Solar DIY kit - type of battery?

[littlespark]

Happy Sunday, lads and lassies.

I got one of those fold up briefcase type solar panels for camping from a neighbour. Seems pretty well self explanatory, but I just wondered what size battery to get?
Im thinking of setting it up on my garden shed just for a light.

I don’t think it needs to be the size of a caravan leisure battery, but would a fire alarm system battery be ok for it? Like I say, it’ll just be 12v LED lights running off it.

 

[Mike Johnson]

I suppose it come down to how long will you be in your shed, 7ah alarm battery divided by light mah, may be worth considering a low voltage cut off in case you leave the light on.

 

[James]

The panels and charge control may well have a minimum battery size that it should be connected to , this is to prevent overcharging.

 

[littlespark]

Found a bit of paper. Doesn’t say much.

i think I’ll just try it with an alarm battery first. I’m not in there much.... it’s the rabbit shed, so it’s just putting them in and out.

 

[richy3333]

Id eat the rabbits and save myself the additional electrical work ?