solar pannels.regulator

[billskip]

I have been given 3 solar pannels but dont have a regulator control..I have look at reg prices and seem expensive..over£120..in usa they sell a unit for $29 but dont export..Can I connect the solar pannels up to the low voltage input side of my battery charger that has a regulator dosnt it?.or any advice pls

 

[byron]

Bill I don't think they punch out enough power to ever fully charge your batteries so do not need a regulator. The Battery's own ampage as it increases prevents further charging. Leastways that's what I think anyway.

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[ccscott49]

How many watts are these panels? Bill. As has been said I dont think you would need a regulator either, unless they are gigantic and in the sahara!

 

[billskip]

Re: solar pannels.regulator cc+byron

Dont know elect spec ..bloke who gave them dont know either. they are about 36x15ins I think must be 20 watts each one..I read somewhere that they would "boil the Batteries"Without a regulator..I would like to fit them so I can run fridge ..Also anchor light..at moment I use one of those garden center solar lights when I leave her at anchor for a few days....batteries are 2x120ah house..1x100ah engine...My bty charger is only an ord plug in type.not a pucker built in job but it has a regulator and bat condition led.....

 

[ccscott49]

Re: solar pannels.regulator cc+byron

What do you reckon Byron, 60 watts, 2x120 ah batterys and a 100 ah in the uk, I dont think the batteries will boil somehow and if theres any tendency he could leave a few lights on!

 

[billmacfarlane]

Mental arithmetic.

Using a quick mental calculation and a bit of Ohm's law , assumung a 12 V system , the maximum output of the solar panel is 1.7A , which unless under a Med sun with the panel tilted for maximum output , it won't reach. Probably more like 1.3/4 A per panel. If your batteries were totally flat then in theory it would take something like 80 hours to charge them. Assuming a fridge is running , which takes something like 4A per hour , then the solar panels will never fully charge the batteries anyway , so there is no danger of the panels boiling them. I suppose if you leave the panels connected and you leave your boat for a month or so in a sunny climate then there is a chance that they might do some damage but I'm not too sure whether this would happen because as someone said the batterie's internal resistance as charging occurs and inhibits any more charging from happening.

 

[billskip]

Re: solar pannels.regulator cc+byron

Sorry... Boat in Aegean...Thats why I want fridge..when I leave the boat at anchor all is off except an auto on/off 5w (which I can change to a 10w) anchor light ..but no load on the eng batt..

 

[byron]

Re: solar pannels.regulator cc+byron

I am far from being expert indeed couldn't get much further. I don't think even in the Med there's enough punch there to overide the resistance of a fully charged battery. There must be a site somewher advisingon this... I will look.

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[byron]

OK Bill... here's an extract...

In addition to the solar panel you will require some kind of voltage regulator to keep the panel from overcharging your battery if left connected for long periods of time. Even small solar panels can erode the battery plates and boil away electrolyte on lead-acid batteries requiring expensive battery replacement. Some solar panels are called "self-regulating" - which is not entirely true. A self regulating solar panel has fewer cells, giving a lower open circuit output voltage closer to 15 VDC, hence less likely to overcharge your battery. Charge controllers are high efficiency (low loss) voltage regulators that are wired between the solar panel and the battery bank being charged. Their function is to disconnect the solar panel when the battery has fully charged and automatically re-connect the panel when the battery voltage drops. If not disconnected, a solar panel will try to drive the battery voltage to as high as 18-19 VDC - a level most batteries take exception to.

Many charge controllers have set points that can be varied so both wet and gell batteries can be protected. Some charge controllers have indicator lights that tell you whether the solar panel is charging the battery or "floating" so you don't have to guess whether it's working. The simplest charge controller have a fixed voltage set point and no indicators of any kind to tell you what's happening. The most sophisticated charge controllers have digital LCD display of battery voltage, charging current, and load current and may offer "Load Disconnect" - the ability to remove any drain from the battery if the battery voltage drops too low.


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[billskip]

Thanks byron..+cc

'

 

[billskip]

will print that.. ta byron now some lektronik wzz may tell me how to conect to bat..or maby somwone in us will send me one..Ta again..

 

[mica]

Try Bardens at East Fareham. Tel: 01489570770. I think they are only twenty something pounds. Nice chap, he will tell you all you need to know.

We came across him whilst browsing for new batteries and had a look at the solar panels whilst we were there. We were quite amazed that the regulator was so cheap as we need one for our wind generator, which cost over a hundred. Still not got the new batteries, but when we do we think we will have to fit a regulator, so as not to ruin them.

Anyone know where we can get a cheap regulator for an Aerogen Generator ???

MICA

 

[Capt_Scarlet]

Don't know if you need a regulator or not, but if you decide to fit one, try RS Components (www.rswww.com), stock no 194-082 £41.88+VAT. Looks like it should do the job, and rather less than £120.

 

[charles_reed]

Re: solar panels regulator

Or try
Lumic Ltd
Doughty Buildings
Crowarch Road
Ringwood BH24 1NO

Tel No 01425 480780

They do a combined wind-generator and photovoltaic regulator for even less than RS Components

 

[HaraldS]

Re: solar pannels.regulator cc+byron

A general rule is that you can charge a regular batterie at 1% of its amp hour rating iforever without damaging it. In this case this level would be reached with two panels, but then they not doing anything at night and there will be some consumers. So I's say it is most likely impossible to damage the batteries with that setup.