Is it possible for a 2V rated panel to charge a bank of batteries equal to around 36V? I believe that the panels should equal or exceed the voltage of the batteries but, I'm not for certain.
With a 2 volt power source (solar panel, battery charger, vehicle charging system, etc...) you can charge three 2 volt batteries in parallel circuits then switch to a series circuit through a series/parallel switch to get 36 volts output. I've done this with my electric scooter so I can charge it with my pickup through the lighter socket when I'm away from home. It works great! When at home I just leave the switch in the 36 volt position, plug the charger in the wall receptacle and the charger puts out 36 volts. Actually 2 volt lead acid batteries have 2.6 volts when fully charged so the charging source has an output of 3.6 to 4.2 volts to effect a complete charge. In the series circuit the fully charged batteries would put out 37.8 volts so the charger would have an output of 40.8 to 42.6 volts.
You're right. The solar panels must produce a voltage equal to or slightly greater than that of the batteries. So you need to either switch to a 2 volt battery or add two more solar panels of the same current rating.
you'll have to use 3 panels connected in series or use a dc to dc up converter, the former is a better option
