Category: Doart

When investing in a solar system, it’s essential to understand the components and their functionality to make an informed decision. One key aspect to consider is the depth of discharge (DOD) of solar batteries. By understanding the DOD and its relationship with the battery’s life cycle, you can choose a system that maximizes your investment while ensuring reliable energy storage.

This article will explore the concept of DOD, its importance, and how innovations like Doart Powerwall Hybrid Inverters are designed to balance deep discharges with extended lifespans for optimal performance.

What is the depth of discharge (DOD) of a battery?

As the name suggests, depth of discharge refers to the degree to which a battery is emptied compared to its total capacity. It is expressed as a percentage. For instance, if a 100Ah battery has discharged 50Ah, its DOD is 50%. It indicates how much energy has been drawn from the battery compared to its total capacity. DOD helps you determine the safe limit for discharging your battery.

Regularly fully discharging a battery can harm its performance and lifespan. Doing this with a home storage battery can result in significant damage, reduce its efficiency, and diminish the return on your investment. Managing your DOD wisely helps extend the life of your battery and ensures reliable power storage for your home.

What is the battery life cycle?

A battery’s entire life is different from its life cycles. When you charge a battery once and then use its stored energy, you complete one cycle. Then, when you charge it again and use the stored energy, you complete a second life cycle. Over the course of a battery’s lifespan, it goes through multiple life cycles. A battery’s life cycle represents the number of charge and discharge cycles it can undergo before it reaches the end of its functional life.

While most batteries come with a lifespan of 3-5 years, some are rated for a specific number of cycles. For example, some batteries can handle 5,000 cycles, meaning you can charge and discharge the battery 5,000 times before it reaches the end of its lifespan. Therefore, when buying a battery, along with the DOD rate, you also need to check how many life cycles are guaranteed.

The Relationship Between DOD and Battery Life Cycle

Now that you understand Depth of Discharge (DOD) and a battery’s life cycle, it’s essential to know how these two factors are interconnected. When buying a battery, it’s crucial to check how many life cycles are guaranteed at a specific DOD rate. Each time a battery is discharged and recharged, it completes one life cycle. However, the depth to which the battery is discharged (its DOD) directly affects how many cycles it can withstand before its capacity begins to degrade.

A battery performs best and lasts longer when it retains some charge after each cycle, rather than being fully drained. For instance, a battery discharged to 80% DOD regularly will have a shorter lifespan compared to one discharged to only 50% DOD. Shallow discharges minimize stress on the battery’s internal structure, reducing wear and prolonging its life cycle.

To ensure your battery operates efficiently and maintains its longevity, it’s essential to avoid deep discharges whenever possible. Over-stressing the battery by frequently discharging it to deeper levels can significantly shorten its lifespan, diminishing its overall performance and value. Therefore, you will need to get a battery that provides a higher number of life cycles even with a deeper discharge rate. 

Choosing the Best Solar Battery for Your Needs

If you have a heavy load on your property and there are instances when your property might need excess power from the battery, it’s important to choose a solar battery that provides more cycles even with deeper depth of discharge rates. For instance, the Doart Powerwall Hybrid Inverter comes with a built-in lithium-ion battery rated for 5,000 cycles at 80% DOD. This means the battery is designed to handle deep discharges (up to 80% of its total capacity) 5,000 times before its performance significantly degrades.

This rating means it is a robust battery with a long lifespan, even under heavy usage, as it can consistently provide a large portion of its stored energy without quickly wearing out. By installing this system in your property, you can ensure a reliable supply of solar power during peak usage times without overstressing your battery or draining its lifespan. However, as the recommended rate is 80%, you will need to ensure that your battery discharging does not exceed this limit to maintain performance and longevity.

Final Verdict

Understanding the depth of discharge (DOD) is key to choosing the right solar battery. DOD affects how long a battery will last and how well it performs. By selecting a battery with a good cycle rating at your needed DOD level, you can ensure reliable energy storage and longer battery life. Options like the Doart Powerwall Hybrid Inverter offer great durability, handling deep discharges without wearing out quickly. With the right battery and proper use, you can get the most value from your solar energy system and enjoy a reliable power supply for years to come.

