Solar pannel query

[Woody girl]

Hi, I have an old 14 Yr old solar suitcase pannel that I've barely used, it's been in store under the spare bed for years(14)
I'm wondering how I can find out if its still working and viable. It has crocodile clips to connect to a leasure battery.
I've lost all the paperwork that came with it, so I can't now remember what wattage it was, probably about 10 watts, not great compared to today's offerings, but if its still useable, I'd like to possibly connect it up to a 12 volt battery, and try to build a mini solar system.
I have a car charger type socket to connect to the battery for a small car cool box, which was what I got it for origionaly.
I'm not great with technical stuff, so keep it simple. Thanks.
I've just ordered the small plug and play jackery 240, I had been saving for a bigger one but prices have gone up to stupid while I've been saving, so I'd like to be able to set up a supplementary system to the jackery.

 

[Woody girl]

OK, found the old box. Details I can glean from that are
13w
Includes 4 A charge regulator
Charges 3v 6v and 12 v appliances
I've just set it up and there is a blue light in the corner, so I guess it's working.
So, what do I need now, to get a system to charge a phone. ?
Will a normal battery work, or does it have to be a leasure one.?
Will it overcharge a normal one?
What do I need to buy to be able to use it to charge a phone, etc other than a car charger?
Is it possible to change the Croc clips to the battery for something else, like a USB thing to charge a phone straight from the panel instead of involving a battery, and car charger, seems those bits have gone awol. or is that a bad idea?
Told you I was stupid when it comes to tech!..

 

[TLM]

The easy way and fairly safe would be to set it to charge a 12V motor cycle lead battery and then connect a car USB charger into that. One has to first check that the output of the panel/charger is about 14V empty and also be sure of the polarities with the battery and USB charger. Hmmm ... easier to do than explain.

 

[knowledge=gain]

it is most likely still going to work

there are a couple of ways to test

best way and moving forward with you solar project

if you have or know someone with a multi-meter that would be my first option to test with as that will tell you the values as there are in real time, multi-meters are as cheap as chips these days if one [1] had to purchase plus will be handy for building your solar-system for diagnosing purposes

multi-meters start around £8.60 on ebay for new and they last a lifetime, i still have my late dads and it works like new and always needed in the homestead

this video will help if you need a visual

as we do not know what you have access to

i would hook up a 12v vehicle bulb to the solar panel to test with [two [2] wires and a bulb holder and a known working bulb is all that is needed [reverse polarity will not matter for bulb testing]

sorry i cannot think of other ways off the top of my head

i know others will help

 

[Woody girl]

The easy way and fairly safe would be to set it to charge a 12V motor cycle lead battery and then connect a car USB charger into that. One has to first check that the output of the panel/charger is about 14V empty and also be sure of the polarities with the battery and USB charger. Hmmm ... easier to do than explain.

I know! Especially to a tech numty like me.
So to recap so far. A lead acid battery, a multimeter to read the actual voltage that the pannel is generating, and then I'm stumped as to what I need to buy to get the power from battery to phone.
My old car battery charger plugged straight into the car socket, so what do I need to buy to get the power from the battery to the car charger socket. I'm going to have to buy a new car charging thing anyway, as my old one isn't USB and the plug to the phone is wrong. Far too big, used years ago for an old non Internet phone.

 

[knowledge=gain]

you posted your update while i was looking for the video i posted

Will a normal battery work, or does it have to be a leasure one.?

yes a normal battery will work, and does lead to your next question

Will it overcharge a normal one?

it can do, if there is no regulator, yet for short term testing it should be fine

What do I need to buy to be able to use it to charge a phone, etc other than a car charger?

you can get all sorts of attachments with various connections on such us usb cigar-lighter [your local car accessory place will most likely have what you need]

Is it possible to change the Croc clips to the battery for something else, like a USB thing to charge a phone straight from the panel instead of involving a battery, and car charger, seems those bits have gone awol. or is that a bad idea?

