How to Charge a Battery from Solar Panels?

When you charge a battery with solar panels, you can capture the energy of the sun and use it to power your life without any unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions along the way.

When setting up your off-grid clean energy generator, however, it can be challenging to know exactly how solar batteries work and remain confident that your system is designed for peak performance.

In this article, we will explain how to charge a battery with solar panels before demonstrating how today’s portable storage technologies are designed specifically for fast and efficient mobile renewable power.

From the Sun Rays to Your Battery Bank

To charge a battery with solar panels, all that you need to get started is a few pieces of equipment and the free and infinite power of the sun. Below, will outline exactly how to charge a battery from solar panels in three simple steps.

Step 1: Solar Power Generation

Now before you can do anything with solar power, you have to generate the actual electricity in the first place. Solar power is generated whenever sunlight hits a set of photovoltaic (PV) panels, with varying intensities of electricity production throughout the day, depending on the angle of the sun.

For an efficient solar power production system, strive to have your panels angled directly at the sun during peak sunlight hours, near midday and the afternoon. Peak sunlight hours may last anywhere from 3.5 to 6 hours and more based on where you live geographically.

To harness daily sunlight, you can either permanently affix your solar panels to mounting materials (either on your roof or in your yard) or set up a portable generator system. When charging batteries for RVs, boats, campsites, disaster relief, and other mobile devices, portable solar panels make it possible to charge your batteries on the go, wherever you go.

Step 2: Processing through the Charge Controller

After new electricity is generated in solar panels, it must pass through a charge controller before it reaches your battery. The charge controller, also known as the regulator, is a critical device for the safety and longevity of your renewable energy system.

Aptly named, a charge controller, well… controls the charge that the solar panels send to your battery. With this, charge controllers prevent batteries from overcharging, which can seriously damage your equipment and cause it to function less efficiently or not at all.

In the fascinating world of solar charge controllers, there are two basic technologies in use today for small portable solar energy systems and large renewable power installations alike. These two charge controller technologies are classified as Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT).

While PWM equipment is typically cheaper and can still be very effective, MPPT charge controllers are generally seen as the premium option for optimal solar battery charging. MPPT charge controllers are more advanced, in that they can better respond to the variable intensities at which solar power is generated throughout the day.

Step 3: Charging Your Battery Storage

Of course, the final step of how to charge a battery from a solar panel is complete when the electricity is finally fed into a storage reserve. No matter how many solar panels you have, from one to one million, your charge controller will be used to condition your electricity into a direct current with the voltage and amperage your battery can handle.

Once a battery is fully charged, the regulator will then stop sending new electricity into your storage reserve, even if the panels are still producing new power. Once stored in your battery, your solar power will likely need to pass through an inverter so that you can use the AC electricity to power common household appliances and electronics.

In off-grid systems that utilize DC electricity only (such as small USB chargers or high-powered EV charging stations) an inverter may not be necessary. Depending on how advanced your equipment is, you may be able to track the rate at which your solar panels are charging your battery, its current capacity, as well as how much power your devices are consuming in real time.

Tips for Optimal Battery Charging with Solar Panels

To charge a battery with a solar panel in the most energy- and cost-efficient manner, these tips will help you get the most bang for your buck in an off-grid power system.

Size Your Components with One Another

It's important to remember that not every solar panel can charge every battery. When installing your solar panels, charge controller, and battery bank together, the input rating of your regulator and storage should be matched to accommodate the maximum amount of power your solar panels could generate at any given time.

Use the Right Wire Gauge

No matter how much electricity your panels would like to send to your battery, the actual efficiency of your system will be determined by the size (or gauge) of your wires. Choosing the right wire size is critical when connecting your system components, and oversizing your wiring gauge is usually recommended to mitigate power losses and safely process your solar energy.

Install Your Panels in Direct Sunlight

Whether you are on the go or going solar right at home. try and always install your solar panels in direct sunlight. Even small amounts of shade can significantly drop a panel's efficiency to charge a solar battery, so always be conscious of where your panels are and consider cleaning them from time to time to decrease power losses from dirt, dust, or debris buildup.

Consider Premium Equipment

When going solar, like in many aspects of life, you get what you pay for. By investing in high-quality equipment with good operational efficiencies, long-lasting warranty periods, and credible performance guarantees, you will have a much better experience than with cheap parts prone to faults, breaks, and underperformance.

Consult a Professional

Don't forget, electricity is dangerous. If you are considering wiring your own solar panel and battery system, you may want to consult a professional if this is your first time in such an endeavor. For the safety of both yourself and your investment, talking to an electrician or someone with previous solar experience can save you a considerable amount of time, stress, and potential problems.

Solar Power Generator Charging & Discharging

When charging a battery with solar panels today, many people find that making use of a portable power station (also known as a solar generator) is an easy, efficient, and worthwhile way to store and use renewable electricity.

Developed by companies all over the world, solar power generators combine batteries, charge controllers, inverters, and other system components into one easy-to-use package. Available in many sizes and capacities (from small handheld systems to large, wheeled power stations), solar generators are often sold alongside solar panels to make new power generation and use possible anywhere the sun shines.

Advantages of Solar Generator Battery Charging

In a well-designed solar generator, all of the internal components have been preemptively matched to create an efficient energy production and storage system. Knowing this, setting up a solar generator presents a lower margin of error than installing a DIY system, which requires you to source and wire multiple components together.

Perhaps the most important advantage of most solar generators today, however, is that they are designed for portability. Often with a handle, wheels, or a convenient carrying case, charging a solar generator's battery typically means that you will be able to then transport it for use anywhere you can deliver it.

With efficient power on the go, solar generators are the preferred technology for many different uses including camper vans, campsites, workstations, disaster relief efforts, and other mobile power scenarios.

Solar Generator Battery Sizes and Panel Capacity

No matter how many solar panels you set up, the total capacity of your energy system will always be determined by the size of your battery. In an off-grid scenario, the capacity of your battery will dictate the amount of solar power you can store and use before new electricity can be generated.

Ultimately, the best size of your system components will be determined by the amount of energy you intend to use. If you would like to fill your entire battery capacity each day, always remember that you may only have around four peak hours of direct sunlight to generate that amount of power.

For example, let's say that you have a 500-watt solar panel setup. 500 watts of solar power can generate about 2 kWh (or 2000 watt-hours) per day, which is usually more than enough for most generator battery capacities. When in doubt, it is always recommended to oversize your solar system components, as they will slowly lose efficiency and energy capacity over time.

Using Your Solar Battery Power

Once your battery is charged, using your solar power is the final step of the energy cycle. With a solar generator's built-in inverter system, most portable power stations come equipped with the plugs and outlets you need to power the devices in your life. Alternatively, standalone solar inverters may also come equipped with AC plugs and other power outlets.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, knowing how to charge a battery from solar panels can help you unlock your off-grid dreams with renewable energy stored for whenever, whatever, and wherever you need. Tied together with a “plug and play” solar panel, a portable power station is one of the best ways to easily establish your solar system quickly, safely, and with guaranteed longevity.

If you are ready to explore your options, consider a Growattt portable power station for your clean energy generation, storage, and use.