Battery Charging Without a Controller [RE-wrenches]

[Doug Pratt]

Mark, the rule of thumb I've heard is that so long as the amperage
output of your PV module is no more than 1.5% of your battery's amphour
capacity, there's no chance of pushing the battery into overcharge. So
in your example, if your battery is 20AH or larger, you're safe.
(Disclaimer: I'm not positive that this rule applies to sealed
batteries, the best choice for emergency power. And with the reliable
little MorningStar SunGuard retailing for only $30... your choice.)
Cheers,
Doug Pratt

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Byington [mailto:markbyington at sbcglobal.net] 
 
Anybody have any experience with connecting a small PV panel directly to
a battery for trickle charging?  I have a 5 watt ASE panel that puts out
16V at 0.3A and I want to power a small automotive-type inverter.  This
is a manual backup system to power a fish tank (about 45 watts) during
power outages only.

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