When looking for the right batteries for your solar power system, you will come across a wide range of options. Different battery types can cost significantly different while offering varied types of features and benefits. Cylindrical cells are among the most commonly used types for solar battery energy storage. Find out what these types of batteries are and what their benefits are.
What are Cylindrical Cells?
Cylindrical cells are the first and most widely used cell form. They have become so popular because of their low production costs, reliability, and safety. The round, cylindrical shape brings mechanical stability, as the internal pressure and electrolytes get evenly distributed. This reduces any chance of the cell becoming deformed or the electrolyte leaking.
The contents inside a cylindrical cell are wound tightly and rolled inside a metal can. The use of cylindrical solar cells comes with many advantages for the storage of solar power on a flat rooftop. These cylindrical cells tend to be small and round. This makes it easier to stack them. There are many benefits of using such batteries for your solar power system.
Benefits of Cylindrical Solar Cells
Cylindrical solar batteries are different from other battery formats in terms of their unique shape. This helps prevent the issue of swelling that is more likely to occur among other formats. Swelling occurs in batteries when there is an accumulation of gases inside the casing.
There are many features that make cylindrical cells more suited for solar battery energy storage.
- They offer better automation techniques and processes. This translates into greater consistency and a higher capacity to handle internal pressures.
- Cylindrical batteries can be produced at much faster rates.
- They cost less than their prismatic solar cells.
- They feature greater temperature control.
The cylindrical design of these solar cells in itself offers many advantages for the generation of solar power on the rooftops.
Energy Storage & Lifecycle
Cylindrical batteries tend to store less energy compared to prismatic batteries. However, they can hold more power. This translates into a faster discharge of energy. The underlying factor that comes into play is the greater number of connections per amp-hour (Ah). This makes them perfectly suited for high-performance applications. On the other hand, prismatic cells are more suited for optimal energy efficiency.
When it comes to life cycles, cylindrical cells are considered far better. These batteries can be fully discharged without causing any harm to the cells. Besides, they are not limited by Depth of Discharge (DoD). Batteries with cylindrical cells have often been seen to outlast their estimated lifecycles. DoD refers to how low a battery can be discharged.
As someone owning a new solar power system, it is easy to ruin the batteries if you make the wrong choice. In fact, in some scenarios, people have seen the batteries rendered useless within the first month of installing the system. This is why cylindrical-cell batteries are more often recommended when starting with your solar power journey. They are capable of better handling the abuse until you know how to take care of the system.