Mother Earth News_December_2016_2017

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O

nly 30 years ago an off-grid

homestead’s photovoltaic (PV)

system was likely to consist of

two 35-watt modules and one or two car

batteries. Such a system had no inverter, as

reliable inverters were still years away. The

typical 12-volt system powered little more

than a few low-voltage lights, a car stereo,

and a few 12-volt products developed for

early RVs. But for power pioneers, this

kind of system was heaven-sent — a won-

derful alternative to kerosene lamps and

engine-powered generators.

The batteries used in early PV systems

weren’t designed for the deep discharges

common in home use, so they often failed

to hold charge after only a year or two.

As a result, early deep-cycle batteries for

homestead systems were adapted from

other uses. The most common batteries

were originally developed for golf carts, su-

permarket floor scrubbers, and mine cars.

Only a few people could afford to order

industrial-grade batteries directly from

manufacturers.

Renewable energy systems should be

sized so that the total amount of daily

charging energy from all sources — PV,

wind, hydroelectric, or generator — ex-

ceeds a home’s total average daily load. The

role of the battery bank is to provide stored

energy between charging periods — noth-

ing more. When carefully planned and

executed, the batteries in a home pow-

er system will run everything in your

home — but “everything” will include far

less than in a typical mainstream home.

Living well on a small and finite amount

of electricity starts with careful adherence

to three basic principles: Shift inappropri-

ate loads to other forms of energy, reduce

waste through efficiency, and use power in

proportion to the amount available.

Efficient Use of Electricity

All forms of energy are not created

equal. Electricity is a specialized, high-

quality form that’s best suited to specific

By Allan Sindelar

This advice will help you choose the best battery

for backup energy on your off-grid homestead.

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BATTERY POWERBATTERY POWERBATTERY POWER

TERRY WILD STOCK

p 61-64 Battery Power.indd 61 10/13/16 3:09 PM