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Post by randyt on Aug 1, 2012 4:21:26 GMT -7
I've been thinking about a solar panel for primarily charging cordless tool batteries, maybe a light bulb or two too. I don't know if a 18 watt panel and a couple deep cycle batteries coupled with a OEM 12 volt charger would fill my needs. I'm not sure if I'm asking this question correctly. any thoughts for a illiterate solar newbie?
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Post by solargeek1 on Aug 1, 2012 5:18:20 GMT -7
PM TJ Wilhelm. He can help. Or Mark.
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Post by tjwilhelm on Aug 2, 2012 12:03:10 GMT -7
An 18W solar-PV module is only 18W at STC (Standard Test Conditions). Most of the time, when it's sunny, you'll be getting about 15W out of it.
This means you'll only have a charging current of just over one amp. What does it say on the existing charger for your 12V tool battery? The power supply should say how many amps it's feeding to the battery.
My sense is that, yes, this will work; but, it may take a tad longer to charge your battery than when it's plugged into the wall outlet. Also, you can probably skip the deep-cycle batteries and the OEM charger. You may just need a proper solar-PV charge controller to prevent overcharging of your tool battery.
WARNING: Check the charging specs on the battery BEFORE doing this. Different battery technologies require different charging profiles and parameters. Improper charging can trash a good battery, and can also be dangerous.
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