High battery voltage

[john.b]

Hi, i've just built a solar tracker as an experiment and have powered the two actuators with a 7ah sealed battery (NP7-12) the type you find as a backup in security alarms, i bought a small 20w solar panel that moves with the tracker to keep this battery charged. both panel and battery are new.
We have bright sun here today and i've noticed the battery voltage is sitting at 17.30v. is this to high ? is it going to kill the battery? or is it with in a safe limit.

Thanks
john

[Mike90250]

That is way high for a 12v battery. Do you use a charge controller, or is the panel wired directly to the battery ?

Your battery is a bit undersized for that size panel, 12v 10ah would be a better match to the panel and not be charging the battery so hard

[SunEagle]

Hi, i've just built a solar tracker as an experiment and have powered the two actuators with a 7ah sealed battery (NP7-12) the type you find as a backup in security alarms, i bought a small 20w solar panel that moves with the tracker to keep this battery charged. both panel and battery are new.
We have bright sun here today and i've noticed the battery voltage is sitting at 17.30v. is this to high ? is it going to kill the battery? or is it with in a safe limit.

Thanks
john

John. If you have connected the panel directly to the battery you will end up cooking it. That is why a Charge Control (even a cheap one) is something you need to control both the voltage and charging amps to a battery.

[john.b]

Hi Guys, thanks for getting back, the panel is connected direct to the battery without charge controller, the panel had two alligator clips for direct connection so i just assumed it would be regulated, that said i think it's for a car as it also come with a cigarette lighter type connection so maybe for a bigger battery, i have a PWM charge controller so will try that tomorrow.

Thanks again
Take care
john

[SunEagle]

Hi Guys, thanks for getting back, the panel is connected direct to the battery without charge controller, the panel had two alligator clips for direct connection so i just assumed it would be regulated, that said i think it's for a car as it also come with a cigarette lighter type connection so maybe for a bigger battery, i have a PWM charge controller so will try that tomorrow.

Thanks again
Take care
john

Keep us informed on how you make out with the CC.

[john.b]

Keep us informed on how you make out with the CC.

Sorry you will have to forgive me i'm quite new to solar, CC ??

[john.b]

Ah penny just dropped Charge Controller,

[Yet another Yeti]

The forum software clips many special characters .
Try again with typing full names .

[john.b]

Hi, just a quick update on the battery voltage after using the PMA charge controller, over the last few days it's been quite overcast and the voltage has been sitting around 12.8v today was real sunny and the voltage hit 14.2v at best so i'd think that's now in the save zone.

Thank you all again for your help much appreciated

Take care
john