving the battery.

• Never leave the battery in sunny or hot areas. This heat can damage the battery life.

• Finally, if you aren’t going to use the battery for a while or you’re storing it, make sure the battery is over 40% charged before you put it away. When lithium-ion batteries are stored out of charge for long periods of time, this can lead to an inability to maintain a charge once the battery is in use again.

If you follow these tips (especially if you use them from when you first get your new battery, phone, laptop, or other electronic using a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery) you will maximize the battery’s lifespan and prevent premature aging in the battery.

What Can You Do If A Battery Does Die Or It’s Performance is Suffering?…

If a battery is aging or dies early on you, you can bring those old batteries back to 100% of their working condition using the EZ Battery Reconditioning program.

In this program, you’ll learn how to bring old cell phone, laptop, car, deep-cycle, golf-cart, marine, and forklift batteries back to life again (plus many other types of batteries too)!

The battery reconditioning methods are easy to do and they will save you a lot of money on battery costs over your lifetime.

You can learn more by clicking here.

8 Simple Tips & Tricks To Extend The Life Of Your Car Battery

But many people find that they have to change their car battery every 1 to 2 years.

Why is this?

And what can you do to prolong your car’s battery life?

Well… That’s what we’ll discuss in this article.

We’ll show you why car batteries die early …and what you can do to prevent this from happening.

We’ll also give you 8 simple tips and tricks to maximize the lifespan of your car’s 12 volt battery.

The tips we’ll teach you in this article will be simple to do …and anybody will be able to do these (even if you know nothing about cars or car batteries).

So let’s get started!…

 

First, You Should Know That Every Car Battery’s Lifespan Has A Limit (but most people kill their battery well before it’s time)

First, every car battery has a limit to its lifespan.

Even if you take care of your car battery perfectly …it will still die one day.

This set lifespan is called the battery’s “Calendar Life” and it’s completely independent of how many times the battery has been charged or discharged.

Once a battery reaches the end of its “Calendar Life” it will become unusable.

But most car batteries never make it their full “Calendar Life”…

Instead, they die early because of poor maintenance and care …which you can do something about.

 

A Little Background About Lead Acid Batteries Before Our 8 Battery Tips and Tricks…

Lead acid batteries are the oldest, most dependable, and most widely used type of rechargeable battery in the world.

Lead Acid Batteries have three life phases – formatting, peak, and decline.

• Formatting is when the battery is new and needs to be used gently.
• Peak is the ideal performance phase, which we seek to maintain for as long as possible.
• Decline is a slow process, but one that gradually ends in the termination of the battery.

Batteries in decline can still be used for quite a while, but must be watched.

Around this time, you can either recondition the battery or keep a close eye on it and try to replace it before a problem arises (like being unable to start your car for work).

 

8 Simple Tips To Prolong The Life Of Your Car’s Lead Acid Battery

Tip 1: Do a monthly inspection of the battery terminals to make sure they are clean and corrosion free

One of the first problems most people have with their car battery is the build-up of corrosion around the terminals.

Corrosion destroys the connection between the battery and the vehicle and many batteries are replaced due to too much corrosive build up.

But often times, this can be easily treated by simply pouring a small amount of Cola or a DIY anti-corrosion paste (one part water to three parts baking soda) over the corroded areas.

The acid in the Cola or the alkaline properties in the DIY anti-corrosion paste will eat the corrosion away.

After the corrosion is gone, use a clean damp rag or sponge to clean up the remaining residue and moisture.

Be sure to let it dry, then rub some petroleum jelly on the terminals to prevent future corrosion.

*note: see our safety tips at the end of this article before disconnecting/re-connecting your battery.

 

Tip 2: Do not operate any car accessories (radio, lights, or electronics) before turning on the car ignition and driving the car

When the car is on, the car alternator generates electricity and charges the car battery after the battery has a voltage drop.

But if the car is not on, and you are using the car’s electronics, you are just relying on the car battery to power those electronics.

This is detrimental to the car battery because car batteries are not meant for this type of use.

Instead, car batteries are meant to provide a sudden burst of power for ignition. They’re not made to provide prolonged power for electronics and other devices (that’s what a deep cycle lead acid battery would be for).

Using your car battery as a battery that powers electronics, instead of a battery that just gives you a burst of power for ignition, will damage the battery and greatly shorten it’s lifespan if it’s repeatedly used in this fashion.

