Want to get a solar panel to charge my two batteries but am unclear on what peripherals I need. Beyond the panel itself, I expect I'll need a regulator, mounts, and associated wiring. Is there anything else I'll need to set this up? My knowledge of things electrical is minimal at best.
The panel I'm thinking of is the Uni-solar 32w. What size regulator do I need? The panel's operating current is 1.94 amps - does that mean a 2 amp regulator is the correct size? Any advice is greatly appreciated,
Dan
solar power peripherals
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Tom
Re: solar power peripherals
Yes, you wamt a regulator. In addition a couple of things which aren't absolutely necessary, but which help make it easy to use. Since you have two batteries on the boat you might want a couple of switches so that you can put all the charge in one battery or the other or charge both batteries at the same time. That way if you've run both batteries down you can put all the charge into one of them to get it up quickly to start the engine rather than splitting it. Also if you've had the lights on and run the "house" battery down you can put all the charge just in that battery.
In addition I put in an amp meter so I could read the charge that the panel is putting out. Sometimes you can orient the panels so as to get the most charge from the sun. Also if the panel ever goes defective you would know it's not putting out. Some regulators come with built in ammeters and switches but the little can type don't and you have to add them if you want them.
To figure the amps in a circuit you divide the volts into the watts. Since it's a 32 watt panel dividing 12 into that would seem to give 2.7 amps. However you say the operating amps are 1.94 so perhaps there is a little loss in the circuit which makes a 2 amp regulator correct. You might put a meter in the circuit to verify that it is actually putting out 1.94 amps. Note that you can't just put the meter between the wires. There has to be a load on the circuit with the ammeter inserted into one leg to read the amps.
They're pretty simple and foolproof and work surprisingly well.
TomCambria@mindspring.com
In addition I put in an amp meter so I could read the charge that the panel is putting out. Sometimes you can orient the panels so as to get the most charge from the sun. Also if the panel ever goes defective you would know it's not putting out. Some regulators come with built in ammeters and switches but the little can type don't and you have to add them if you want them.
To figure the amps in a circuit you divide the volts into the watts. Since it's a 32 watt panel dividing 12 into that would seem to give 2.7 amps. However you say the operating amps are 1.94 so perhaps there is a little loss in the circuit which makes a 2 amp regulator correct. You might put a meter in the circuit to verify that it is actually putting out 1.94 amps. Note that you can't just put the meter between the wires. There has to be a load on the circuit with the ammeter inserted into one leg to read the amps.
They're pretty simple and foolproof and work surprisingly well.
Dan wrote: Want to get a solar panel to charge my two batteries but am unclear on what peripherals I need. Beyond the panel itself, I expect I'll need a regulator, mounts, and associated wiring. Is there anything else I'll need to set this up? My knowledge of things electrical is minimal at best.
The panel I'm thinking of is the Uni-solar 32w. What size regulator do I need? The panel's operating current is 1.94 amps - does that mean a 2 amp regulator is the correct size? Any advice is greatly appreciated,
Dan
TomCambria@mindspring.com