Battery storage systems help manage energy peaks and troughs, reducing carbon emissions and lowering household electricity bills. This makes them essential for the low-carbon future.
To extend the life of your batteries you should store them correctly, to avoid corrosion, leakage or self-discharge. Here are some simple tips:.
Keep them in their original packaging
Keeping batteries in their original packaging helps protect them from humidity and avoid mixing new and used batteries. It also prevents their positive and negative ends from coming into contact with each other which could cause a short-circuit.
The container should be made of plastic or non-metal to avoid metal interacting with the battery. If the container has a lid, it should be a tight fit to keep out moisture. Using a battery storage box is an excellent choice to ensure this.
It is also important to store batteries in a cool place, away from heat and moisture as this will extend their shelf life. Many people are under the false impression that storing batteries in the freezer will help them last longer, but this is not the case. Refrigeration can cause condensation which will ruin the batteries and decrease their lifespan. The best temperature for storing batteries is room temperature or below. This is why Secure Self Storage provides climate controlled storage units, which will protect your batteries from the elements and extend their lifespan.
Don’t mix them with other batteries
Battery storage technologies play a critical role in our clean energy future. By smoothing out power supply from renewable sources such as wind and solar, they reduce the need to use fossil fuel-fired generation.
It’s important not to mix different types of batteries, especially if they are different voltages and capacities. This can cause imbalances in charging which can affect the battery lifecycle. A battery storage installer should advise on the best solar battery storage way to maintain your battery system.
Energy storage systems are all-in-one units that integrate inverters and computerized controls. This makes them easy to install and largely maintenancefree. Moreover, they can offer multiple grid services and enable self-consumption or emergency backup at homes and businesses.
BESSs can help manage the peaks and troughs of electricity demand by storing lowcost renewable energy when it is available and dispatching it when rates are high. This can also help lower people’s electricity bills by making them less dependent on the National Grid.
Keep them in a cool place
A fridge or freezer might seem like the obvious place to store unused batteries, but two major battery manufacturers state that such extreme storage actually reduces their lifespan. They also warn that high temperatures can cause them to selfdischarge, while extreme cold may freeze the electrolytes in flooded batteries.
Storing unused batteries in the right environment can extend their lifespans significantly. So, if you want them to last longer (and avoid wasting money on replacements), choose an upcycled plastic clamshell box or another type of container that will help protect them from light and temperature changes.
It is important to take unused batteries out of their devices before storing them – leaving them inside will still draw power from the lead plates and cause the build-up of lead sulfation that eventually kills them. Also, make sure to clean the casings and terminals of each battery with a dry rag before putting them back in their containers.
Don’t store them in a plastic bag
You may be tempted to organize your loose batteries neatly in a plastic bag or another type of container for storage, but this is not recommended. Doing so may cause them to corrode, short circuit, or leak.
A more advisable option is to line up the batteries in their original packaging with dividers and use a large plastic or glass container to hold them. Avoid storing your batteries in a metal container (such as a tin coffee can) because the metal may come into contact with them and cause sparking or corrosion.
It is also important to take the batteries out of their devices before putting them into storage. Leaving them in a device that will not be used for an extended amount of time can cause them to leak or corrode, especially coin-shaped lithium batteries. This can ruin the battery and damage the device it is stored in. Taking the batteries out will also extend their lifespan.
