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.