How to Use 12 Volt Portable Solar Powered Battery Chargers

Solar power is continuously gaining momentum and popularity. There are now solar chargers designed to power cell-phones, cars, laptops, etc. The solar charger harnesses energy form the sun and stores the energy within its battery for later use.

Typically, a solar charger can hold on to its charge for up to a year. The advantage to using a solar charger is that it eliminates all of those unnecessary, bulky chargers for every electronic device.

It may be difficult to choose between the best solar chargers because there are a lot of great models out there that basically perform the same functions. Upon being fully charged, the solar charger can fill a cell-phone’s life twice or play up to twenty hours of music.

Solar battery chargers 101

Keep in mind that Your panel will produce 100% full wattage output when placed on direct sunshine

Before buying a portable solar power system, it’s good to answer these questions:

• How long would the solar panel take to charge a 12 volt battery?
• What’s the ideal wattage for a solar charger?
• How can I control if it works fine?
• Will it fry my battery?

Most models have an illuminated LEDs that lets you know the panel is charging. Other have a built in controller to block the charge when the battery is full.

When You buy one, You’ll get quick connectors like cigarette lighter adaptors and battery clamps.

Choose the right solar recharger

To explain in further detail about the conversion, basically an hour of sunshine will equal about an hour of music, or 25 minutes of conversation. The batteries in most solar units last up to about a year, and the charger works with numerous gadgets: Bluetooth, iphone, games, digital cameras, etc.

The charger is extremely light and easy to transport making it optimal for travel purposes.

The General rule to calculate the average charge time:

Take Amp/hour rating of the battery and Divide by the charger rating (in amperes) and then add about 10% for the extra time to top off the battery

I.e. Assuming You have a typical full size auto battery, it is about 50 amp hours.

To Calculate how much time You’ll need to charge the battery with a 15 Watt solar charger You’ll need:

1. Calculate the Ampere per hour of the charger: 15 Watts /12 Volts = 1,25 Amperes
2. Calculate the division: 50 amp hours / 1,25 ampers = 40 Hours of direct sunlight
3. Add 10%: 4 hours

A 15 watt charger is great for vehicles such as cars, boats, ATV’s, even electric fences. 7  watts are perfect for laptops and camcorders. A 2  watt charger is perfect for cell phones, ipods, and smaller cameras.

There is a formula to help describe the way solar energy works: the output for solar energy is described as watts. The wattage can be understood by multiplying the voltage by the amperage.

More specifically: volts x amps x watts = / e.g. a six volt 30 watt solar panel measuring ten by 22 inches has a voltage of about 8.55, and amperage of 1.75.

One can determine the correct amount of wattage needed based on how much each electronic device expels.

Solar Battery Controllers

In most case a solar charger controller is highly recommended. The Solar Controller will continuously monitor the charge and cut it off when charging is complete.

It helps in:

• Preventing overcharge
• Improve charge quality
• Prevent battery discharge in low or no light conditions.

Some solar panels are made with blocking diodes pre-installed they prevent battery discharge during low or no light conditions.

Once connected, you can charge your 12-volt battery nonstop for days without damaging the battery.

Inverters

Inverters turn DC (Direct current) power into AC (alternate current) power, the type of current that powers everyday appliances.

Final Suggestions

There is no need to buy multiple solar chargers for each electronic device owned, so invest in one with the best quality. If the solar charger is needed to power a lot of devices frequently, makes sure to buy an additional panel at about fifty dollars to ensure the maximum access to available sunlight; this panel allows for powering two laptops at once, and it should feel good to know that the electronic devices are functioning on renewable energy.

For cars it makes sense to purchase a solar charger that sits on the dashboard and soaks up the sun. These are not designed to jump start the car battery, but rather to keep the existing car battery at full charge and functioning.

Basically, if used properly it can extend the battery’s life, which of course saves money in the long run. Therefore, when individuals use many gadgets by plugging them up to the cigarette lighter, the solar charger helps against stress and fatigue that is placed on the battery.

Of course it is still possible to find one solar charger that supplies power to all electronic devices, including a car battery. As mentioned previously, there are many really good choices out there, so investigate properly, ask professionals which best fits their needs and enjoy the fact that you are participating in the usage of renewable energy, an environmentally wise choice.