How do I choose a solar charge controller?

It’s important to choose the right charge controller in terms of size and features. For remote systems, reliability and performance are very important considerations. Lower cost solar controllers are often not going to be the most reliable and may not meet vital charging requirements.

Are PWM solar charge controllers good?

PWM solar charge controllers are quite cheap, and ideal for small-scale PV systems. Since these charge controllers operate at an efficiency of 75-80%, they can produce 25-20% power losses to the system. How do MPPT solar charge controllers work?

Why should you use a solar charge controller?

Solar charge controllers allow you to monitor battery specs. With this information, you can easily find out the state of charge of your batteries and even detect if there is an anomaly. PV systems with batteries lacking a solar charge controller would regularly have reverse currents, especially overnight.

What are the different types of solar charge controllers?

Some controllers can also track the weather and adjust the charging parameters based on the amount of sunlight available, ensuring optimal charging efficiency. Generally, there are two main types of solar charge controllers: Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) controllers and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) controllers.

Should you have two solar power controllers?

Having two controllers can optimize the total power output. In many cases, individuals who install solar power systems will later go on to expand these systems. It isn’t uncommon for the capacity of the expansion to go well over what the existing charge controller can handle.

Should you use an oversized solar charge controller?

Using an oversized solar charge controller can have both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, an oversized controller allows more current flow, which may be beneficial if you plan to expand your solar array in the future. It can also lead to reduced voltage drop and improved system efficiency.