3 Simple

Homemade Solar
Circuit Panel/Mains Changeover
Projects
Circuits
Last Updated on June 15, 2019 by Swagatam (https://www.homemade-circuits.com/author/swag/)

The discussed automatic change over relay circuit was requested by

Mr.Karimulla Baig. The circuit normally charges the connected battery at
constant current through the power received from the solar panel,
and reverts to DC power from an AC/DC adapter in the absence of solar
energy (during night time). Let's the read the request in more details:

Technical Specifications
Please help me in designing the change over circuit for my battery charger.
where i want to charge my 6V 4.5Ah battery from solar and AC mains when ever
there is no power from solar i need to charge my battery from AC mains.

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even though no current, I'm facing the problem to change it to mains.

Regards, Karimulla Baig"

How the Circuit is Designed to Work

Looking at the proposed circuit diagram, we see three basic stages, on the le�
an IC 741 circuit, at the center a voltage regulator stage using IC LM317, while
on the top an AC/DC adapter circuit.
a constant current, 7 volts output to the 6V battery which is connected at the
given points.

The pot with the LM317 IC may be adjusted to produce the required charging
output for the particular battery.

The most important part of the circuit is the IC 741 stage, which is set up as a
high voltage trigger circuit.

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The associated preset is adjusted such that the relay activates when the solar
panel voltage is above 7 volts.

The activation of the relay means the regulator circuit and the battery receive
the voltage from the solar panel via the N/O contacts of the relay.

However, the moment the panel voltage drops below 7 volts, the relay
switches OFF, connecting the DC adapter power with the regulator circuit,
required by Mr. Baig.

R1 = Reference voltage/charging current = 1.25/Chg.Current

Solar Panel/Battery/Mains Changeover Relay

Circuit
The post discusses a simple relay changeover circuit for managing a
sustained power to the connected battery via a solar panel, and a mains
operated SMPS power supply. The idea was requested by Ms Rina.

Technical Specifications
I would like to know how the circuit looks like for the problem that you have
explained previously. But the application is little bit different.

There are three parameters:

The solar panel, The battery, And the AC/DC adapter. During day time the solar
panel charges the battery and also stays connected to a 1hp air conditioner,
pendaflour tube and a computer so that it can be lit through solar panel.

At night, all 3 appliances gets automatically connected to the battery.

And during overcast conditions or in absence of sunlight, if the battery voltage

drops, the battery gets connected to the adapter so that it is able to get charged
from the AC/DC source....

Thank you in advance Sir.

Rina
The Design
The proposed solar panel, battery and mains relay changeover circuit
(https://homemade-circuits.com/search/label/Relay%20Changeovers) as
shown above may be understood with the help of the following explanation:

Referring to the figure, we can see that the solar panel power is fed to a
charger controller, preferably an MPPT circuit (https://homemade-
during the day, and as soon as darkness falls, the relay contacts change over
and switch the mains adapter voltage with the charger controller unit.

An inverter battery can be seen connected across the output of the charger
controller, which is continuously charged through the controller either
through the panel voltage or the Mains SMPS voltage, depending upon the
day/night or overcast conditions.

The battery can also be seen directly and permanently connected to an

associated inverter which is able to receive the battery power throughout the
day and also during the night time.

However since the battery is consistently kept in the charging mode via the
solar panel or the SMPS, its lower discharge level is never reached and the
battery finds itself always in topped-up condition, and supplying a 24/7
power to the connected loads via the inverter output mains.

Solar Battery Charger, AC/DC Adapter Changeover

The enclosed circuit of an solar battery controller, AC/DC adapter automatic
changeover circuit was requested by Mr.Juan. Let's learn more about the
request and the circuit from the below given discussions:

Discussing How to Build Solar Panel, DC Adapter

Changeover Circuit
Hi Swagatam,

Your information and circuits are great.

But I want to ask for a special circuit.

11V-14V to 0V)

As hobby, I want to solar power from this system to a 12V led strip in my kitchen.
But in case the light is on and the battery falls off, I want to autoswitch to a
220AC/12DC adapter that I have. So if my light is on, I will notice a little flick but
nothing more, the light will be on all the time I want.

I don't want to "auto charge" battery with de AC/DC adapter in that case,
because the main utility of my project is to use solar power.

