Adding Batteries to Your Solar System

For quite a long time, batteries have been a method to store the extra power generated by solar systems. Yet, as of recently, because of their significant expense and low efficiencies, they just seemed well and good for a few, mostly off-grid solar systems. In any case, as battery costs proceed to decrease and batteries themselves become increasingly better, they are developing into a reasonable choice for grid-tied systems as well. On the off chance that you introduced your system a couple of years ago, batteries might not have appeared well and good. However, as the market changes and innovation shoots, you may wish to make use of energy storage.

In case you're considering whether you can install batteries in your current solar panel system, the answer is yes! There are a few different ways you can incorporate battery power into your current solar energy system.

How Do Solar Batteries Work?

Before we get into your choices for adding batteries onto your framework, we need to rapidly go over how batteries work. As the sun shines, your solar panels absorb the energy and transform it into DC power. The power is then shipped off to your inverter, which changes over that power into AC – the current you can use in your appliances. As your system produces energy, it's utilized to control your lights, apparatuses, and gadgets. In any case, what happens when your solar system creates more power than you use?

In the event that you introduce a battery, here's the place where it would come in. At the point when you're utilizing more power than your solar panel system is delivering, you can draw on the energy stored in a battery, rather than drawing it from the grid.

Adding a Battery to Your Existing Solar System

As a rule, adding a battery to a current grid-tied solar energy system is conceivable, be that as it may, the degree of trouble is subject to whether your system was planned with the expectation to do as such. Here are the ways to introduce a battery in your current solar system.

Storage Ready Solar System

Ideally, you realized you'd ultimately need to introduce batteries and anticipated it while having your system installed. Perhaps you were trusting that costs will drop or needed to keep the cost during installation as low as possible. In any case, you set yourself up for what's to come. Your inverter is prepared for the installation of a battery when it sounds good to you. This is the least expensive and simplest choice, requiring less work and materials than the other two choices.

On the off chance that you didn't introduce a storage prepared framework, there are two fundamental approaches to connect your battery into your framework – DC Coupled and AC Coupled.

DC Coupled System

With a DC Coupled System, your inverter will be replaced by one that works with a battery and a grid connection. These are known as hybrid inverters. DC power created by your solar panels is utilized to charge the battery. From that point, the power goes through the hybrid inverter, which changes over the power into AC. At that point, the AC power can be either utilized in your home or business or go to the grid.

In the event that you go through this course, your system will lose less of the energy created by your panels during the change interaction. This is because energy is just going from DC to AC, though in an AC Coupled System, all energy stored in the battery goes from AC to DC (to charge the battery) and back to AC once more. In any case, this alternative will probably cost more because of the expense of the inverter and more elaborate work.

DC Coupling could be an incredible alternative for you in case you've had your solar panel system for quite a while and your inverter is moving toward the end of its normal life. Most string inverters last around fifteen years, so replacing your inverter with one that works with a battery at this time could be to your advantage.

Ac Coupled System

The following alternative, an AC Coupled System, uses your regular inverter with a subsequent inverter, or a "capacity inverter," that charges the battery. DC power created by your solar panels goes to the inverter and is changed over to AC power as usual. From that point, the inverter sends it to the appliances in case you're utilizing power, to your battery in case you're producing more power than you're utilizing, or to the network if your battery is completely energized.

Commonly simpler to introduce, AC Coupling offers adaptability as far as area, works with an assortment of inverters, and is probably going to be a cheaper choice. In any case, it is marginally less effective. Power put away on the framework and utilized in your house is AC, however, batteries store DC power. For the battery to give power you can use in your home or business, it should then be changed over to AC power. This additional step makes more energy loss when compared to the DC Coupling.

Does Installing Batteries Make Sense For You?

One advantage of introducing batteries is your ability to get power when there is a blackout. Although this could be a significant advantage to you, there are a couple of different interesting points when choosing whether or not adding batteries to your solar system is the correct decision.

Utility companies charge peak rates. These rates vary depending upon the hour of the day. At the point when power demand is higher, you pay more per kWh than you would when fewer individuals are utilizing power. If you have batteries on your solar system, you can help abstain from paying these expanded rates by drawing on the stored energy in your batteries.

If these benefits are good enough for you, you can add batteries to your system and enjoy the perks of it. If you are still unsure, you can contact a solar consultant who can help you make an informed decision based on your personal needs and demands.