Solar Panels for Car Batteries – Introduction and Usage

A solar panel uses photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight rays to electricity. The photovoltaic cells allow a solar panel to operate making it possible for you to use your solar-powered car battery or solar-generated gadget. Solar power is a freeway for you to get free energy from the sunlight. Furthermore, it is environmentally free and deemed to be the best for home appliances and commercial use. Apart from this, it is cost-friendly once installed as it saves you money.

The choice of solar panel greatly depends on the quantity of power you need while the size of the panel is determined by the number of cells in it. There are a variety of solar panels in the market. This includes the portable solar panels used to charge a car. Here, we discuss solar panels for car battery and their trickle chargers. Let’s get started.

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Solar Panels for Car Battery Charging

Solar panels for charging car batteries convert sunlight energy into direct current (DC) which gets the car battery charged. They are usually smaller in size and portable. They are convenient as you can access solar power from anywhere. The panels are light in weight and some can be folded ascertaining the ease of transport. This makes them the best when it comes to ensuring you have a backup charging option.

The solar panels are user-friendly as they are easy to use and connect. You only need to have a regulator or controller installed in between the panel and battery. The regulator helps control the voltage ensuring your battery is charged proficiently and is free from any damage. A standard car battery rated at 12V can normally be recharged with a maximum of 10 amps at 13.8 volts to 15 volts. Though this can vary depending on the type of battery. On the other hand, a standard 100-watt solar panel uses 5 amps to charge a battery. Additionally, it will take around 12 hours for a full recharge with a battery below 11.85 volts. This makes it easier to use a solar panel when it comes to recharging your car battery. Therefore, any solar panel, regardless of its size, can charge your car battery. But the larger the panel the faster the charging process.

A solar panel can overcharge a battery. The charge rate will depend on the solar panel voltage, the battery voltage, and the output current. Overcharging can be avoided by using a trickle charger connected to a controller or regulator. 

Solar Panel Trickle Charger for Car Batteries

A solar trickle charge is powered by a solar panel. The panel is composed of multiple cells. For instance, a solar panel used to charge a 12-volt battery has 35 cells and an open-circuit voltage.

A solar trickle charger is a gadget that uses solar power to charge various devices including a car battery. A typical power rating for a solar trickle charge is between 0.5watts to 10 watts. You can leave your solar panel trickle charger plugged in all the time and overnight. It is recommended to use overcharge protection when using the solar trickle charger. Overcharging a battery affects its life span. It can also lead to an explosion which means you will need a new car battery. Overcharge protection is one of the safety measures any car owner can observe to avoid unnecessary expenses.

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Generally, a battery that is rated 5 watts requires a controller. A controller offers overcharge protection and also prevents discharge while improving the quality of the current. The controller will act as a regulator to the battery allowing energy to pass to the battery. It will also cut off the charge cycle once the battery is fully charged or once the battery is at a safe charge current. Charge, controllers are generally recommended for charging batteries that are over 20Ah capacity. Furthermore, they are easy to connect with. Connect the positive and negative solar panel leads to the controller. Afterward, connect the red and black lead connect of the controller to the battery. That is; the black crocodile clip to the negative terminal and the red crocodile clip to the positive terminal.

Note; 

Car batteries trickle chargers are mainly for maintaining a battery to a full charge. They are not used for recharging a battery that has been heavily used.

The size of the solar panel trickle charger you need to charge your car will depend on the size of the battery, the amount of power you get from your solar panel, and the state of discharge of the battery.

Solar Panel Trickle Charger 12v batteries

Using a solar panel trickle charger, a 12V lead-acid battery may be charged initially at approximately 14.4 volts, if it had significantly discharged. After the battery is fully charged up, the trickle charger detects this and drops the voltage to about 13.6 volts. This voltage is referred to as the float charge. It ensures the battery remains in top condition ready for use hence maintaining battery health.

A 12V battery will require a controller and inverter. A controller will regulate the power input to deliver the best power output needed to charge the batteries. An inverter will transform direct current electricity generated by the solar panel to alternating current electricity. It will then be used by an electrical grid. Without an inverter, your solar panel will essentially be useless.

To charge a 12V battery, you will need a solar panel with a higher wattage for the charge cycle to be efficient. For instance, a 100-watt solar panel is estimated to fully charge a battery for 5 hours to 8 hours in the case your battery has the same amp-hour rating as the solar system amps. Though this estimate may vary depending on different factors like; sunlight exposure, quality of the battery, etc.

Solar panel trickle chargers work better than the standard trickle charger. They will steadily charge your 12V battery as long as they are exposed to sunlight. A 12V battery has a higher capacity (more amperes). You have to make sure your solar trickle charger can match such a battery’s power requirements.

Conclusion

Solar-powered batteries are popular in most households. They are useful for off the grid and even more beneficial as backups. When purchasing a solar panel for your battery, ensure you have a trickle charger with a good regulator.