How to select and size a solar charge controller

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EnergyUME

EnergyUME

Жыл бұрын

Learn how to select and size a solar charge controller for your battery-integrated solar electric system. See how charge controllers work and explore the differences in PWM and MPPT controllers
⏱️Timestamps:
0:06 Intro
0:40 Why are charge controllers needed?
1:05 --- Nominal battery voltage
3:15 --- Battery charging stages
4:12 Types of controllers
4:21 --- PWM controllers
5:43 --- MPPT controllers
7:15 --- Comparing PWM & MPPT output
8:10 --- Advantages of MPPT
9:49 --- Additional Features
10:28 Sizing a charge controller
10:37 --- Max voltage input
11:41 --- Min output current
13:45 Other videos and resources
For more information, visit: go.umd.edu/FarmSolar

Пікірлер: 65
@robthomas3488
@robthomas3488 6 ай бұрын
I wish I had a teacher like this, I instead am lucky KZfaq has guys like Drew doing videos. Good easy to understand info. Thanks and keep up the good work
@malachygallagher4936
@malachygallagher4936 8 ай бұрын
Hi Drew! Your videos are excellent! I am an installer in ireland & I have watched lots of videos but none as good as yours! I would have loved to have you as my teacher in my last life! Thanks mg.
@Justin-ne2xo
@Justin-ne2xo 6 ай бұрын
This should be the first video someone should see when setting up a solar system! Very easy to understand with the pictures provided. I wish I had found this a week ago. I bought muliple solar set ups for my farms water pumps without knowing anything about solar, and assumed theres nothing to it. I got very lucky that all of my panels, controllers, and wiring work together. 😅
@immanuelimmanuel4812
@immanuelimmanuel4812 10 ай бұрын
I'm new to solar systems and i'm already loving your breakdowns
@imnottellingyoumyname3050
@imnottellingyoumyname3050 10 ай бұрын
Wonderful video. Clearly explains a concept assuming the viewer knows nothing, which is great for people like me who indeed know nothing! Thanks so much for making this.
@chigozieogbonnaya8713
@chigozieogbonnaya8713 18 күн бұрын
Your a good teacher in a clear way
@franmtt4461
@franmtt4461 Жыл бұрын
By miles the most comprehensive and still not too long to watch video! And I watched a lot
@tysondundas1947
@tysondundas1947 Жыл бұрын
Thank you. This is the first video I've watched on the solar subject that whilst guiding us through the subject has not spoke at 100mph or assumed we already understand it all in full.
@citizengkar7824
@citizengkar7824 Жыл бұрын
I have just found your channel. The 2 videos I have watched so far are easily the best presented, in both easy-to-understand language, as well as explanation. I bet you are an excellent teacher. Thanks. I can't understand why you don't have far more subs: well, you have one more 👍
@elizabethbigley1596
@elizabethbigley1596 Ай бұрын
Perfect thanks for breaking it down with your simple examples.
@vishaladityaganguly2889
@vishaladityaganguly2889 Жыл бұрын
One of the best videos that explains the difference between MPPT and PWM. This helped me a lot to understand. Thanks 🙏🏻👍🏻
@bobbybopalo4683
@bobbybopalo4683 10 ай бұрын
A
@joshuapitong899
@joshuapitong899 Ай бұрын
Amazing discussion. Thanks a lot Sir
@hinternsaubachel5109
@hinternsaubachel5109 Жыл бұрын
Awesome video. Very Informative. Thanks!
@mikect05
@mikect05 3 ай бұрын
Awesome information! Thank you!
@aaron092000
@aaron092000 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the info
@johndoe-uf9pu
@johndoe-uf9pu Жыл бұрын
maybe after I get a doctorate in electrical engineering I'll review this again. geez
@gijbuis
@gijbuis Жыл бұрын
This video refers to charging a battery using DC. A PV panel produces DC but most existing PV systems use inverter(s) to convert the DC from the panels into AC for powering the electrical appliances in the home, such as lighting, electrical cookers, washing machines, heat pumps, etc. If you later then decide to add a battery to store surplus energy generated by your existing PV system during daylight hours you would probably install an AC-coupled battery. The AC current from the home network which goes into the battery will first of all have to be converted back into DC. I don't know if the DC would then go through a solar charge controller before it is stored in the battery? That is probably the case, but perhaps Drew should mention this?
@hughburton9021
@hughburton9021 3 ай бұрын
Correct me if I’m wrong but i thought solar panels have a built in mechanism to stop reveres flow from battery. You’ve stated at least 2x there can be reverse flow back to panels,draining a battery without a controller.
@IesKorpershoek
@IesKorpershoek 9 ай бұрын
I just found this video, could you give some info on the MPPT charging controller that was shown in this video!!
@CollinBaillie
@CollinBaillie Жыл бұрын
Surely the amps during cold temperature adjustment isn't vital? The VoC I understand. The controller will only pass what current it can, and excess is bonus for poor production days. Amps would be an important consideration for cabling and fusing between panels and controller however. Thanks for your comprehensive video. I found the info I was looking for (those adjustment factors) 👍
