Solar Power DIY Blog

Let’s look at some battery types that are often used for home power systems. I hope that this post can help awareness of the types and spur further research so I’m not going to talk about specific details of each. All those listed here are lead acid batteries. There are other types but are at this point not practical and/or economically feasible for home power systems.

Flooded Cell Starting Batteries

These are batteries found in cars, trucks and machinery used for starting petrol and diesel engines. Although not recommended, they can be used for a home power set-up. A home power battery bank using preferably the larger of these types tends to be cheaper but not last as long. The length of type they last depends how they are treated regards to discharge level and maintenance.

Flooded Cell Deep Cycle

These are very similar to starting batteries but usually have thicker plates. They can be more deeply discharged than starter batteries but still not too deeply. They are more expensive but are designed to last longer. Again the length of time they last depends on how they are treated.

Sealed Lead Acid (SLA)

These are also known as gel batteries. They are still lead-acid batteries but the acid electrolyte is a gel. The batteries are also sealed. These generally are the most expensive but can be placed at any orientation, even upside down. Most commonly these are available in very small unit meant for backup batteries in small UPS systems (Interruptible Power Supplies), or security and fire alarms etc. However there are larger units available.

Absorbent Glass Mat

These behave like a cross between SLA and wet cell batteries. These have absorbent glass mats between the lead plates that are soaked with the electrolyte. They come in a couple of variants designed to be deep cycle and others that tolerate deeper discharging than regular starting batteries but can be used as starting batteries.

I hope this primer helps. Feel free to post a comment.