Maximum charging voltage for a battery?

[cartman007]

Hi

If I had a rechargeable battery rated at 12V, is it ok to charge it with 14V?
How do you know what voltage maximum?
How do solar panels that sometimes operate at 18V get fed into a battery to recharge it?

Thanks

 

[chuckey]

It depends on the battery type. The limit on the charging rate is the maximum current that it can safely take. The voltage is adjusted to get the current.
The very maximum is set by the temperature and the battery type.
There is a voltage/current regulator feeding the battery. Also that 18V will be at zero current as you take current the voltage will fall.
Frank

 

[Audioguru]

You forgot to tell us what type of battery you are talking about.
Ni-Cad? Ni-MH? Lithium? or Lead-Acid?

When a solar panel has a load then its voltage drops. But when a battery is fully charged its current is low if the voltage is limited. Without limiting the voltage then the battery can be over-charged by a solar panel.
You need a charger circuit designed for the battery type and its charging current and it is designed to be to be powered from a solar panel.

 

[cartman007]

Thanks allot guys.

Yea im not quite sure which battery type Ill use. Im still doing my research.
Im not quite sure which battery will work better for solar panels yet.

Thanks guys