Charging batteries with solar energy

It's not just in solar home systems that solar energy is used to charge batteries. Lithium iron phosphate batteries are widely used in various fields due to their energy density as well as their performance. Especially in caravanning and camping, more and more people are choosing lithium iron phosphate batteries as a back-up energy source to meet the demand for electrical energy during the period.

When choosing remote areas for camping and RV travel, there may be potential risks if there is no way to use utility power, generators, etc. to power electrical appliances or communication devices. Choosing the right batteries, solar panels and other components to build a simple solar energy system can prevent you from falling into power shortages or even losing contact with the outside world during your trip.

Selecting a Battery

Types of batteries that can be used as a backup power source: Lead-acid batteries (SLA, AGM, GEL), Lithium iron phosphate batteries (LiFePO4)

Battery capacity
Estimate the total energy consumption of all devices on your trip and select the appropriate battery capacity (Ah). Calculate the total power consumption of all appliances per day (Wh) based on the rated power of the equipment (W), and the hours of use per day (h).
Battery capacity (Ah) = Total power consumption (Wh) / Voltage (RV appliances are usually 12V)
Battery capacity (Ah) indicates the amount of energy that can be stored in the battery.SANFOU 12V100Ah LiFePO4 battery stores 12V*100Ah=1200Wh of energy.
The required voltage is selected according to the actual demand.

Solar Panel
The wattage of the solar panel determines the charging speed of the battery. Usually 12V battery needs to be charged with a solar panel with an output voltage of 16-18V.
Select the right solar panel according to the battery to ensure efficient charging.
Sunshine duration
The use of solar panels is greatly affected by the time of day. This varies depending on your geographic location and the seasons in which you receive solar energy. Most areas have an average of 4-6 hours of peak sunlight.
Energy produced per solar panel (Wh) = Wattage of solar panel (W) * Average peak sunlight hours in your location (h)
Based on this value you can estimate the size of solar panel wattage you need and the number of solar panels you need.

Charging efficiency
The conversion efficiency of solar panels to convert solar energy into electricity is 75%-85%, as there is a certain amount of energy loss in the system wiring and components. Knowing the conversion efficiency, you can avoid lowering the battery charging efficiency by choosing a solar panel size that is not suitable.
Pay attention to the compatibility of solar panels and batteries, according to the above we mentioned the 12V solar panel output voltage between 16-18V (to make up for the loss of charging efficiency, the voltage is higher than the battery voltage), we have to pay attention to the battery charging voltage to match the size of the panel output voltage. Too much voltage and too little can not achieve the desired charging effect, large voltage will lead to battery damage. Take SANFOU 100W solar panel and SANFOU 12V100Ah LiFePO4 battery as an example, when using the 100W solar panel to charge the battery, due to the battery charging voltage of 14.6V, it is not possible to use the solar panel to charge the battery directly to avoid too high a voltage causing damage to the battery.
In order to solve this problem, a solar charge controller is used to regulate the energy input to the battery to prevent overcharging.

Charge Controller
Regulates the voltage and current of the solar panel and monitors the battery charging process to prevent overcharging and damage to the battery.
The main types of charge controllers are PWM and MPPT, take SANFOU 2430 MPPT as an example, the tracking efficiency and conversion efficiency is up to 97% and 98%, it is suitable for 12V,24V battery system, tracking the maximum power point of the solar panel, it can improve the solar conversion efficiency and charging efficiency.
Pay attention to adjust the MPPT parameters according to the type of battery you are using to match the battery type.

Conclusion
Choosing the right size of solar panel can charge the battery more efficiently and safely. The purpose of this article is to help you better choose the right solar panel and related components to improve the efficiency of solar energy to charge the battery and build a suitable solar system.
Activities
SANFOU launched a lot of promotional activities, launched SANFOU 12V200Ah Plus, MPPT and other new products, during the activity period in SANFOU OFFICIAL SITE, AMAZON, Fnac can be purchased at a discounted price SANFOU lithium iron phosphate battery.