in short yes

you can change them to what you most used connection is likely to be or for a more universal approach a cigar-lighter-socket

Told you I was stupid when it comes to tech!..

on the contrary

if one [1] does not know the subject and is willing to learn that makes them the complete opposite in all fairness

 

[knowledge=gain]

My old car battery charger plugged straight into the car socket, so what do I need to buy to get the power from the battery to the car charger socket

whereby the solar panel is hooked up direct to the battery it should then be normal process as for using the cigar-socket in the car and no need to purchase anything special

I'm stumped as to what I need to buy to get the power from battery to phone.

same process as you are doing now albeit with the solar-panel putting power into the car battery

 

[TLM]

As the panel says it can supply 3V and 6V too one has to check that first so it is set for 12V (that means about 14.5V unloaded at the panel end.) A multimeter even a very cheap one works wonderfully in this case, measuring DC voltages and polarities is about as basic as possible.

Being stupid means not knowing and still doing, asking does not go under stupid.

Yes a cigar lighter socket USB charger is the one you want.

The very rough rule for lead acid batteries is that if the panel output in Watts is less than or equal to the battery capacity in Ah then overloading is usually not a problem.

 

[Broch]

The panel will probably be designed to drive a 12v Lead Acid battery and not overcharge the battery. If you have the make and model number we can check it out.

Just get one of these and connect a normal car charger for your phone:

12v Accessory Socket With Battery Clamps Crocodile Clips : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

Buy 12v Accessory Socket With Battery Clamps Crocodile Clips at Amazon UK. Free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[Broch]

This is the circuit (for avoidance of any confusion).

A typical modern phone battery has around 5Ah capacity - so, if you have a 50Ah M/C battery, you could charge your phone around 10 times from it before it needs recharging (probably nearer 8 times due various inefficiencies).

 

[Broch]

A typical modern phone battery has around 5Ah capacity - so, if you have a 50Ah M/C battery, you could charge your phone around 10 times from it before it needs recharging (probably nearer 8 times due various inefficiencies).

Actually, sorry, forget that (I replied in a rush) - a typical phone battery is around 4v (probably 3.8) so has a power capacity of 20Wh (watt hours; 4v x 5Ah); the M/C battery has a power capacity of 600Wh (12v x 50Ah) - so theoretically can charge your phone around 30 times (ignoring efficiencies)!

 

[Woody girl]

Thanks guys,
I think I can make it work now,
Just got to find a battery I can afford, having just forked out for the jackery, (much more my style..plug and play)
But I thought I should also have a back up, and while clearing out my spare room, came across the long forgotten panel which my partner used to play with, so I left him to it,
(I know chaps like to feel they are the more technical and in this case its true!)
But now being on my Todd, I'm having to learn new skills , and not having someone to show me, it's a bit daunting, I guess in the same way many chaps would feel being given a ball of wool and needles and asked to produce a sweater.
Still, I'm sure I can crack this.
I will do so!
Thanks.
Next week I will get the few bits I need when I go to town with my friend, and will get it up and running just in time for the sun to dissappear and rain to set in.......

 

[Woody girl]

whereby the solar panel is hooked up direct to the battery it should then be normal process as for using the cigar-socket in the car and no need to purchase anything special

same process as you are doing now albeit with the solar-panel putting power into the car battery

I don't have a car, so it will be a freestanding battery.
It will be the sort of set up you can bring out into the garden on a sunny day, and put away again when you are finished with it.

 

[knowledge=gain]

I don't have a car, so it will be a freestanding battery.
It will be the sort of set up you can bring out into the garden on a sunny day, and put away again when you are finished with it.

sorry i misunderstood and thought you meant from a car

in that case all you will need is a cigar-lighter-socket and wire to the battery red to + and black to - with an inline switch

it is best to get one with a fuse on the red lead not the black lead as it will give you added protection for the things you are going to hook up

then get the connections you need with a cigar-plug on the other end some come with usb and a double cigar-socket

the cigar-socket and plugs makes for easy swap over for various items

here are some ideas to see what kind of things are available and here for some other versions

 

[Woody girl]

This is the circuit (for avoidance of any confusion).

