Using Solar Chargers to Charge a 6 Volt Battery

The battery is one of the greatest inventions of the twentieth century. If it weren’t for the battery there would be no such thing as portable power. Yet one of the downfalls of the battery is that it, inevitably, runs out of charge. While you can use an electric battery charger to recharge your batteries, what do you do if the electricity is out or if you simply don’t want to waste it? You use a solar battery charger. This article will describe the steps required to set up a 6 volt battery with a solar battery charger so that you never have to use electricity to charge your batteries again.

Step 1 - Choosing a Solar Charger

You will want to find and purchase a solar charger designed to deliver a 6 volt current. Your charger should also come equipped with a blocking diode which will prevent battery discharge when the charger isn’t receiving adequate light. If the solar charger has a capacity of 6 watts or higher you will also need a charge controller. Charge controllers prevent overcharging, which could cause a leak or, at worst, a fire.

Step 2 - Setting Up the Charger and Battery

Figure out where your charger will receive the most sunlight with minimal amounts of wind. You will also need to make sure the charger and battery rest on a level surface where they will not be disturbed during the charging process. Inside of a window sill works but will probably require a longer charge since the sunlight will be indirect.

Step 3 - Connecting the Pieces

If your solar charger features multiple settings make sure it’s set to charge a 6 volt battery. Connect both the positive and negative leads from the charger to the corresponding positive and negative battery terminals in that order, positive before negative. If your solar battery charger didn’t come equipped with a charge controller connect your charge controller to both the solar charger and the 6 volt battery to ensure the proper regulation of voltage.

Step 4 - Wait

When it comes to solar battery chargers there is no set time for the charge. The time it takes varies depending on sunlight received and the power rating of your solar charger. Somewhere in the instruction manual that came with your solar charger the manufacturer should list some sort of estimation of how long the charge will take to complete. Some battery chargers will actually tell you how charged the battery is so if you want that added convenience be sure to buy such a model.

Tips

• Unless your battery charger is specifically designed for it, do not use it with lithium ion batteries. The charging process of lithium ion batteries makes them incompatible and dangerous to try charging with a normal solar battery charger.
• The more sunlight your charger receives, the more juice the battery will get on any given day so it’s best to choose sunny days where you can leave the charger in the sun as much of the day as possible.