Solar batteries

Buy your solar battery at the best price

Discover our solar batteries on our online shop and place your order at the lowest price for your solar batteries. With our solar batteries, you can store the energy produced by your solar panels and use it in the evening. Solar panels produce energy during the day, when our customers are away from home. These panels can recharge your solar batteries. On this page you will find a series of questions and answers on the subject of solar batteries.

What is a solar battery?

The solar battery is an electrical accumulator that stores the electrical energy produced by the solar panels at times when the sun's rays are strongest. This stored energy can then be used at night. In short, the solar battery is essential to the smooth operation of a photovoltaic installation.

Solar battery: Find out more

Looking to guarantee your own consumption with solar panels? The solution is simple! Choose a solar array with a hybrid inverter. But which solar array should you choose to turn your house into an ‘independent house’? Don't worry, you're not the only one asking this question. To make sure you don't get it wrong, take a look, via this category delivered by Alma Solar, at the types and brands of solar batteries. Let's start by discussing the different types of solar batteries.

How do I buy a solar battery?

#1 - I select my solar battery

Choose your solar battery from our attached list of solar batteries. You can choose from different brands, such as BYD, TRIPLE POWER by SOLAX, PYLONTECH, HUAWEI, SMA and many others. You can also sort by battery capacity, warranty period and price.

#2 - I confirm my order

Select the quantity you require. Add your solar battery to your basket. Create your account on Alma Solar. Click on ‘my basket’. At step 3 of your basket, you can select your payment method. You can choose Paypal, credit card, Klarna, Fintecture or bank transfer.

#3 - I receive my order

Once your order has been confirmed, our logistics team will prepare your order. You will receive a tracking number for your solar batteries as soon as they are dispatched. Please check your solar batteries on receipt as these products are heavy and difficult for carriers to handle. Start installing your solar batteries with our manuals and videos available on each product page.

What are the different solar battery technologies?

There are many different types of solar battery. But the most widely used and popular types on the market are the GEL and AGM batteries and the open lead-acid battery:

The GEL solar battery: The Gel battery is a technology based on the electrolyte being immobilised in gel form and is considered to be the top-of-the-range evolution of lead-acid batteries. In general, Gel solar batteries are watertight, require little maintenance and can withstand heavy loads. In fact, gel batteries are often referred to as ‘maintenance-free batteries’. That's why they have a long lifespan of up to 12 years, which equates on average to between 800 and 900.

The AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) solar battery: The AGM solar battery or sealed lead-acid battery is safe and efficient. It supports very high charge and discharge speeds (up to 4C for the Concorde Sun Xtender). It requires little maintenance and has a long service life of up to 10 years (slightly less than the GEL battery).

The open lead battery: The open lead battery is very economical but requires a lot of maintenance. Unlike Gel and AGM batteries, lead-acid batteries are not waterproof. It must be placed outdoors.

Lithium-ion solar battery: A very recent high-performance technology, the lithium-ion battery is now the most widely used technology for storing solar energy. Thanks to its compactness and durability, the lithium battery has rapidly gained in popularity.

Lithuim Technology

Today, one technology stands out for its performance and longevity. We're talking about lithium solar batteries. In fact, this technology is the most widely used on the market today, and we're going to explain why. Lithium has the advantage of being able to be charged and discharged from 0 to 100%. What's more, lithium has no charge memory. This means that if you discharge your solar battery to 30%, your battery has only had 1/3 of a cycle. If you do the same thing with your lead-acid solar battery, it would represent a complete cycle.

Long service life

Solar batteries have a long service life. All manufacturers guarantee their service life to be at least 6,000 cycles. This translates into an operating life of 20 to 25 years. In fact, after analysing the use of solar batteries, customers charge and recharge them fully around 200 to 250 times (i.e. one cycle). By way of comparison, your mobile phones also have lithium batteries. These batteries have a minimum cycle guarantee of 500. Given that you charge and discharge your mobile phones once a day, they have an estimated minimum life of 500 days.

Solar recharging

We all know that lithium is a rare and expensive material to extract. If we use fossil fuels to recharge lithium batteries, the ecological advantage is lost. That's why combining a lithium battery with solar panels is the most ecological solution. That's why we call them solar batteries. Because lithium batteries must be combined with solar panels.

No maintenance

The final advantage of solar batteries is that they require no maintenance. You connect your solar battery to your solar inverter. This inverter is also connected to your solar panels. The inverter communicates with your solar battery in order to supply the energy needed to guarantee its condition. Everything is done automatically and intelligently. You don't have to do a thing.

Which solar battery for a 500W solar panel?

