
This is the ideal scenario and can happen during summer and in the right spots. You can charge a 35ah battery in a day and half and a 50ah in two. If your solar panel output averages close to 40 watts an hour and there are 6 to 7 hours of sun, your battery will get 19.8 amps a day. The disparity between solar panel output and rating occurs during cloudy days, so make adjustments to the charge time.

If the sky is overcast the panel output could drop to 20 watts on average.

If the battery is lead acid and you recharged it at 50%, it will take 4 days to fill. Provided the weather holds, it will take 8 days to fully recharge the battery. At noon the solar panel output can reach 40 watts, but as the afternoon goes on the output will drop to the 30s.Īssuming an average of 33 watts with 5 sun hours, that is 165 watts or about 13.7 amps a day. You have a 40 watt solar panel and a 12V 100ah battery. So what then is a realistic charging time like? There are many possible scenarios and the following are some examples. But unless the weather is perfectly sunny, topping the battery could take longer than expected. If you get 6 to 7 hours of the sun and you didn’t fully discharge the battery, charging could be even faster. If you camp out during summer and get 5 hours of sunlight, charging time will be close to this. The Newpowa 50W Solar Panel is perfect for charging 12V batteries, and the extra 10 watts might come in handy. Key to this is getting a quality solar panel. But again this assumes the solar panel produces peak output consistently. If the battery is discharged at 50%, it will take 3 to 4 days to charge. This is assuming the solar panel produces 200 watts / 3.3 amps a day. It will take a 40 watt solar panel 7 days to charge a 100ah 12 V battery. This is the maximum output you can expect, but it could be lower than that depending on the weather. Here are some examples.Ī 40 watt solar panel can supply up to 40 watts an hour. To get the most accurate estimate, you have to account for the battery size and how many hours of sunlight are available. How Long Does It Take a 40W Solar Panel to Charge a 12V Battery? A partially discharged battery can be recharged in even less time with 5 hours of sun available. But can it charge a 12V battery? And if so how long will it take? Knowing the solar panel’s output is necessary before you go camping with it, and that is what this guide is for.Ī 40 watt solar panel can charge a 12V 50ah battery in 3 days.

Solar panel to charge 12v battery portable#
For more details, click here.Ī portable 40 watt solar panel is ideal for camping and is light enough to carry. 1000W/13V = 76.9A, far higher than the max of your charge controller.As an Amazon Associate, this site earns commissions from qualifying purchases.
Solar panel to charge 12v battery series#
You could wire four 18V panels to get 72V, and wire two 36V panels in series to get 72V, but that combination would make 400W + 600W = 1000W total. Now, what if you have three 18V panels? Three in series would be 54V, so you could not put that in parallel with one 36V panel. So, that combination would be OK for your controller, because the max amperage is less than 40. So, your two parallel strings would be 5.5A at 36V and 8.33A at 36V, for a total of 13.83A at 36V. How many watts is that 36V panel? Let's say for example that it is a 300W panel putting out 8.33A at 36V. You could then wire one 36V panel parallel to the string of two 18volters because they are both putting out the same voltage. So, for example, let's say you put two 18V 100W panels in series, which will give you ~5.5A at 36V. You started out with 18V panels? How many? It is easy to parallel two strings of different voltage panels, as long as the string voltages are the same. So, whatever combination of panel strings you make, you don't want to go significantly past 40A. The maximal amperage is the amperage put out by the controller, into the batteries, and that is 40A. Very doable, though you need to pay attention to different numbers now.
