29 Apr How do solar battery warranties work?
Increasingly, Mainers are installing solar systems with battery backup for grid outages. During blackouts, solar batteries need to perform well to keep the lights on, the refrigerator running, and the sump pump working.
Just like your cell phone or laptop battery, solar panel batteries slowly lose their ability to hold a charge. Slowly, solar energy system batteries degrade over time. Thankfully, solar storage battery manufacturers provide warranties to protect customers and ensure they will have a certain level of battery performance for years. This protects your solar system installation investment and provides peace of mind.
Sundog Solar installs a variety of batteries for solar panel systems with battery backup. Two of the most popular are the Tesla Powerwall and the LG Chem. These advanced lithium-ion batteries don’t require ongoing maintenance and reliably store power for years.
Both solar batteries provide two different types of warranties. The end-of-warranty capacity rating guarantees that your solar battery bank will hold a certain percentage of the original capacity for the warranty period. For both the Tesla Powerwall and the LG Chem battery, the warranty period is ten years.
The throughput warranty relates to the total energy the battery is expected to deliver throughout its lifespan and is measured in megawatt-hours (MWh). The throughput warranty is valid until the battery has provided that amount of energy.
Tesla Powerwall 2 Warranty
The Tesla Powerwall 2 is a very popular solar energy storage option in Maine. It has a usable capacity of 13.5 kWh, which is somewhat higher than the LG Chem. Like the LG Chem, the Powerwall battery has a ten-year warranty. This ensures that the PV battery retains 70% of its ability to hold a charge for ten years. The Powerwall battery also has a throughput warranty of 37 MWh.
LG Chem RESU Battery Warranty
The LG Chem battery has 9.3 kWh of usable capacity and is another great option for emergency power during blackouts. LG includes a ten-year warranty on the battery, ensuring it retains at least 60% of the original capacity. The LG Chem RESU solar battery also provides a throughput warranty of 22.4 MWh.
Unfortunately, exposure to extremely hot or cold temperatures can void the PV battery’s warranty. Sundog Solar is a locally owned solar company skilled in finding the best location for your solar energy batteries to promote longevity and optimum output. Our solar installers have been installing solar systems with batteries in Maine since 2009!
Due to strong solar battery demand, these items are sometimes back-ordered. Depending on availability, it can take a few months.