SOLAR CHARGER

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

A Project Report
Submitted in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
In

Electrical and Electronics department

( rd SEMESTER)
2014 Batch

UNIVERSITY OF CALICUT

By

ROMIN SUNNY (EKANEEE053)

BEAULA WILSON (EKANEEE013 )

EDUCATION IS DEDICATION

SAHRDAYA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

KODAKARA, THRISSUR

SEPTEMBER 2014

SOLAR CHARGER

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS

SAHRDAYA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
KODAKARA, THRISSUR

EDUCATION IS DEDICATION

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project report titled SOLAR BATTERY

CHARGER

is

the

bonafide

work

of

ROMIN

SUNNY

(EKANEEE053),BEAULA WILSON(EKANEEE ) during their III semester

in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the University of Calicut, under our
supervision.

PROJECT GUIDE
Mr. Madujith
Asst. Proffesor

COORDINATOR
Mr. Madujith
Asst. professor

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

prof.Dinakaran
HOD EEE DEPT

kodakara
29-09-2014

SOLAR CHARGER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express my sincere thanks to God almighty who has
blessed us with a healthy constitution and has bestowed on us the
required skills to persue this high tech course.
Iam deeply indebted to our beloved Executive Director Rev.
Fr. Dr Antu Alappadan, Director Prof. K.T.Joseph and Principal Dr.
Sudha George Valavi ,of Sahrdaya College of Engineering and
Technology.
I also convey my immense gratitude to our HOD Prof P.D
Dinakaran and our project guide ,Madhujith Thelepurath for having
given us constant inspiration and suggestions throughout the project
work.
Iam also thankful to all the faculty members of Sahrdaya
College of Engineering and Technology and to my parents for their
help and encouragement that I have received from them, without their
sacrificial help I couldnt have dreamt of completing my project work
successfully.
Iam extremely thankful to my friends who supported me in
all the aspects of the project work.

SOLAR CHARGER

ABSTRACT
With fuel hikes making news, solar energy is the most sought after
energy source. Solar chargers are simple, portable and ready to use
devices which can be used by anyone especially in remote areas.
Going solar can solve more than one problems, right from cutting
down on carbon emissions and dependence on fuels, to solving the
energy crisis. This project aims to make a simple solar charger which
can be used on the go. Solar panels dont supply regulated voltage
while batteries need so for charging. Hence, an external adjustable
voltage regulator is used to have the desired constant voltage. A zener
diode switches on to ensure charging is cut off at the saturation point

SOLAR CHARGER

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SL

NAME OF CONTENT

PAGE NO

NO
LIST OF TABLES & FIGURES

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

13

INTRODUCTION

14

LITERATURE REVIEW

17

WORKING

18

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM AND DESIGN

24

HARDEWARES

25

FUTURE SCOPE

26

CONCLUSION

30

SUMMARY

31

REFERENCE

32

SOLAR CHARGER

LIST OF TABLES & FIGURES

Note: We conduct experiments step by step to
understand how each component works and then
assemble the circuit together.
1. TO study how solar panels behave to
different intensities of light
Open circuit voltage
Conditions
across the panel
Covered with cardboard
0.263V
Facing the desk
0.468V
Covered with Paper
2.5V
At the window(11am)
14.72V
In the lab
7.62V
At the desk
5.2V
Using a torchlight at
distance 15cm
11.22V
21.2V(maximum
At the terrace(2pm)
Voc=21.4V)
Observations: Solar panels are heavily
dependent on the intensity and the nature of light
falling on them to produce any kind of voltage.
The output varies right from 0.2V to 21.2V.
Conclusions: Sunlight matters a lot. So to make
the best out of a fixed solar panel, we need to
have some kind of power tracking which will
6

SOLAR CHARGER

always allow the panel to produce a maximum

power by impedance matching (external resistor
across the cell).
2.To study the working of IC LM317(using power
supply)
Conditions: R1=220ohm, R2=680ohm

Vin

Vref Vout

6.85
V
8.30
V
10.5
9V
12.1
6v
15.6
8V
23.6
7V

1.22
5
1.22
5
1.22
4
1.22
5
1.22
5
1.22
5

4.64
V
4.65
7V
4.65
V
4.66
7V
4.68
V
4.65
1V

Iref( Iadj(
Vin- mA) uA)
Vout
2.12
V
6.81 19
3.67 6.81
V
5
53
4.65 6.81
V
5
46.6
4.66
7v
6.81 73
11.0
0V 6.81 99
18.1 6.81
9V 7
41

