The self - discharge rate is typically expressed as a percentage of the battery's capacity per unit of time, usually per month. Figure 1: Typical discharge curve (voltage versus % charge) for a 24 volt lead acid battery. . Most batteries come with a battery management system which provides protection against overcharge and deep discharge, and through which parameters such as depth of discharge can be set. In addition the system will contain cabling and some switchgear. WHAT IS THE STATE OF CHARGE? The. . This article defines the C rate and breaks it down, discussing the C20 rating, battery discharge rates, battery c rate charts and the impact on different battery types. That's an approximate value if you plan to completely offset your dependence on electric grids. For a partial backup, the. .