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Solar Charging FAQ

Blinded by the facts?

Ever get so much information, often competing with itself, that you cannot seem to sort up from down? Without wholly setting aside scientific data, we can sometimes use common sense and logic to study a product. What are the claims made by the product? Could it possibly do what the manufacturer claims?

What about solar?  This is a hot topic, and one we deal with every day. Here is a simple starting point. If we could recharge a trolling motor size battery in a few hours with a small panel, we would all be driving solar powered cars.  But we don't drive solar powered cars, because you cannot charge that quickly with solar. Well, not in a portable fashion anyways. It would take many Amps and much $$$ to do this, and is usually cheaper to buy a generator. In any portable application, or low draw setup solar is great, but it is not ready for the 'Big time.' Hey, we wish it was. We do offer solar, but we want you to be aware of it’s limitations before you become an unsatisfied customer. Truth be told, our online techs probably spend more time ‘un-selling’ solar than selling it. Customer service is very important to us, and we are willing to take the bet that you’d rather be told the truth than buy something that you cannot use.

At BatteryStuff.com, wee do our best to ferret out the facts, myths and misunderstandings regarding the products we carry so you don't have to worry. Ask us, and buy with confidence!


Articles

  • Solar Systems the Right Way
    There is quite a bit of info needed to correctly size your solar power backup system. We try to help answer these solar power questions and more daily here at BatteryStuff.com. Because these types of questions are so common, we have created an easy path that guides you with a few easy steps. Please refer to our article for further info. read more
  • What Size Solar Panel Do I need?
    We created a solar calculator to assist with sizing your panels and batteries. Keep in mind that this is only a calculator, and it will directly reflect whatever you input into the fields. If your base calculations are off by even a little bit, the results reflected can be skewed by quite a bit, so view this as a guide and not an absolute. read more
  • Can I Use a Solar Battery Charger to Keep My RV Battery Charged?
    Yes! You first must calculate how much power you used, so you know how much you need to replace. Keep in mind that solar only charges when the sun is shining on the panel, which is roughly 6-7 hours per day average. To charge a discharged RV sized battery with a solar panel in 6 hours would take a couple 100 watt+ panels. read more
  • Solar Panel Installation Tips
    BatteryStuff Solar Panels use high quality Poly-Crystalline solar cells. Diodes contained within the junction box insure reliable operation and no drain during low light conditions. Anodized aluminum frames add strength and durability to the modules. Includes pre-drilled mounting holes. The modules have a 20-year, 80% power output warranty. read more
  • How Do I Keep My RV Battery Charged When in Storage?
    If your starting battery is going dead in about a month while your vehicle is in storage, it would be fair to assume you are using about 60-75 amps (typical RV sized starting battery) in that period. You will need to figure out how much drain you have and then estimate your drain per day. All that is need from here is to select a panel that will produce the right amount of amps. read more
  • Can I Run my Device Directly from Solar Power?
    We get asked this question a lot: Can I run (enter device here) directly off solar energy? The simple answer is this: Yes and no. Learn more... read more