Using Solar panel

Conditions: R1=220ohm, R2=680ohm

Vin

Vref(
Iref( Iadj(
V)
Vout mA) uA)

4.85 1.22 4.64 6.81 19

7

SOLAR CHARGER

V
5
V
6.30 1.22 4.65 6.81
V
5
7V 5
53
.
59V
8.16
v
10.6
8V
11.6
7V

1.2
24
1.2
25
1.2
25
1.2
25

4.65
V
4.66
7V
4.68
V
4.65
1V

6.81
5
46.6
6.81 73
6.81 99
6.81
7
41

Observations: The output voltage from the IC is

observed to be nearly constant with the inputoutput differential voltage ranging from 2.1V to 20V
(Power supply limit).
Results: IC LM 317 gives a regulated output for a
particular range of input voltage.
3.To understand the working of LEDS
Conditions: R1=220ohm, R2=680ohm

Observations: LED starts glowing with voltage

across it>2.67V.
Maximum Intensity at Vled=3.2V(Supply 25V). At
that point, current through the LED=49.7mA. After
that the LED blows out. So the LED is rated at 2.6V,
8

SOLAR CHARGER

49mA practically.
4.To

study

the

discharging

of

batteries

Setup: the sealed lead acid battery available is

fully charged with voltage across it as 6.39V. We
need to discharge it to atleast 5.8V so as to
charge it using our solar charger circuit. For this
an emergency lamp was used to discharge the
5Ah battery as fast as possible.
Observations:
Time(mins)
Voltage(V)
0
6.17
15
6.146
30
6.120
45
6.099
60
6.082
120
5.981
150
5.89
*Battery discharging depends on the capacity of the
battery and the current drawn through it. Here, the
current drawn was 140mA and hence to totally
discharge a 5Ah battery, 30hours are required. This
9

SOLAR CHARGER

is a slow process. Hence, we allow it only to

discharge up to 5.8V.
5.To light up a LED
Setup: LEDs need to be tested for specifications
because experimental and theoretical ratings do
differ. This is done using the power supply firstly,
then the solar panel is connected to ensure the
output match its ratings.
Observations:
With power supply

10

SOLAR CHARGER

Vin(at the IC)

10.62V

Vout
7.40V

Vled+Vresistor
7.12V

With solar panel

6.51V

5.022V

5.144V

6.To study the charging of batteries using the

solar panel
Setup: Battery is firstly discharged upto 5.99V and
then charged using the solar panel. Readings
are constantly measured after equal intervals
of time. Two bulbs White And
Yellow used to simulate sunlight.

11

SOLAR CHARGER

After 15mins,

Observations:
12

SOLAR CHARGER

Vpa Ipan Vin(I Vop( Vbattery(i Afte Afte Ichar

Voc nel el
C)
IC) nitially)
r
r
ging
10m 15m
in
in
16. 7.96 10 7.71 6.22
5.99 5.99 1.733
7V 1V mA 7V 8V
5.996V
7V 8V mA
Results: The sun simulator gives an input of
7.961V to the circuit. But this limits the output voltage
only to 6.228V hence the charging voltage is reduced
too. This causes a charging current of 1.733mA which
charges the 5Ah battery very slowly.

13

SOLAR CHARGER

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
LED - Light emitting diode
IC

- Integrated circuit

POT - Potentiometer

14

SOLAR CHARGER

INTRODUCTION
Gone are the days when you would look up at the Sun and curse yourself
for being out on a hot sunny day. Take pride; very soon you will be a
walking energy station with people asking you to help them charge their
batteries with your clothes!
This isnt a scene out of a Sci-Fi movie. It is the simple application of solar
cells. They are the only way we can convert sunlight into electricity directly
and day by day they are getting better, smaller and cheaper.
Nothing can dare challenge the sun when it comes to radiating energy.
Every hour the energy available from the sun is more than what humans
require for an entire year. Petrol, diesel and all these fossil fuels are nothing
but suns energy concentrated over years and years. This makes them very
efficient in terms of energy per unit of the fuel. So why not tap it directly?
Solar energy isnt something new. People have used sun to dry and
preserve things. Vedic literatures in India even state the use of flying
machines which were powered using the sun. Come 21st century, we have
come a long way in developing solar cells which are the devices powering
our future, converting suns energy into electricity.
Solar panels are simply solar cells lined up together in series and parallel so
as get sufficient voltage and are p-n junction semiconductor devices with
pure silicon wafer doped with n type phosphorous on the top and p type
boron on the base. If the PV cell is placed in the sun, photons of light strike
the electrons in the p-n junction and energize them, knocking them free of
their atoms. These electrons are attracted to the positive charge in the ntype silicon and repelled by the negative charge in the p-type silicon.
Connecting wires across the junction will have a current in them.