I want to ask you several questions/circuits

1. I think I can't put together my controller ground and my AC/DC adapter

ground, so I need a DPDT LATCH RELAY ("latch" in order not to waste lots of
power from de battery system). And because of I can't put them together, I can't
use the AC main switch of the kitchen to control all the system (I mean, the AC
main switch of the kitchen will control the light, while the battery/controller
powers the light either the AC/DC adapter)

2. What I want is that when my controller's load-pins output goes to 0V, the
RELAY will turn to AC/DC power adapter. And when that output returns to
11-14V, the RELAY will turn to battery/controller system in order to waste "solar
power" in my lights.

3. It doesn't mind if the relay is a single o dual coil, but the circuit has to be ultra
low power consumption.

4. The ultra low power consumption is the reason for use a latch relay. It will
only drain power when it has to activate o deactivate. I expect it not to activate
never, so means that my solar system has a good battery capacity.

5. How can I control the light only with the AC main switch of the kitchen ?
attached to you as a guide to understand this long post. but I suposse I can't do
this way.

Hi Juan,

I am little confused, I couldn't understand the procedure correctly. There are

three parameters:

The solar panel,

The battery,

And the AC/DC adapter.

I couldn't understand how you want to integrate these together.

According to me it should be like this:

During day time the solar panel charges the battery and also stays connected
to the LED strip, so that it can be lit through solar panel.

At night, the LED strip gets automatically connected to the battery and uses
the battery power for illumination.

And during overcast conditions or in absence of sunlight, if the battery

voltage drops below 11v, the battery gets connected to the adapter so that it
is able to get charged from the AC/DC source....

Is it that way you want??

First of all, thanks for your help.

Excuse me for my English.

The battery is also connected to the controller.

The load attached to the controller is the led strip.

What I want to do is give 2 power supplies to my led strip. The main supply is the
one that comes from the controller (it's using solar power or a battery charged
with solar power). The secondary supply is the one that comes from the AC/DC
source.

I don't want to charge my battery with the AC/DC source (I've found some
circuits for that).

I want to use the solar-battery-controller group to supply my led strip, but, just
in case the controller cuts off the output (to protect the battery because of 3 or 4
four cloudy days or whatever), the led strip will be supplied by the AC/DC
adapter.

Then, the next sunny day, the battery will be charged again with solar power
(solar-battery-controller group).

I've to check the output of the controller, and when that output is 0V, I have to
change to the AC/DC adapter. The battery remains "untouched".

There's also a handicap, the switch on the wall has to "control" the led strip
(either supplied by controller, or by the ac/dc adaptor).(You will understand my
previous post's pdf, the coil was energized by the AC/DC source, in order not to
energized it if the wall switch is open)

NOTE: In future, I will also get a USB female in order to charge mobiles, and
similar. (I've already get circuits to step down 12 V to 5 V). May be this USB
female connector will have the same "AC/DC source as emergency" or not). but
posted....soon.

Thanks a lot,

Remember that is very important to drain a very "ultra low" power from the
battery to make the circuit/relay/or whatever work. The solar system is little, so
I can't have a constant drain of 30-50 mA, 24 hours per day. (that is because my
first try was power the relay's coil directly with ac/dc source).

I will be using transistors instead of a relay, so the consumption will be

negligible....

Done...here's the circuit requested by Mr.Juan, designed by me:

How the above circuits function:

In the upper circuit the transistor remains switched OFF by the +V from the
solar panel during day, and switch ON during night via a the 1K resistor
illuminating the LEDs. The diodes keep the voltages from the two sources
isolated for correct functioning of the circuit

In the lower diagram, the le� transistor conducts due to the presence of the
solar voltage which grounds the base of the right transistor switching it
off....during night the opposite takes place illuminating the LEds. The relay
diode is a freewheeling diodes in order to protect the transistor from relay coil
back emf.

the resistors are all 1/4 watt rated

For operating an AC load, the following design could be incorporated using a

triac
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 Maximum Power Point Next: Designing a Grid-Tie
Tracker Inverter Circuit
(https://www.homemade-circuits.com/designing-grid-tie-inverter-
circuit/)

About Swagatam

I am an electronic engineer (dipIETE ), hobbyist,

inventor, schematic/PCB designer, manufacturer. I am
also the founder of the website: https://www.homemade-
circuits.com/, where I love sharing my innovative circuit ideas and
tutorials.
If you have any circuit related query, you may interact through
comments, I'll be most happy to help!

