Solar Panel Charge Controller Bench Test

[msungs]

Great video. You got another liked. Can you please help me! I would like to connect a junction box with the male and female ends directly into a charge converter (I know my system is redundant and I lose a little current). How do I do this? Is it easier to buy a MC extension cable cut it and hard-wire it directly into the Charge Controller? I am confused how they connect. Greetings from Germany.

[Fearlessthinker]

@msungs Most junction boxes and charge controllers have terminal blocks that let you simply insert the bare wire end. The end is then clamped down with a built in set screw just like shown in this video.

[dirt4b]

i recently ordered one of those in the 30 amp range. does anyone know if they have a built in blocking diode? i did not see in the decription of the product. if it does or not. i hope it does.

[TheLOK15]

Hi , just bought one of these , but instructions are in chinese.. could you please email me a copy of the instruction manual please? Ive googled for one , but only find images of the actual unit. Thankyou in advance , Lok

Email lockie15@hotmail.com. Thankyou

[bison261]

thanking you for that, there will be others probably asking the same ?Q? so c40 out of my price range but i will keep looking so a BIG THANK YOU .........b........... ps all your vids are very help full as i am new to all this its a great help

[bison261]

hi could you use this for a small wind turbine say 200/300 watt 12or24 thats about it .....b.....

[Fearlessthinker]

@bison261 @bison261 No. A wind turbine requires a constant load. These controllers disconnect the power source from the batteries when the batteries are full. Also, at even 10 amps that is only 120 watts at 12V. Most people connect the DC from their wind turbine right to the battery and then as the battery becomes full there is a divert controller like a Xantrax C40 to control adding a resistive load to the turbine. See the Windy Nation videos on the C40 and PM me if you have questions.

[odious2000]

Thanks for the review, just bought one of those. I was wondering what does the controller do if a panel puts more amps than the battery can accept on an initial charge? I am setting a very small solar system with a 7ah SLA battery and it can only accept an initial charging current of 2.1 Amp. But, what would happen if i hooked a 80 watt panel(example) to that controller to charge such a small battery? Should the battery be fused to the initial current stated?

[Fearlessthinker]

@odious2000 There should be no problem. Even though the solar panel is more than adequate, the battery will limit the charge rate to a safe level. Once the controller sense the battery if full it will limit the charge rate to the float level. The fuse should be set at or slightly above the max amps of the charger, so 5A/10A.

[BelismartShop]

BeliSmart Store,Thanks for the test info

[maximilianitoaguirre]

hello! great vid, very helpful, i really want to start using solar power, may i ask you? is the third set of inputs in the controller for the power inverter? tnx!

[Fearlessthinker]

@maximilianitoaguirre Yes, just be mindful of the maximum amps.

[maximilianitoaguirre]

@Fearlessthinker ah! thanks mate! 

[EskimoJan]

I have 4 x 60 watt solar panels (2x2) charging my 24 volt bank (150AH), through a PWM 50A charge controller. Once the batteries are fully charged, the excess power from the solar panels is just disconnected - which bothers me. Do you know of any solar charge controllers, which is able to divert the power into a, for instance, 24 volt dump load ? (Like controllers for Wind turbines do)

[Fearlessthinker]

@EskimoJan Great question. I use BlueSky units now - they are great. They have one that does this and will provide you growth as well. It's model SB3024iL/DUO. I don't know of any others currently.

[toxicfrost123]

can i use a 5w solar cell with this?

[Fearlessthinker]

@toxicfrost123 If the panel puts out over 12V then sure, but 5w is really pretty small and may not keep a battery fully charged. Batterys lose about 5% of their charge per day so a large enough panel and enough sun hours are needed to at least replace those losses. Good luck.

[nrodge1]

Thanks for the test info, nice and informative. I would like to see more comparisons with those meters closer (the in and out meters) so I could see the watts (it's VA actually) when it's actually charging or on load and get a better idea of the efficiency of that unit. When it goes into float mode near the end you have to remember that it starts pulling less from the power supply, like it should. In one part of the video I think I could see it at about 87% efficiency but it's hard to tell.

[MultiJamie12345]

good video, im getting one like that but the delivery is a joke

[shartne]

i like Colman Air charge controllers I guess they are not pmw. But mines not going to melt when I hook up a pma to it.

[VWRabbitdiesel]

Cool video, thanks for sharing. 

[wtam69]

I have the same controller and it works well for me. I especially like the programmable load control feature.

[Fearlessthinker]

@wtam69 I've not used that feature yet. Perhaps you can demostrate it sometime. A nice little unit for $20 delivered!