15

SOLAR CHARGER
Solar cells have come a long way from bulky 6% efficient chunks to
thin films with as much as 30% efficiency. They are selling like hot
cakes today given their necessity and utility. And the reason being
they are faithful good chaps unlike oil which will soon be more
precious to us than diamonds and the black monster: coal which
has polluted the air, hand in cuff with the other fossil fuels.
We need to understand solar panels so as to understand their
applications. Today, we have mono-crystalline, polycrystalline and
amorphous thin film panels. Mono-crystalline are so far the most
efficient, given that they have the maximum silicon in a unit area so
more current for the same number of photons. They are made out of
a single silicon crystal as a continuous lattice. While for the
polycrystalline panels, molten silicon is poured into molds and
separate boundaries can be seen due to this. Lesser quantity of
silicon in a unit area means lesser efficiency of production of
electricity. Amorphous thin film panels are layers of silicon on a glass
surface and are the least expensive. Hence, they are used in
applications where you can do away with efficiency for lowering the
costs.
Solar panels are really useful in broad daylight but we need energy
when the Sun isnt shining above our rooftops. Thats why we need
solar chargers which will store energy in rechargeable batteries. This
project aims to make a solar charger using a voltage regulator IC so
as to charge a Lead Acid Battery with the constant output voltage
obtained through this IC LM317( Details explained later). Today there
are many more options like a SOLAR CHARGER IC LT3652. This is an
IC with embedded MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) algorithm.
MPPT simply means the IC gets the maximum possible power from
the solar panel by sampling its output and applying the proper load
resistance. This small chip simplifies life given its ease of use and
maximum efficiency is always ensured.

16

SOLAR CHARGER

Source : Wikipedia
Even 15% efficient solar panels installed across the worlds
wasetelands can produce enough clean energy to sustain
mankind for a year.
Yet new technology is continuously being developed though solar
energy generation is still in its infancy. The concept of SOLAR
FARMING is new and catching up fast in investors. India is a tropical
country and can soon become the Saudi Arabia of solar energy. With
Concentrated Photo Voltaics (CPV : which increase efficiency by
concentrating large amount of sunlight on the solar cells using
mirrors) coming up in India, we are definitely headed towards a
cleaner future.
Reducing dependence on fossil fuels and cutting down on our carbon
emissions is one of the most important aspects of solar energy.
Another crucial point is it can make any country, especially tropical
ones like India, self-sufficient in energy. With ambitious project like
the National Solar missions aiming at producing 20GW (Indias
energy consumption 2012: 100GW out of which 1GW was Solar
energy) by 2020 is a big step toward progress. Rural areas are now lit
up with solar lamps. Solar parks are also an emerging trend with
Charanka Solar Park, Gujarat producing 20MW of energy. Government
is also taking initiatives to encourage people to make use of the sun
by subsidizing electricity bills for consumers using the solar panels.
So if you make more energy than you use, you will end up in a profit
without even burning a calorie!
Going Solar is exciting but some challenges also need to be
addressed. Space constraints, weather constraints and expensive
technology involved do hinder the process. But with increase in
production and development of technology, prices will fall, demands
increase and we will be living in a cleaner, safer environment,
making the energy we need. Renewable sources of energy alone can
ensure sustainable development. Economic growth can also be
ensured by energy reaching to each and every household in turn
increasing the productivity of industries and standard of living of
people. It is a bright future we have ahead of us; the only thing is
we need to focus the glare rather than evading it.

