Batteries are a crucial component in a solar panel system. They are made to withstand harsh climatic conditions but any wrong connection can prove harmful. So, it is important to understand what is the best way to charge a solar battery to make sure that they do not get damaged. Have a look at this article to learn about factors related to this.
What is the Best Way to Charge a Solar Battery?
The best way to charge a solar battery is by sunlight. Without getting too technical, solar panels let photons (which are light particles) impact electrons and knock them away from atoms. This charges the atoms and generates an electrical flow. The greater the sunlight, the more electricity is charged.
That’s why solar batteries charge up faster in the middle of the day when the sun is highest in the sky. This is also why solar batteries charge more slowly when there is less sunlight, either due to cloud cover or because of the time of day.
Batteries can also be charged using solar panels in two ways: through a direct connection or an indirect connection. A direct connection is when the solar panel is connected directly to the battery, and an indirect connection is when the solar panel is connected to a charging device that is then connected to the battery.
But can you charge your solar batteries with electricity as well? Well, solar panels usually charge with sunlight but sometimes, your solar panels might not generate enough power to charge your batteries. In such cases, you can charge the batteries with electricity from your local power grid. But it is not a suitable option because of power losses and should only be considered in times of emergencies.
There are, however, a few things you should bear in mind before charging your batteries with electricity. Firstly, you should consider that your solar batteries would take some time to charge, so you should be careful of what time you decide to charge them from your local grid. Also, it would help if you considered that since you are charging from the local grid and aren’t using it to run any other equipment, charging another battery will cost more. Also, when the battery is connected to your local grid, you should fix the charge time because you’re not using the energy from the solar panels. You should remember that the power grid uses AC and not DC power. So, you might need to convert the AC to DC with a solar inverter charger when charging your batteries. Although this system is not 100% efficient, it may cause the batteries to lose some energy while charging.
Along with this, you should also know what is the voltage of the solar battery while charging so that you can be alert and not overcharge them. The following will be covered in the next pointer so that you don’t end up overcharging them which could lead to potential harm.
What is the Voltage of Solar Battery While Charging?
Now you are aware of what is the best way to charge a solar battery. So, let us have a look at solar battery voltage while charging. The voltage required for charging a solar battery varies depending on the battery type and the stage of charging. Typically, 12-volt solar panels produce around 16 to 20 volts of output, which can easily lead to overcharging of the batteries if left unregulated. To prevent this, a charge controller or charge regulator is used. Its purpose is to regulate the voltage and current flow from the solar panels to the battery, ensuring that the batteries are not overcharged. The charge controller acts as a voltage and/or current regulator, effectively managing the charging process. To fully charge, most batteries need between 14 and 14.5 volts.
Also See: Why My Solar Battery is Draining Fast: Reasons and Solutions
How to Know if Solar Battery is Fully Charged?
It is important to know if the battery is fully charged to avoid overcharging as it can harm them. Here are some ways in which you can determine if the battery is fully charged or not.
1. Charge Controller
The voltage that enters the battery is controlled by the solar charge controller. At the point when the battery needs to charge, it enters a high charging stage where the volts go up to 14.4 to 14.6 volts and afterward retains the current provided. At the point when the battery has ingested most of the charge it needs, the voltage goes down to a float level of 13.4-13.7 volts.
Quality charge controllers that have a display screen will show the voltage of the battery and, based on that voltage, whether or not it is fully charged. The battery will be full if it reaches the float level. A light display on many charge controllers without screens will show whether the controller is in the bulk, absorption, or float phases and when the battery becomes full. A charge controller should prevent the panels from overcharging the battery, but if one is not connected to your system, checking the charge of the batteries becomes even more crucial.
2. Inverters
Assuming you are running AC-fueled gear from your battery, you will require an inverter to change over the battery’s DC power. The highlights of your inverter will decide how much data about the battery can be accumulated from it. A few inverters have a showcase screen that will give data about the battery’s charge level, and you can check whether it is full or charging. Different inverters without a display screen could have a sound/light system warning when the battery is running excessively low or potentially demonstrating when the battery is either full or charging.
3. Voltmeter
A voltmeter is a device that measures the electric potential that exists between two points. To check a battery’s charge, you should interface a voltmeter to the dark and red ports of the battery. In order to obtain an accurate reading, the battery should be rested and not have been charged or delivered charge for a couple of hours. A 12-volt battery should give you a reading between 11 and 13 volts. A reading of 13 volts indicates that the battery is fully charged, whereas a reading of 11 volts indicates that the battery is essentially dead. You can get an accurate reading from voltmeters with either an analog or digital display.
Also Read: Solar Battery Charging Basics: Maximizing Efficiency and Safety
4. Multimeters
Multimeters can quantify the voltage as well as current, resistance, and other different things that could mean quite a bit to be familiar with your battery’s condition. It works and is associated with the battery in fundamentally the same manner that the voltmeter is. To focus on the charge in the battery, you should understand what kind of meter you have. If your meter has a digital display, you must select the voltage setting. If your meter has an analog display, you must check the voltage indicator. The exactness of computerized meters most frequently outperforms that of simple meters.
5. Hydrometers
This meter must be utilized for flooded lead-acid batteries as the need might arise to take estimations from the liquid inside the battery. Also, the battery can only be measured in this way after it has been charged and discharged and new water has been added to it. The water requires this to successfully blend in with the electrolyte in the battery as really at that time will it give an accurate reading of the electrolyte density. The amount of sulfuric acid in the liquid determines its density. The greater the concentration of sulfuric acid, the higher the density, and therefore the charge.
This article provided you with the answer to what is the best way to charge a solar battery without harming them. Its voltage is an important factor to consider during the process. Keep in mind the insights provided and you can ensure that your batteries remain safe.
Recommended: Solar Panel Inverter Humming Noise Causes and Solutions
