This article will cover both the situations in which you can connect the panel and battery directly and the situations in which you should never attempt to do so.
Charge batteries with solar panels are one of the most frequent uses for solar energy. It’s common to believe that all you need to do is connect your panel to the battery, and presto—the battery will be charged. But the question is, can you?
You should use a solar charge controller when connecting Solar Panels to batteries. Direct connections between batteries and solar panels are not advised because they can result in a number of issues. A solar charge controller can solve a lot of your problems for a very low cost.
Learning how to connect solar panels to batteries can be accomplished by reading this blog.
How Do You Connect Solar Panels to a Battery?
A solar panel setup typically stores energy using 12V batteries. Assuming that this is what you’ll be using and that you have sized your solar panels properly, here are the basic steps you need to follow in connecting them:
Step 1 – Set Up Your Solar Panels
When installing a solar system, mounting your solar panels is one of the first steps you must take. Make sure your panels are positioned where they can receive the most sunlight exposure because the angle at which they are installed will significantly affect their overall efficiency. This is particularly important if you’re using fixed solar panels, which cannot be moved to “chase the sun.”
Step 2 – Position the Solar Charge Controller & 12V Battery
Even though it’s probably simpler to simply plug your panels and battery together, this is a bad idea that could hurt both parts. To control the flow of power from your solar panels to your battery bank, you need a solar charge controller in between them. For the best battery performance, this device also aids in preventing overcharging.
Solar charge controllers can be either a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) regulator or a Pulse Width Modulator (PWM) regulator. Between the two, MPPT controllers are considered more efficient as it also helps prevent battery drain. They can be pricier, but definitely worth investing in to ensure smooth operation.
When you have the right charge controller, just connect it to the battery according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Uncomplicated and simple to understand, the process is generally, so don’t worry.
Step 3 – Test Your Solar Charge Controller
Once your regulator is connected, you should check to see if it is functioning properly. MPPT controllers are usually easier to test since a lot of them have more advanced features such as an LCD screen that allows you to see if your controller is switched on as well as the battery’s charge status. After making sure everything is operating as it should, you can turn the regulator off and proceed to the next action.
Step 4 – Connecting the Solar Charge Controller to the Solar Panels
Similar to how you connect your regulator to your battery, the manufacturer of your solar panel will typically include comprehensive instructions. In fact, some providers even include cables for simple connection, but if yours doesn’t, you can always buy the right-sized cables separately.
Step 5 – Working on Your Power Inverter
You need a solar power inverter in your setup if you intend to run appliances that need AC power. You can run larger electronics thanks to this device’s conversion of DC power to AC power. Choose a power inverter with a tracking feature that enables you to easily monitor voltage levels and the maximum power of your modules and a high-efficiency rating.
What Can You Do Instead of Connecting Battery Directly?
The best and most affordable solution is solar charge controllers. What exactly is a solar charge controller then? In plain English, it controls the voltage and current of a solar panel. Your concern about overcharging and damaging your battery is now unfounded.
So how does a solar charge controller function in this scenario? Consider the previous scenario. Your 12-volt solar panel and battery are connected. This time, the charge controller will make sure that the solar panel voltage doesn’t go above the 14.4-volt maximum charge voltage.
a charge controller first before making a purchase. Here is some interesting data. It is a common fact that there are two types of solar charge controller:
- MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) Charge Regulator (Better productivity but more cost)
- PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) Charge Regulator (Cost-effective)
PWM charge controllers, to put it simply, will keep the charging voltage at or near 14.4 volts. This is a fantastic option if all you want to do is experiment with solar products. They’ll safeguard your battery reasonably well while supplying enough power to charge it.
On the other hand, the MPPT Charge Controller is more expensive but also more productive and effective than the PWM one. As an illustration, MPPT is 30% more potent than PWM.
The three-step MPPT Chargers process culminates in a drop in charge voltage of about 13.5 volts. It is just above the ‘surface charge’ voltage of the battery. This maintains the battery’s full charge while not attempting to add any additional charge to it.
The charge controller will switch to one of its other routines and recharge the battery to full capacity once you have used some of the battery’s power. Be sure that enough sunlight is provided. In a nutshell, if cost is a factor for you, go with PWM; otherwise, if productivity and quality are your top priorities, go with MPPT.
The benefit of using solar charge controllers outweighs anything else. Your battery is preserved, and you are free from worries about unfavorable circumstances, mishaps, issues, manual optimizations, and persistent anxiety over battery overcharging. Additionally, if you use a charge controller rather than the direct method, which has many limitations, you can charge the battery with any solar panel.
Solar Charge Controllers are, above all else, inexpensive—between $15 and $20. If you are a business owner of solar products, there is no reason to be wary of it.
How Long Does It Take to Charge a Battery With a Solar Panel?
Calculate the amount of time it will take to fully charge a solar battery. The answer depends on a lot of factors.
As an example, here are the specs for the setup I used:
- 12V, 33Ah lead acid battery
- 50% battery depth of discharge
- 100-watt solar panel
- PWM charge controller
The battery will take approximately 4.5 peak sun hours to fully charge with this configuration, according to our calculator.
Conclusion: Steps to Connect Solar Panels to the Battery
A battery and solar panels can be linked directly. But it’s incredibly time-consuming and ineffective. Therefore, a solar charge controller is strongly advised.
To solar-charge an electric bicycle, you can construct a modified version of the solar charging system you just created. Alternatively, you could just plug your 12-volt battery into an inverter and use the regular e-bike charger.
FAQs
What Do I Need in Between Solar Panel and Battery?
The energy that is gathered by your solar panels is stored in solar batteries. Your battery’s capacity determines how much solar energy it can store. In order to use batteries as part of your solar installation, you need solar panels, a charge controller, and an inverter.
Can a Solar Panel Directly Charge a 12V Battery?
Yes, you can charge a 12V battery with a 5W solar panel. Simply make sure it is a 12V solar panel. Anything less, such as a 6V or 9V solar panel, won’t work.