17

SOLAR CHARGER

LITERATURE REVIEW
Reducing dependence on fossil fuels and cutting down on our carbon
emissions is one of the most
important aspects of solar energy. Another crucial point is it can make
any country, especially tropical
ones like India, self-sufficient in energy. With ambitious project like the
National Solar missions aiming at
producing 20GW (Indias energy consumption 2012: 100GW out of
which 1GW was Solar energy) by
2020 is a big step toward progress. Rural areas are now lit up with solar
lamps. Solar parks are also an
emerging trend with Charanka Solar Park, Gujarat producing 20MW of
energy. Government is also
taking initiatives to encourage people to make use of the sun by
subsidizing electricity bills for
consumers using the solar panels. So if you make more energy than you
use, you will end up in a profit
without even burning a calorie!
Going Solar is exciting but some challenges also need to be addressed.
Space constraints, weather
constraints and expensive technology involved do hinder the process.
But with increase in production
and development of technology, prices will fall, demands increase and
we will be living in a cleaner,
18

SOLAR CHARGER
It is a bright
future we have ahead of us; the only thing is we need to focus the glare
rather than evading it
safer environment, making the energy we need. Renewable sources of
energy alone can ensure
sustainable development. Economic growth can also be ensured by
energy reaching to each and every
household in turn increasing the productivity of industries and standard
of living of people.

WORKIN
G
SOLAR PANEL, 5W, 17.5V,
362X163X8MM
Power Rating: 5W

Power Voltage Max: 17.2V

Current at P Max: 290mA
Open Circuit Voltage: 21.4V
Short Circuit Current: 320mA
Solar Battery charger IC(LT3652)
Battery: Li-ion(3.7V,1400mAh)

IC LM 317 :
Adjustable Voltage
Regulator so as to

have constatnt
voltage charging for
the battery

Lead Acid Battery

;
6V, 5Ah

Zener diode :
To
cut off
charging
after battery
reaches
saturation

This project aims to make a solar charger circuit using IC LM 317

which is an adjustable voltage
regulator.

19

SOLAR CHARGER
This solar charger then charges a Lead acid battery which in turn will
power our solar lamp.
Note: Several options are available in solar charger circuits but I chose to
have IC LM317 given the limitations in availability of the ICs as well as the
learning involved in having an entire analog circuit as compared to just
having a ready to use Solar charger IC.

Components Involved:

Solar Panel: The heart

specifications:
i) Voc= 17.4V
ii) Isc= 0.33A
iii) Vmp= 17.4V
iv) Max Power= 5W

of

the

circuit.

It

has

the

following

This is our power supply. It is responsible for charging the battery.

20

SOLAR CHARGER

LM 317:
It is an adjustable voltage regulator IC which means it provides Line
Regulation (irrespective of the changes in the input voltage, the
output voltage remains constant) and Load Regulation (irrespective
of the changes in load the output voltage is fixed).
We can adjust the output voltage by varying the resistance across the
adjust pin.
This is needed to have a fixed voltage across the battery (to limit the
current and charge it at constant voltage). Directly connecting the
solar panel to the battery may even explode it due to the varying
output from it.
The voltage across R1 is maintained to be 1.25 V using an internal
circuit. The Vout is also then obtained to be constant and given by:
Vout = VR1*(1+R2/R1)+Iadj*R2.
This Iadj is of the order of microA so can be neglected to have a
regulated output voltage.

21

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

Battery: (SEALED LEAD ACID BATTERY): This circuit is designed for a 6V, 5Ah battery.
This means a 5A current will charge the battery in 1hour. Lead acid batteries are not the
best available options in rechargeable batteries (unlike portable and easy to use Li-ion
batteries). But for small applications like our solar lamp, they are good enough.

Care must be taken while handling acid

batteries.
Diodes(1N5812): These are simply blocking diodes which ensure that the
current flows only in one way so that the battery doesnt discharge when
the output from solar panel is low.
Zener Diode(1N4736) and the Transistor(BC548): This part of circuit ensures
that once the charging cut off voltage is reached by the battery, the charging
stops. The Zener is rated at 6.8V as breakdown. This allows all the voltage to
drop across the Zener and the transistor switches on due to biasing of the
Base-Emitter junction. The transistor acts like a switch and once the battery
is charged, it draws all the current thus protecting the battery.
Solar Battery Charger Circuit Design:

The circuit uses a 12V solar panel and an adjustable voltage regulator LM317. Solar panel consists of
1.2V rated solar cells. Pot RV1 is used to set the output voltage to the battery. Diode D2 prevents the
discharge of battery.
For 6V Application:

Output voltage: set for 7v

22

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

Input voltage:
o Battery discharged (6v): 8.75V@1.5mA
o Battery charged (7V): 9V min @10mA

For 12V Application:

Output voltage: set for 14v

Input voltage:
o Battery discharged (12v): 14.75V min @ 1.5mA ( available from solar panel
characterized for 12V operation).
o Battery charged (14V): 16V min @ 10mA.

