What size solar panel needed to recharge a 12 volt deep cycle battery? PLEASE HELP?

Question

Hello everyone. We are working on a solar charging system for a deep cycle battery, used to power a stock tank heater for our horse. I need to know how many watt solar panel I need to recharge this battery during daylight hours. We live in the Upper Peninsula of MI, also known as the tundra. We get temps -40 below regularly. So this info would be helpful. Thanks so much!!

Answer 1

The best place to ask this kind of question is the NAWS forum.  There are true experts there, who enjoy helping with this sort of thing.  You will need to tell them the amp-hours of your battery.  They're at http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/index.ph... .

Check with others in your area to see what is customary.  It may be that a single battery is not enough to keep the tank from freezing over.

Also, the panel will work great at -40F, as long as you can keep snow and ice from blocking the sun on it.  Sometimes the natural tilt of the panel is enough.

A lead acid battery, however, will not work at that kind of temperature.  Presumably, you would have the battery in an insulated box that doesn't get so cold.