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Your email:

Comments
Dr Chandan Parashar says

Dear swagatamji,
I am a avid follower of your blogs and have admire since long how you solve the problems
with ease.
I was interested in electronics since childhood, but as the luck good have it, I became a
doctor but my interest in electronics continues.
I have installed 6000 watt solar panel, attached to a 10 KVA inverter with 15 batteries (
180volts) for my hospital.
Initially I had the problems switching between mains power from grid and solar power
panel. Later on I used LDR to control changing relay between mains to s o l a r. the LDR was
placed in such a way that it used to sense when it was sunrise and it used to to switch the
inverter power supply from mains to solar.
But now I have an existing problem.sometimes it’s so happens that due to load or during
rainy season the battery is fully discharged. I have tried using commercially available
battery level indicator to trigger the LDR which will in turn changes the power input from
solar to grid but I have not been successful. so can you design a circuit for me, in which
when once the the voltage of a battery goes below a certain level say 11.4v then it should
trigger a relay which would change the the power supply from solar panel to power grid,
thus preventing deep discharge of the battery.Preferably it should be for 180 volt dc but if it
is not possible then even a 12 volt circuit will solve my purpose
Thanks in advance
Dr Chandan Parashar

Reply

Swagatam (https://www.homemade-circuits.com/) says

 https://www.homemade-circuits.com/low-battery-indicator-circuit-using-two/
(https://www.homemade-circuits.com/low-battery-indicator-circuit-using-two/)

But a 12V is recommended for this circuit. It can be modified for 180V also but might
require some thinking. I can do it for you if to wish to have it.

However the circuit will oscillate between, say for example, 11V and 12V if 11V is
selected as the low threshold per battery. Meaning once the relay cuts off the battery at
11V, the battery voltage will slowly begin rising, and when it reaches it 12V, the relay will
switch back again, until the battery again drops to 11V, and this will continue. To avoid
this you will have to experiment with a resistor value across the collector of BC557 and
the base of center BC547. You can begin with a 33K and see by how much the gap
increases between the low cut off and the upper restoration point.

Reply

Dr Chandan Parashar says

Thanks a ton for prompt response.

I will make it and let you know

Reply

Swagatam (https://www.homemade-circuits.com/) says

No problem, glad to help!

Reply

Ronald says

hello Godson l love to be like u am requesting to teach me

Reply

Godson says
Thanks a lot for this post. I want to apply this schematic to my inveter to achieve the same
purpose that it was designed for. But in my own inverter design, the main inverter
transformer is the same one that is used to charge the batteries through the MOSFETs,
meaning that there is no separate transformer for charging the batteries. How can I utilize
this schematic to achieve the same purpose?
Also, if the batteries being used in the inverter has a total of 800Ahr or more, what relay will
be suitable to handle such changeover?

Reply

Swag (https://homemade-circuits.com/) says

Hello Godson,
you can replace the transformer wire connections to bridge rectifier as shown in the
diagram with your inverter transformer’s charger output.

for handling 90 amp current you can replace the relay with a 100 amp relay, and also
upgrade the driver transistor with a TIP122

Reply

zeal njoku (https://www.blogger.com/profile/11166518145927044193) says

One of your 12volts dc 1kv reliable circuit design for this transformer which is 5kv
transformer to achieve a 5kv inverter, and more than one battery as many as possible could
be connected in parallel as increase the dc input current as the voltage will remain 12 volts
in other to achieve long service time of the inverter.
Thanks as i hope to see your repply soonest.
Regards.

Reply

Swagatam (https://www.blogger.com/profile/13783312838408713408) says

 zeal njoku (https://www.blogger.com/profile/11166518145927044193) says

Ok Mr swagatam my sugestion and idea goes this way: can we try to achieve from 2kv to 5kv
inverter that will only use one 12 volts dc supply the sircuit, as i see in all your circuit
designed each one above 1kv have dc supply of more than one battery acording to their
wattage so wount it be possible to use only one 12 volts de supply to achieve 5kv ac output,
am asking because i am aware of transformer of 5kv 230v in and 12 volts out, this
transformer is locally made.
So how can it be when one can use one of your

Reply

zeal njoku (https://www.blogger.com/profile/11166518145927044193) says

Ok mr swagatam
I have a question to you which goes this way:

Is there not a way that one battery of 12 volts dc can be use to supply and be soficient for a
circuit of 1kv inverter ciruit of your design to a step down transformer of 5kv 230 in to 12
volts out if use for inverter to be revice the transformer as 12 volts in and 230 volts out to
acheive a 5kv 12 volts dc supply to 230 volts ac supply.

