AndyGadget
Senior Member
What would be the best battery chemistry and charge technique for a solar powered device requiring a battery of around 5Ah at a voltage in the range 7V to 12V which would be solar charged in the Gloucestershire (UK) sunshine? This will be for a small (about a foot square) semi-autonomous garden robot.
Li-ion, LiPo, NiMh all have their charging quirks and like to be properly cycled without overcharging. The fickle nature of sunshine is obviously a problem here.
Something I've never used but I know is a favourite around here is LiFePo cells, although they get pricy for larger capacities but do appear to have a simpler charge regime.
I've been running a solar powered Picaxe pond pump controller for aeration, circulation and filling for a couple of years and 12V 14Ah lead/acid was a no-brainer here but the weight is a major factor against for the robot.
Andy.
Li-ion, LiPo, NiMh all have their charging quirks and like to be properly cycled without overcharging. The fickle nature of sunshine is obviously a problem here.
Something I've never used but I know is a favourite around here is LiFePo cells, although they get pricy for larger capacities but do appear to have a simpler charge regime.
I've been running a solar powered Picaxe pond pump controller for aeration, circulation and filling for a couple of years and 12V 14Ah lead/acid was a no-brainer here but the weight is a major factor against for the robot.
Andy.