Solar energy, as a clean energy source, has become more and more sought after in recent years, so charging a 200 Ah battery with solar panel has become a popular way of life. So, one can’t help but ask, “How many solar panels does it take to charge a 200 Ah battery?” Of course, there must be a variety of factors that come into play, as shown below.

1. 200Ah battery capacity for different voltages

Battery capacity determines how long it takes to charge as well as the number of solar panels.

(1) Suppose we take 12 volts:

12volts x 200Ah = 2400 watt-hours  

This means that it takes 2400 watt-hours to fully charge a 12-volt 200Ah battery.

(2) Say in terms of 24 volts:

24 volts x 200Ah= 4800 watt-hours

This means that a 24 volt 200Ah battery requires 4800 watt-hours to fully charge.

So, the amount of power needed to fully charge a battery of different voltages is different, to the extent that the number of solar panels needed is different.

2. How many solar panels are needed to charge a 200 Ah battery?

The first step is to determine the amount of power needed to charge a 200 Ah battery, and the amount of power each solar cell can produce, by dividing the former by the latter. Let’s take the example of a 12-volt 200 Ah battery that produces about 600 watts of electricity per solar cell per day as follows:

① Electricity required for a 12-volt 200 Ah battery: 12 volts x 200Ah = 2400 watts

② 2400 watts ÷ 600 = 4 blocks

Using this as an example, the number of solar panels required is determined by the capacity of the battery as well as the solar panel, the amount of electricity required to be produced by the solar panels in a day.