Solar Charge Controllers

If a solar power system uses batteries, it will also require a solar charge controller. They work to regulate the power as it moves from the solar panels to the batteries. When overcharged, the life of a battery is shortened, and a good charge controller will make sure that this doesn’t happen. You can go to solar power battery if you are interested in learning more about solar batteries.

Although there are a number of different types of charge controllers, the basic function they have in common is to stop the charging process once the voltage in a battery reaches a certain level. Previously, most charge controllers had mechanical relays, which opened and closed the circuit.

In more recent charge controllers, pulse width modulation (PWM) is used to gradually lower the amount of power provided to the batteries as they get closer to a fully charged state. PWM extends battery life even further, as it reduces stress on the battery. It can also keep batteries in a completely charged state, or “floating,” indefinitely. PWM chargers are more complicated, but they tend to be more durable, as they don’t have any breakable mechanical connections.

The most advanced type of solar charge controller uses maximum power point tracking, or MPPT. The main benefit of MPPT controllers is their ability to convert extra voltage into amperage. This makes a practical difference in a couple of areas.

These features are valid for any solar power system, regardless of the voltage level involved. Most solar panels provide more voltage than the batteries require. By converting the extra voltage into amps, MPPT charge controllers reduce the time necessary to completely charge the batteries, while maintaining an optimal voltage level. A solar power system with this type of charge controller will provide power more efficiently.

MPPT charge controllers also make a difference with regard to power loss. All electricity in a home system travels from device to device along wires, and a certain amount of power is lost whenever this occurs. Higher voltage electricity sees less loss. A PWM charge controller used in a system with 12v batteries, for example, would use electricity of about 18v. An MPPT controller can use the highest voltage of any available charge controller. For this reason, MPPT controllers see less loss.

In comparison to PWM controllers, MPPT charge controllers are somewhat more expensive, but their performance is significantly enhanced. It’s highly recommended that, if you can afford it, you go with an MPPT charge controller. The latest solar charge controllers also come with the ability to prevent reverse-current flow. In some cases, at night, the batteries may begin to send power back to the solar panels. This power loss can definitely be frustrating. At these times, a charge controller will open the circuit, preventing any power from being transferred back to the solar panels.

When it comes to reducing costs and eliminating emissions and reliance on foreign oil, 12 volt solar battery chargers are a surprisingly easy-to-build and versatile choice. You can read 12 volt solar charger for more in solar interesting info about solar chargers.

Can you build a solar panel for under 0? You can get more information by looking at this guide Homemade Energy Review. In this guide, you will get specific instructions on what is best to build based on the size of your house and your location. You will also get step-by-step diagrams on how to build your own solar power system.

Which Type of 12 Volt Solar Charger Is Best?

 

Rising oil prices and concerns about pollution are leading many individuals to invesitgate solar battery chargers. The purpose of this article is to pass on some of the facts about different kinds of solar battery chargers, as well as how to build your own.

In the most basic terms, a battery charger can be just a power supply that transfers electricity of a given voltage to a battery. Just put the battery in, wait for it to fully charge, and then disconnect it. A 12 volt battery can be charged in a 15-18 volt power supply. The drawback to this system’s simplicity, though, is that it’s easy to overcharge the battery.

When you overcharge a battery, it’s likely that the battery’s functionality will be decreased, often significantly. In the event that you seriously or repeatedly overcharge a 12 volt battery, it can be damaged so much that it will no longer maintain its charge. However, there is a device called a charge controller that will make sure that the necessary voltage is used and keep the battery from being overcharged. If you’re using a 12 volt solar charger, you’ll probably want to be able to leave it connected throughout the day while the sun is shining, and thus a charge controller is a must.

For 12 volt batteries, the most common kind of charge controller is the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) type. In simple terms, a PWM charge controller works by turning a switch on and off rapidly. Initially, the switch stays “on” more. The switch gradually spends less time in the “on” position as electricity is transferred to the battery, and once the battery is fully charged, the switch goes off permanently. The charging process is controlled and monitored by a microprocessor chip. Thus, you can plug this type of charge controller into a battery indefinitely, since it will only transfer electricity to the battery when necessary, without the risk of overcharging. Topping up a battery in this way is called “trickle charging,” and it will allow you to ensure that a battery is fully charged for whenever you happen to need it. This ability is obviously very appropriate for a 12 volt solar charger. This, in turn, will let you keep the 12 volt battery for your boat or RV charged at all times.

With these basic parts, you can make a 12 volt solar charger. The source of the energy itself is the only thing that makes a 12 volt solar charger different. With a solar charger, of course, the energy comes from a solar panel instead of from the wall.  Building your own DIY solar panel for use in a 12 volt solar charger is becoming more common.  Read more at DIY Solar Panels.

