If you’re wondering if a solar panel will charge your dead battery, then the answer is yes.
A solar panel can be used for charging car batteries with some simple wiring and installation.
This works best in areas where there’s plenty of sunshine, so it might not work well everywhere.
This article will provide you with all the information you need about charging a car battery including will a solar panel charge a dead battery, what causes the battery to die, how to prevent your car battery from dying, and many more.
So without further ado, let’s jump right into it.
What Causes The Battery To Die?
There are several causes for batteries to die prematurely.
It’s no secret that batteries degrade with time and use. They lose capacity, meaning they hold less juice until the day you have to replace them.
This can be due to a number of reasons, but one of the most common reasons is heat.
Remember when you used to leave your cell phones in the car?
I know I used to all the time until it started happening to me. Leaving a device in extreme heat or cold will damage batteries and reduce their capacity, which means they won’t last as long between charges.
Another thing that causes devices with Lithium-ion batteries to die early is faulty chargers.
Cheap phone chargers don’t deliver the same level of charge as the quick chargers that come with your device (and another reason why 90% of people need a quick charger).
If you’re using a cheap aftermarket charger to power up your smartphone, laptop, or tablet then it’s slowly destroying the battery and reducing its capacity, which means you need to charge it more often.
Additionally, Leaving your battery depleted for an extended period of time – like when you’re on vacation and don’t have a charger or access to electricity – can also cause problems and reduce the capacity and lifespan of the cells inside your device.
The same goes for laptops, tablets, and other devices that use rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries. If you’re going to be away from the action for a long time, make sure your device is charged up and ready for action before you leave.
Can I Charge A Car Battery With A Solar Panel?
Yes, but not always.
If the battery is completely drained then it may not be possible to start the charger with this drained battery since there will be no electrical energy present in the battery.
However, if only a small amount of energy has been used up by the device and there is still enough charge in the battery for one or two more uses, then the solar charger may be able to start using that small amount of energy.
Related article: Can I Overcharge A Battery With A Solar Panel?
How Does The Solar Battery Charger Work?
The solar battery charger consists of a solar panel, a circuit board with a power management system, and a rechargeable battery.
In normal conditions when there is light energy from sunlight or other sources present, this energy goes through the solar panel and is converted into electrical energy.
This electrical energy will be stored in a rechargeable storage device such as a lead-acid battery, lithium-ion batteries, etc.
This is the energy that will be used to charge any device that needs electrical energy such as mobile phones or digital cameras.
Related article: Can A Solar Panel Discharge A Battery?
How To Charge Your Dead Batteries
There are two ways to bring your dead batteries to life again:
A- Juicing your battery
You should be aware that these lithium-ion cells can fall into a condition known as sleep mode. This occurs when the battery is drained too much and it’s confused with your cell phone dying! Usually, if you leave an already discharged battery in its designated load for longer periods of time without using it then eventually this will cause them to go into “sleep” where they won’t accept any charge anymore – yeah scary right?
Here’s how you can revive your dead cell phone battery!
- connect both negative terminals together and positive ones too, clip wires so they don’t cross each other.
- Place healthy in parallel circuit formation with dying one using crocodile clips if needed for stability- make sure not to exceed voltage limit or else things could be ugly.
- To test a dead lithium-ion battery, leave it in the state for about 15 minutes as you monitor progress.
- lookout for any signs of possible hazards like overheating and take voltage readings when done testing; if there is an increase from its previous level then this means your new batteries are ready to accept charge!
B- Alternative (USB cable)
Another alternative method includes using a USB cable. And here is how to apply it “
- Take an old, unused one and cut off the smaller end to expose wires inside before connecting red wire from positive terminal (red) with black negative strand(black). Leave setup plugged in for several minutes while monitoring it closely; if anything starts happening remove immediately!
- Charge the battery to its maximum capacity using a lithium-ion battery charger. It takes roughly 3 hours for a standard lithium-ion battery to charge to 100%, however, this varies depending on the size of the cells. You’ll need to discharge the battery once it’s fully charged. This can be accomplished by re-inserting the battery into its load and completely draining it, but not below the voltage point.
- Once the lithium-ion battery is full, you should place it in an airtight plastic bag and seal it. Make sure there isn’t any moisture before putting your new batteries into storage for a while so that they don’t short circuit or damage other items around them if left exposed to water vapor over time.
- Once the battery is back to room temperature, you can then plug it into your lithium-ion battery charger and take away all of its power once more.
Related article: What Size Solar Panel To Charge A 12v Battery?
How To Make Your Battery Last Longer?
there are some tips that you can follow to make your battery last longer.
1. Avoid high temperatures. In the summer, don’t leave it in a parked car or in direct sunlight. In winter, don’t expose it to extremely low temps.
2. Keep your battery fully charged when you are using it and about half-charged when in storage.
3. Never charge a frozen battery; let it thaw out first. And don’t try to charge a severely ” run down ” one either — it could overheat.
4. Keep your battery clean. Keep the top surface free of dirt, which can cause an electrical short circuit.
5. Use it regularly. Don’t let it sit on a shelf for months at a time.
6. If you use a car battery, be sure to take it out of the car and store it in a cool place during the winter.
7. Use only chargers compatible with your type of battery. The charger is designed to maximize the life of your battery.
8. Recharge a depleted battery as soon as you can. Don’t wait until it is too late and let it completely discharge.
Last words
A solar charger is a very important emergency device and may be able to help you start your car or charge your mobile phone, even if the regular electrical energy source fails.
We hope this article has cleared up any questions you might have about how solar battery chargers and answered your concerns.
If you still have any questions please share them with us.
