MPPT charge controller

[Justme]

Indeed, and very sound it was too.

Just as well, or I'd have been after you for my money back!

 

 

You can have back every penny you paid me plus 50% extra lol

 

50% of nothing is still nothing I hope?

[Pretty Funked Up]

most of the discussion has been about the Outback Flex 60?

 

It not about any specific controller, I'm just checking available options out there. My current controller was great at first but only for looking after batts while away. Its replacement needs to be better as dealing with me being onboard and using power here n there whilst its charging.

 

@justme: so you recommend going for wiring them as high voltage into 12v system for best results??

[Justme]

@justme: so you recommend going for wiring them as high voltage into 12v system for best results??

 

Its a balance of high volts & distance plus panel numbers.

 

With a FM80 (most controllers have an amp limit, that applies to the charge current not the array current) you are limited to 80amps of "charge" to the bats over that & it wastes it. I set mine up with more than that (100amps) but then at lower production IE most of the time) I get better results.

 

The balance is in panels numbers. If you are just having a few panels then you can get the volts to be one two or threes bank voltages higher as is normal (IE on a 12v bank use 24 36 or 48v for the array). So you can have them in series & parallel strings to get the V where you want it. For me to do that it would have meant 6 strings of 2 panels (that would have given a peak V of about 44v), not the 3 strings of 5 panels I have got. Thats 3 times the number of cables & about 6 times the thickness (CSA in mm2) needed.

 

Also remember that over about 50vdc it starts to hurt if you touch it.

 

 

 

So yes go higher than the bank voltage, how high you go depends on exactly what you have panel wise & how far the cable need to go.

[Pretty Funked Up]

thanks justme. pmsl@ 'hurts if you touch it", have you tried using your tongue as an insulator?

 

Another nights searching but i still cant better the BZ unit for vfm. Might have to order it soon if nothing better turns up

Edited June 6, 2010 by Pretty Funked Up

[reg]

On paper this looks interesting. a bit sparse on info though, appears to be a new co.

Price looks good

 

ebay 36a 500w mppt controller

[barge sara]

On paper this looks interesting. a bit sparse on info though, appears to be a new co.

Price looks good

 

ebay 36a 500w mppt controller

 

Not sure why an '98% efficient 500 watt' unit would need a pair of fans built in!

Should only be sinking 10 watts at full load...

[Gibbo]

Not sure why an '98% efficient 500 watt' unit would need a pair of fans built in!

Should only be sinking 10 watts at full load...

 

"98% efficiency at 5 Amps output"

[Justme]

On paper this looks interesting. a bit sparse on info though, appears to be a new co.

Price looks good

 

ebay 36a 500w mppt controller

 

More specs here

 

 

Cant comment on the controller much apart from

 

a, 14.3v max charge is a bit low for some bats

b, why only 2.5kwh per day? (thats down to the sun)

c, Maximum Output Power Transfer = 500 Watts/Hour? Bad use of terms

d, you have to manually tell it what the performance specs of your panel are (one of the things MPPT is supposed to sort out)

e, max bat bank 200ah recommended for 100ah

f, input V is so close to the MPP any way that its hardly "tracking" it & cant track as its set by a dial.

 

The big thing that puts me off is the pic of the owner in his front room.

[reg]

More specs here

 

 

Cant comment on the controller much apart from

 

a, 14.3v max charge is a bit low for some bats

b, why only 2.5kwh per day? (thats down to the sun)

c, Maximum Output Power Transfer = 500 Watts/Hour? Bad use of terms

d, you have to manually tell it what the performance specs of your panel are (one of the things MPPT is supposed to sort out)

e, max bat bank 200ah recommended for 100ah

f, input V is so close to the MPP any way that its hardly "tracking" it & cant track as its set by a dial.

 

The big thing that puts me off is the pic of the owner in his front room.

 

Thanks for the analysis and link Justme. Using the link you provided I do get the immpresion that these appear to be a bit home grown and that if I purchased one I would in fact be acting as a field tester for an early production model. Whilst I wish the company well in what they are trying to achieve I think I will pass on the current model.

 

 

As the dragons might say good luck but I'm out.

[WotEver]

The big thing that puts me off is the pic of the owner in his front room.

The big thing that puts me off is the grammar.

 

If he's so unprofessional as to not have his site proof-read then he's not someone I'd want to do business with.

 

Tony