Mark Stivak's posts

Posted by Mark Stivak on Jun 13, 2008 01:16 pm

#1 -  Renewable Energy > Technical Discussion: Other > Charging a larger Lithium Ion battery with solar
Hello,

I’m seeking a solution for charging a 12 volt lithium ion battery while traveling for several weeks at a time.  I’ll have this requirement in a  tropical location (@15 degrees north) which has no generator/power grid. The selection criteria, in order of importance, are:

1.   Effective (It must be able to recharge the battery without damaging it, given a full day of full sun)
2.   Portable (ideally foldable for a knapsack, but otherwise small enough to fit a standard size airline-checkable suitcase)
3.   Durable (it needs to travel well without undue precaution for breakage, heat or water damage,)
4.   Affordable (both in terms of $/watt and operational lifespan.  While it won’t be used often, it must be ready to go after storage for 6 months at a time.  In the end, if it is still cheaper to transport the battery to a place with electricity grid to recharge every few days, the solar benefit fades)

The battery the system will charge is used to power a medical device called a CPAP machine.  (This is not a life support device.)  It may also be used to power other 12V consumer electronics such as camera and cell phones batteries.

Battery characteristics:

222 Wh, 18.5Ah
Output voltage: 12v
Output current: 8A max
Charge current: 2500mAh
In/out Connectors: cigarette lighter (female) & barrel plug (female)
Built-in overheating/thermal runaway protection circuitry
(see http://www.batterygeek.net/v/vspfiles/Super_CPAP_Battery_Pack_222Wh.asp for manufacturer’s description)

The battery generally will need to be recharged every 3 days.

Will a straight Sunlinq foldable panel work?  Has anyone actually used it straight to a Li-on battery?  What about the need for charge controllers, or inverters?  Please advise on what options you might suggest, along with any connectors/cables you'd get to do it with. 

I appreciate the time and expertise of the group, and your consideration of my (uninformed) question.
 

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