How many solar panels do I need to charge a 100Ah battery in 8 hours?

To determine how many solar panels you need to charge a 100Ah battery in 8 hours, you first need to consider the amount of energy the battery requires and the amount of sunlight available.

Here’s a simple calculation:

Calculate the energy needed to charge the battery:

Battery capacity (Ah) x Battery voltage (V) = Energy required (Wh)
Assuming it’s a 12V battery:
100Ah x 12V = 1200Wh

Calculate the energy needed per hour:

The energy required (Wh) / Charging time (h) = Energy per hour (W)
1200Wh / 8 hours = 150W

Estimate solar panel output:

You need to know the output (wattage) of the solar panels you are considering. Solar panel output varies depending on size, efficiency, and other factors. Let’s assume you have a 100W solar panel.

Consider the efficiency loss and sunlight hours:

Solar panels don’t always operate at their maximum output due to factors like temperature, shading, and the angle of sunlight.

To account for these inefficiencies, you can derate the panel output by a factor of 0.7 to 0.8, which is common in the solar industry. Also, depending on your location and the time of year, the number of sunlight hours per day can vary.

For this example, let’s assume 0.7 efficiency and 4 hours of effective sunlight per day.

Adjusted solar panel output = Rated output x Efficiency factor
100W x 0.7 = 70W

Calculate the number of solar panels needed:

Energy per hour (W) / Adjusted solar panel output (W) = Number of solar panels
150W / 70W ≈ 2.14

In this example, you would need approximately 3 solar panels to charge a 100Ah battery in 8 hours, assuming you have a 100W solar panel, 0.7 efficiency factor, and 4 hours of effective sunlight per day.

Keep in mind that this is just an estimation, and real-world conditions may affect the actual number of solar panels needed.