Going green by getting solar panels has several amazing benefits – reduced carbon footprint and a significant decline in energy bills, to name a couple. For those who aren’t aware, solar panels convert solar energy to electricity that can be used to power appliances and other electrical equipment.
However, if you’re thinking of installing solar panels and inverters at your house by yourself, there are some things that you should know. In this guide, we’ll look into how to connect solar panel to battery to make sure you have the best possible experience.
What You’ll Need
Below are the tools and supplies you’ll need to connect the solar panel to a battery:
Tools
– Drill
– Screwdriver
– Cable cutters
– Crescent wrench
– Red electrical tape
Supplies
– Solar panel
– 2 AWG cable wire
– 1 battery charger
– Mechanical lugs
– 1 power inverter
Connecting Solar Panels To Battery In 5 Simple Steps
It’s not only important to know how to connect solar panel to battery, but you should also know how it’s connected to an inverter as it converts battery power from solar panels.
Below, we’ve shared 5 simple steps on how to connect a solar panel to the battery as well as an inverter. Hence, once you’ve gathered all the tools and supplies, proceed to the instructions given below:
Step #1: Prepare the Battery
The foremost step in connecting the solar panel to the battery is to prepare the battery by powering it with the help of a charger.
Before you proceed to the next step, please ensure that the batteries are charged to full capacity before you position them in the container. The +ive terminals must be on one side, whereas the -ive terminals on another side. Once the battery is positioned correctly, you are ready to move to the next step.
Step #2: Make the Jumpers
The next step is to measure the battery from terminal to terminal to build jumpers. Generally, the battery is wired parallelly in order to help preserve the solar panel’s voltage. For this purpose, you should start measuring between both terminals.
Additionally, we recommend you use a 2 AWG cable wire to create the jumpers. Another option is to wire the solar panels together in a sequence. Doing this surges the voltage and ensures that it matches that of the battery bank.
Note: Make sure the output voltage of the solar panels is parallel to the output voltage of the battery bank.
Step #3: Create Holes in the Lid
In this step, prepare the lid by creating holes in it to connect the solar panel’s leads to an inverter and charge controller. Depending on your preference, you can choose to put your charge controller outside or inside.
Step #4: Attach Inverter and Charge Controller to Battery Line
Joining the inverter and charge controller to the battery lines is possibly one of the most crucial steps to correctly connect panels to the battery. Before you begin, please ensure the following:
- The inverter is fully switched off.
- The charge controller isn’t fixed to the solar panel.
When attaching a solar panel to a charge controller, it’s strongly recommended to first join the panel’s adapter kit.
Subsequently, join the positive or negative panel leads, ensuring they match those of the charge controller. Make sure that the solar panel is well inserted. If not, you’ll most likely witness a short to the system and reverse polarity, which can harm both the solar panel as well as the charge controller. Therefore, it’s best to be cautious.
In addition, it’s equally important to note that a decent quality and reliable charge controller can help give the battery a firm charging voltage and to average the solar panel’s voltage fluctuations. Furthermore, it’s also useful to prevent overcharged batteries and protect the solar panels from the possibility of current backflow that emerges from the battery.
Step #5: Join Battery to Inverter
The last step in successfully connecting the solar panel to the battery is to connect the battery bank to the input lugs of the inverter. Once that’s out of the way, connect the inverter to the solar panel powering your home to check if it’s working properly.
At this step, your inverter will alter the battery’s direct current (DC) and convert it into 110 volts alternating current (AC) that’ll then be used in the house panel. Moreover, the inverter can also be programmed to generate excess power to the power company in case the house solar panel is connected to the power grid.
Additional Information
There are two of wiring the panel battery: series wiring and parallel wiring. We strongly recommend you to go with the latter as it can increase the current or power. Learn more about parallel and series wiring here.
Below we’ve shared some easy steps for using parallel wiring:
- Place the batteries side by side. Make sure the positive and negative signs of both batteries match.
- Next, use a red battery line to join the red +ive terminal of batteries.
- Then, use a black battery line to join the black -ive terminal of batteries.
- Once that’s done, join the battery bank to whatever you wish to power and then to the panel.
Our Final Thoughts
Learning how to connect solar panel to battery isn’t hard. Just follow the instructions given above, and you’ll effortlessly be able to wire the solar panel to a battery and inverter.
You can now say goodbye to power breakdowns and enjoy a sufficient power supply for powering your home or business.
