Preppers have gone through many how-to’s and instructions on how to make their own solar generator. Or, many have thought about buying a solar generator. But, keep in mind that they won’t satisfy your expectations and are very complex to understand. Discover the five reasons your plan to rely on solar energy would fail!
1. Not having ideal conditions
The solar panels are rated by the power they generate during ideal conditions. This means that the generator should be perfectly aligned, so you will need to move it often to face the sun. Also, there should be no clouds. Keep in mind that you might not have the ideal conditions, and the battery on a 15-watt panel will take nine days to be fully charged.
2. Different ways of charging
The battery has a charger controller that controls the flow of current. This will prevent damage from overcharging. But, this feature will slow down the process of charging. There are three phases of the charging process, divided by the amount of current that is delivered. In the last phase, the battery receives less energy.
3. Providing less power due to damage
Your calculations for using the battery won’t always work out. The battery won’t provide the full amp-hours it is rated at due to damage. Keep in mind that deep-cycle batteries shouldn’t be completely depleted. This can cause damage, and your battery won’t work at full capacity.
4. Low temperatures reduce the battery’s capacity
The amp hour rating refers to the ideal storing temperature. The lower the temperature is, the lower the capacity will be. When the weather is cold, your battery won’t be able to operate at full capacity.
5. Deep cycle batteries require full recharging
Batteries need to be fully recharged. If the solar panel isn’t large enough to charge the battery completely, it will always be partially charged. This will make the battery lose its charging capacity, and you no longer can rely on 100 amp-hour capacity.