Lithium-ion Batteries

Lithium-ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries (LiFePO4 batteries) are the best solar battery type available, which is good to know, but what makes them so unique?

Apart from storing your produced power from your solar panels and grid, they are very different to the old AGM batteries that were so popular.

A deep cycle Lithium-ion battery allows you to use between 80-100% of your battery bank, which is 30-50% more than traditional lead acid batteries. They also have around double the number of cycles, which means they'll last much longer.

They also require no maintenance, and installing additional batteries is quick and easy due to their flexibility and ability to scale your battery bank.

Not only do you have a wide range of options when buying a Lithium battery, but you can also choose how and where you'd like your battery bank installed.

We have a solution for everyone, no matter what application they need it for. Whether it's Lithium-ion solar batteries for home or business, we have a lithium-ion solar battery bank that will work for you.

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Lithium-ion Batteries Advice

In this section, we'll go through the features of Lithium-ion batteries so that you have a better understanding of the vital information to look out for.

Solar Battery Mounting Types:

There are 3 types of lithium-ion battery mounting types:

  • Wall-mounted
  • Floor-mounted
  • Rack-mounted

And choosing a mounting type will ultimately depend on your needs and preferences.

Below is an explanation of the different mounting types and their features. Alternatively, watch our video on Battery Storage Options.

Wall-Mounted

Wall-mounting your solar batteries looks neat, keeps the battery out of the way of foot traffic and is perfect for those with little to no floor space.

If you have a single garage or have to install your system inside your home, a wall-mounted lithium-ion battery is the one for you.

You can have additional batteries if you need them. However, you'll need to be sure that you have enough wall space to install them.

Floor-Mounted

Floor-mounted options also look very neat but being floor-mounted, you'll need to ensure that the installation site is out of the way of foot traffic.

You will need an area with little to no foot traffic and at least some floor space, like a cool, ventilated storeroom or a large garage.

Adding another battery is possible, as long as there is enough space to install it next to your first.

Rack-mounted

The most versatile of the three options, rack-mounted batteries allow for easy installation and scaling up is done quickly and effortlessly. You will have the option of either a cabinet or brackets to store rack-mounted batteries.

These cabinets are large, so you will need quite a bit of floor space available. But, the cabinet will protect your batteries from being knocked and debris like dust and sand.

The standard brackets for rack-mounted batteries are not as popular as before cabinets were available, but they are still an option. There are also new wall mounting brackets for these lithium-ion batteries, which are perfect for just one or two rack-mounted units.

Lithium-ion Battery Features

DOD, Cycles, Warranties & Compatibility

DOD (Depth of Discharge or usable battery capacity), cycles (charge-discharge cycles), warranties and inverter & battery compatibility are key features to look out for when buying lithium-ion solar batteries.

DOD (Depth of Discharge) tells you how much of your battery's capacity is usable. In Lithium-ion Batteries, the DOD is between 80-100%.

The solar battery's cycles indicate how long it will last, based on how many times you charge and discharge it. One cycle is one full charge and discharge.

Lithium-ion solar batteries typically have a warranty period of 5-10 years. But, some manufacturers will extend your warranty when registering your battery.

Communication between Li-ion batteries and your solar inverter is crucial for monitoring your system, especially if you have a solar power kit and want to monitor your usage, battery capacity and solar power production.

C-Rating

If you have been browsing the Lithium-ion Batteries for sale online, you may have noticed some C-ratings. Like 0.5C, 1C, 2C etc.

The C-rating relates to how much of the battery's capacity can be discharged and how long it will last at that rate.

EG based on a 100Ah battery:

  • 0.5C - 50A for 2 hours
  • 1C - 100A for 1 hour
  • 2C - 200A for 30 minutes

Ratings of 1.5-2C are very good at handling power spikes from appliances such as kettles, microwaves etc.

Tip: If you want your Lithium-ion batteries to last, don't run them at the full discharge rate.

Battery Comparisons

Doing your research on Lithium-ion batteries before buying them is highly recommended. As explained above, solar batteries all do the same job but differ in how they perform.

Compare a few options, read reviews, and get sound advice from reputable solar companies.

If you plan on relying on Lithium-ion batteries to supply your home with power throughout the night, consider batteries with at least a 1C rating. 1.5C would be even better to handle those spikes in power when switching a heating appliance on.

If running only the essentials during load shedding is your goal, a 0.5C battery will work nicely.

Oversizing your battery bank to ensure that you are covered in the event of unproductive weather is also essential. This can be done at the very beginning of your solar journey or expanded later on.