Page 13 - Issue 4 2023

ELECTRONICS

A guide to choosing the right battery

backup power solution

By Matthew Hall, Chief of Products at Rectron

oadshedding, while not new for many South Africans, has
become more of a permanent fixture in our day-to-day
Llives. In response, more backup power solutions have
become available to individuals, homeowners and businesses.
From generators to inverters and solar, there are a variety of
options on the market, but where does one start?
Between lithium-ion batteries, milliampere hours and
watts, there’s a lot of jargon to sort through. However, there
are some easy tips and tricks that can help you choose the
right backup power setup for what you require.

Battery basics
When it comes to backup power solutions, there are several
rechargeable batteries available. The difference lies in their
capacity, life span, charging time and price.
The lead acid battery is the most common rechargeable
battery available today. The reason for this is because the
technology, while old, is tried and tested and therefore very
reliable. It is also the most cost effective. That being said,
it does have a shorter lifecycle than other batteries and it’s
recommended by manufacturers that you only discharge the
battery to 50 % of its capacity. Lead batteries also take longer Matthew Hall
to charge uninterrupted.
Lithium-ion batteries are a newer type of battery
technology that we see in many devices like smartphones, before choosing a system, double check the capabilities of the
laptops and some cordless appliances. They have a longer batteries in the unit.
lifecycle, are lighter than lead, can discharge up to 80% of their
capacity and have a faster charging time. This does, however, Do some calculations
mean that lithium ion can be significantly more expensive than With your list in hand, it’s a matter of adding up the watts
lead batteries. on each essential device to then get an idea of the estimated
capacity needed. This maximum watt figure can be found on
What is critical versus what is a nice-to-have? the back of each device or the corresponding adapter.
When it comes to deciding what battery backup solution a For example, if you’re working from home and need a laptop
home or business needs, the best place to start is deciding on (65 watts), Wi-Fi modem (5.4 watts), monitor (15 watts) and a
what is critical and what’s a nice-to-have. With this in mind, fully charged cell phone (12 watts), the total is 97.5 watts. Multiply
you can make the right choice based on your essential needs. this by three to reach the watt hours, which would be 292.2.
It is important to remember that while batteries have come It’s this calculation that will help determine which backup
a long way, some have limitations and not all rechargeable power solution will be the best fit and ensures a bit of
batteries can support appliances with a heating element. additional capacity cushioning should your loadshedding block
Appliances like kettles, microwaves and ovens as well as go on longer than expected. Just keep in mind that the more
geysers are not suitable for all battery backup systems. These electronics you add to the system, the faster the batteries will
unfortunately drain too much power too quickly and can drain and the more time they will need to charge between
damage the batteries, reducing their lifecycle and capacity. So loadshedding blocks.

SUBSCRIBE FREE EngineerIT Issue 4 | 2023 | 13