how do i wire my solar panel to 2-6v batterys

[ryans01z28]

hi everyone, i have a game camera im trying to hook up and i want to use rechargeable batteries and a solar panel to keep it charged, now i bought all 6v 4.5Ah batteries and a 6v moultrie solar panel and when i got my game cameras i discovered the cameras were 12. so i can hook the batters in series keeping the amps down, but how do i hook up a 6v solar panel to this so it charges both evenly?

thanks

[Mike90250]

You are going to have to purchase another PV panel.

Before you spend any more $, do you know the power requirements for your camera?
Volts, amps (I guess we now know it's 12V)

To run off solar, you need to mount the panels in a shade free area, even a small shadow, will inhibit any power production in a small system.

You may be better off, buying a pair of 12V deep cycle batteries, and recharge one at home, and swap them out every week (or when they get low)

[ryans01z28]

Well it just says it a 12v camera. I have 8 solar panels for my cameras and 4 or 8 6volt batteries already. Do I need to hook 1-panel per battery or would hooking the baterys up in "parallel be better because then I can use 1panel but my amps will be higher and I risk smoking the camera or mayb that's not enough amps to fry them I don't know.

[Mike90250]

Do they give any indication of what size of battery would run the camera for how long ? It'd be bad to build up a system, and then find out it's only 1/3 the size it should be. Sadly, you generally find out when the battery is destroyed from over discharge.

Batteries in parallel. It's better to have 1 large battery, then 3 small ones in parallel.

more batteries in parallel won't blow up the camera, any more than changing a 100w light bulb, to a 15 w light bulb . The camera only pulls as much current (amps) as it needs.

[ryans01z28]

Well the cameras take 6 C-batterys. I have 4 or 5 cameras so buying 10 deep cycle batterys isn't going to happen. Useing these 6v ones would of been perfect if the camers we 6v so now I need to make it work

[Mike90250]

Well the cameras take 6 C-batterys. ...

How long do they run on the C batteries ? (we can search the web and find out the capacity of an average alkaline C battery.[ 8 amp hours] ) Then we can guess how large of PV and battery we need.

http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/E93.pdf

[ryans01z28]

I have no idea how long but if I hadto guess I'd say mabe 3mos or so depending on how many pics it takes I suppose

[Mike90250]

I have no idea how long but if I hadto guess I'd say mabe 3mos or so depending on how many pics it takes I suppose

2 months is 1440 hours and 8 amps comes up with about 6mAh consumed a day. Almost nothing.

So, you should be fine, hook 2, 6V batteries in series, you have 12V now

Now, lets explore the panels a bit more, any labels or stickers on them ?

[ryans01z28]

U know I'm not sure on the panel, I will have to check we I get home later 2day I see if there's anything on it. Its a moultrie 6v solar panel if you want to google it, I don't remb. Seeing anything when I looke at it

[Mike90250]

Google that tonight, and see what info you can find about it, it may have blocking diodes already. Need Volts and Amps info

[Naptown]

wouldn't 6 d cells be 9V? not 12

[ryans01z28]

If I just call the company I should ask them how many amps they use and volts??

[ryans01z28]

wouldn't 6 d cells be 9V? not 12

The other camera I have takes 4 C-batteries but accepts a 12v source but I see what your saying. I thought the samething too

[ryans01z28]

The other camera I have takes 4 C-batteries but accepts a 12v source but I see what your saying. I thought the samething too

I just went home & checked the back of the panel & package and there's nothing. I will call the company and ask how many amps it uses and volts
Here's the panle I'm working with if u ant 2see it

[ryans01z28]

Ok here's what I found out, I can hook the panel directly 2the camera and keep the 6 C-batteries in there and the camera will run off that at nite.

The panels are putting out around 5 amps also.

I also found out they ARE 9v and not 12 which is what I was thinking from the beginning. So now I still have to buy 6 C-batteries for it anyway. Wonder if there's a way to just use the 2-6volt batts and hook the panel up to them. I could zap 1battery a few times to kill the cells to rach my 9v I suppose