SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER - CHARGING VARIOUS BATTERY TYPES

Introduction to Charge Controllers for Beginner to Read

Part 1: Introduction About Solar Charge Controller

Solar panels generate energy from the sun, the solar panel battery charger regulates the energy, the battery stores the energy, the inverter is used to convert battery energy into powering your needs. Simple calculate what rate controller you need, Total solar panel wattage 300watt division 12V > 25A, then you just choose the rate over 25A controller.

Solar Regulators (also known as charge controllers) enable you to charge 12V batteries and power 12V appliances directly from solar panels. The MPPT solar charge controller will monitor the PV array for the maximum power point, and attempt to use this information to not only regulate the output voltage of the PV array but also regulate the current.

This means MPPT charge controllers are more efficient than PWM controllers, and more effectively utilize the full power of your solar panels to charge a home battery system. The photovoltaic controller is an automatic control device used in a solar power generation system to control a multi-channel solar cell array to charge a battery and a battery to supply a solar inverter load.

The PV controller uses a high-speed CPU microprocessor and a high-precision A/D analog-to-digital converter. It’s a microcomputer data acquisition and monitoring control system. Full basis. Solar charge controllers can be connected to solar panels and DC loads like DC light, fan, or TV. A solar power system consisting of DC load is energy efficient and saves more money.

Charge Controller Basics

By using innovative maximum power tracking technology, PV controllers ensure maximum efficiency of solar arrays throughout the day and around the clock. PV module efficiency can be increased by 30% (average efficiency can be increased by 10%-25%).

Three-stage I-U curve charging control with temperature compensation can significantly extend battery life.

Photovoltaic controllers are classified according to their topological structure. They can be divided into DC/DC type and straight-through type. DC/DC type can be divided into the resonant type and MPPT type, but due to DC/DC type controller. There are large inductive components, and its volumetric heat and weight increase rapidly after passing a large current.

These shortcomings make its practical application in the high-power field limited; however, the through-type controller is used in the high-power field.

It’s more advantages. Even if the photovoltaic current reaches several hundred amperes, its volumetric heat and weight are not too large. Therefore, in the high-power field like mobile communication base stations, the through-type controllers have been widely used. Application.

Charge Controller Types

1. The most common is the universal solar charge controller. And you can choose PMW or MPPT.
2. Second popular is the solar street light controller.
3. The third is Solar power station Controller.
4. Lithium Solar controller for Lithium battery, it will be more and more popular in the coming future.

The Main Function of the Solar Panel Charge Controllers

1. Power adjustment function.
2. Communication function, simple indication function, protocol communication function.
3. Perfect protection function, electrical protection, reverse connection, short circuit, over current

Charge and Discharge Function

Direct charge protection purpose voltage: Direct rate is additionally referred to as fast charge.regarding the leveling keep a check over purpose voltage: when the direct charge is finished, the battery may well be statically set through the charge and discharge controller for a length, so as that its voltage can fall naturally。

Floating charge control level voltage: Generally, after the equalization is finished, the battery could also be allowed to stand for a length, so that its terminal voltage naturally falls. When it falls to the “maintenance voltage” level, it enters the floating fee state, and these days adopts PWM.

When it is low, it’ll be charged a little bit, and the battery will proceed to upward push. This is just right for the battery, for the reason that the internal temperature of the battery has a great effect on the price and discharge over discharge coverage termination voltage: This is best understood. Battery discharge cannot be lower than this worth, the nationwide standard.

Basic Technique Specification Range for the Solar Regulator

1. Solar regulator system voltage usually there’s 6 nominal voltage levels: 12V, 24V, 48V, 110V, 220V, 500V

2. The maximum charging current of the regulator: refers to the maximum current output of the solar cell module or square array, according to the power size is divided into 5A, 10A, 15A, 20A, 30A, 40A, 50A, 70A, 75A, 85A, 100A, 150A, 200A, 250A, 300A, and other specifications.

Here is an example: 30 amp charge controllers is the most popular rate, can be replaced for the 10amp or 20amp because the current is larger.

3. About the solar cell array input: small power photovoltaic controllers are generally single input, and high-power photovoltaic controllers are multi-channel input from solar cells, the general high-power photovoltaic controller can input 6 channels.

The most can access 12 or 18 channels.

4. About the circuit itself loss: also called no-load loss (static current) or maximum self-loss, to reduce the loss of the controller, and to improve the photovoltaic power conversion efficiency, the controller’s circuit itself loss should be as low as possible.

The maximum self-loss of the controller must not exceed 1% or 0.4W of its rated charging current. According to the circuit, its own loss is generally 5~20mA.

