One thing is for certain, energy is only going to continue to become more expensive as the years go by. People are always looking at different ways to reduce their home monthly bills, and one way is to generate energy from solar panels.

Renewable energy projects at home can be expensive. The time recouping these costs can take quite a while but the end result is cheap energy. A major expense in the process of solar energy panel installation is the storage battery bank.

The battery bank will be used when the sun is not shining. It is possible to find cheap deep cycle battery storage and if you follow the 5 points outlined below, you will be able to keep the costs of purchasing the batteries relatively low.

1. Free or cheap.

The types of battery used in the storage bank are lead-acid deep cycle batteries. These batteries are designed to recharge and discharge quite frequently. These types of batteries are very expensive when bought brand new. There is a way that you may be able to pick up cheap ones, or even free ones.

You can find these types of batteries used on electric golf carts, wheelchairs, and even boats. Golf clubs or boat yards will often times have discarded batteries and in many cases be glad to get the batteries off of their hands.

2. Testing.

The first thing you will have to do once you have procured your batteries is to test them. There are certain issues or faults that will make them useless. Testing them is quite simple. All you have to do is connect them to a charger and charge them. As soon as you have charged them, you will need to take a measurement of the voltage with a multi-meter.

The meter should have a reading near 12 volts. If your reading is a lot lower than 12 volts, it could be an indication that there is a bad cell or bad cells. Mark it and put it to the side to test further later. You will want to focus your priorities on the batteries that reach the 12 volt reading.

3. Cleaning the plates.

The lead plates that are located inside the cells are more than likely to be contaminated. This is a result of a process called sulfation.

Sulfation is when the lead plates have a layer of lead sulfate crystals on them even when the unit is fully charged. This process of sulfation is what prevents the batteries from holding a charge. You will then need to remove the contamination by using a different charger.

This special charger is sends a high current pulse out to the battery that will break down the crystals, thus reducing the contamination. I know there is concern about the cost of the charger, but the money you will save on new batteries will make up for the initial investment for the charger and locating cheap or free batteries.

4. Renewing the electrolyte.

Next you will have to renew the electrolyte inside of the cells. The electrolyte is the fluid that is located in the case between the lead plates.

Deionzed water should be used for this step. This water should be refilled to cover the lead plates located inside the battery cell. An electrolyte conditioner may also be added to the cells. This conditioner can be found online or at a local auto parts store.

5. Recharging the battery.

The lasts step is to recharge the recently restored battery and then test the voltage again. After you have done the reconditioning process, the second hand should be able to hold the electric charge from the Photovoltaic (PV) panels.

The 5 steps above may seem tedious, nonetheless, doing so will save you a lot of money when you are setting up a home battery storage bank. This is how you will be able to find a cheap or free battery cell for your own personal home solar power plant.

Following these steps you will be able to make renewable energy a much more viable option. It will also make the process more of a cost effective idea. By finding these deep cycle batteries cheap, you will reduce the initial investment and shorten the time it takes for you to notice the savings that using a renewable, green energy such as solar power.

There are few things we can be sure of besides death and taxes, and that include the rising cost of electricity. One potential solution that could be utilized is a self-generated solar power system.

Although costs associated with setting up such a project seem impractical, the long-term returns are more than worth it. A large chunk of the setup costs comes from the storage battery bank, which supplements the power supply under less-than-optimal sunlight conditions.

Cheap solar deep cycle battery storage is an attainable prospect nowadays. Here are 5 ways to minimize such costs:

1. Affordable or free batteries.

A bank of lead-acid deep cycle batteries store energy derived from solar power. These batteries are specifically created for frequent recharge and discharges, as opposed to the ones found in automobiles. Although a brand new battery is pricey, low-cost or even free ones can be obtained if you look hard enough. These can be found in golf carts, wheelchairs and boat generators.

In essence, golf clubs and boat yards are potential gold mines for discarded batteries, and have a good chance of procuring one for free.

2. Evaluation.

The next step that comes after acquiring a battery would be to make sure that they work well enough for reconditioning. Testing these batteries is as simple as connecting them to a charger and waiting for them to charge.