Note that this transformer is a local made which i know that i do very well and can give
small details of it.
Pls sir go through it as i will wat for repply.
Thanks for your good work.

Reply
 amount of current, that's the reason why voltage must be increased so that the current
can be kept within feasible limits.

Reply

Swagatam (https://www.blogger.com/profile/13783312838408713408) says

Tejas, I don't remember, please check it by using the search box above…

Reply

Tejas (https://www.blogger.com/profile/06726243129874507932) says

Sir have you designed circuit for above query… Please inform me…

Reply

adelusi oluwatosin (https://www.blogger.com/profile/02349938367138610363)

says

sir can this circuit work with 40v,400w solar panel, and 40v ac to dc for charging of 36v
200ah battery? moreso, sir kindly post me ac-ac automatic changeover circuit that is when
there no main power supply the circuit change to inverter and vice versal. Thanks.

Reply

Swagatam (https://www.blogger.com/profile/13783312838408713408) says

you can try the following design:

https://homemade-circuits.com/2012/09/automatic-inverter-supply-and-mains.html
(https://homemade-circuits.com/2012/09/automatic-inverter-supply-and-mains.html)

Reply

Eric Woo (https://www.blogger.com/profile/15221070097634064012) says

I am using 2 pcs of 100W 18V Solar Panel connecting in series providing a 36V charging
voltage to my 2 pcs 24V 40AH batteries connecting in series as well.

With this 24V battery; I am using a 24V 900W inverter to power my water features AC pumps
unit only running in the day.

Can i use the above circuit for switching AC charging to the batteries in the night or
batteries when the battery voltage is low.

My only worries is the components ratings in the circuit as my voltage should be in the 20s.

Thank you and Best Regards

Eric Woo
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Reply

Swagatam (https://www.blogger.com/profile/13783312838408713408) says

Dear ERic, you can surely use the above circuit for your purpose, however only a�er
doing the following changes:

replace:

10k preset with a 22k preset

IC 741 with LM358

LM338 with LM196

Also use a 24V relay if 24v batteries are used, the transformer adapter will also need to
be changed with a 24V DC adapter

Reply

Swagatam (https://www.blogger.com/profile/13783312838408713408) says

……the zener resistor must be also changed with a 10k resistor.

 Thank you very much… will try it out.

Regards
Eric

Reply

avinaash jadhao (https://www.blogger.com/profile/11538402632267243561)

says

dear sir,
please give me circuit, and componenent list for 12 v battery

Reply

avinaash jadhao (https://www.blogger.com/profile/11538402632267243561)

says

sir,
please give me detail circuit , component for 12v battery

Reply

siva raman (https://www.blogger.com/profile/03032205219284264768) says

Iam using 500w, 25Amps (100Wx5,5Amps each panel ) solar panel

with sine wave ups for charging

purpose,how to use your circuit for changeover to ac mains and

solar panel charger, i want to use day time with

sunlight only charge from solar panel and evening without

sunlight it will automatically change to ac mains sir plea replay battery 12v 150ah and mppt
circuit inbuilt

Reply
 Iam using 500w, 25Amps (100Wx5,5Amps each panel ) solar panel

with sine wave ups for charging

purpose,how to use your circuit for changeover to ac mains and

solar panel charger, i want to use day time with

sunlight only charge from solar panel and evening without

sunlight it will automatically change to ac mains sir plea replay battery 12v 150ah and
mppt circuit inbuilt

Reply

Swagatam (https://www.blogger.com/profile/13783312838408713408) says

You can try the following circuit:

https://homemade-circuits.com/2012/09/automatic-inverter-supply-and-mains.html
(https://homemade-circuits.com/2012/09/automatic-inverter-supply-and-mains.html)

Reply

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