Part 2: Difference between MPPT and PWM charge controller

Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) regulators are the most effective means to achieve constant voltage battery charging by switching the solar system controller’s power devices.

The main difference between MPPT and PWM charge controllers is that,

MPPT charge controllers allow the PV array output voltage to be higher than the battery bank without losing power.

When an MPPT solar charge controller notices a difference in voltage, it will automatically and efficiently convert the higher voltage to the lower voltage so your panels, battery bank, and PV charge controller can all be equal in voltage.

MPPT stands for Maximum Power Point Tracking and an MPPT charge controller is used in the common case where your solar array’s voltage is higher than your battery bank’s voltage. PV charge controllers are rated and sized depending on your solar array’s current (amps) and the solar system’s voltage (push).

More sophisticated solar charge controllers make sure the battery is charged by utilizing pulse width modulation (PWM) or maximum power point tracking (MPPT).

An MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) charge controller optimizes the connection between solar panels and your battery or the utility grid.

Unlike PWM controllers, MPPT charge controllers can pair non-matching voltages from panels and batteries.

Therefore, PWM solar controllers are more suited for small DIY solar systems with a couple of low voltage panels and a small battery.

Maximum Power Point Tracking controllers maximize the energy from the solar panels by optimally loading the solar panel with the available sunlight.

Solar charge controllers act as voltage or current regulators to prevent batteries from overcharging. Solar Charge controllers regulate the power received from solar panels to charge your 12v batteries safely.

A Non-MPPT charge controller chains the array’s voltage to the battery’s voltage, effectively limiting the array’s power output.

The controller PWM normally costs less than an MPPT controller, but the controller MPPT may take full advantage of a solar panel.

As an example, if the solar panels make 12v then MPPT solar charge controller will deliver 13v to the battery. Some solar charge controllers will automatically detect the voltage of your battery (e.g. 12v or 24v) and will automatically regulate the voltage and current to suit the battery.

Solar controllers regulate the voltage output from the solar panel and prevent batteries from being overcharged. Select a charge controller that can handle the maximum output current of the solar panel (or solar array).

Each time you charge deep cycle batteries with solar panels, it’s necessary to use a charge controller in the circuit to protect the battery from overcharging or from over discharging.

With a PWM battery charge controller used with 12v batteries, the voltage from the solar panel to the charge controller typically must be 18V

For relatively small batteries paired with low-output 5-10 Watt solar panels, a PWM solar charge controller should do the job.

The MPPT advantage over traditional controllers is higher energy harvesting from the solar array, achieved by pulling the energy out at a much higher voltage. They produce everything from solar panels to batteries to charge controllers and inverters.

We have in store various Solar Charge Controllers, generally maximum power point tracking (MPPT) PV charge controller. A battery controller or charge regulator is basically a voltage and/or current regulator to keep batteries from overcharging.

The drawback of the PWM 12v charge controller is they blindly regulate the voltage without compensating for the power output. This is when the solar regulator comes in.

Due to a number of factors, the voltage supplied from solar panels will fluctuate – this means it’s unsuitable for charging batteries or power appliances directly.

MPPT solar regulator increases a solar array’s effectiveness by 30%, making it the preferred technology in all but the most basic systems. So if you had an 850watt solar array with 48 volts, and your battery bank’s voltage was 24 volts. Using an MPPT 12-volt solar charge controller allows much higher voltages in the wires from the panels to the solar charge controller.

Solar panels, battery, solar charge controller positive poles are all connected together, Multi-functional LCD Display solar panel charge controller: The solar controller Comes with a display that can clearly indicate the status and data, such as the digital display, current, voltage, load identification, battery identification, charging identification, etc. Using an MPPT solar system controller allows much higher voltages in the cables from the panels to the solar charge controller.

For more complex DIY solar projects with higher output panels, you may want to consider an MPPT solar power controller.

If you are a homeowner looking to install a solar array with a battery, connected to the electric grid, there’s no need for a charge controller, once your battery is full, excess energy will be directed to the grid instead.

How to Select the Right Solar Charge Controller for Your Projects?

1. Define the projects to choose the right controller, for example it’s for home DIY? For special projects, or for some testing reason.
2. Check Budgets, simple solar system does not need to buy high-cost controllers, the 10-20USD controller may make you happen on your projects.

But if you want your system to run good, the good brand controller is necessary. especially DIY system for your home /vehicles (boat/RV/yacht/caravans).

3. Listen retailer or installer advise, inquiry suggestion from them.
4. Learn from Google
5. Just pay the money and hire the right people working for you.

Here is the brand for you to consider to order with: EPSOLAR/Morningstar/Victron Energy/Genasun.

Solar charge controller for yacht