Categories
Misc.
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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
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:
Calculate the Ampere per hour of the charger: 15 Watts /12 Volts = 1,25 Amperes
Calculate the division: 50 amp hours / 1,25 ampers = 40 Hours of direct sunlight
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, make 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.
The author - Barbara Young writes on
<a
href="http://www.12voltsolarpanels.net/rv-solar-panels-101-ultimate-guide-12-volt-battery-charging">camper
solar power</a> in her personal hobby site 12voltsolarpanels.net.
Her efforts are centered on helping people save energy using solar
energy to lower CO2 emissions and energy dependency.
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