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 We are in the process of rebuilding our photovoltaic (PV) solar power system. We have been using a cheap lead/acid battery. There are some problems with this. Mainly, there are dangerous and explosive fumes released and if the battery is tipped it can spill acid. A cheap, automotive battery also doesn't cycle well. It is designed to start a car and then start charging again. After looking at the possibilities for batteries, we decided to purchase a Concorde Sun Xtender model PVX-1080T: 
The PVX-1080T is an absorbed glass mat (AGM) type of battery. Basically, this means that the battery isn't as susceptible to damage from vibration, it won't spill acid, it doesn't need added water, and it doesn't give off explosive gasses. It has a capacity of 108 Amp Hours at a 24 hour rate: 
The battery uses bolts instead of posts, which makes it easier to hook up. Before you hook the batter up to anything, though, install a fuse: 
We used a 10 amp auto fuse in a rubberized holder. This will protect the power controller to some extent, since it is rated at 6 amps. True, the power controller has a fuse already, but there is always the possibility of a short at the terminal strip. Make sure that the wire to the fuse is shorter than the distance to the other battery terminal. For more information on AGM batteries, see Absorbed Glass Mat Deep Cycle Batteries [windsun.com]. |