A 500W solar panel can produce up to 3000Wh in 1 day. In this case, you can recharge a battery of this capacity, i.e. 3000Wk equivalent to 3kWH. You can use twice this battery capacity: 6kWh or 6000Wh. In this case, it will take your solar panel 2 days of production to recharge it. Bear in mind that it's rare to have a battery that's empty or at 0% capacity. You regularly recharge and discharge your solar battery without emptying it.

What capacity solar battery do I need?

To determine the size of solar battery you need, first work out how much power you'll need to run essential items like your fridge and lights. Then estimate how many hours you might need the solar battery system to run these items before the sun returns to recharge the battery. If you think you can afford it or simply want more, consider powering your whole house, including heating and cooling. It's simply a question of upgrading to that higher capacity. If you want to live truly off-grid, you'll still need a bit more power. Average solar home battery systems range from 4 kWh to 13 kWh. Costs have slowly come down, but not as quickly as many had hoped. At the same time, you shouldn't be locked into this decision. An even better question might be whether the system you're considering has expandable capacity. Can your solar battery system add storage in a few years?

Install your solar batteries

Order your solar battery at the best price from Alma Solar and install your solar battery.

Can I recycle a solar battery?

All batteries eventually reach the end of their life, even if they are constantly recharged. But recycling depends on the type of battery. There are two basic types of solar battery: lead-acid (which has been around since the 19th century) and lithium-ion (invented in the 1980s). Lead-acid batteries are the most common type of battery used in petrol cars. As a result, they are the most recycled of all consumer products, with a recycling rate of up to 99%. Lithium-ion batteries now represent a fast-growing market, as they are used in electric cars. But they only have a recycling rate of 5%. They are much more complex than lead-acid batteries, which means that the lithium salt and other materials (iron, phosphate, carbon) are more difficult to extract.

Is solar battery storage safe?

Battery storage is perfectly safe if used correctly and maintained properly. There are potential risks, but these are no different from the many electrical hazards already present in the modern home. However, it is important to be aware of the risks so that you can manage them properly. Safety aspects of battery storage to consider include:

general electrical wiring risks (as already present in your premises), chemical and fire/explosion risks (these are similar to the risks associated with bottled gas or a natural gas service), possible escape of non-flammable gases when charging or discharging lithium batteries (which can lead to risks of inhalation of harmful gases similar to those of a natural gas leak in the absence of ventilation), production of chemical leaks (similar to those of the corrosive fluid in a car battery or household chemical cleaning products).

Let yourself be carried

#1 - use the configurator

Thanks to our configurator, you benefit from a tailor-made solar kit depending on the available surface area. You can install a solar panel on the ground, on a flat roof, tiled roof, but we also have solutions on carports or garages. Our simulator is simple and offers an immediate response.

#2 - add solar batteries

If you have activated the choice of storing with solar batteries, you will be able to select your battery. The configurator only offers batteries compatible with the chosen inverter.

#3 - take advantage of our installers

Thanks to our certified partners, we offer the installation of our solar kit in line with the configuration you have made. The price is automatically calculated based on your specifications. ALMA SOLAR is the trusted third party between you, the installer. No additional amount can be requested following your order.

Why should I buy a solar battery?

Solar batteries are the next step in energy independence for homeowners. Whether you're completely disconnected from the grid and need back-up power for a rainy day or want to make sure you continue to get the energy you need even in the event of a blackout, this system is a great choice.

How can solar batteries save you money?

Depending on your region and your unique energy needs, there are several ways to save money. In areas where electricity prices rise and fall at certain times of the day, solar batteries can recharge while electricity is cheap and then power the property when prices are at their highest. These batteries also have the potential to save you even more than solar panels alone. In addition, net metering is always an option for homes with solar batteries. This can have an impact on the amount of electricity fed back into the grid, and therefore reduce the compensation somewhat, but the difference is usually minimal.

Finally, if you want to install a battery at home, contact Alma solar, a company with a wealth of experience in green energy that can give you the best advice on the energy storage options available to homeowners today.

What are the different brands of solar batteries?

There are different brands of solar inverters on the market. Let us tell you about a few brands that have been able to make their mark in the solar energy field.Energy storage is a fundamental challenge. To meet this challenge, which is above all a technological one, solar energy suppliers now offer several brands of solar batteries with different storage capacities.

LG Chem battery:

Since it was founded in 1947, LG Chem has grown steadily to become Korea's leading chemical company. Innovation has always been the watchword at this company, which is becoming a major player in the global solar energy market. It has launched a new range of LG Chem RESU batteries. LG's RESU lithium-batteries are a domestic energy storage solution that can be combined with a solar panel system. In addition, the RESU battery can be used to maximise solar energy consumption in the home. However, although the RESU battery has back-up power capabilities, it is not designed for off-grid use.