If you want to buy an inverter for your solar system and are confused about which one you should buy or what the factors are that you should look for, then this article can help you. In this article, we are going to focus on one major aspect of inverters that is their protection level. Every electrical equipment comes with some protection level, including solar inverters. To indicate the protection of solar inverters, there is an IP rating that indicates different protection levels of inverters. 

Keep reading this article to learn in detail what an IP rating is and how to understand which IP rating inverter will be a better option to buy for your solar system.

What is an IP Rating?

IP stands for Ingress Protection, which grades the resistance of an enclosure against the intrusion of dust or liquids. It indicates two types of protection, one from solids and one from liquids. In inverters you will notice that IP remains the same, but the digits that follow IP vary, because these digits indicate the level of protection. The first digit that comes after IP indicates the level of protection against solid objects; it can range from 0-6; the higher the number, the higher the protection level.

Similarly, the second digit that follows indicates the protection against liquids; it can range from 0-8, and again, the higher the number, the stronger the protection against liquids. So, for instance, if your inverter comes with IP20 protection, here ‘2’ shows the level of protection against solids, and ‘0’ shows the protection level against liquids. As the level of protection here is zero, it indicates that this inverter will not have waterproof protection. 

If you have understood this rating level of inverters protection, it will become easier for you to choose an inverter according to your needs and the one that also offers a high level of protection. Here is a detailed description of each level of IP rating for your better understanding.

IP21: Basic Protection for Indoor Installations

IP21 rating is considered a basic protection level. Here the protection level against solids is 2, which indicates that it will provide protection against objects larger than 12.5 mm. Now, if we look at the liquid protection level, that is 1, which indicates that it will provide protection against vertically falling drops of water or condensation. 

After understanding this protection level, it has become evident that an inverter that comes with an IP21 rating is more suitable for indoor installations, as there will be minimum exposure to dust and water. 

IP65: Reliable Protection for Indoor and Outdoor Use

Now, if we talk about IP65 protection, the digits themselves are indicating a higher level of protection. Here, the protection against solids is 6, which means that this inverter will have complete protection against dust ingress. The protection level for liquids here is 5, which indicates that this inverter will have protection against water jets from any direction.

Considering this type of inverter comes with a high protection level that it provides complete protection against dust ingress and water, it can be installed both in indoor and outdoor sites. So, if you are planning to install the inverter outdoors or in any indoor site where conditions are harsh, you can rely on an inverter with an IP65 rating.

IP66: Superior Protection for Extreme Conditions

An inverter with an IP66 rating has a higher level of protection than IP65 and IP20. Its protection levels against both solids and liquids are 6, which indicates complete protection against dust ingress and water jets. 

They can work perfectly even if installed outdoors in harsh environments. An inverter with this level of protection will easily withstand challenging weather conditions and is perfect for areas with extreme weather conditions. 

How to Choose the Right Inverter for Your Solar System?

Now, to select a solar inverter with an ideal protection rating level for your system, you will need to consider the installation location and environmental conditions. For instance, if you are looking for an inverter for indoor installation, where there will be minimal exposure to dust and inverters, then you can rely on an IP21-rated inverter. 

On the other hand, if you will install the inverter in an outdoor site where the inverter may face dust and water exposure, then you can’t depend on an IP21 inverter; rather, you will need to opt for an IP65-rated inverter. 

And if you are planning to install the inverter in a location with extremely severe weather conditions, then neither IP21 nor IP65 will suffice; you will need to opt for an IP66-rated inverter, so your inverter will withstand harsh weather conditions, including heavy rain and dust storms. By carefully considering the installation conditions, you can easily choose an inverter for your site that will provide better performance. 

Summing it Up!

Selecting the right solar inverter is crucial to ensuring the efficiency and longevity of your solar power system. Understanding IP ratings can significantly simplify this decision, as these ratings indicate the level of protection an inverter offers against dust and water. From IP21 for basic indoor use to IP66 for extreme outdoor conditions, each rating serves a specific purpose based on the installation environment. A well-protected inverter ensures uninterrupted performance and adds value to your investment in renewable energy. Choose wisely, as the right inverter can make all the difference in the durability and reliability of your solar setup.

