6 Responses to “Solar panel 50 watts to charge controller and 12 volt battery?”

1. Timothy L says:

   August 1, 2011 at 10:29 am

   You didn’t mention the inverter to provide mains 230AC from the battery. The Solar panel will not give 50 watts all day – at this time of year less then half. So assuming its summer, its bright sunshine, your panel will give 50 watts for 8 hours maybe. This means the battery can only give back 50 watts for 8 hours, less the losses from the mains inverter and charge controllers, which are not 100% efficient. So the setup just might run the fridge for about 2 hours and the heater for half an hour, assuming its a 1kw heater and that the inverter will cope with load.
2. Bob S says:

   August 1, 2011 at 10:29 am

   Depends on the amp-hour rating of the battery and how much current the heater and refrigerator draw.
3. SolidAxle says:

   August 1, 2011 at 10:29 am

   If your inverter has enough capacity to carry these appliances, about 2 minutes. (I’m assuming a 1500 watt heater and a full size home fridge)
4. HANDI MAN says:

   August 1, 2011 at 10:29 am

   Is your appliance a 12 volt unit. If so, it should run them for 12 hours or more. That is what they are design for. If you are talking about running a 110 appliance off of a 12 volt battery and an inverter ( inverts 12 volts to 110 volts ) forget about it. It won’t last long enough to be worth plugging in.
5. Peter W says:

   August 1, 2011 at 10:29 am

   50 watts is enough to power a small light-bulb. Period.

   Even a 12V automotive refrigerator takes about 120 watts or so. The typical plug-in type electric heater takes up to 1,500 watts.

   A moderately large car battery with a 60AH rating will produce about 120 watts for about 6 hours. Using an inverter and figuring no inverter losses and a 100% efficient battery (it isn’t), it will run your heater for about 30 seconds.

   You will be charging the battery at a rate of 0.3A. Assuming no losses, again, it will take 400 hours of direct sunlight for a full recharge. In reality, that charge rate amounts to a trickle-charge – enough to keep a fully charged battery in that state if there is no load. But the natural discharge rate of a lead-acid battery overnight will very nearly equal the amount of charge you are putting into it.

   Not gonna happen.
6. earthforsolar says:

   August 1, 2011 at 10:29 am

   WOW,lots of different Answers from people!!
   lets say you go to walmart and by a max 125 AH that is 125 amps for one hour if you drain it all the way
   and you should not but for doing this we are, We have to do are calculations with 12 volt because that is where we are getting the power from so 1500 watt div 12 volts = 125 amps so are battery is 125 AH
   So you should be able to run the heater for about one hour but i would only take the battery drain down to 3/4 on a deep cycle so may be a good 40 min ?? give or take

   just remember when your figuring this you use the power of the battery if it 12 volt are 24 volt not 110

   your making 110AC your taking it from 12 volt DC

   THANKS,
   David
   http://www.solarcells101.com