It is easy to see the benefits of solar battery chargers - they allow you to recharge gadgets and even car batteries without an external electrical source.
There are also some subtler benefits. For example, once manufactured, solar cells do not generate any emissions, waste, or byproducts.
Although solar chargers function very well, they do have some limitations. Firstly, the power of a solar battery charger cannot be compared to a regular battery charger. These chargers are not as powerful, so it takes more time to charge the batteries.
Secondly, a solar charger gives out minimal current, so it is more useful for maintaining a charge rather than charging a completely dead battery. So, you must be careful if you are thinking of relying entirely on a solar battery charger.
Using solar battery chargers in smaller devices is still more comfortable than using them in bigger ones.
Solartab is an excellent example of such a product. It has a 13,000 mAh battery, which is more than any average smartphone and has an output power which is the minimum amount that a smartphone uses. This advanced solar charger stores enough power to be used later. The device can be carried around easily because it is flat and can easily fit next to an iPad. Moreover, the Solartab solar phone charger is so good that it only takes two hours to charge a fully discharged iPhone 6 completely.
However, you’ll need to feed the charger with 12 hours of direct sunlight to charge it completely.
Solartab is efficient as a solar phone charger, but for charging a 12 Volt battery, things work slightly different. To charge a 12 Volt battery, you require around 10 amps of DC input every time there is an output of 100 watts.
A 10 amp charger will need about 6 hours to recharge a completely dead battery. Similarly, the requirements will be higher for a 24 Volt battery.
Nevertheless, there are many advantages to solar chargers too. One of the best things about them may be that they are low-powered, so they work well as maintenance chargers.
A solar battery charger can also be a lifesaver in case of sudden battery discharge. It can help in prolonging the battery life of a stationary vehicle. And of course, they are also eco-friendly so they can help you reduce your carbon footprint.
So, it can be worth the investment, after all.
Some of the best 12 Volt battery chargers are DuraVolt 20W Marine Solar Battery Charger, Battery Tender Solar Charger, DuraVolt Magnetic Battery Maintainer, and some others. Other good ones are NOCO Battery Life 2.5-Watt and ALLPowers Portable Solar Battery chargers for cars.
Is A Solar Battery Necessary For My Solar Energy System?
The short answer is…YES. But, where to start your journey to find the right battery for your system is another question altogether. There are so many options available, all designed for different types and sizes of systems, that if you are new to solar technology, it can make your head spin. That is where we come in. As educators, our goal is to create a resource for the average person (without a degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or Math) to be able to compare the pros and cons of the different battery types and their long-term operating cost.
