Traditional solar panels work by transferring energy from the sun to a battery. During the process, solar energy is converted to usable electricity, which can then be used to power various devices. Is it possible, however, to power things directly from a portable solar panel?
You can power things directly from a solar panel as long as you understand how to do so safely. Direct connections can result in power surges or an overload of energy. Most solar panels generate a direct current that needs to be converted to an alternating current before powering any device.
If you choose to power things directly from a solar panel, it’s best to only do so with major devices, such as a motor or solar fan. Read on to learn why you shouldn’t power most things directly from solar panels and in what cases it is safe to do so.
How To Power Things Directly From a Portable Solar Panel
Not all solar panels will allow you to directly and safely transfer power to devices. Before attempting to do so, you must check whether your portable solar panel manufacturer recommends directly powering your devices or appliances.
There are multiple options for connecting solar panels. You can push the energy through a battery or use an inverter.
You’ll need to access the internal wiring when connecting a solar panel directly to any device. You’ll bind the solar panel wires with the wires attached to the device.
Choose the Right Connection Type
When powering things directly from a portable solar panel, you typically have two options: series or parallel connections. Depending on what things you are powering, one of these will be better than the other.
Parallel connections allow each panel to produce power on its own. On the other hand, series connections permit a higher voltage because the connection comes from all the panels at one time. Typically, if you power larger or multiple devices, it’s best to go with a series connection.
Identify the Current That Runs Through Your Device
Solar panels operate on a direct current (DC), so they work best when connected to other DC devices. Solar panels can directly power alternating current (AC) devices as well. However, the process is sometimes more complicated.
It’s best to always use a maximum power point tracker (MPPT) when connecting your solar panels directly to a device. The MPPT examines the amount of power put out by your solar panels as well as the amount the device needs. This will prevent you from wasting your panels’ energy by sending too much power to the device.
With all this in mind, let’s look at an example of how you can connect portable solar panels directly to a device. As suggested, it’s best to do this with larger devices, so the example we’ll look at will be a motor — one of the most common things used for direct solar loading.
How To Connect Portable Solar Panels Directly to a Motor
Ideally, you’ll have a small DC motor and a small portable solar panel for this connection. The example we’ll be looking at today utilizes a 9-volt portable solar panel. You’ll need more solar panels for larger motors, but the process is the same.
- Locate the battery pack for the panel. It is usually on the back, and it will have a positive and negative wire coming from it.
- Find the positive and negative wire coming from the motor. These two sets of wires are where the connection point happens. The energy is transferred through these directly from the solar panel to the motor.
- To make the connection point, meet the positive wire with the positive and the negative with the negative. Twist them together.
- Turn on the solar panel. It should begin to send power to the motor.
Why You Shouldn’t Connect Solar Panels Directly in Most Cases
Even though you can connect solar panels directly to nearly any device, it’s not a good idea in most cases. One of the biggest issues surrounding this is that the energy is flowing freely without a buffer. This is the primary reason you want to avoid connecting solar panels whenever possible unless it’s essential.
Furthermore, improper installation of solar panel systems can void warranties of both the individual components as well as the entire system itself. You’ll be liable for any damages if you try to power things directly from a solar panel that’s designed to work with a battery or inverter.
When solar energy doesn’t go through the transference process of being converted into electricity, all of the energy generated flows directly to the device. This can rapidly lead to an overload of energy for both the device and the panel, which can result in damage.
Another problem is that solar panels only create direct current (DC) energy. However, nearly all devices and appliances run on alternating current (AC) in our modern world. Your device may not run on the solar panel’s current without an inverter’s help. And even with an inverter, direct connections can still create problems with energy transference.
A final issue is that the device isn’t protected in any way from power surges. When a device is connected directly to the solar panel, it’s highly vulnerable not only to becoming overloaded but also to power surging.
The bottom line is that even though you can connect solar panels directly to nearly anything, there’s quite a bit of risk involved in doing so. Often, the risk outweighs the reward. As a result, I don’t recommend doing so if you can avoid it.
Precautions You Can Take When Powering Things Directly From a Solar Panel
You should take the necessary precautions if you choose to connect solar panels directly to any device. One of the biggest precautions you can take is to use a maximum power point tracker. The MPPT will help to ensure you don’t send too much power into the device. While it won’t protect it from power surges, it will help you avoid overloading the device.