After that is complete, you will need to measure the voltage output, which should be within the region of 12 volts. Faulty cells are suspect if the voltage is noticeably lower than this.

These should be put aside for further evaluation, and you should look specifically for those that achieve the 12 volt mark.

3. Clean plates.

Sulfation could affect the cell’s lead plates by coating them with a layer of lead sulfate crystals and reducing their effectiveness, even on a full charge. This would affect your battery’s charge retention.

Fortunately, this could be remedied via a specially designed charger. Investing in one would be prudent, as restoring old batteries could save you from actually purchasing costly new ones.

4. Replenish electrolyte.

Following that, the electrolyte has to be replenished. This is the liquid that fills the gaps between the lead plates.

First, inspect the electrolyte level, and top up with deionized water until it begins to cover the plates. Electrolyte conditioners can be used as well, and they are easily obtainable from specialized stores.

5. Recharge the battery.

Once again, recharge the reconditioned battery and test its voltage output. You can now feel proud of yourself for coming up with a virtually free solution for your solar project. The cost-effective reconditioned rechargeable battery makes the project extra viable and will shorten the time it takes for you to enjoy the savings gained via this environmentally-friendly energy source.

Now, you can store power generated by your home solar power system even when the sun is not shining or the generator is not running, with the help of batteries. This post describes the 4 basic types of batteries which you can choose as your solar system battery bank. The post also contains guides on the care and maintenance of your batteries and on enhancing their performance and life.

1) Marine and golf cart battery.

Marine type batteries are suitable only for very small systems like boats and campers. They are not really capable for continuous service with many cycles of charge or discharge for years.

Golf cart battery is the very popular battery for small systems. Though they are a bit costlier than the deep cycle recreational batteries, for small systems on budget these are probably the least expensive ones.

The following 3 types are heavier industrial grade batteries. They are also considered deep cycles but are usually lead acid types. They have much thicker internal plates capable of withstanding many deep energy cycles. They are designed for alternative energy system such as solar or wind power.

2) Flooded type battery.

These are lead acid batteries with caps to add water. Though many manufacturers are making these batteries for solar energy use, Trojan, Surrette, Deka are probably the most popular ones. They are reasonably priced and very durable.

The flooded batteries should not be used indoors as they release gas when charged. In case they are to be installed indoors, a venting system should be used to vent out the explosive gases.

3) Gel type battery.

These are actually not maintenance free batteries. Unlike flooded batteries these gel batteries have no vents to release gas during charging process. So they can be installed indoors without any venting provision. This is a big advantage as it allows the batteries to maintain a more constant temperature and perform better.

4) Absorbed glass mat (AGM).

The absorbed glass mat or commonly known as AGM batteries are the best available for solar power use, in my opinion. A woven glass mat is used between the plates to hold electrolyte. They are leak / spill proof, do not release gas while charging and they have superior performance.

They have all the advantages of the sealed gel types but are of higher quality. They maintain voltage better and last longer. The SunXtender series by Concorde Battery is an excellent example of AGM batteries.

They are more expensive but you get what you paid for. These types of batteries are used in airplanes, hospitals and remote telephone / cell tower installations.

As batteries get cool to a low temperature, their voltage drops and their performance suffers. This is one main reason that AGM batteries are preferable as they can be stored indoors where the temperature varies less.

Another important thing to consider is how deeply you discharge your batteries or DOD (Depth Of Discharge). In other words how low you let the voltage drop before your next charge cycle. Though most battery ratings talk about 50% or so, they will last longer if you keep them as charged as much as possible.

A normal 70% charge range on your battery should be okay. Lead acid batteries will last longer if you do not discharge deeply. This shallow cycling extends their life thus saving you money in the long term.

Build Your Own Solar Panel Guide

One of the best ways to save money on a residential solar power system is to build your own solar panel. If you are good with hand tools, you can make a Photovoltaic (PV) array for around $150. What you’ll need is a step by step instructional guide.

Read some of the Earth4Energy manual reviews and learn what the top selling DIY solar array ebook on the web has to offer. Also, remember to check out the Earth4Energy download page for more information.

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