A typical modern phone battery has around 5Ah capacity - so, if you have a 50Ah M/C battery, you could charge your phone around 10 times from it before it needs recharging (probably nearer 8 times due various inefficiencies).

View attachment 75405

That is a perfect illustration for what I had in mind.
I've managed, after lots of ferreting in boxes to find the car socket, but I'm missing the... connection for that to the battery,.... wiring.
I can plug it straight into the solar pannel, by removing the Croc clips and plugging into the panel wires.... does that make sense? but that wouldn't work would it? Straight from pannel to the car socket?
Sorry, just trying to figure it out without the origional paperwork.
I'll ferret around a bit more tomorrow, but as ithat bit wasn't in with the other stuff, I'm not sure where it was put.

I think I bought it from maplins? A store that I think is now no more I seem to vaugly remember .
The name on it is topray solar, and its around 14, or 15 years old.

 

[Woody girl]

More ferreting around in the spare room found the missing voltage regulator and a few other very old car charger plugs for obsolete phones. In an old battery lantern box! Thought I'd found an extra lantern for the expected winter power cuts.
So, after much puzzling this morning, I think I have it all set and ready for a battery.
The pannel is now connected to a little box with three cables out, researching the symbols, I now have power in ,load, and battery, cables connected.
I also found a thing...3 car cigarette sockets, marked 12v on one side and 24v on the other side of the socket hole and two USB sockets, of different ratings, (I think) so I think I may be ready to roll... the USB sockets are marked, sv2 1a, and sv1a does it matter which I use for my phone?
Are lead acid batteries the only option? I do have a spare gel m/cycle 12 volt battery.
I could try with that, but won't untill someone can tell me I won't b$$$$r it up.
Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[Broch]

Your gel battery should work fine - it just means it has a gel as the electrolyte instead of liquid acid. I have no idea what sv2, 1a, and sv1a stand for, sorry. However, all USB has 5v on the same connector pin.

However, I suspect what you have is a 24v/12v DC-DC converter that allows truckers to run car 12v gear from their truck. It's not something you need for your current setup unless your solar panel is nominal 24v - in which case you'll need two 12v batteries in series and the DC-DC converter to drop the voltage down to 12v and the USB connection.

 

[TLM]

Are lead acid batteries the only option? I do have a spare gel m/cycle 12 volt battery.

If you have a voltage regulator ( outing 12-14V) after the panel it would be possible to connect the socket directly to the panel. BUT if not the open circuit voltage of the panel might be a bit much for the USB voltage regulator. The battery is there to act as a reservoir and a voltage regulator as it draws down the panel voltage to reasonable levels.

 

[Woody girl]

Ah, so I'm not quite as set as I thought.
As I said, this was partners man toy once, so it's possible that the car ciggie plug, USB thingy is one of his bright ideas for running his mini fridge and other stuff from his old landy. I don't have a mini fridge anymore, but often thought I might get one. Maybe, if the money fairies let me I will, so I'll keep it.
so, still need a car ciggies socket with USB, rather than a truckers one..

I've been watching lots of yt on this sort of thing, but I'm still a bit confused, I'm the sort of learner that likes to be shown in the flesh, so as to speak. But I think I'm beginning to get the idea.
I'm fairly practical, but electronics and me don't tango too well!
I once worked for a computer manufacturer in the 70's and my first job was to put the plugs on the computers, last job before testing and packing... I was so proud, I did 400 in one day! ...got sack next day... I'd wired them all back to front!!! Nearly ruined thousands of £s worth of computers.
Boring job anyway!

 

[TLM]

After the smoke clears one should recheck the wiring ...