Both regulators will help the solar panel charge your six-volt battery and do that safely. Another consideration for charging batteries with a solar panel is a battery backup bank. While charging a single battery, you can also charge a battery bank. The energy in the bank will allow you to charge your devices when the solar panel is inactive.
Example: 6 Watt Solar Panel charging a 4,000mAh, 3.7V Battery – Time = 14.8Wh / 6 Watts X 2 = 4.9 hours Tip: Get a “ USB Multimeter ” from Amazon to verify your charge rate. If you are connecting to an off the shelf battery pack, there are a number of reasons that the charge rate could be worse.
You can charge a six-volt battery directly without a solar regulator, but you do so at significant risk. A solar regulator on the cheaper end is around $50. However, the regulator’s cost is minimal if you use the solar panel to charge the battery over many years.
You need around 360 watts of solar panels to charge a 12V 100ah Lithium (LiFePO4) battery from 100% depth of discharge in 4 peak sun hours with an MPPT charge controller. What Size Solar Panel To Charge 50Ah Battery?
You need around 350 watts of solar panels to charge a 12V 120ah lithium battery from 100% depth of discharge in 5 peak sun hours with an MPPT charge controller. Full article: Charging 120Ah Battery Guide What Size Solar Panel To Charge 100Ah Battery?
Example: 10 Watt, 18 Volt Solar Panel charging a 12V, 10 Amp hour Lead Acid Battery (120Wh) from 50% full to Full – Time = 60Wh x 2 / 10 Watts = 12 hours The solar charge times above assume a 25 degree Celsius day with the panel pointed directly at the sun. Some quick rules for estimation: