How long does it take to charge a 230CCA car battery?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around estimating the time required to charge a 230 CCA car battery using two solar panels connected in parallel. The focus is on the theoretical aspects of charging time under optimal conditions, with considerations of battery capacity and solar panel output.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant states the specifications of their solar panels and seeks to understand the charging time for their car battery.
  • Another participant calculates the charging time based on the combined output of the solar panels, suggesting it would take approximately 94 hours at peak power, translating to about 23 days considering average sunlight availability.
  • A participant inquires about how to determine the amp-hour rating of a car battery definitively.
  • A response suggests looking up the battery's model number online to find the amp-hour rating.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the exact charging time, as it depends on various factors including sunlight exposure and battery specifications. The inquiry about amp-hour ratings indicates a lack of agreement on how to ascertain this information.

Contextual Notes

The discussion assumes optimal conditions for solar panel performance and does not address potential inefficiencies or variations in actual charging scenarios.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in solar energy applications for charging car batteries, as well as those seeking to understand battery specifications and charging calculations.

SolarFreak
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I have a 230 CAA car battery, and 2 solar panels in a parallel circuit (one is 15V, 300mA, 4.5W, the other is 15V, 125mA, 1.8W). I know that these are under optimal conditions, so please assume that they are. How long would it take to charge my car battery with these solar panels?
 
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A standard car battery is about 40 amp-hours, so if you get about the right voltage from your panels, that's 40/(.3+.125) = 94 hours at peak power. You'll be lucky to get that 4 hours a day on average unless you aim the cells, so that's about 23 days.
 
How can I find out how many amp-hours a car battery has for sure?
 

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