Bp Solar Panel
How do I wire a 24V Solar Panel to a 12V battery bank?
I have a 24V 165W Bp Solar Panel. I plan on using eight 12V 35 amp hour sealed golf cart batteries in parallel for my battery bank. I plan on purchasing a charge controller and an inverter for my system, but I am not sure which charge controller and inverter to purchase. Will any 12V charge controller work? Do charge controllers take higher voltages, 24V in this case, and step it down for the battery bank? My primary concern is whether 24V is too much voltage to go into a 12V battery bank. If you guys have any suggestions for affordable efficient charge controllers and inverters, please let me know.
This system will be used to power a computer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Most any charge controller will work as long as the input voltage is rated to handle the open circuit voltage of your panel, which may be in the 40V range. The solar panel’s voltage will drop to match the load during charging; it just won’t be as efficient as it could be unless you get a controller with maximum power point tracking (MPPT). MPPT will get the most power from the panel and convert it to the proper charging voltage for your battery bank.