Solar Cell Requirements

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13harwooda
 
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Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 5:47 pm

Solar Cell Requirements

Post by 13harwooda »

I have a minty boost connected to a USB/DC/Solar lipo charger (connected to a lithium ion 3.7V 2500mAh battery) and I had a question about the solar cells that can be used to charge it.
I understand that the solar cell should be rated for 6V, however I was wondering if there is a minimum for the amount of current the cells must provide to actively charge the lithium battery. I know it's dependent on how much power the solar cells provide, however I would like to hook up some old calculator solar cells to charge the lithium ion battery as much as possible. If they have very small current values (probably around 300 uA) will they have any effect on the lithium ion battery charging? Is there a certain threshold for power/current/voltage? Can they drain voltage if they are too small voltage/current wise?

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Solar Cell Requirements

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

300uA is not likely to make a significant dent in charging a 2500mAh cell. And wiring mismatched solar cells together can actually be counterproductive.

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