When selecting a battery, consider the following characteristics:

Battery capacity in milliampere hours (mAh) (calculated below).

The voltage depends on the material used for the electrodes, and ranges from 3.2 to 4 V for lithium batteries and 1.2 to 2 V for other batteries.

Operating temperature.

The size and shape of the battery.

Use type.

The price.

All batteries have two characteristics in common:

Their voltage is expressed in volts (V) : rechargeable batteries are typically 12 V. For larger batteries with voltages of 12 V, 24 V or 48 V, separate 2 V batteries are used, designed to be assembled in series and have a service life of about 10 years.

Their capacity is expressed in ampere-hours (Ah) : To increase capacity, multiple batteries must be connected in parallel.

When you multiply the voltage by the capacity, you get the amount of electricity stored in kilowatt-hours (kWh). For example, a 12 V -- 100 Ah battery theoretically contains 12 x 100 = 1,200Wh = 1.2 kWh.

Depending on these characteristics, you can choose the technology or battery type and chemical composition: lead acid, nickel or lithium. No battery technology is better than any other. Each type of battery has its own advantages and disadvantages. Operators who need battery applications choose the battery that best meets their requirements according to their own requirements.

Batteries have a predetermined service life and number of cycles, depending on the climate (ambient temperature) and type of use (depth of discharge). To extend its service life and optimize its operation, it is recommended to follow storage and usage recommendations.

How to calculate the battery size correctly?

To calculate the size of the battery needed, you must calculate the expected consumption for a day, and then divide this sum (in watts per day) by the DC voltage (in volts).

It is not recommended to let some batteries, especially lead-acid batteries, discharge below 50%.

To get the minimum power required, divide this result (in amps per day) by 0.5. Operating at 12 V can halve the power required compared to using 24 V, or even divide it by < if operating at another 48 V; > . If you have multiple devices running at the same time, it is better to have more power.