Abstract
The purpose of this study is to compare the weekly discharge rate of two solar batteries commonly used in Anambra State. The batteries considered were the Indian made battery with specification Luminous, Deep cycle sealed maintenance free batteries solar application, Lum 12V 100Ah 20hr and 3DGP161433 and Chinese made battery with specification Sun-Test std gel battery, 12V-100Ah, 010716w, Cycle use 14.4-15.0V, Stand by use; 13.5-13.8V and Initial current: less than 30A were used to power 2 stand-alone security lights at the Faculty of Physical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The technical assessment was based on measuring their output voltages bihourly from 19.00 hr to 7.00 hr and estimation of weekly discharge rate of these batteries for a period of two months (eight weeks). From the analysis, the Indian made solar battery has insignificant discharge tendency for the first eight weeks of its use having its discharge rate of -0.034, -0.038, -0.042, -0.037, -0.039, -0.038, -0.039 and -0.036 Volts/hr per week from week one to week eight respectively whereas the Chinese made solar battery has a relatively high discharge rate of Voltage/hr per week within the first eight weeks of its use having its rate at -0.095, -0.213, -0.103, -0.1, -0.104, -0.1, -0.083 and -0.109Volt/hr per week from week one to week eight. Also, while the Indian made battery is observed to be relatively stable, the Chinese made battery was observed to be very erratic and highly susceptible to discharge within the first eight weeks (two months) of its use. Hence, it is concluded that Indian made battery is preferred to that of Chinese made battery for optimal performance of stand-alone PV syste.