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Storing and using energy: Difference between revisions
→Battery management systems (BMS)
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=== Battery management systems (BMS) === | === Battery management systems (BMS) === | ||
A battery management system (often called a charge controller) takes care of both charging and extracting energy from a battery (or potential several batteries). While it is possible to build and integrate your own, it is far easier and less complex to obtain an off the shelf BMS. Most BMSes only accept solar power, can charge only one battery, and output 12 or 24V at a few hundred Watts. However such systems are very common and very reliable, simple to operate, and can manage different kinds of batteries (different batteries need to be charged at different rates and voltages even though they may provide similar output voltages - it's important to get a BMS that is capable of charging your particular | A battery management system (often called a charge controller) takes care of both charging and extracting energy from a battery (or potential several batteries). While it is possible to build and integrate your own, it is far easier and less complex to obtain an off the shelf BMS. Most BMSes only accept solar power, can charge only one battery, and output 12 or 24V at a few hundred Watts. However such systems are very common and very reliable, simple to operate, and can manage different kinds of batteries (different batteries need to be charged at different rates and voltages even though they may provide similar output voltages - it's important to get a BMS that is capable of charging your particular battery). | ||
A good option to start with is a 12V system, which means you might have one more 12V batteries (which must be of the same type and capacity if wired together). Such a system is simple to build with the BMS' instructions. However it will not be efficient past a few hundred Watts due to higher losses (higher currents/head lower voltage). 24V is a worth while step up, 48V is even better for larger systems. A BMS can accept a charge from most any DC source that is higher than the battery voltage and also below the BMS' limit (for example, you can charge a solar BMS from another 12V source that is not a solar panel). | A good option to start with is a 12V system, which means you might have one more 12V batteries (which must be of the same type and capacity if wired together). Such a system is simple to build with the BMS' instructions. However it will not be efficient past a few hundred Watts due to higher losses (higher currents/head lower voltage). 24V is a worth while step up, 48V is even better for larger systems. A BMS can accept a charge from most any DC source that is higher than the battery voltage and also below the BMS' limit (for example, you can charge a solar BMS from another 12V source that is not a solar panel). | ||