@BenEdwards754
@BenEdwards754 11 ай бұрын
Great explaination. In another video, could you please explain specifying a battery charge Current. As if you have a 1kw pv array. You would surely not just charge 1 12v battery with it? thank you
@keishadholmes9796
@keishadholmes9796 8 ай бұрын
What will be the fasted way to charge a car battery using solar panels and how many watts of a solar panel do i need to fully charge a car battery ?
@bawatechreview2168
@bawatechreview2168 4 ай бұрын
A wonderful and an educative video I have been searching for. I have a question. If my solar panles are 420watts /36v connected in parallel to get 840watts\36v can I use a 60A mppt charge controller to charge a 12v 200a battery?
@uroskovac2212
@uroskovac2212 Жыл бұрын
I have an 80W pannel, should I use 10A PWM regulator? If understood this correctly.
@h2oboi531
@h2oboi531 3 ай бұрын
Thank you for this, I have been trying to find more about this. My question is if I wanted to directly want to go from solar panels directly to using an appliance that is plugged into ac/wall plug. Do I go from solar panels linked to charge controller to inverter? Thank you and subscribed
@dannykzx7360
@dannykzx7360 Жыл бұрын
Hy, can i connect a 18 A Solar pannel to a 16 A inverter? if i respect de voltage (voc) does the Amperage, in this case the the remain 2 A "remain in the air" or damages the inverter?
@jacobfirst2365
@jacobfirst2365 3 ай бұрын
I have 3 new 350w 12v panels what gauge wire and mppt do I need? Must it take a 1050w input? I have a solar controller that is 40amps but it only takes 550watt input and 1100watt at 24 volts. I'm confused I need a bigger controller?
@salutekiller300
@salutekiller300 Жыл бұрын
I have a 3w lights and 1 - 7V/1.5W small water pump which I want to purchase a solar pane and regulator .I have a 12v motorbike battery connected.how big solar panel and regulator do you think I need to run all of them?
@basilkasimi2646
@basilkasimi2646 10 ай бұрын
How many watts can Pwm 30A solar charge controller can handle at max? Can it handle 540 watt panel 12v or 460 watt panel 12v?
@rayberger2694
@rayberger2694 11 ай бұрын
I am not sure if I agree with you about your statement that without a charge controller your batter would loose its stored power back through the attached solar panel, Time stamp .45 seconds, I am pretty sure that most if not all solar panels have built in diodes that prevent this, Just look in that little black box on the back of each panel.
@user-ky8kk7sw9y
@user-ky8kk7sw9y 3 ай бұрын
Hi i have 30ah controller how many watts panel can I use
@zzbear317
@zzbear317 Жыл бұрын
Have a rv with zamp connector and also have a small Bluetti power station. The rv has an 190W panel installed. I purchased a Rockpals 120W portable solar panel without a controller so I could use it with the Bluetti (for both emergencies at home and for camping). I've been researching getting a solar controller to mount inside the camper for the zamp "solar on the side" connector. The RV has 2 12v Lead Acid batteries, 88 amp hrs each. My questions are... The Panel is 18v, therefore 6.7A, so even if I buy a second, I could get by with a 15A controller. I want to mount the controller on a panel near the "solar on the side" connector, easily accessible. We boondock rarely, maybe a week or 2 a year, but I do have a 12v fridge and would prefer not using a gas generator. Don't think I need an MPPT for the limited usage, but have heard that PWM controllers may draw from the battery when not in use. Even if that's true, couldn't I just have a toggle switch or 12v breaker to disable the connection when not in use? I'm leaning toward an inexpensive PWM 15 to 30A controller. Any suggestions?
@keishadholmes9796
@keishadholmes9796 8 ай бұрын
What will be the fasted way to charge a car battery using solar panels and how many watts of a solar panel do i need to fully charge a car battery ?
@Sam-hj5ok
@Sam-hj5ok 2 ай бұрын
Since the panels are two, shouldn't the power be a total of 200W?
@edsonmoralessantamaria5183
@edsonmoralessantamaria5183 Жыл бұрын
It is a really good video, amazing explanation, but I have a doubt, when you are calculating the current for the mppt controller in the first example, you divided 100w/12v, but you have 2 panels and in some internet pages, they sum the power of all the panels they have in the array, so you would have to use 200w instead of 100w, is that incorrect?
@sheldon_co0per
@sheldon_co0per Жыл бұрын
I'm wondering the same, should he not have put a ×2 in there?
@leesahcage3297
@leesahcage3297 Жыл бұрын
No the second example is using the panels in parallel so so the voltage is the same but the amps increase.
@LexMasita
@LexMasita Жыл бұрын
I am stumped on this too. At around 13 minutes into the video the panels appear to be in series and also since the division is in watts/voltage, it does not matter if it is in parallel or series since the overall power must double. Perhaps someone can clarify this.
@keishadholmes9796
@keishadholmes9796 8 ай бұрын
