Small electrical equipment such as UPS, golf carts, and home energy storage usually use DC batteries. DC stands for direct current, and DC batteries provide direct current.
Almost all batteries belong to DC batteries, but in large-scale application scenarios, inverters are required to convert DC currents into AC currents that can be used by the load. When the battery runs low, the charger must convert the alternating current into direct current and store it in the battery, which is also why we need inverters and chargers.
Are there AC batteries?
There are no AC batteries on the market at the moment. However, we can convert the DC batteries into AC (Alternating Current) for your appliance. The AC machine will then work. The inside of the system needs an inverter, which has the function of converting DC to AC.
What is DC current?
Batteries, power supplies, and DC generators create direct current, as do photovoltaic devices such as solar cells. Direct current flows in only one direction.
What is AC current?
Alternating currents flow one way first, then the other. Because they are sine waves, they vary with time. They are produced by power supplies and alternators.
The AC in North and most of south America is 120 volts at 60 hz, which means it changes direction 60 times per second. Generally, the AC in Europe and most Asian countries is 220/240 volts at 50 hz.
How long does DC batteries last?
Lead acid batteries, lithium ion batteries, and lithium iron phosphate batteries are the most common types of DC batteries.
The nickel-cadmium memory effect of lead-acid batteries is unavoidable; it becomes more evident if they are just partially used. Because of this, it is important to fully discharge them at times in order to keep the capacity up. No matter what measures are taken, these types of batteries will rarely last beyond two years, and manufacturers generally don’t provide a warranty exceeding such timeline.
Lithium batteries do not have a memory effect, so we can ignore it.
Generally speaking,
A lithium ion battery can be charged and discharged over 1000 times and still maintain 80% of its original capacity.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries can be charged and discharged more than 4,000 times and still retain 80% of their original capacity.
Application field of DC batteries
Solar energy storage system
Gold carts
RVs
Emergency light
Electric cars