PV Gap

Michelle Said:

Can solar storms affect wet cell batteries as well as dry cell batteries?

We Answered:

Solar storms reaching Earth may affect anything connected to a sufficiently long wire (e.g. telephone, telegraph, power line), but have _no_ direct effect on batteries of any sort, not even solar cells (unless they're outside the atmosphere).

Jeffrey Said:

Does it mean anything significant if the amount of water needed for four deep cell solar battery pack ----?

We Answered:

If I understand your question you have 4 total 6 volt batteries constituting a bank of 4 batteries in series/parallel, which should produce a high capacity 12 volt output. First of all I'm assuming that all of these batteries are in the same circuit and would be subject to the same loading and charging and they are wired correctly. That being the case I would be surprised if there was a great difference between any of the four batteries use of water. It sounds to me like if some of the same batteries are requiring lots of water at whatever interval you are checking there is a problem, especially if one or more of the others aren't. If this is the case my advice would be to contact the battery manufacturer and find out the proper process to equalize all four batteries. If you have one or more of these batteries using excessive water there is a problem. Remember this principal: When using two or more batteries your power is only as good as the weakest battery. That is why you always replace flashlight batteries together with two new ones. It sounds as though one or more of the batteries are sulphating, which will greatly reduce their capacity and generate excess heat boiling off the electrolyte prematurely. Check out my suggestion to equalize the batteries, which if they aren't too far gone will get them all back on equal footing again. Good luck.

Eileen Said:

Is it safe to charge batteries with 1W solar cell?

We Answered:

I think they will be ok, as the solar panel will not deliver more than 120 mA (NOT mAh) which is a low-medium charge rate for those cells. Even if they are fully charged, the power wasted would be 120mA x 1.5v = 180 mW, barely enough to get them warm.

But I'd check the actual current. And avoid overcharging.

What are you using diodes for? this is an all DC circuit. You should have one diode in series to prevent the battery from discharging through the solar cell when it is totally dark.

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