3v Solar Panel
Solar Panels: Watts, Amps, Volts, mA?
Solar Panel: Watts, Amps, Volts? mA?
What do these mean? I'm interested in doing a solar panel project. The problem is I know nothing about electricity, wiring, or panels so I've bought a small panel to experiment with first.
I don't know what amps, watts, or volts are; what I should be reading on the batteries I will be charging? Or on the small appliances I will be running?
The panel I bought has four settings:
1. 3V ---- 200mA
2. 6V ---- 100 mA
3. 9V ---- 50mA
4. 12V ---- 50 mA
(What is mA?)
Also, will you give examples of what I can run with this? Make up any scenarios with whatever amps/volts/watts.
Watt is the unit of measure for power used.
Ampere is the unit of measure for current.
Volt is the unit of measure for electromotive force.
mA is simply a miliamp, or one thousanth of an amp.
for the settings, waht they mean is that at:
3volts, you can pass 200mA of current
6volts you can pass 100mA
9volt-50mA etc.
The best use for solar panels is to charge batteries, then run whatever load you want off the batteries. whatever small appliance you want to use, should have on it something that will look the same as where you got the settings for your solar panels. Look at several and that will give you a sort of idea as to what you can run with the things.