solar charging regulators - Page 4 - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

Thunderchild · 21st March 2009, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickelflippr

Took a fella about 5 days of intense southern Baja, Mx sun, to recharge just two 6V Trojan batteries, with a 75W panel. No controller, just direct connect, and no other loads.

The reason behind the 24V volt battery bank again?

erm I won't stop at 40 W of solar panel, I intend to gradually increase the panels but don't want to be buying batteries all the time, larger batteries will be more durable I assume ? last longer cost less per W (assuming I want all that power). If I get 12 volts worth I won't really be able to add to it later will I ? I was led to beleive that 24 V inverters are more robust than 12 V ones and I'm pretty sure overal efficiency of a 24 V set up is going to be better than 12 volts.

nickelflippr · 21st March 2009, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderchild

erm I won't stop at 40 W of solar panel, I intend to gradually increase the panels but don't want to be buying batteries all the time, larger batteries will be more durable I assume ? last longer cost less per W (assuming I want all that power). If I get 12 volts worth I won't really be able to add to it later will I ? I was led to beleive that 24 V inverters are more robust than 12 V ones and I'm pretty sure overal efficiency of a 24 V set up is going to be better than 12 volts.

O.K. got it

.

Inverter? Jeez, if someone would just answer 'one' of those urgent,... need 1000W inverter, pls include schematic, pcb files, and source code, postings!....haha

Any candidates for a combo inverter/charger?

Thunderchild · 22nd March 2009, 12:48 AM

General idea with 2 different car batteries is as attached.

Sceadwian · 22nd March 2009, 01:09 AM

Thunder if you charge them separately you have to discharge them separately. So you'd basically have two separate 12 volt systems.

Thunderchild · 22nd March 2009, 01:12 AM

well then I'll return the battery and get some bigger ones later, only thing is if i get 12 volts of batteries will I be able to put another 12 volts worth in series later ? me thinks not, that why I was going to try for the 24 V straight off

bbhs · 29th March 2009, 09:30 AM

I find the best cost effective batteries are the ones removed from telephone exchanges - they can be 2.5v, 6v and 12 volt that I have seen and are gel batteries designed to stand for long periods as well.
I used some 120ah ones which were over 6 years old and they were still fully functional - they do come up on ebay pretty often.
If your budget extends to it a good charge controller is recommended and would handle future expansion as your array increases.

Thunderchild · 29th March 2009, 09:35 AM

well I'll use a 5 A SMPS for now as a charger just to make the most of the power I'll be getting, I'll worry about a full blown controller later.

wombweller · 29th March 2009, 10:06 AM

Hi

Been in the shed as the topic of Gel batteries came up, I have a 12v 35AH gel battery that I would like to safely solar charge.I want to run from this an host of LED. garden lights.

The idea is to use recycled Jam jars to make the garden lights and if I say that there might be approx 10 lights each having say 4 LED's in them.

Should I purchase an off the shelf solar trickle charger or construct something?

Regards Mark

Thunderchild · 29th March 2009, 10:22 AM

for leds a ver small panel will do so if you have a decent sized battery it would withstand the constand current ? some one else is probably more qualified than me to answer that one though

Thunderchild · 29th March 2009, 12:35 PM

for leds a very small panel will do so if you have a decent sized battery it would withstand the constand current ? some one else is probably more qualified than me to answer that one though

wombweller · 29th March 2009, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderchild

for leds a very small panel will do so if you have a decent sized battery it would withstand the constand current ? some one else is probably more qualified than me to answer that one though

Cheers the main question is on a suitable solar charger unit for this battery.

Regards Mark

**Nigel Goodwin** · 29th March 2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wombweller

Cheers the main question is on a suitable solar charger unit for this battery.

Regards Mark

It depends entirely on what you're using, you first need to monitor how much power the panel can supply (by measuring over a range of conditions) - for most panels you probably need no regulator at all.

ericgibbs · 29th March 2009, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wombweller

Cheers the main question is on a suitable solar charger unit for this battery.

Regards Mark

hi Mark,
Not much Sunshine in Wombwell.

You can trickle charge the SLA at about 13.8V.

The size of the solar panel will depend upon the power required by the LED's
eg: current and the time the LED's are lit.
[I would have a simple dark detector and an OFF timer to conserve battery power]

The charge efficiency of a SLA can be 70%, so say for every unit of current you discharged
from the battery you would need to recharge at 1.3 times.

If you used a SMPS/controller the efficiency of the controller, say 85% would also have to be allowed for as loss.

Get the local sunshine hours and intensity for your area and work out how much power you would get from
say a 1mtr square solar panel.
[the solar panel manufacturers data will give the power outputs]

wombweller · 29th March 2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericgibbs

hi Mark,
Not much Sunshine in Wombwell.

You can trickle charge the SLA at about 13.8V.

The size of the solar panel will depend upon the power required by the LED's
eg: current and the time the LED's are lit.
[I would have a simple dark detector and an OFF timer to conserve battery power]

The charge efficiency of a SLA can be 70%, so say for every unit of current you discharged
from the battery you would need to recharge at 1.3 times.

