Solar Panel Regulator

[BeeJ]

Have several solar panels that I want to most efficiently parallel and
regulate down to the following dc voltages/currents:
Panel output is 18VDC min full sun.

1) Output to charge a 12VDC car battery with overcharge protection
and trickle / float charging capability.
2) 12 V 10 Amps regulate +/- 0.5v
3) 9 V 5 Amps regulate +/- 0.5v
4) 5 V 5 Amps regulate as USB output power to USB devices for
charging.

Prefer that the outputs are off if the panels are not supplying
sufficient output.

Assume the panels produce the required current.

I would rather buy very efficient regulators and not do any design or
PWB build work.

Looking for the least expensive and most efficient regulator solution.

Open to other options.

 

[ehsjr]

BeeJ wrote:

Have several solar panels that I want to most efficiently parallel and
regulate down to the following dc voltages/currents:
Panel output is 18VDC min full sun.

1) Output to charge a 12VDC car battery with overcharge protection and
trickle / float charging capability.
2) 12 V 10 Amps regulate +/- 0.5v
3) 9 V 5 Amps regulate +/- 0.5v
4) 5 V 5 Amps regulate as USB output power to USB devices for
charging.

Prefer that the outputs are off if the panels are not supplying
sufficient output.

Assume the panels produce the required current.

I would rather buy very efficient regulators and not do any design or
PWB build work.

Looking for the least expensive and most efficient regulator solution.

Open to other options.

You said "Assume the panels produce the required current."

No. Tell us what the panels can deliver. It's not worth
discussing without that information, nor worth recommending
even one power supply design only to have the "client" - in
this case you - discover that the whole project was just a
pipe dream and a waste of time. If it's not we can go
further.

Ed

 

[BeeJ]

What?

I gave you the output specs.
I can add panels until there is sufficient current.

 

[Bill Bowden]

On Nov 29, 8:03 am, BeeJ <nos...@spamnot.com> wrote:

What?

I gave you the output specs.
I can add panels until there is sufficient current.

I think he meant the power specs, not the open circuit voltage of 18
volts. Do you want all 4 outputs at the same time, or just one? You
have 190 watts total excluding the battery charger. How much extra
power is the battery charger?

The most efficient system would probably use a buck converter to
reduce the panel voltage for the 5 and 9 volt outputs. If the panels
have the standard 36 cells, they should be ready to go for the 13 volt
battery charger with addition of some over voltage limit at 13.6 or
whatever. It may be cheaper to just use linear regulators for the 9
and 5 volt supplies and a larger panel.

-Bill

 

[BeeJ]

Bill Bowden has brought this to us :

On Nov 29, 8:03 am, BeeJ <nos...@spamnot.com> wrote:

What?

I gave you the output specs.
I can add panels until there is sufficient current.

I think he meant the power specs, not the open circuit voltage of 18
volts. Do you want all 4 outputs at the same time, or just one? You
have 190 watts total excluding the battery charger. How much extra
power is the battery charger?

The most efficient system would probably use a buck converter to
reduce the panel voltage for the 5 and 9 volt outputs. If the panels
have the standard 36 cells, they should be ready to go for the 13 volt
battery charger with addition of some over voltage limit at 13.6 or
whatever. It may be cheaper to just use linear regulators for the 9
and 5 volt supplies and a larger panel.

-Bill

Battery charging is 2 or 5 amps.

Panels put out 21 vdc max no load.

Want max efficiency.

Looking for cheap commercial modules to wire or solder together.

 

[fungus]

On Dec 2, 1:26 am, BeeJ <nos...@spamnot.com> wrote:

Looking for cheap commercial modules to wire or solder together.

Try searching for "DC converter" on eBay.