Yes, a 24V solar panel can charge a 12V battery when paired with a compatible charge controller. The charge controller regulates the voltage and manages the charging process, preventing overcharging.
A 24V solar panel can charge 120 watts to a 12V battery. If you charge a 24V solar panel to a 12V battery, it will charge at 8.3 amps and draw the voltage down to what the battery can handle. Only 120 watts of the possible 300 watts from a 24V solar panel are charged to a 12V battery because of the low voltage.
The safest way to charge a battery using a solar panel is also to use a charge controller. In the case of a 24v solar panel and a 12v battery, the charge controller would limit the amount of energy from the panel to the battery, especially when the battery became nearly fully charged.
Can a PWM solar charge controller charge a 12V battery?
PWM solar charge controllers can also be used to charge a 12V battery with a 24V solar panel. They adjust the voltage and amps coming from your solar panel to match the battery similar to MPPT charge controllers. However, PWM solar charge controller is not as good at maximizing the power from your panel compared to an MPPT charge controller.
How many 12V solar panels can power a 24v battery?
To charge a 24V battery with 12V solar panels, you need to connect at least two 12V solar panels in a series. Connecting solar panels in a series increases the voltage, so two 12V modules become 24V.
In the case of a 24v solar panel and a 12v battery, the charge controller would limit the amount of energy from the panel to the battery, especially when the battery became nearly fully charged. Without a charge controller, the battery would continue to receive energy even after the solar panel fully charged the battery.
Can I use an MMPT charge controller with a 12V solar panel?
However, you'll need to make sure that the MPPT charge controller is compatible with the 12V solar panel and the 24V battery. If you don't want to use an MMPT charge controller you can also use a voltage converter. This will take the 12V from the solar panel and convert it into 24V.