Solar power storage has become more and more popular among residential solar users, and with it, the solar market has become flooded with a variety of solar battery options. Solar users have more options than ever when choosing solar batteries—and that can be a huge benefit as well as a stressful choice. Traditional solar batteries have been a reliable solution for decades, but the newer style of battery modules are quickly becoming the new standard. Which one is the better choice? Here’s a look at the pros and cons of each.
Pros of Traditional Batteries
Traditional solar batteries are a proven technology. Traditional lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries are backed by decades of research and used to prove their consistency in performance. Their lower upfront costs can also help you get a battery bank for less, particularly if you opt for lead-acid batteries, and are more widely available than newer battery modules. Traditional batteries can be found from many distributors and are broadly supported by most solar setups.
Cons of Traditional Batteries
On the downside, traditional batteries have a shorter lifespan, only lasting about 3 to 7 years, so they’ll need to be replaced sooner than more modern options. They also typically have a lower round-trip efficiency, which means more energy is lost during storage and retrieval of the stored energy. Some traditional batteries (though not all) also have higher maintenance requirements, like topping off fluids, and they are generally less scalable than battery modules. This means that expanding your battery bank with traditional batteries can be difficult, as batteries of different ages may not function well together.
Pros of Battery Modules
Battery modules have begun to rapidly flood the solar market, thanks in large part to their longer lifespan of 10 to 15 years. Their roundtrip efficiency is also significantly higher, often around 90%, minimizing energy losses. They have minimal maintenance requirements, and their modular design makes them very scalable. You can easily add new modules year after year to expand your battery bank and meet your growing energy needs.
Cons of Battery Modules
Of course, this better, newer technology does come with a higher upfront cost, so getting that initial storage system can be expensive. There can also be a bit of a learning curve with the integrated smart technology, and it can take some time for users to learn how to maximize the potential of their new energy storage system.
Overall, modular battery banks like the HomeGrid Stack’d Series LFP batteries tend to outperform old-fashioned solar batteries in just about every way. If you’re looking to build a solar power system that will last well into the future, modular is the way to go.
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