Another thing you can do is use a solar inverter. This will prevent a lot of potential overloads because it converts the current into the correct type. In addition, the inverter will typically be a requirement for most devices either way.
Remember that solar panels aren’t built to power devices directly, and there is risk involved in choosing to do so. Even portable solar panels are designed to go through a filter. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s always a bad idea.
In an emergency, having a portable solar panel on hand and knowing how to connect it directly to a device can be a lifesaver.
How Do Solar Panels Typically Power Devices?
Solar panels draw energy from the sun and convert it into usable electricity. This can happen in a couple of different ways, but the most common way this takes place is through a built-in system in the solar panels known as a solar photovoltaic system (PV System).
Let’s take a look at how this works.
The sun beats down its rays on the solar panels throughout the day. The panels then absorb the sunlight. Since sunlight can’t be used directly to power our devices and appliances, we need solar panels to convert the sun’s energy into electricity.
Hundreds of various circuits within the solar panel collect the sun’s energy and convert it to direct current electricity. When we use portable solar panels to directly power various devices, we always power them through a direct current.
However, as we discussed, this DC energy must be converted into AC energy for the majority of our modern devices and appliances.
Most permanent solar panels already come equipped with an inverter to convert the energy from a direct current to an alternating current. Even though these two are both electrical currents, they look pretty different. If you want to learn more about this topic, check out this article explaining the differences between AC and DC.
Once the energy has been converted into an alternating current, it’s ready to be used.
Now that solar energy is in a form we can use, how can we actually power our devices and appliances? This is where your house’s electrical system comes in.
All houses are equipped with a breaker box. The breaker box controls what and how much electricity goes to various areas of the house. The energy from the solar panels goes directly to the breaker box to be distributed throughout the house. However, not all solar power is used at any given time.
The excess energy has to flow somewhere else, so where does it go? Most of the excess energy gets transferred to the utility meter. However, instead of this extra energy causing your meter to run up and thus charge you more, the opposite happens. The excess solar energy causes your electric meter to run backward, thus rewarding you with a lower energy bill.
This is the primary reason why so many people have switched to solar using solar energy over the years.
How Do Portable Solar Panels Work?
Portable solar panels generally work the same way as regular solar panels. They gather energy from the sun and convert it into usable energy. Most portable solar panels still require an inverter or additional batteries to make useable energy.
Another difference between these and regular solar panels is that the excess energy typically just gets discharged rather than stored elsewhere. So, while portable panels are fantastic for power on the go, they aren’t always as cost-efficient as permanent panels.
Even though many portable solar panels require additional supporting elements, a few are built to plug and go. These types of solar panels have an all-in-one system that converts solar energy into usable electricity without additional components.
All-in-one systems typically consist of a photovoltaic panel, battery, and inverter, all housed in one unit, making them simple to install and maintain. This also eliminates the need for extra wiring, meaning that fewer safety risks are associated with using them.
In most cases, all-in-one systems automatically convert the current from a direct current to an alternating current. These solar panels are best used when powering things directly because they make the process the easiest and safest.
Furthermore, these types of solar panels typically have a USB attached to the back of the device. To use them, you’ll lay them out in the sun, and once they’ve been charged, you can attach mostly any device that can be plugged in via USB.
The downside to these types of solar panels is that they typically don’t produce enough energy to power larger devices, such as appliances. These solar panels are built to power smaller devices, such as laptops, phones, and stereos. Portable solar panels may be efficient and small enough to be conveniently carried in a bag, but they may not produce all the power you need for your devices.
Of course, there is always the option of having multiple solar panels, but if we’re talking about portable panels, you may need to use between four and six every time. This setup drastically reduces their portability, especially considering you’ll need to tear them down and set them up each time you use them.
For more information about powering larger devices, check out this article.
Final Thoughts
It’s possible to power things directly from a solar panel. It’s easier to do this with portable solar panels because they are smaller. However, most solar panels produce a direct current that must be converted to an alternating current to become usable electricity.
In most cases, powering devices directly through solar panels will require additional equipment, such as a maximum power point tracker. It’s risky to power things directly from a solar panel because it can result in an overload of energy or power surges.
