Hello,
I know many solar battery charging questions have been asked, but I wanted some clarification on a couple of subjects.
I have a solar panel with an open circuit voltage of 5.5V and a short circuit current of 40 mA and I would like to make a current limited trickle charger for two 700 mAh NiMH batteries in series. If solar panel short circuit voltage is under 0.1C, do I still need a current regulator (such as a LM317 or equivalent)? Also, 5.5V is a little high for my 2.4V battery pack. But the 5.5V is the open circuit voltage with no load. Will the solar panel voltage be pulled low by the charging batteries, and is this a safe enough configuration?
In conclusion, I've looked at some IV curves for solar cells and I'm a little confused about whether the current consumption drives the solar cell's voltage or whether the cell's voltage drives the current output. Should I think of the cell as a current source and match the amperage to my batteries or should I think of the cell as a voltage source and use a current regulator to charge my batteries?
I know many solar battery charging questions have been asked, but I wanted some clarification on a couple of subjects.
I have a solar panel with an open circuit voltage of 5.5V and a short circuit current of 40 mA and I would like to make a current limited trickle charger for two 700 mAh NiMH batteries in series. If solar panel short circuit voltage is under 0.1C, do I still need a current regulator (such as a LM317 or equivalent)? Also, 5.5V is a little high for my 2.4V battery pack. But the 5.5V is the open circuit voltage with no load. Will the solar panel voltage be pulled low by the charging batteries, and is this a safe enough configuration?
In conclusion, I've looked at some IV curves for solar cells and I'm a little confused about whether the current consumption drives the solar cell's voltage or whether the cell's voltage drives the current output. Should I think of the cell as a current source and match the amperage to my batteries or should I think of the cell as a voltage source and use a current regulator to charge my batteries?