Solar Charge Controllers

Charge Controllers

Solar charge controller, also known as a battery charge controller, charge regulator, or battery regulator is a device that provides safe charging and operation of the solar battery.

The solar charge controller is an important component of the solar power system. It protects solar deep cycle batteries against overcharging and overvoltage and extends battery’s service life by preventing its complete draining. Whenever you are using an energy storage in your solar panel system, lead-acid or lithium battery, you should add a solar charge controller.

What does a solar charge controller do?

The primary function of a charge controller is to keep your battery safe from high voltage of your solar array. There are two types of charge controllers for solar panels: PWM (pulse width modulation) and MPPT (maximum power point tracking) controllers, and they handle this primary task differently.

PWM-controllers simply bring the voltage of a solar panel down to the level of a battery. This type of solar panel controller is cheap and usually has a longer lifespan than MPPT-controllers – more than 15 years on average. However, it’s quite inefficient and doesn’t fit every solar panel system.

MPPT-controllers, on the other hand, convert high voltage panels into electric charge for a battery, maximizing the efficiency of a system. They are more expensive and last for 10-15 years. In short, MPPT solar panel charge controllers allow you to use your array at full electric power.

Besides handling panels’ high voltage, solar panel controllers

• prevent overcharging of a battery, much like a “smart” battery charger;
• don’t allow the usage of a battery in the state of a deep discharge;
• block reverse currents, which flow from battery back to panels at night and can potentially start a fire.

Choosing the right solar charge controller

Every battery charge controller has two main parameters that you should look out for: maximum amps size and maximum voltage. To calculate the minimum amps of a solar panel controller, divide the combined power of your array by a voltage of your battery and add 20% on top just to be safe. To calculate the voltage of your solar panel system, combine VOCs (open circuit voltage) of all panels. When it’s cold and sunny, panels can reach their peak voltage (Vpp), so add 5V on top of VOCs for every panel for safety. This way you'll get the required minimum voltage of your solar panel charge controller.

Don’t forget that the current and voltage of your system depend on the type of connection that you choose. Connection in series gives you combined voltage of all panels, while an amperage stays the same. The connection in parallel allows you to keep the voltage low, but raises the current. Parallel-series type of connection gives you an option to adjust the voltage and current to the properties of your charge controller — just don’t mess up the electric wiring.

Solar charge controllers come in a variety of types and many offer additional features and options:

• Networking and communications capabilities.
• Metering and data logging.
• Battery system monitoring.
• Availability of automatic settings.
• Programming options.

Popular brands of solar charge controllers

While the solar panel market is dominated by Chinese manufacturers, American and European companies make the best battery charge controllers. Here are a few well-known names that you can find in our store.

Midnite

Some experts consider Midnite Classic, a famous model by an American brand, to be the safest controller on the market because of Arc Fault Detection technology. The Midnite Classic charge controller can be paired with batteries of a different voltage – from 12V to 72V. The MPPT technology maximizes the production of your system.

You can manage the controller’s settings remotely. You can connect the device to the Internet via Ethernet. Midnite Classic records logging data and has 20 Megabytes as storage. The regulator comes with a 5-year warranty. You can find this solar charge controller for sale in our store.

MorningStar

Morningstar still offers PWM solar charge controllers as well as more modern MPPT (maximum power point tracking) regulators. The key difference between the two is the way they handle higher voltage of panels.

• PWM controllers simply cut the voltage of panels down to the level of the battery. They are simpler and as a result cheaper and last longer. Their lifetime exceeds 15 years.
• MPPT regulators use extra voltage of panels and convert it into current for battery, using the electric power of your solar array to the maximum. They are very efficient, but the MPPT solar charge controller price is higher. Their lifetime is about 10-15 years.

Every Morningstar charge controller has a warranty for at least 5 years. The company’s product is known for high reliability and top efficiency.

Outback

OutBack Power is an American company founded in 2001. Their controllers are best suited for residential solar installations. The built-in fan ensures the cooling of a device. The average power consumption of an Outback solar charge controller in standby mode is usually less than 1W. The overall efficiency of the Outback solar power controller system reaches as high as 98.44%.

The American engineers worked hard to make their controller adjustable to the needs of a customer. You can program the controller to your liking and manage the charging process as you prefer. Of course, you can perform the equalization of a battery with OutBack controllers, much like with a smart charger. Every controller is equipped with a display that allows you to monitor the state of your battery and panels.

Schneider Charge Controller

The European company Schneider Electric has been on the solar market for more than 20 years now. Schneider charge controllers are a good choice for homeowners that want to build an off-grid or a hybrid solar installation.

Schneider charge controller controls the charging process and offers all sorts of protection for your battery, including over-temperature protection. It blocks reverse currents and prevents overcharging and state of deep discharge.

Just like a solar inverter, a Shneider charge controller monitors your system. A regulator measures the battery charge and its temperature, notifying you when it goes too high. The warranty for a Shneider solar charge controller is issued for 5 years and you can expect it to last 10-15 years.

Why buy from us

• Our distribution centers are located on both east and west coasts of the USA: California, Washington, Colorado, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, and Missouri.
• We guarantee the authenticity of all the products we sell.
• We process all orders within 24 hours and ship them within 48 hours.
• Delivery normally takes between 4-7 business days.
• All of our suppliers are trusted, top solar panel manufacturers.

We have a wide selection of solar charge controllers in stock. Call us, and our A1 SolarStore experts will answer all of your questions about solar charge controller cost, shipping and warranty.