solar pannel with on off switch?

[Ryan8088]

I want to install a solar pannel on my cooler to keep a little 12v deer feeder battery charged. It will supply power to some LEDs and what not. I want to install a switch between the solar pannel and battery so I can charge with solar pannel when I want to and turn it off with the switch when I don't want to charge. Will the switch cause problems with charging or will it not come into effect with charging? Thanks.

[inetdog]

I want to install a solar pannel on my cooler to keep a little 12v deer feeder battery charged. It will supply power to some LEDs and what not. I want to install a switch between the solar pannel and battery so I can charge with solar pannel when I want to and turn it off with the switch when I don't want to charge. Will the switch cause problems with charging or will it not come into effect with charging? Thanks.

Well, Ryan, there are two possibilities here:


1. Your panel wattage is so low that the maximum current it will produce will not overcharge the battery and cause damage.
In that case, there is no point in turning it on and off, so the switch is superfluous.

2. The panel is high enough power that it might overcharge the battery if left on whenever the sun is shining.
In that case you need an automatic Charge Controller (CC) to do the job so that you will not cook your battery if you forget to turn off the switch.

A little more detain on the "deer feeder battery" and some information about the size panel you think you can fit on your cooler will help determine whether you are in case 1 or case 2.

[novawestsolar3]

Off Grid Solar Power System

1. Your panel wattage is so low that the maximum current it will produce will not overcharge the battery and cause damage.
In that case, there is no point in turning it on and off, so the switch is superfluous.

2. The panel is high enough power that it might overcharge the battery if left on whenever the sun is shining.
In that case you need an automatic Charge Controller (CC) to do the job so that you will not cook your battery if you forget to turn off the switch.

A little more detain on the "deer feeder battery" and some information about the size panel you think you can fit on your cooler will help determine whether you are in case 1 or case

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[PNjunction]

Hi Ryan

What is the voltage and AH rating of your existing oem deer-feeder battery? In reality, those are just small ups-style sealed agm's.

As such, if it is 12v, a small panel and a simple charge controller can be used. The recommendation here is to get a quality unit - some of the ones in the deer-feeders are bottom of the barrel, even though everyone says that agm's are made by only three companies.

Note that you won't need a switch when you are using a charge controller. It will protect the battery from overcharge, and also serves as a diode itself more of less to prevent damage to the panel at night.