Power Dissipation:
In this project, power is limited because of the thermal resistance of LM317 voltage regulator and the
heat sink. To keep the temperature below 125 degree Celsius, the power must be limited to 10W.
LM317 voltage regulator internally has temperature limiting circuit so that if it gets too hot, it shuts
down automatically.
When battery is charging, heat sink becomes warm. When completing the charging at maximum
voltage, heat sink runs hot. This heat is because of excess power that not needed in the process of
charging a battery.
Current Limiting:
As the solar panel provides constant current, it acts as a current limiter. Therefore the circuit does not
need any current limiting.
Solar Charger Protection:
In this circuit, capacitor C1 protects from the static discharge. Diode D1 protects from the reverse
polarity. And voltage regulator IC provides voltage and current regulation.
Solar Charger Specifications:

Solar panel rating: 20W (12V) or 10W (6V)

Vout range: 5 to 14V
Maximum power dissipation: 10W (includes power dissipation of schottky diode)
Typical drop out value: 2 to 2.75V (depends on load current)
Max current: 1.5A (internally it limited to 2.2A)
Voltage regulation: +/- 100mV

How to Operate this Solar Battery Charger Circuit?

1. Give the connections according to the circuit diagram.
2. Place the solar panel in sunlight.
3. Now set the output voltage by adjusting pot RV1
4. Check the battery voltage using digital multi meter.

23

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

Solar Battery Charger Circuit Advantages:

Adjustable output voltage
Circuit is simple and inexpensive.
Circuit uses commonly available components.
Zero battery discharge when no sunlight on the solar panel.
Solar Battery Charger Circuit Applications:
This circuit is used to charge Lead-Acid or Ni-Cd batteries using solar energy. (You may get
an idea about How a Lead Acid Battery Charger Circuit Works by reading the earlier
posts.)
Limitations of this Circuit:
1. In this project current is limited to 1.5A.
2. The circuit requires high drop-out voltage.

24

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

CIRCUIT DESIGN

25

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

HARDEWARES
Solar Panel 12v
LED
LM317T VOLTAGE REGULATOR
POT 10K
RESISTORS(220,680)
DIODE IN4007
CAPACITOR -0.1F

26

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

FUTURE SCOPE
SOLAR CHARGERsuitable for charging voltage in the range of 3.7 ~ 6V charge between the
different products and electronic digital mobile devices. Mobile devices need to access the voltage
and current
parameters are inconsistent. Charge must be targeted and electronic digital mobile devices to select
the appropriate voltage to the charging voltage after charging products. To ensure charging stability
and battery life.
In the sun, through the light energy is converted to electrical energy and stored by the control circuit
to the built-in battery, solar energy can produce electricity directly to the phone or other electronic
digital products charge, but must be based on the brightness of the sun may be, in the absence of the
case of sunlight, and by alternating current into direct current stored by the control circuit built-in
battery.
File:SolarCell-IVgraph3-E.PNG
Solar cells have come a long way from bulky 6% efficient chunks to thin films with as
much as 30%
efficiency. They are selling like hot cakes today given their necessity and utility. And
the reason being
they are faithful good chaps unlike oil which will soon be more precious to us than
diamonds and the
black monster: coal which has polluted the air, hand in cuff with the other fossil fuels.
We need to understand solar panels so as to understand their applications. Today, we
have monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous thin film panels. Mono-crystalline are so
far the most
efficient, given that they have the maximum silicon in a unit area so more current for
the same number
of photons. They are made out of a single silicon crystal as a continuous lattice. While
for the
polycrystalline panels, molten silicon is poured into molds and separate boundaries
can be seen due to
this. Lesser quantity of silicon in a unit area means lesser efficiency of production of
electricity.
Amorphous thin film panels are layers of silicon on a glass surface and are the least
expensive. Hence,
27

