To serve as a buffer battery in a photovoltaic power system there is no need for high current discharges or rapid charges. On the other hand a battery for this purpose should have high capacity. This does not mean that a starter battery cannot be used in a photovoltaic system.
For a typical small PV system (10Wp to 1kWp) both the initial investment cost and the life cycle cost has to be kept low and the following battery types can be recommended according to the order in brackets. (1)Solar Batteries, (2)Leisure/Lighting, (3)SLI truck batteries (ref. 2).
In reality the voltage varies with the operating conditions. During high power discharge, as low values as 1.5 V per cell (9 volts in a 12V battery) is acceptable as cut-off voltage, but normally the voltage should stay above 1.8 V per cell (10.8 volts in a 12V battery) when the battery is being discharged.
Heat is developed during this process that has a limited rate. This kind of battery therefore needs special (lower) voltage settings in the controller during charge. The most important device in a PV system to maintain a long battery life, high performance and a trouble free operation.
During high power discharge, as low values as 1.5 V per cell (9 volts in a 12V battery) is acceptable as cut-off voltage, but normally the voltage should stay above 1.8 V per cell (10.8 volts in a 12V battery) when the battery is being discharged. At lower cut off voltages, there is a risk of permanent damages to the electrodes.
If still a SLI battery is going to be used in a PV system, choose a truck battery. They have thicker plates than a car battery almost of the same thickness as special solar batteries. This will extend the battery life in a PV system significantly compared to a car battery.
The photovoltaic effect is the generation of voltage and electric current in a material upon exposure to light. It is a physical phenomenon. The photovoltaic effect is closely related to the photoelectric effect. For both phenomena, light is absorbed, causing excitation of an electron or other charge carrier to a higher-energy state. The main distinction is that the term photoelec…