Switching to solar energy use requires not just a good set of solar panels but also an equally reliable solar battery. Solar batteries have been rising in popularity lately, with the Tesla Powerwall Series leading the power packs in the market. Its most famous model, the Tesla Powerwall 2, is highly preferred for proven quality and top customer reviews since it was released.
Solar battery storage is indeed a wise way to reduce those monthly electricity bills. However, you also need to spend first before enjoying those extra savings. Let's start discussing about costs by acknowledging that solar batteries do not come cheap. Solar battery prices begin at around $5,000 and can go up to $20,000. This doesn't include installation costs yet, so you're definitely going to take out quite a sum here.
The cost of your solar battery also depends on how much capacity you need and where you're going to use it. If the goal is to use the power pack only in the evening to help slash your bills, something around the lower end of the price range will likely do the job.
Those who will be using the battery to pair with their RV solar panels for camping can even avail a more affordable choice such as LiFePO4 batteries. These are part of the lithium solar battery category and while they are not that cheap too, they are priced significantly lower than high-end, bigger home batteries.
Going completely off-grid and depending entirely on your solar system is the most expensive setup. You will need massive battery capacity for this along with solar panels, additional materials, and a lot of installation work. The solar battery needed for this will probably be priced somewhere around Tesla's value which is an average of $14,000 or something pricier depending on your power requirements.
Sizing your solar battery is a crucial step before the actual purchase to make sure you maximise whichever power pack you're going to get. You want to make sure it's just the right size for its intended purpose to avoid both an insufficient and excessive power output.
Are Solar Batteries Worth It?
Solar batteries make an impressive upgrade on any home or RV, but are they worth the money? Let's look at their value in categories for a better grasp of whether or not they'll make a good investment.
Longevity
The average lifespan of a solar battery is between 5 and 15 years. Provided that your location is favourable to solar power use, this is ample time to get back your initial investment. A solar PV system normally has a payback time of 7-8 years so with a quality power pack, you can get an even higher return than your original expenses.
Savings
A typical household using a solar battery with at least 10kWh of usable storage can save between $700 and $1,000 on electricity bills. This is subject to change depending on your battery size, number of charge & discharge cycles and solar feed-in-tariff. A feed-in tariff pertains to the rebate on your electricity bills for every excess kWh of energy that your household generates but does not use and is fed back into your energy grid instead.
Let's say your current setup at home meets these metrics and you saved around $800 annually. Multiply it by the average lifespan of a solar battery and you'd get a good amount of savings that can even go over what you spend on electricity bills per year! Add in the solar rebates you can get and it would definitely be a win for your bank account.
Efficiency
A solar battery's efficiency is affected by several factors such as the quality of solar panels, battery provider, and location. See to it that you get solar panels with an efficiency rating of 15%-21% or higher and mount them correctly whether they're fixed solar panels or flexible solar panels. Determine if you have sufficient peak sun hours in your area to make sure your panels can generate ample energy for storing in your battery bank.
Lastly, opt for a good battery provider. It might be tempting to cut down your expenses with cheap batteries but this can do more harm than good if you happen to get something low in quality.
If you're keen on looking for affordable batteries, especially for outdoor use, try our selection of lithium batteries at Outbax. They're of guaranteed quality and retail for more affordable prices, perfect for those who are on a budget. Outbax specialises in wallet-friendly camping gear that delivers superior performance, so you might want to check out your options here!
