I have a question about solar panels and batteries. When a battery (like an Anker or EcoFlow) is fully charged, it stops accepting power. I'm wondering what happens to the electricity generated by the solar panels at that point. Does it damage the panels if they have nowhere to send power? Do the panels just shut off when this happens? I'm specifically talking about folding portable solar panels that come with a built-in inverter or controller that connects to a power station. I'd love to understand how this all works!
2 Answers
When your battery is full, the system just goes into standby mode. Think of it like a battery that isn't producing any current, so it just holds voltage without supplying power. Unless there's a short circuit, it's pretty safe and just idles.
It's actually pretty similar to an outlet in your home that has nothing plugged in. The power just sits there, waiting for something to use it. The good news is, it won't hurt your solar panels at all. They will hold an electrical charge until a device is connected to draw the power. Many people with off-grid solar setups experience this, especially in the late afternoon when their batteries are full—it's completely normal. Just keep in mind that solar panels can generate high voltage, so be careful if you're working with the wires, especially on residential systems that can exceed 300 volts!