Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- electrical:solar:charge_controller [2023/09/10 13:49]
frater_secessus [present use]
+++ electrical:solar:charge_controller [2023/09/26 11:25]
frater_secessus [how to choose]
@@ Line 223: / Line 223: @@
 See also [[electrical:solar:shunt_tweaking|shunt tweaking]].
+==== should I upgrade my PWM to MPPT? ====
+If the system has changed and now MPPT is required for one of the reason above, then yes.
+But most people consider this switch to make "more power", forgetting that **solar only makes power when it is demanded**.((for loads or charging))  //If you are presently consuming every watt the system can make// then, yes, replacing PWM with MPPT will likely increase your harvest by ~15%. If you aren't hammering the system then +15% is immaterial; there is no difference in the performance of a 150mph car and a 165mph car in a school zone.
+So the questions are:
+  -  do you need more power than you are getting now?
+  -  would +15% be enough to meet your needs
+  -  if so, would you pay [whatever the MPPT costs] to get that +15%?
+There is a saying in solar circles that "adding another panel is a better deal than upgrading from PWM to MPPT."  This may or may not be true in your particular use case.
 ===== multiple charge controllers  =====
@@ Line 244: / Line 258: @@
 ==== present use ====
-In practice the LOAD terminals typically are either ignored((some well-respected controllers don't have them anymore)) or used as [[electrical:12v:lvd|low voltage disconnects]] power relays.  You can define a Low Voltage Disconnect(LVD) and Low Voltage Reconnect [[electrical:solar:charge_controller_setpoints|setpoint]]  to protect the battery from excessive discharge:
+In practice the LOAD terminals typically are either ignored((some well-respected controllers don't have them anymore)) or used as [[electrical:12v:lvd|low voltage disconnect]] power relays.  You can define Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD) and Low Voltage Reconnect (LVR) [[electrical:solar:charge_controller_setpoints|setpoints]]  to protect the battery from excessive discharge.
 ==== why loads aren't powered from LOAD terminals ====

RV and vandwellers wiki

User Tools

Site Tools

Differences

Page Tools