SolarCalcLab

Category: Batteries

How much battery storage do I need: 10 to 15 kWh for bill savings, 10 to 30 kWh for backup, 30+ kWh off-grid

Batteries, 7 min read

How Much Battery Storage Do I Need for My Home?

Most homes need 10 to 15 kWh of battery storage for overnight essentials and 25 to 30 kWh or more for multi-day backup. Here is how to size yours by goal, load and hours.
Diagram of two 12V 100Ah batteries wired in series for 24V 100Ah and in parallel for 12V 200Ah

Batteries, 8 min read

Batteries in Series vs Parallel: Voltage, Capacity and Which to Use

Series adds voltage and parallel adds amp-hours: two 12V 100Ah batteries make 24V 100Ah or 12V 200Ah. See configurations, current and cable losses, and wiring rules.
LiFePO4 vs lithium ion: LiFePO4 rated about 6,000 cycles vs 2,000 for NMC, with 2025 pack prices of $81 vs $128 per kWh

Batteries, 7 min read

LiFePO4 vs Lithium Ion: Which Battery Is Better for Solar?

LiFePO4 beats NMC lithium ion for solar storage, with two to three times the cycle life, a higher thermal runaway point and a lower price per kWh. Here is how the two chemistries compare and what each costs per cycle.
Two 100Ah solar batteries wired to a charge controller and inverter in an off-grid cabin with panels outside

Batteries, 8 min read

100Ah Solar Battery: How Long It Lasts and How Many Panels Charge It

A 100Ah solar battery holds 1.28 kWh at 12V or 5.12 kWh at 48V: runtimes, LiFePO4 vs AGM and the panels that recharge it.
LiFePO4 voltage chart showing a 12V battery at 13.6 V full, 13.3 V at 90%, 13.2 V at 70%, 13.1 V at 40%, 12.9 V at 20% and 12.0 V at 9%

Batteries, 7 min read

LiFePO4 Voltage Chart: 12V, 24V and 48V State of Charge

LiFePO4 voltage chart for 12V, 24V and 48V batteries: a 12V pack rests at 13.6 V full, 13.1 V at 40% and 12.0 V near empty. Plus charging voltages and worked examples.
A 3.8 volt battery from a smartphone being tested with a multimeter on a workbench

Batteries, 9 min read

3.8V Battery Explained: 3.8V vs 3.7V Li-ion and How to Find Its Wh

What a 3.8V LiHV battery is, how it differs from 3.7V cells, how to charge it safely and how to turn its mAh into watt hours.
Wall-mounted 12 kWh battery and hybrid inverter in a home garage at dusk with rooftop solar panels outside

Batteries, 8 min read

How Long Does a 12kWh Battery Last? Runtime for Your Home and Appliances

A 12 kWh battery delivers about 10.8 kWh usable: runtimes by load, an overnight essentials budget and how it pairs with 6 to 8 kW of solar.
A 1000Ah battery bank built from ten rack-mounted 48 volt lithium batteries wired to busbars in a garage

Batteries, 8 min read

1000Ah Battery: How Many kWh It Holds and How Long It Lasts

A 1000Ah battery holds about 12 kWh at 12V and 48 kWh at 48V. Runtimes, wiring, fusing and solar charging explained.
5000 mAh battery life in hours: about 8.5 hours at a 500 mA load

Batteries, 6 min read

5000 mAh Battery Life in Hours: Runtime Chart and Formula

A 5000 mAh battery lasts about 8.5 hours at 500 mA and 17 hours at 250 mA. See the runtime chart, the formula, phone screen-on time and power bank charges.
4 kWh battery power station on a porch powering a lamp and refrigerator during an evening power outage

Batteries, 8 min read

How Long Does a 4kWh Battery Last? Runtime for Your Home and Appliances

A 4 kWh battery stores about 3.6 kWh usable: enough for an outage night or two days of camping, refilled by three 430 W panels.
60 kWh battery bank made of three home battery cabinets mounted in a residential garage with hybrid inverters

Batteries, 9 min read

How Long Does a 60kWh Battery Last? Runtime for Your Home and Appliances

A 60 kWh battery gives about 54 kWh usable: days of backup, outage example, fire code placement, solar to refill it and late 2026 costs.
A 1 kWh battery power station at a campsite running a laptop and a 12 V cooler, with a solar panel behind it

Batteries, 8 min read

How Long Does a 1kWh Battery Last? Runtime for Your Home and Appliances

A 1kWh battery delivers about 810 Wh to AC devices: here is what it runs, for how long, and the solar panel that refills it.