SolaX Power battery known as TRIPLE POWER:

Solax was founded in China in 2003 and is based in Hangzhou. SolaX Power is one of the key players in the global technology market. SOLAX entered the European market in 2016 through a partnership with ALMA SOLAR. SOLAX launched a range of batteries called TRIPLE POWER. They have released an initial range with a capacity of 5.8kWh, which, when connected together, can go up to 46kWh. This range of TRIPLE POWER batteries caters for the residential and industrial storage markets. Subsequently, SOLAX launched smaller capacity batteries starting at 3kWH. These are the TRIPLE POWER batteries named T30. This solution is ideal for homes with low storage needs. Their capacity starts at 3kWh and goes up to 12kWH. These are 3kWh modules that fit into each other. Finally, SOLAX has just launched its latest IES range of ‘one-stand’ batteries. This means that the SOLAX inverter and its batteries fit together to form a single column. This has the advantage of extremely rapid assembly and a smaller footprint. The IES range offers storage capacities from 5kWh to 30kWh. SOLAX therefore offers one of the most comprehensive ranges of solutions on the solar panel storage market..

BYD Home Battery:

BYD is known for manufacturing electric cars. They have started manufacturing HVS and HVM domestic batteries. These battery packs are made of lithium and operate at high voltage, i.e. up to 500V. The high voltage provides high discharge power. The HVS range of batteries has a storage capacity of 5kWh or more. BYD's HVM range starts at 8kWh and can achieve a high storage capacity of 21kWH. This solution is easy to install because the modules fit together. It's also scalable because you can increase your storage capacity later on in your installation.

Pylontech battery:

This company is known for making lithium batteries to power network servers. They have evolved into high voltage domestic batteries with the H2 FORCE range. This Pylontech domestic battery solution operates from 5kWh to 20kW. It is just as easy to install as the BYD batteries, as they can also be rack-mounted on top of each other. The strength of Pylontech batteries is their price. This company offers the cheapest solar batteries on the market.

Huawei battery :

HUAWEI is renowned and known to the general public thanks to their HUAWEI mobile phone. They have developed in the solar battery and solar inverter sector. In fact, they have expertise in energy management thanks to the HUAWEI batteries included in their phones. Today, HUAWEI is making its mark on the home battery market with competitive solutions. They offer a range of S1 version LUNA2000 solar batteries from 7kWh to 21kWh, with a storage capacity of 14kWH. This is a complete solution for residential home needs. HUAWEI batteries can only be combined with their HUAWEI single-phase or three-phase inverter. The HUAWEI inverter range is called L1 for single-phase or M1 for three-phase.

And there you have it, there are several brands of solar batteries for domestic use with different capacities. But are batteries the ideal solution for storing renewable energy? Is energy storage the right challenge? Or is the dilemma of how to store energy still a problem?

Connect your solar battery

To use your solar battery, you need to connect it to your solar inverter. The solar inverter will manage the power from the solar panels and convert it into alternating current (AC).

Managing your solar battery

To manage your solar battery, you'll need to install the Alma Solar application on your smartphone. It will allow you to see the output of your solar panels every minute and control the energy in your home.

Recovering energy from your solar panels

Your solar panels will produce electricity every day, just like a satellite dish. This means that during the night, you will not produce any energy. You can recharge your solar battery during the day. You therefore need to order solar panels.

What are the advantages of solar batteries?

Solar batteries represent a significant initial financial investment, but can ultimately help you save money on energy costs after sunset or in an emergency. If you live off-grid, they can be essential components of your energy system. Solar batteries provide your home with clean, relatively green and renewable energy that would otherwise have to come from an outside source. Some regions also offer incentives or rebates to help mitigate the costs of adding a solar battery to your system, and it's possible to receive up to a 30% discount on the installation of your battery. Ultimately, only you can decide if the investment in a solar array and its benefits are worth the cost and maintenance requirements.

Which solar battery should I buy?

To make the best choice for your solar battery, follow these recommendations:

- If you want to run your home with your solar battery for longer, look for a battery with a higher capacity.

- If you want to get the most out of every kilowatt-hour of electricity you put into your battery, look for batteries with higher round-trip efficiency.

- If you're limited by space and want to get the most storage in the least amount of space, look for lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) solar batteries.

- If you want a battery with the longest life that you can use most often, look for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.

If you want a battery with the highest possible safety rating (don't worry, they're all safe!), look to LFP solar batteries.