Australian made & owned solar storage

Hey guys/gals,

This is my first post on the forum, though I've been lurking for a while...

I've recently become an ebike owner, and have taken an interest in battery technology as a result. I know lithium is currently the most appropriate tech for EV's, but maybe not so for stationary equipment storage?

My sister Deborah is involved in a company that has recently launched a couple of new solar storage products with off and on grid capabilities, using SLA batteries. I'd be interested to hear anything you guys have to say about it, positive or critical (so long as it's constructive...)

This post is partly me looking for some opinions from people who are clued up on battery tech to satisfy my own curiousity (where better to look than on this forum...), and partly a shameless plug to help out my big Sister.

I hope some of you take the time to have a look and let me know what you think. If you have any queries about the tech, the products or the company itself, they are best asked via one of the contact emails at the bottom of the company's home page

why SLA? would it not be more economical to use the deep charging flooded lead acid batteries for storage of solar?

if she is using SLA packs for storage you should explain to her that they will last longer if the electrodes are stacked horizontally so that gravity can force the electrodes in contact with each other during charge and discharge.

most people who design with SLA are not familiar with them and use them standing up vertically as if they were flooded lead acid but that leaves them vulnerable to gas formation at the electrolyte electrode interface which shortens the cycle life of the interface and the battery pack itself.

dnmun said:

why SLA? would it not be more economical to use the deep charging flooded lead acid batteries for storage of solar?

if she is using SLA packs for storage you should explain to her that they will last longer if the electrodes are stacked horizontally so that gravity can force the electrodes in contact with each other during charge and discharge.

most people who design with SLA are not familiar with them and use them standing up vertically as if they were flooded lead acid but that leaves them vulnerable to gas formation at the electrolyte electrode interface which shortens the cycle life of the interface and the battery pack itself.

Click to expand...

I assume the reason the company chose SLA over liquid/flooded would be to avoid the maintenance issues, as most people would want such a system to be as hassle free as possible. There may be other reasons, that's just my assumption.

As for the orientation of the cells, that's interesting to know. I will pass it on as a query / feedback.
So same sort of issues that soft pouch lithium batterys are subject to, hence why some people choose to design in an element of compression, when building their multi cell packs, right...?

most people know nothing about batteries. there are people here who constantly say that compression is not important.

the extended cycle life of Valve Regulated Lead Acid batteries from arranging the electrodes horizontally stacked like pancakes has been known since they were developed in the 1930's. it is especially critical for gel type SLA packs.

divide cost by usable cycles and how many KWh can be stored

basically Lead is cheap short term but does not stack up at all well do daily cycling life lithium does

keep in mind that acid / Gell is eating it away from the inside from day 1.

EG typical 4WD N70Z "deep cycle" battery is FUBAR in 3 years under the bonnet...