Help! Converting 12v Solar Panel to 6V?

[Murphy7068]

I am building a small sail boat model that i want to run off of a bunch of 6V batteries in series so i can maximize the current. I also want to increase the stamina of the boat by installing solar panels. All i have is a solar panel that trickle charges 150 mA to 12V batteries. I want to convert it so it can trickle charge to 6V batteries as efficiently as possible. Here are some of my ideas:
1.) a potentiometer hooked up to a zener diode.
2.) linear regulator
3.) inverting op amps
If you have any suggestions for what is the best choice or if you have another suggestion please tell me.

 

[tcmtech]

A bunch of 6 volt batteries in series gives you 6 X bunch = total volts.

Why 6 volts? Everything now a days is or has common 12 volt compatibility ability by one common means or another.

 

[Murphy7068]

Well i plan on using 5 * 1.2 Volt batteries in series to get 6 volts. I also plan on putting 4 of these 6 volt supplies in paralell to raise the Amp hours. The reason that i am operating at 6 volts is because the servos i have all operate at 6 volts, same with the microprocessor onboard and the sensor. My hope is to just have a rail of 6 volts that everything can connect off of. Thanks for your help.

 

[mneary]

Your OP says "run off of a bunch of 6V batteries in series". You cannot run them in series and parallel at the same time. It's been tried. All that happens is they explode.

 

[colin55]

Connect the 12v solar panel to the set of 6v batteries via a diode. All that will happen is the solar charger will start the charge the batteries at a lower level of sunlight.
At 150mA, the battereis will never get overcharged.

 

[Oznog]

A capacitive charge pump will DOUBLE the current out of a solar panel if you halve the voltage. It could be a good idea.

 

[magnatro]

1. charge pump is a goodidea if you are using solar 'cause it will charge the cells with less time..
2. you can provide the uC with the desired voltage by using a 7806 regulator and use an L 293 D motor driver for the driving mechanism.

 

[helpmonkey]

You can simply use a voltage regulator IC ... find a scrap CRT monitor and there should be a few on the motherboard. Are you hooking the batteries in parallel (you said series)?