What will be the fasted way to charge a car battery using solar panels and how many watts of a solar panel do i need to fully charge a car battery ?
@rodneyalberta2020
@rodneyalberta2020 Жыл бұрын
i have solar panel built in pwm can i change it to mppt
@zygmuntkuzminski8312
@zygmuntkuzminski8312 Жыл бұрын
Solar batteries have build in diode that prevent discharge at night not having charge controller-is that right?
@christopheranderson8275
@christopheranderson8275 5 ай бұрын
Question. Does it matter if your solar panels are in series or parallel coming into a MPPT charge controller that's connected to a 12 volt battery system as long as that voltage is within the specs of the controller? For example can I wire 2 solar panels in series to the controller and have that charge 2 batteries wired in parallel if that controller's input voltage is 24 volts?
@sumarianson
@sumarianson 10 ай бұрын
Does the type of battery make a difference to the MPPT controller ( LiFe PO, Lead Acid, Lithium )? Do I have to buy a controller to suit the battery??
@markedtky
@markedtky 8 ай бұрын
0:59 When the battery starts discharging into the solar panel where is that energy going?
@agbapaschal2514
@agbapaschal2514 11 ай бұрын
how can I increase my charging amp
@WiSeNhEiMeR-1369
@WiSeNhEiMeR-1369 Жыл бұрын
HOWdy E-UME, Thanks COOP ...
@tcheko5095
@tcheko5095 Жыл бұрын
I have 4 solar panel with 400 watt each.What is the best controller Am i can buy for my system?Thank you
@luckydubeinrc5165
@luckydubeinrc5165 5 ай бұрын
4x400w = 1600watt devide by voltage = amps so 24v = 66amps 48v = 33 amps 12v = 132 amps! so choose carefully
@crazycrab8578
@crazycrab8578 11 ай бұрын
hears one, if I had a 13v zener diode, would that charge the batt, thats if my controller blow up on me, plus it would not discharge,
@yingjie3857
@yingjie3857 Жыл бұрын
for the calculation at 13:35, shouldn't the 1.21 factor be multiplied with 12V inside the bracket?
@LexMasita
@LexMasita Жыл бұрын
I believe in math, how you arrange the multiplications and divisions does not matter and the final calculations will always end up the same. But when you bring in additions and subtractions into the mix with multiplications and divisions, then bracketing and performing calculations based on that will have different results which is why in that case bracketing becomes important.
@SolarPunk80
@SolarPunk80 9 ай бұрын
I’m new to all this, but I thought it was interesting, and I probably misunderstood the concept, but I didn’t think that under any circumstances, regulated unregulated, that the batteries stored power would actually go anywhere much less through a specific exit channel such as at night or when not charging…. In my ignorance and curiosity, and letting my imagination do it’s thing, I can’t help but see that as a potential, automatic, nighttime heating or lighting source? Is this a thing in any way, is it really a useless trait or has it been refined by anyone/products at all?
@Seeykulatahy
@Seeykulatahy 4 ай бұрын
Are batteries series or parallel? Please double check your drawings. That could be a typo.
@douglaswindsor120
@douglaswindsor120 Жыл бұрын
Unfortunately I bought a 30 amp Colman pwm solar charge controller I also have a smaller one that came with a Colman portable 75 watt solar panel I have also found out from RVER videos the proper charging parameters for sealed lead acid batteries confirmed by tearing apart and old black and decker booster pack with an inverter built in 12 volt battery is a no longer 12 volts but needs charging at 14.8 settling down to 14.4 and should be kept between 13.4 and 14.8 and anytime its discharged below 13.4 it reduces the life of the battery and below 12.2 it will severely decrease the life of the battery that's why booster packs usually have a one year life before the battery is dead they also don't charge them above 12 volts so sulphation starts immediately after they're built although the everstart booster pack charges to 13.1 it too will die in about a year but I did get an extra year properly charging it with a good charger through the booster cables
@mooseunit2711
@mooseunit2711 2 ай бұрын
I always thought that most solar panels came with diodes, preventing the discharge of a battery.
@sajjadchiniotielectricstor5239
@sajjadchiniotielectricstor5239 11 ай бұрын
Assalamualaikum
@corkystephan5073
@corkystephan5073 9 ай бұрын
I hate these idiots who stand there and trying to give us a big history lesson instead of getting straight to the details I paused this to put my piece in and now I’m out of here .
@corkystephan5073
@corkystephan5073 9 ай бұрын
He has got the polarity wrong the polarity goes from negative to positive.
@laryangel4082
@laryangel4082 Жыл бұрын
Tt
@hayzersolar
@hayzersolar 10 ай бұрын
OMG this is so difficult i just have 1 200w panel this is why we dont get into solar. is there any short answer to this question without a math class.
@RareAvoTrees
@RareAvoTrees 4 ай бұрын
Did not like this not usefull in the real world telling what size to buy for a 18 panel array
@J-Ball
@J-Ball 3 ай бұрын
Blah Blah Blah. Good grief.
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