So avoid operating any car accessories or electronics while the car is off.

 

Tip 3: Make sure the car battery is secure and has good battery cables

The battery has to be secured at all times. If a battery is jostling around it will be impaired and could short circuit.

This will ruin the battery – and even cause damage to your car while creating a safety risk.

The same could happen if you have bad battery cables (or they’re not connected properly). So check your cables and make sure they have a secure connection as well.

 

Tip 4: Insulate your car battery from extreme changes in temperature

Protecting your car battery from large changes in temperature will help maximize the battery’s lifespan.

To do this you can use a car battery insulation kit.

Newer model cars already have these kits installed typically. But if your car doesn’t have one, you can easily install one yourself.

Just make sure it fits your car’s battery compartment. Generally the companies selling these battery insulation kits will have a form on their website where you can put in your car model and year, and it will tell you if your battery will fit their kit – like here (top of page).

These protective battery sleeves are usually made of plastic or an acid resistant, thermal resistant material.

These car battery insulation kits will insulate your battery and protect it while still allowing proper ventilation.

 

Tip 5: Fully charge your car battery at least once a week (use a car battery charger or interchange batteries if you have to)

Your car battery drains even when the car is off.

This happens because current is drawn from the battery by car accessories (radio, lights, etc.) or the car computers.

This is why people come home from long vacations and find their car battery dead.

But to prevent this, you can use either a car battery charger or a solar battery charger.

Car battery chargers (regular or solar) will maintain the optimum charge level of your car battery when the car is not in use.

They do this by providing enough power for the the car accessories and car computer, so they don’t continuously draw current from the car battery when the car is off.

As you can imagine, these chargers are very useful …especially if you go on a trip or leave your car unused for a while.

They’re also useful if you go on a lot of short car trips (like to work and back each day) and never give your battery a chance to fully recharge. Repeatedly doing this will dramatically shorten your battery’s life – unless you use a car battery charger or interchange batteries, leaving one at home to fully charge.

The most important thing to remember with this tip is …make sure you fully charge your car battery at least once a week because it will greatly increase the life of your battery. Do this with a charger, interchanging batteries …or just going on a car ride long enough to recharge the battery.

 

Tip 6: Check your car battery’s water level

Most car batteries indicate if there is a need for water.

So check the car battery water level indicator regularly and if water is needed, refill the battery with distilled water (and that’s important, ONLY use distilled water to refill your car battery).

 

Tip 7: Do NOT overcharge your car battery

Never overcharge your car battery. Lead-acid batteries release oxygen and hydrogen gases when they’re overcharged.

This causes two problems:

1. It can be explosive.
2. It also breaks down the composition of the water in the battery – which shortens its lifespan.

 

Tip 8: Check your car’s alternator

If you’re doing everything we’ve recommended in this article but your car batteries are still dying early, you’ll want to check your car’s alternator (or get a mechanic to check it).

If your alternator is bad it will results in ineffective recharging of your battery and dramatically shorten your battery’s lifespan.

 

Important Safety Precautions:

Safety Precaution #1) Before disconnecting your car battery read the car owner’s manual first. Most commonly (if not stated otherwise in the owner’s manual) the negative cable is to be disconnected first and then the positive cable. When you re-connect the battery, connect the positive cable first and then the negative cable.

If done in the wrong order it may affect your car’s fuses and other electronics. Also, remove your car keys from the ignition before working on the battery. Some cars are more sensitive to this procedure than others - like German Luxury Cars (Mercedes Benz and BMW type cars) - so use extra caution.

Safety Precaution #2) If you are charging a battery do it in a well ventilated area. If you are handling a car battery that is installed you should open the hood of the car for a few minutes to allow for ventilation first.

 

What can you do if your battery dies?…

If your car batteries dies or is in the decline phase all hope is not lost! You can still recondition the battery and bring it back to life again.

There’s actually a simple method that you can learn in the EZ Battery Reconditioning program that will bring a dead (or dying) 12v lead acid car battery back to life again.

It’s simple and quick…

And this easy 12v car battery reconditioning method will extend the life of your car battery even longer than the tips we discussed in this article…

…PLUS it will save you money because you can re-use your reconditioned car battery instead of buying a new overpriced battery.

You can learn more here.

visit EZ Battery Reconditioning Program - Click here