Maximum solar panel wattage for 200ah gel battery

[VictorAdebayo]

How many 150 watts mono solar panels are too many for a 12 volt 200 ah solar gel battery? Or will 4 number 150 watts solar panels be to much or many for the 200ah gel battery if I decide to put two each at front and back of my roof with a charge controller connected to each pair and merged together for the battery? I currently have two 150 watts attached and intending to add one or two more. I use 22′ tv and each time I need to charge my laptop, I usually put off other appliances because of the current being drawn. I am planning to get a small solar fridge hence the need for additional panel(s). I use the system mostly in daytime and for lights at night only. The system is also used mostly when it is in standby mode (hardly run it on circle mode) .I need your comprehensive advice and or comments.

 

[kellys_eye]

There is no such thing as 'too many'. Up to a point you will fully recharge the batteries at their stated maximum (even whilst drwaing power for the connected domestic equipment) and then have to 'dump' the excess power - usually into large water heaters. How quickly that happens depends on the size of the array/sunlight etc.

 

[VictorAdebayo]

There is no such thing as 'too many'. Up to a point you will fully recharge the batteries at their stated maximum (even whilst drwaing power for the connected domestic equipment) and then have to 'dump' the excess power - usually into large water heaters. How quickly that happens depends on the size of the array/sunlight etc.

Thank you for the reply. The reason why I brought this up is because I hear that batteries have levels or rate of charging or else they get damaged. I actually want a new solar fridge as I said and I feel that more panels means more energy and if not in use may over power the battery(please remember I said I am using only one 12 volt 200ah solar gel battery) Some say that it is not good to charge batteries too quickly. Sorry I am a learning engineer. I know that I have a good SMS PWM charge controller of 40amp. Thank you.

 

[dave9]

Your charge controller is selected based on the capabilities of the solar panels connected, type of battery and acceptable charge rate.

If you have the right charge controller, it will not over-charge the battery no matter how many solar panels worth of excess capacity you have. The remaining question is once the batteries are fully charged, do you want to waste any potential, to use excess solar panel energy to do something useful, or invest in a means to store this energy or do *work* with it instead?

If buying the fridge means you are buying more panels but then think there is too much solar production capacity, maybe you just need fewer panels and more batteries to make it the most cost effective. Remember that the less you drain batteries before the next recharge cycle, the longer they will last.