Solar 12 Volt Battery Charger

A modern solar 12 volt battery charger has mulitple purposes and it's portability and functionality make it a perfect companion especialy for travelersin cars, boats and RVs.

12 volt batteries exist in cars, mobility scooters, wheelchairs, boats, jet skis, golf buggies and loads of other devices which all currently use conventional mains power to charge. There are several disadvantages including things like reliability on fossil fuels, you have to be near a mains power source to charge, it is expensive and it is bad for the enviroment.

These are all things that a solar 12 volt battery charger avoids making there really little reason not to invest in one.

How Long does it take to charge a 12V battery with a solar charger?

With a 12V, 70 watt solar charger could can charge a 40 Amp 12 volt car battery in just under 7 hours. A 70 watt solar power battery charger is quite high and fairly expenisve but just do the maths forlower wattage solar panels.

What to look out for when buying a solar charger

Different electronic devices use different amounts of watts so the size of solar panel charger you need will depend on what you want to use it for. For example a clock uses 2 watts, a radio 15 watts, ceiling fan 25 watts, and a laptop computer uses 45 watts.

1. Make sure that your charger is powerful enough.

2. Make sure you have adequate sunshine (at least 4 hours a day)

3. Make sure your charger has a controller to stop overcharging the battery

4. Make sure that there is room for extending the existing solar panel

Purchasing different solar panels for many devices doesn't make any sense but investing in one quality solar power kit is well worth it with a solar battery controller which stops charging when the battery is full. Buying an extra solar panel for about $60 can provide extra wattage for your battery charger.

Many people find that it is worth leaving a battery on charge continuously as this gives extra life to the battery. For example, a solar 12 volt battery charger for use on car would be best installed on a car dashboard for maximum efficiency.

How much do they cost?

These 12V solar charging kits come in a variety of prices. A 4 watt charging kit costs between $25 and $40 and rise in price up to anything between $180 and $700 for a 70 watt model.

Recommended Solar power chargers

Here at Think solar power! we have selected some of the best solar 12 volt battery chargers on the market or you. Scroll down to find the right charger for your needs and follow the links for more information.