MPPT Solar charge controller

[sinner]

hi guys, need to get a new controller, has anyone got any recommendations?
the one I have just now is dead ;(
output 25A
capacity 300w

cheers

 

[wildebus]

hi guys, need to get a new controller, has anyone got any recommendations?
the one I have just now is dead ;(
output 25A
capacity 300w

cheers

Another key parameter is incoming voltage from the panels - some controllers are limited to around 25V or so, and a 300W panel or an array in series may exceed that.

 

[trevskoda]

Bought one of theses,they do a bigger one,cheap as chips and mine is working 100%

 

[wildebus]

Bought one of theses,they do a bigger one,cheap as chips and mine is working 100%

That is a remarkably cheap price for an MPPT Solar Controller.
Have you checked the difference between the incoming power and outgoing power to see if it is really an MPPT?

UPDATE:
I just had a look at the suppliers listing and the comparison between this new version and the old one ....

"very dangerous"
"the battery broken easily"

I wonder how they described that old one when they were selling it - and how they will describe this "newest version" model when it gets replaced by a newer one?
Scary!

 

[trevskoda]

There is also this for folk wanting to charge engine battery as well.

 

[Snapster]

We have a Victron MPPT controller. Not cheap, but works very well. I did have one of those cheap Chinese MPPT jobs but it didn’t work very well.
Have a look at the Victron BlueSolar MPPT 100/30. It’s the right one for your system, around £180.

 

[maingate]

Go with the Votronic 250 as recommended by Trev. I am going to order one (probably tonight as we have just got home).

 

[trevskoda]

That one is an MPPT controller, though only for the main output. The secondary output is just a trickle charge.

Good controller: I have one, kept as a spare in case one of my even better controllers fails.

You only require a trickle for the starter batt,the main charge is for hab battery.

 

[mistericeman]

Unless something is badly wrong, you don't need a solar panel at all. My starter battery gets charged when the engine is running. Just like almost every other vehicle on the road. Why would I need to add solar charging?

Trouble is with a lot of modern vehicles the ecu doesn't always fully shut down (alarm and central locking fob functions/radio/tracker etc) so there can be a current draw, on the starter battery...
Not noticeable on a daily driver BUT on something that doesn't get run between trips or is parked up in a compound can lead to a flat starter battery when you next need to use it.

 

[martinmartin]

There is also this for folk wanting to charge engine battery as well.

Are you recommending that from experience?

 

[Nabsim]

Are you recommending that from experience?

I am, I have been using that make and model for about 10 months and use the trickle charge to the starter battery as well

 

[wildebus]

Trouble is with a lot of modern vehicles the ecu doesn't always fully shut down (alarm and central locking fob functions/radio/tracker etc) so there can be a current draw, on the starter battery...
Not noticeable on a daily driver BUT on something that doesn't get run between trips or is parked up in a compound can lead to a flat starter battery when you next need to use it.

I had this kind of problem with my 2005 RAV4, If I didn't use it for a week (and I worked from home, so was quite possible) the battery would often be flat. Toyotas standard reply was "lock the car with the key so the alarm would not be set". Useless response.
In the end I fitted a battery 50% larger, but a way to trickle charge the battery on that car would have been handy.

 

[martinmartin]

I am, I have been using that make and model for about 10 months and use the trickle charge to the starter battery as well

Actually that's why l asked the question because of your post on motorhomer .

 

[martinmartin]

Actually that's why l asked the question because of your post on motorhomer .

As in mppt versus pwm

 

[trevskoda]

Unless something is badly wrong, you don't need a solar panel at all. My starter battery gets charged when the engine is running. Just like almost every other vehicle on the road. Why would I need to add solar charging?

Its for folk who leave there vans doing nout outside there home until summer time,you and me prob dont,but its there so why not make use of it for something.

 

[trevskoda]

If you leave the motorhome parked for months at a time, perhaps you should sell it. If you don't, fix the issues, or get a bigger starter battery.

Bigger battery dont always fit ,and many m/homes are only used in holiday times by folk,did you ever wonder why a 20 year old van has only 20/30 thu miles on the clock.