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

they are used in applications where you can do away with efficiency for lowering the
costs.
Solar panels are really useful in broad daylight but we need energy when the Sun isnt
shining above our
rooftops. Thats why we need solar chargers which will store energy in rechargeable
batteries. This
project aims to make a solar charger using a voltage regulator IC so as to charge a
Lead Acid Battery with
the constant output voltage obtained through this IC LM317( Details explained later).
Today there are
many more options like a SOLAR CHARGER IC LT3652. This is an IC with
embedded MPPT (Maximum
Power Point Tracking) algorithm. MPPT simply means the IC gets the maximum
possible power from the
solar panel by sampling its output and applying the proper load resistance. This small
chip simplifies life
given its ease of use and maximum efficiency is always ensured.
Source : Wikipedia
Even 15% efficient solar panels installed across the worlds wasetelands can produce
enough clean
energy to sustain mankind for a year.
Yet new technology is continuously being developed though solar energy generation
is still in its infancy.
The concept of SOLAR FARMING is new and catching up fast in investors. India is a
tropical country and
can soon become the Saudi Arabia of solar energy. With Concentrated Photo Voltaics
(CPV : which
increase efficiency by concentrating large amount of sunlight on the solar cells using
mirrors) coming up
in India, we are definitely headed towards a cleaner future.
Discharge instructions:
Discharge, and transferred to the appropriate output voltage stall product charging voltage on the
charge, then you need to choose the right mobile device adapter, USB plug can also be connected
together on digital products.
Notes:

Bright light can not be inter-segment charge (direct solar panel) about 8 hours, can be filled
with built-in battery.
In the summer Do not place the charger inside the car (the car temperature is too high.) Affect
battery life.
Do not separated by glass on the charger. Charging poor results.
28

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

To be charging in bright sunlight, in low light (Light1) light, can only represent the detected
light does not mean that has been in charge (such as In indoor lighting lamp). So do not be
charged in low light.
Because the factory, each battery charger contains inconsistencies, so first-time charge or
discharge time will be different.
Do not use caustic solution to clean the machine, so as not to damage the product.
Prohibited this product into the fire, so as not to cause an explosion.

29

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

CONCLUSION
Solar panels are as good as power supplies of an average of 12V in bright sunlight. The
only problem is unregulated voltage due to variation in intensity of light.
IC LM 317 solves the problem by regulating the output voltage but it again dissipated
2V across it which makes the system less efficient
Solar charger circuits need voltage regulators so as to charge the batteries at
constant voltage.
The battery charging process should be stopped once it is fully charged and this is
ensured using a zener which will start conducting at the cut off voltage.
The charger circuit is a simple, ready to use lead acid battery charger and is a good
way to tap suns energy on the go.

30

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

Summary
Solar energy is a clean energy source and it is high time we understand its
importance and embrace it in our daily lives.
Solar cells are the heart of any circuit. In the circuit for this project, Solar panels were
used as a power supply and fed into a voltage regulator so as to have a constant
voltage charging for the battery.
Batteries are the easiest way to store energy. Hence solar charger circuits aim at
charging batteries rather than driving components.
Rechargeable batteries like Lead Acid, Li-ion and NiMH are used depending on the
users requirements. Here we have used sealed Lead Acid ones.
It is also very necessary to cut off charging once the battery is fully charged. This is
managed using a zener diode which switches on at the cut-off voltage and diverts the
current through the transistor.
The battery is thus charged at constant voltage and at desired rate depending on the
amount of current supplied.
Solar energy is the most abundant but least used source of energy. But its the
solution to most of our problems
The major challenges we face in going solar is expensive technology, limited space
and energy. We need to address them by having more efficient materials and most
importantly awareness among people so that they use it to their benefits.

31

SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER

REFERENCE
www.main.org/polycosmos/glxywest/vimanas.htm - Indian Flying Machines
http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/08/solar-farming-potential-india/ - Solar
Farming
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell
http://www.planetarypower.com.au/solar_panels.htm
http://www.earthtimes.org/energy/solar-cells-future/1403 /
Element14 to look up devices, ICs
Physics of Solar Cells- A T xt for Undergraduates, J Nelson

Further Interests

I am interested in learning how to make easy, portable and ready to use devices
which run on solar power. The scope of imagination is large as solar power can
run anything on DC voltage. Specifically, I want to explore solar chargers in
greater detail and understand how to increase efficiency of power generation (IC
LM317 drops the precious 3V across it thus wasting energy). Another area of
interest Is exploring different technologies available in making solar cells( Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline, Thin Films) and be able to explain why their
efficiency changes so much by understanding their crystal structures.

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