If you are looking for ways to ensure your solar system works efficiently and lasts longer, a reliable battery management system is your solution. A battery management system is a type of technology that oversees the performance of the battery in your solar system. There are three main components in a solar system: a solar panel, an inverter, and a battery. BMS is there to protect this third component of your solar system, which is responsible for providing backup power.

Let’s explore in detail what a battery management system is, how it works, and what benefits it provides to ensure your solar system lasts longer.

Battery Management System: A Technology to Manage Solar Batteries

A Battery Management System (BMS) is a vital component of any solar system, ensuring the safety, efficiency, and longevity of your solar batteries. By monitoring and optimizing battery performance, a BMS prevents overcharging, overheating, and other potential issues that could harm your system. In case the BMS detects any unusual condition in the battery or within itself, it shuts down the battery to protect it. 

A BMS provides multiple functions, including providing battery protection, monitoring the battery, optimizing the battery’s performance, and reporting operational status to external devices. All these factors make BMS an essential component of your solar system. It not only protects your investment but also enhances energy efficiency, making your solar setup more reliable.

Benefits of Battery Management System

Batteries are an important part of your solar system, as they store excess solar energy and provide it during power outages or at night, when your solar panels can’t provide peak performance. Therefore, a BMS becomes essential; if your solar system has a BMS, you will get to enjoy the following benefits:

1. Better Performance of Battery

Batteries are not exposed to a lot of external or internal damages; however, with time, certain factors, such as improper charging or discharging, can lead to the degradation of the battery and reduce its lifespan. This is where a BMS comes to help. By continuously monitoring and controlling the battery’s charging and discharging process, this system protects your battery from overcharging and over-discharging. It ultimately leads to better performance of the battery and also increases its lifespan.

2. Enhanced Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is a crucial part of any solar system. If your battery is not operating well, it could lead to increased energy loss and result in an inefficient solar system. A BMS by monitoring and optimizing the battery performance minimizes the energy losses, resulting in an increase in the efficiency of the solar system. This management system ensures that the energy stored in the batteries is being utilized properly. 

3. Protection and Safety

When dealing with electrical equipment, safety is paramount. While it is not very common, we do see instances of solar panels or inverters catching fire. It can happen due to multiple different reasons, such as fluctuation in the grid, a short circuit, or any other reason. A battery management system constantly monitors the voltage, current, temperature, and other such parameters of the system to detect if there are any abnormalities, and in case it detects any issue, the BMS immediately takes action to prevent any further issue. It reduces the risk of accidents and ensures maximum safety of your system.

BMS in Doart Powerwall Hybrid Inverter 

Daort launched a new product, an all-in-one energy storage system, Doart Powerwall Hybrid Inverter, that includes a hybrid inverter with a built-in battery. This energy storage system comes with an advanced battery management system. Its BMS has six different temperature channels for different purposes: 4 are for battery cell temperature detection, 1 for ambient temperature detection, and 1 for Power MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) temperature detection. All these different detection channels work to ensure the safety of the battery and the overall energy system.

Apart from these functions, a BMS also:

• Balances the battery’s cells by transferring energy between them to ensure they are all at the same voltage.
• Controls the cooling system to lower the battery pack’s temperature if it gets too hot. 
• Logs data to assess the battery’s health and charge level.

This advanced battery management system makes this product more safe to keep in your property, as there will be lower risks of accidents. With the advancement of technology, we will see more such products coming with proper and advanced management systems to ensure safety with innovation in solar technology. 

Bottom Line

A battery management system is one of the latest innovations in solar technology that improves the overall efficiency of not only the battery but the overall solar system. It is important to ensure that when you are buying a battery or energy storage system for your solar panels, they come with a battery management system to ensure high safety of your products and your property. A BMS will ensure that your solar system operates at its best and provides a constant and safe supply of reliable power.