Power Geeks! I need your help!!

[BeardyMan]

[Prepper1]

Thats the same setup I'm getting.
I've got the array just not got a battery yet.
I wasn't going to use a charge controller as I've read that there only for arrays pumping out more juice than the battery can handle.
The controller thereby reducing it to a safe charge level.
But the array we've got is just a trickle type so produces less than the maximum allowed charge anyway.
It's something that's supposed to be left on constantly trickling into the battery.
I think theoretically if your battery was fully charged and the array was keeping it topped up, you just have to be careful not to take out more than the charger puts in.
The array I think produces 4 watts which is 0.33 amps @ 12volts so tha'ts not a lot of charge.
I used an online converter for that reading so....I presume that would charge at 0.33 amps per hour?

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therefore I presume you couldn't take more than 0.33 amps per hour out? or slightly less to maintain a small charge say 0.30?
Just my idea of the situation, I was going to try and combine at least another two or three of these arrays as money allows to help boost the charge rate and also let me run more stuff.
I maybe talking boll**ks I'm not sure, maybe an expert can tell us...

[Straight Shooter]

I,m off to maplins tomorrow to get a set up simular to yours

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let you know what i pick up

[BeardyMan]

I,m off to maplins tomorrow to get a set up simular to yours

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let you know what i pick up

NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
DON'T go to MAPLINS!!!
Get it off ebay. The identical solar panel in Maplins is £39.99! Ebay it's £19.99.

So does anyone know if I need a charge controller? I think I do, I don't want the battery trying to charge up the solar panel...

[Prepper1]

Ha!!! I got mine off ebay for the princely sum of £2.80!!!
Well lucky, mind you it was local pick up only so that helped I think.
Love the ebay!!

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I,m off to maplins tomorrow to get a set up simular to yours

---

let you know what i pick up

NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
DON'T go to MAPLINS!!!
Get it off ebay. The identical solar panel in Maplins is £39.99! Ebay it's £19.99.

So does anyone know if I need a charge controller? I think I do, I don't want the battery trying to charge up the solar panel...

It has a thing on it to stop reverse flow to the panel from the battery.
cant remember the tech name, think its a diode.

[BeardyMan]

£2.80?! Jesus. Can I give you a shopping list

Cool, so that should stop the discharge from the battery then. Dog ate the paperwork that came with the panel, so haven't got a clue on the specs!

Ha!!! I got mine off ebay for the princely sum of £2.80!!!
Well lucky, mind you it was local pick up only so that helped I think.
Love the ebay!!

---

I,m off to maplins tomorrow to get a set up simular to yours

---

let you know what i pick up

NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
DON'T go to MAPLINS!!!
Get it off ebay. The identical solar panel in Maplins is £39.99! Ebay it's £19.99.

So does anyone know if I need a charge controller? I think I do, I don't want the battery trying to charge up the solar panel...

It has a thing on it to stop reverse flow to the panel from the battery.
cant remember the tech name, think its a diode.

[Prepper1]

[BeardyMan]

Cheers Prepper1

[Skvez]

A general rule of thumb is that if the Watts of your panel (4 in this case) is smaller than the Ah of your batter (7 in this case) then you probably don't need a charge controller as the solar panel is too small to overcharge the battery. It will probably be able to do very little more than compensate for self-discharge.
However on a series of very sunny days in the summer if you're not taking power off the battery I'd check the Voltage as the two numbers are close.