For the typical solar panels used on homes, the solar cells are usually around half a volt and three to four amps. If you’re using these types of cells, it will be necessary to connect many of them to produce the 15-18 volts needed to charge a 12 volt battery. Currently, there are small solar panels of many different voltages available. The charger won’t work unless you match the voltage of the solar panel to your charge controller. The voltage rating on the charge controller shows you the necessary voltage. Usually, it’s best to use a solar panel of 15-18 volts if you’re not using a charge controller. Just remember to use the required voltage if you are using a charge controller.  You can build your own 12 volt solar charger with the help of GreenDIYEnergy.  If you’re interested, visit Green DIY Energy.

Depending on the controller, the method for wiring it to the solar panel can be different. Whatever type of connector is used on your charge controller, just solder one onto the solar panel. If you aren’t using a charge controller, use the type of connector that’s on the battery instead. Spring loaded clamps work well with most large 12 volt batteries. For people who would prefer not to solder, you aren’t absolutely required to solder (although this type of soldering is really easy even if you’ve never done it before); it is possible to just twist the wires together and use electrical tape. You’ll only need a simple soldering iron and solder, which you can get cheap at lots of places including Radio Shack. All you have to do is twist the wires on either side together, use the soldering iron on the wires, and touch the solder to the wires until it melts. As long as you take care not to burn yourself, and remember to heat the wires and not the solder itself with the soldering iron, it’ll be a simple process.  Another guide to building your own 12v solar charger that I recommend is Homemade Energy.  If you’re interested, check out Homemade Energy Review.

It’s really as easy as that! Building a 12 volt solar charger is a quick procedure too. A 12 volt battery is the first component. Paying attention to the matching voltage, you’ll also need a charge controller. The solar panel, which you can buy or build yourself, should also have the same voltage. The last step is to connect all the parts – connect the solar panel to the charge controller, and the charge controller to the battery. That’s it; now, you’ve got free power forever! What’s more, you get some significant residual benefits: you save money, because you don’t have to pay for the electricity you’re using to charge the battery; you reduce pollution, as electricity generated by solar panels doesn’t pollute like electricity from oil or coal-fired plants does; and you help the country by reducing dependence on foreign oil.

 

Choosing the Appropriate Solar Panel

All of the electricity needs of your home can be provided by a solar power system if your house has the correct orientation to the sun and adequate space on its roof. Many homeowners who have been interested in using solar power systems in the past have not been able to take advantage of this technology because they either had limited roof space or were somewhat out of alignment with the sun. The result would have been solar panels that didn’t generate enough electricity to justify installation costs. Improvements in solar panel technology in recent years should give hope to these homeowners, as modern panels are more efficient than older versions and are also more tolerant of sunlight that is hitting them at a steeper angle.  One common application is with the use of 12 volt batteries and charge controller coupled with a solar panel to make a 12v solar charger.

These newer solar panels are based on improved solar cell technology and better manufacturing techniques that provide a better solution for all solar power installations. The newer solar cells used in modern panels can offer homeowners better power generation than cells that were available even a few years ago because of several different improvements. The biggest advantage of the newer solar panels is that they can generate more energy from less sunlight. This means that they can be effective at generating power for longer portions of the day.Because of this, they can be used to generate electricity for more hours per day. Older solar panels required the sun to hit them more directly and so had a limited range of operation. When the sun was hitting the panel at a steeper angle, these panels would generate little to no energy, like in the early morning or late afternoon. If there were any clouds at all, even if the sun could shine through them, these panels couldn’t produce energy consistently. These newer panels will help many homeowners justify the cost of installing a solar power system because they will produce more energy in all levels of sunlight. This can also be good news for people who have homes with less than perfect alignment with the sun.

These newer solar panels will also allow the average homeowner to entirely eliminate their electric bill with fewer panels. This also means the solar power system will be less expensive since there will be fewer panels used. For people with limited roof space, this can make a significant difference.  You can see how much solar power and how many panels you’ll need for your home if you check out Home Solar Power Calculator.

The newer solar panels also will also last significantly longer. Older panels would last 10 to 15 years in a moderate climate before they needed to be replaced. The panels would produce peak power for about ten years and then degrade over time. The solar panels would start to slowly fail as one by one the solar cells failed. As the cells began to fail, the panel would produce less and less power. The newer solar cells will last longer and will also generate more electricity while they are viable. This means that a homeowner will enjoy their benefits for many more years, and makes their investment in solar energy technology an even smarter choice.  A great way to save on the cost of solar panels is by building your own home build solar panel.