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Battery Products

  • How often should we be replacing our cyclic batteries?

    That all depends on how many cycles you’re using per day and the depth of discharge of each of those cycles. That combination defines how much energy is used in each cycle. Then the manufacturer’s specification should tell you the total number of cycles before the end of life. Usually you can expect to get 10-15 years out of an industrial battery.

  • Are there any batteries that last forever?

    No, all batteries wear out, even if you don’t use them. Lithium Ion batteries have two components that define their life: cycle life and calendar life.
    Cycle life is where the manufacturer has specified the number of cycles the battery will do before end of life. So it might have 5,000 full discharges in it before the end of life. If you’re only using 50% of the discharge each time, you’ll get a lot more cycles out of the battery before end of life than if you’re reaching 100% discharge each use.
    Calendar life is influenced by chemical reactions that occur on the electrodes of the battery regardless of whether it’s in use or sitting on a shelf.

  • Is lithium ion battery the same as a cyclic battery?

    A lithium ion battery is just one type of cyclic battery. There are also lead acid cyclic batteries and other chemistry types. The two most common however, are lithium ion and lead acid. Lead acid batteries can either be flooded (where you can top up the acid) or valve regulated which is completely enclosed.

  • What kind of batteries are used for uninterruptable power supplies?

    Most commonly they would be sealed lead acid batteries, which are valve regulated.  
    In terms of dollars per kWh of energy, they are the most effective.

  • How can I calculate how many batteries I need?

    There are several contributing factors:

    • the amount of energy you need to your load (your kWh)
    • the DC voltage the inverter requires defines the number of cells you’ll need in a series
    • the life of the batteries versus the depth of discharge
    Those three factors effectively determine the amount of usable energy you’ll need to generate.

  • What is a nano-carbon deep cycle VRLA battery and what does it do?

    In basic terms, it is a battery that can be discharged and recharged more times than a normal lead acid battery.
    In more complex terms, there are carbon particles impregnated on the plates inside the lead acid battery. If you deeply discharge a normal lead acid battery, the plates will get lead sulphate on surface. This sulphate is a resistor, so it resists the recharge current. Not only are the carbon particles on the VRLA battery very conductive, they also break up the resistive sulphate coating. So the battery can fully recharge without being hampered by lead sulphate.

  • What does DOD stand for?

    Depth of discharge, which is measured in terms of a per cent. A full discharge is 100%.

Engineering Product


  • How do I know if I need a high-power BESS or a high-energy BESS?

    A battery energy storage system need is established by two parameters, kW – the power needed to drive an appliance and kWh the capacity or energy needed to run an appliance for a given length of time. Knowing your application is critical to determining the right BESS fit – power or energy, ask CYB.

  • What’s the point of having a BESS?

    Battery energy storage systems have been around for decades, the application of a battery is for energy storage – battery in your car, your torch and your phone. As BESS is simply a battery for your home or office. The reason to have one will be determined by your circumstances, if  considering it for home it is generally to provide time of use flexibility for renewable generation like Solar PV, enabling you to consume your solar energy when you want, not when it is generated, e.g. during evening meal preparation.

  • What is a grid-tie battery energy storage system?

    A grid tied battery system means you have a BESS connected in such a fashion as to allow you continue to import energy from the grid and if desired export energy to the grid.

  • Are lead acid battery energy storage systems any good?

    Yes, Lead Acid battery is a valid choice for BESS units; in fact they have been commonly used for decades in off grid applications.

  • What are the advantages of having a battery energy storage system?

    Generally the advantages are more pronounced the further away you live from major cities or regional centres. Eliminating loss of supply concerns, providing flexibility of renewable generated energy use and providing a level of independence from the gird, are key benefits.

  • What is dynamic programming and charge scheduling for BESS?

    The use of terms dynamic programming and charge scheduling are common terms used to define similar functions. Commonly BESS units will have a number of programmable parameters, usually based around the system setup and system use. Example of a grid connected BESS may require a feature of “No Grid feed” which means no energy can flow from the customer’s premises into the grid, this would be a dynamic programed setting. Charging scheduling will enable the customer to nominate under what conditions the BESS can charge, e.g. time of day (night tariff from the gird) or from the solar (during the middle of the day).

  • Is it only residences that can go off-grid or could I do it with my manufacturing plant?

    Yes, you can take your manufacturing plant “Off Grid”. This is easily done and would be undertaken in conjunction with an energy professional providing advice on your options. Contact CYB.

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  • Utilities, Retailers and Distribution

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  • Industry UPS and BESS

  • Residential BESS

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