Are you getting frustrated with how long your inverter battery lasts?
Me too.
Whatever you’re doing, whether you’re watching TV, running power tools, or making a coffee, it’s friggin’ annoying when you run out of power.
It’s even worse if you have to regularly replace your battery because it completely wears out.
Thankfully there are plenty of things you can do to extend the life of your battery.
In fact, this article goes through ways to maintain your battery and help make the energy it stores go further.
So let’s find out how to make an inverter battery last longer, shall we?
11 Ways Make an Inverter Battery Last Longer
Store and Use in Suitable Place
First things first, it’s important to make sure you place and store your battery in a suitable location. They are heavy and work best when kept in a fixed position. You need to make sure it stays dry and avoids excessive heat. You should try and keep in indoors with temperatures between 15℃-30℃ / 60℉-80℉ for optimal performance.
This will also help to avoid problems like corrosion which occurs with the presence of damp. Plus excessive heat will quickly lead to overheating and damage – avoid areas with direct sunlight or heat sources.
Monitor Water
If you have a lead-acid battery be sure to keep an eye on the water levels. It is wise to check this every 1 or 2 months. It’s a bit like watering a cactus… You should be able to see a min/max water level gauge on your battery. If it drops too low then you’ll need to refill it with distilled water. Don’t use normal tap water!
Stop Corrosion
Corrosion is an absolute killer. It can completely degrade and destroy electronics if left unattended. Adding to this, keeping your battery rust-free will help to improve the overall efficiency. If you get any corrosion build-up on your terminals or connections it will affect the flow of electricity to your inverter.
Take the time to keep your connections clean and tidy, plus guarded against rust with lubricant. You can easily clean your battery terminals with a little hot water and a brush. Just be sure to disconnect it first to avoid possible electrocution.
Don’t Deplete & Keep Charged
You should always keep a lead-acid battery well charged. It is even recommended to never discharge it more than 50%. This sounds crazy, but using all the energy in these batteries will actually cause damage. Sometimes you can’t recharge them if completely depleted. So keep it well charged.
Of course, this has the other benefit of ensuring you have plenty of energy stored when you come to use it. It would be pretty useless if you tried to use your off-grid power backup when it didn’t have any energy…
Switch Inverter Off
Always switch off your inverter when you are not using it. This is because an inverter still draws power even when you are not running any appliances.
While switched on an inverter uses electricity to run its internal systems including safety protections, cooling system, lights, and digital displays. It’s true that his is not a large amount of power and can be less than 1 amp on small units, over time this will deplete your battery.
This has two effects. Firstly, when you come to use your inverter and battery it will not be fully charged meaning it won’t run for as long. Secondly, you risk damaging your battery by completely discharging it, particularly if you leave it for a long period of time e.g. weeks or months.
Reduce Amount of Use
Another way to improve the performance and lifespan of your battery is to use it less often. This comes down to simple wear and tear. Adding to this, batteries can only be charged and discharged a limited amount of times. This is known as a charge cycle.
Batteries have different charge cycles ranging from 500 to 2000+. The more a battery is used the less efficient it can become too. If you can use main power instead of your deep cycle battery then it is best to do so in order to make it last longer.
Reduce Load
Reducing the amount of power your draw from a battery will help it to run for longer. You won’t draw as much energy during usage so it can power your devices for longer. Plus it will reduce the wear, tear and charge cycles you put it through.
To reduce the load you can simply power fewer appliances from your inverter. Or you can switch to low-wattage/energy-efficient electronics including LED lighting. This has the added benefit of lowering the risk of overload which can damage your inverter and battery.
Replace Battery
Not getting the performance you want from your battery? It might just be old and tired which means it will need replacing. To get even more life you could even install bigger or multiple batteries.
As mentioned above, deep-cycle batteries have a shelf life even if you don’t use them that often. In fact, many lead-acid batteries need to be replaced after 6 years. So if you have an old battery, you might think about buying a new one.
Use Lithium Battery
If a new battery is on your agenda, then it’s time to consider lithium batteries to run your inverter. This is much newer technology and what you find in phone or laptop batteries. Lithium delivers superior performance and much faster charging. Add to this, you don’t need to worry about charge levels. You can easily discharge/recharge a flat lithium battery without it becoming damaged.
The only drawback is the price. They are much more expensive than traditional inverter batteries.
Add Battery Equalizer
When using multiple inverter batteries it is best to add a battery equalizer. It is a cheap yet efficient way to maintain the lifespan of your equipment. They’re really easy to install too.
An equalizer helps to equalize voltage across the batteries by transferring energy between them. This means it will regulate the voltage even when there is a difference between the two. Voltage can change depending on the charge state of a battery.
Use the Correct Battery Charger
The final tip is to ensure you use the right high-quality battery charger. Charging incorrectly will quickly lead to irreparable damage. You should make sure your charger is designed for your battery chemistry type and size. A good charger will also include safety protections to defend your equipment and stop charging when your battery is full.
Using a cheap charger will only leave you frustrated at lack of performance (not fully charging your battery) while risking danger to you and your equipment.
Final Words on Making an Inverter Battery Last Longer
So there you have it, 11 easy ways to make your inverter battery last longer.
It is key to ensure you set up, store, and use your equipment in the correct manner.
This helps to protect from damaging problems like overheating or corrosion. A healthy inverter battery will both last longer and perform more efficiently.
With this increased efficiency, you should get more use out of your energy each time you use your inverter.
Unfortunately, inverter batteries don’t last forever, so if you’ve tried everything, then it might be time to buy a new one.
