When you purchase a solar battery or battery bank for your home energy system, you’re likely looking for something that is going to last you a long time. Every solar battery out there should pretty clearly state the expected lifespan for that battery, both in terms of years and battery cycles. But what factors impact that life expectancy? Can those factors cause the battery life to be shortened or lengthened beyond what’s expected? Keep reading to learn more.
Battery Type
Certain types of batteries generally last longer than others, simply due to how they’re made. For example, lead-acid batteries remain very popular for solar energy storage and have been a top choice for decades. However, their life expectancy is usually only between 3 and 5 years. On the other hand, more modern lithium-ion batteries degrade much slower and can provide you with energy storage for roughly ten years. While they do cost more upfront, the longer lifespan typically makes these batteries a better investment.
Round-Trip Efficiency
For batteries, round-trip efficiency refers to the battery’s ability to store and release power while minimizing energy loss. The higher this percentage, the more efficient the battery is. Why does this metric matter for a battery’s lifespan? As mentioned in the introduction, battery life is often estimated in both years and the number of battery cycles (the number of times the battery can charge and discharge before running out).
If you’re charging and discharging a battery several times a day, you’re going to reach the end of the battery’s lifespan much more quickly. In relation to round-trip efficiency, if a battery is losing a lot of energy as it stores and releases its power, it’s going to go through cycles much more quickly. To minimize how often you have to recharge your battery, you’ll want something with high round-trip efficiency so your battery will serve you for longer.
Maintenance
Of course, things always last longer when you take good care of them, and batteries are no different. While most batteries require little to no maintenance, some do require routine maintenance every couple of months. Flooded lead-acid batteries are the primary battery type that requires you to maintain them. For lithium-ion and sealed lead-acid batteries, simply checking the connections for corrosion and ensuring they’re properly stored is usually sufficient.
Depth of Discharge
A battery’s depth of discharge (DoD) refers to the percentage of stored power that can actually be released for use. Similar to round-trip efficiency, a high DoD lengthens each battery cycle, and fewer battery cycles mean a longer lifespan for your battery. Generally speaking, a deep cycle battery with a DoD of 80% or 90% will last longer than one with a DoD of only 50%.
