Solar panels are a large investment. In order to have a properly working and efficient system, the system needs to have a good battery bank. A good battery bank will keep the system regulated, a constant power supply to the house, and be low maintenance. The initial investment for absorbent glass material (AGM) batteries is well worth the long term required maintenance costs. AGM batteries are a specific type of valve regulated lead-acid batteries (VRLA). continue reading…

The race for technology in the palm of our hands is akin to the arms race amongst nations. Research in Motion, Blackberry’s parent company has reportedly taken an entrance in the race. The iPad set a bar that several companies are vying to match and overcome. Blackberry is slated to release their competition in November, no doubt to raise sales in the Christmas season. This has been cited from Bloomberg, which has two anonymous sources reporting the company’s plans. continue reading…

Due to the nature of lithium ion batteries, the volatility and the power they can be rather expensive. Since they are expensive, it only makes sense to make the battery last as long as possible. The first tip to elongating the life of your battery is the discharge cycle. Lithium ion batteries prefer a partial discharge compared to a deep discharge. A deep discharge is similar to a car battery, it requires a large amount of the battery to be used before recharging. It is best to avoid taking the charge to zero for lithium ions. These batteries do not require a memory, so a partial discharge will not harm them. continue reading…