 |
| Luminous Tubular Battery, Credit - Luminous Instagram Page |
Inverters are Devices that convert Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current. (AC) Most of our Appliances or Gadgets at home use Alternating Current, while very few use Direct Current. The Solar Panel, Wind Turbine, Hydro Turbine, Biomass, even the Grid are the sources of power that Inverters use to get the Direct Current supplied to it and convert it to Alternating Current.
Inverters that use Solar Energy are referred to as PV Inverters, while those that use Batteries are referred to as Deep Cycle Inverters. Inverters are used in almost every walks of life: in ATMs, Traffic lights, Street Lights, just to mention a few.
Batteries are key elements of the Inverter System. It is from the Battery that the Inverter System get Direct Current, convert it to AC and give it to the electrical Appliances in the House. Batteries are sold separately, except for portable Inverters that have inbuilt Batteries.
Click here to Buy Batteries, at affordable rate
Battery Capacity
The capacity of a Battery is the amount of time it will take to discharge the energy stored in it. This simply means how much time the Battery will last. Battery capacity is measured with the formula PXT/V, where P is Power, T is time and V is Voltage.
So, for someone, who has a power rating of 1000W and he wants a backup Battery time of 5 hours. If the Battery Voltage is 12V, then he will need Batteries of about 416Ah. In this case, he will need two pieces of a 230Ah Battery.
The depth of discharge of a Battery is the rate at which it will discharge before it must be charged again. For Lead-Acid Batteries, the rate at which it should be charged again is when it drops to 50%. If this is not done, the Battery lifespan will be reduced.
Components of Inverter Batteries
There are things brought together to make the Inverter Battery. These things coupled together are arranged to make the Battery do it's primary duty, which is converting Chemical Energy to electrical Energy. The Components of an Inverter Battery are thus listed below:
Electrolyte - An Electrolyte is a mixture of Sulphuric Acid with distilled Water. Most Inverter Batteries are wet cell. The SMF Batteries are gel or liquid electrolyte absorbed into a fibre glass matt. Only wet cell and sealed use electrolyte.
Terminals - These are Plates constructed at the positive and negative sides. The negative side is pure Lead, while the positive side is Lead Oxide. It is when Lead is incorporated into a Battery, that is when it can be referred to as Lead-Acid Battery.
Seperators - These are incorporated between the positive and the negative Plates. They are mostly made of rubber and their duty is to prevent short-circuit by physical contact.
Click here to Buy Batteries, at affordable rate
 |
| Arrangement of Cells in a Battery - Credit: solarkobo.com |
Types of Inverter Battery
There are two classes of Inverter Batteries and they are classified by the technology employed in manufacturing it. The Tubular Batteries and the Sealed Maintenance Free (SMF) Battery.
Tubular Battery - These are made up of negative Plates, but the positive parts are made up of Spines placed under a Tube.
Sealed Maintenance Battery - These are made up of positive and negative Plates made up of plastic grating.
Difference between Tubular Battery and Sealed Maintenance Free, SMF Battery
 |
| Luminous Tubular Battery and Sealed Maintenance Free (SMF) Battery |
In the Battery World, Tubular Batteries are preferred to SMF Batteries for the following reasons
- Tubular Batteries have complicated designs in manufacturing compared to SMF Batteries.
- Tubular Batteries last longer than SMF Batteries
- Tubular Batteries charge faster compared to SMF Batteries and can withstand high capacity Loads.
- SMF Batteries are cheaper than Tubular Batteries, this depicts their difference in performance.
- Tubular Batteries can be used in unfavourable temperatures due to their toughness and high performance, under too much heat, SMF Batteries will wear out.
- The number of Cycles in Tubular Battery is higher than that of SMF or Flat Plate Battery.
- The rate at which water needs to be topped in Tubular Battery is low, this aids their long lasting ability.
- Tubular Batteries are recommendable because of their high performance and durability but for budget conscious individuals, SMF Batteries are recommended.
Sealed Maintenance Free Battery
Sealed Maintenance Free (SMF) Battery can also be referred to as Value Regulated Lead-Acid (VRLA) Battery. They require no maintenance or topping up of water. They can be used in any location but they have less backup time compared to Tubular Battery. They are primarily designed for automobiles but in cases where acid spills in Tubular Battery is dangerous, for example ATM, SMF Battery will do the maths.
Click here to Buy Batteries, at affordable rate
Locally-made Battery
These non-branded Batteries are not recommended. There is no room for over voltage and under-voltage in it, that it supplies the same current from start to finish. MCB Breakers are not incorporated into it and it is highly susceptible to lightning attack or even protect against high Voltage from the grid.
These inabilities therefore makes locally-made or non branded Batteries a no-go area. Users are advised to patronise branded ISO or SON certified Battery for safety reasons.
EA Crystal is the number one solution to all Alternate Energy related problems. We have been providing sustainable Energy for more than two decades, accumulating positive reviews from all of our Clients. Reach out to us today and you will be glad you did.