If you used a SMPS/controller the efficiency of the controller, say 85% would also have to be allowed for as loss.

Get the local sunshine hours and intensity for your area and work out how much power you would get from
say a 1mtr square solar panel.
[the solar panel manufacturers data will give the power outputs]

Hi Eric

Solar panels or chargers seem to be sold in quite varying price ranges.I had a look in Maplins for something that I thought might be suitable-Solar-Powered 12V 12W Battery Charger > Maplin

I could maybe add a couple together.This is £40 ish for the one.

At Farnell not much available other than a £385 panel.

Think I need to educate myself first on solar cells and paneling.

Not been vey lucky also at finding the sunshine hours and intensity in my area.
Keep on digging.

Regards Mark

ericgibbs · 29th March 2009, 05:35 PM

hi Mark,
The Maplins data says that if the SLA battery is over 12AHr, [yours is 35Ahr] no controller is required.

Also the panel is already fitted with a reverse blocking diode.

Regards

EDIT: a starting point.

et Office: Regional Climate: North East England

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22nd March 2009, 12:48 AM	#48
Thunderchild	General idea with 2 different car batteries is as attached. Attached Thumbnails __________________ I AM the exeption that disproves the rule in many ways but the rules still apply (unfortunately) www.simonsphotography.org.uk/ - My other hobby www.rushdenrotaract.org.uk/ - make a difference and have fun ! Never buy "Trust" products, all mine broke !!!

22nd March 2009, 01:09 AM	#49
Sceadwian	Thunder if you charge them separately you have to discharge them separately. So you'd basically have two separate 12 volt systems. __________________ "Because I be what I be. I would tell you what you want to know if I could, mum, but I be a cat, and no cat anywhere ever gave anyone a straight answer, har har."

22nd March 2009, 01:12 AM	#50
Thunderchild	well then I'll return the battery and get some bigger ones later, only thing is if i get 12 volts of batteries will I be able to put another 12 volts worth in series later ? me thinks not, that why I was going to try for the 24 V straight off __________________ I AM the exeption that disproves the rule in many ways but the rules still apply (unfortunately) www.simonsphotography.org.uk/ - My other hobby www.rushdenrotaract.org.uk/ - make a difference and have fun ! Never buy "Trust" products, all mine broke !!! Last edited by Thunderchild; 22nd March 2009 at 01:13 AM.

29th March 2009, 09:30 AM	#51
bbhs	I find the best cost effective batteries are the ones removed from telephone exchanges - they can be 2.5v, 6v and 12 volt that I have seen and are gel batteries designed to stand for long periods as well. I used some 120ah ones which were over 6 years old and they were still fully functional - they do come up on ebay pretty often. If your budget extends to it a good charge controller is recommended and would handle future expansion as your array increases.

29th March 2009, 09:35 AM	#52
Thunderchild	well I'll use a 5 A SMPS for now as a charger just to make the most of the power I'll be getting, I'll worry about a full blown controller later. __________________ I AM the exeption that disproves the rule in many ways but the rules still apply (unfortunately) www.simonsphotography.org.uk/ - My other hobby www.rushdenrotaract.org.uk/ - make a difference and have fun ! Never buy "Trust" products, all mine broke !!!

29th March 2009, 10:06 AM	#53
wombweller	Hi Been in the shed as the topic of Gel batteries came up, I have a 12v 35AH gel battery that I would like to safely solar charge.I want to run from this an host of LED. garden lights. The idea is to use recycled Jam jars to make the garden lights and if I say that there might be approx 10 lights each having say 4 LED's in them. Should I purchase an off the shelf solar trickle charger or construct something? Regards Mark

29th March 2009, 10:22 AM	#54
Thunderchild	for leds a ver small panel will do so if you have a decent sized battery it would withstand the constand current ? some one else is probably more qualified than me to answer that one though __________________ I AM the exeption that disproves the rule in many ways but the rules still apply (unfortunately) www.simonsphotography.org.uk/ - My other hobby www.rushdenrotaract.org.uk/ - make a difference and have fun ! Never buy "Trust" products, all mine broke !!!

29th March 2009, 12:35 PM	#55
Thunderchild	for leds a very small panel will do so if you have a decent sized battery it would withstand the constand current ? some one else is probably more qualified than me to answer that one though __________________ I AM the exeption that disproves the rule in many ways but the rules still apply (unfortunately) www.simonsphotography.org.uk/ - My other hobby www.rushdenrotaract.org.uk/ - make a difference and have fun ! Never buy "Trust" products, all mine broke !!!

29th March 2009, 05:35 PM	#60
ericgibbs	hi Mark, The Maplins data says that if the SLA battery is over 12AHr, [yours is 35Ahr] no controller is required. Also the panel is already fitted with a reverse blocking diode. Regards EDIT: a starting point. et Office: Regional Climate: North East England Attached Thumbnails __________________ Eric " Good enough is Perfect " I will NOT answer PM's requesting technical help, please use the Forum PIC tutorials: Nigel's www.winpicprog.co.uk/ Bill's: www.blueroomelectronics.com/ Last edited by ericgibbs; 29th March 2009 at 05:43 PM.