It is important to understand solar charge controller settings and the importance of choosing the best voltage and charge for your solar battery. In this article, we will discuss what is a solar charge controller and how to set it correctly. We will also discuss the voltage settings for agm batteries, lead acid battery and Lithium ion Batteries. By the end of the article, you will have a thorough understanding of how to properly set your solar charge controller. If you have any questions about solar charge controller settings, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help.
What is Solar Charge Controller
A solar charge controller will send short energy pulses to your battery to help you maximize the amount of energy you generate from solar panel. A typical MPPT solar charge controller will produce up to 42 volts of output, but a higher current rating will require additional batteries. Choosing the right solar charge controller is an important decision because a cheap model can fry your batteries.
You may have heard that a solar charge controller has various settings, but do you know what these are? There are some things that you should know before purchasing one. One of these is the profile setting. The profile setting lets you set the optimum power output parameters and voltage and current for your solar array. The settings are different for each type of battery, including lead-acid, AGM, LIPO and lithium iron phosphate batteries. If you’re unsure of what each of these settings means, contact the manufacturer of the battery.
There are two types of solar charge controllers: PWM controller and MPPT controller. Both control the amount of current and voltage in the system. PWM uses pulses and MPPT uses maximum power point tracking. These are similar, but MPPT can increase current to track the maximum output of a solar panel. If you need more energy, choose the MPPT version. PV systems can also use MPPT to store excess energy for peak use or sell it to the grid.
How to set Solar Charge Controller Charge
If you want to know how to set solar charge controller charge, then you will need to understand how your battery functions. If the battery is fully charged, it will not hold more solar energy than its chemical content. Similarly, high-rate charging can result in heat and gassing. The electrolyte inside the battery will expand and form bubbles, while hydrogen gas generated by a chemical reaction is explosive. Overcharging a battery will accelerate aging and decrease its capacity.
Parameters Understanding of Setting a Solar Charge Controller
System Voltage
System voltage is also called rated operational voltage, which refers to the direct current operational voltage (Battery Bank Voltage) of solar power system. Generally, the system voltage value is 12V, 24V or 48V. The medium-scale or large-scale charge controller system voltage value can be 110V and 220V.
Maximum Charging Current
The maximum charging current refers to the maximum output current of solar panels or solar array.
Charge Controller Capacity
this refers the maximum amps the charge controller can handle, usually this is how we rated a solar controller like 10A,20A,30A,40A,50A,60A,80A or 100A.
Battery Overcharging Protection Voltage
Battery overcharging protection voltage is also called fully-charged cut off voltage or overvoltage cut off voltage. The voltage value should be set according to the battery type. The voltage value range is between 14.1V to 14.5V for 12V system, 28.2V to 29V for 24V system and 56.4V to 58V for 48V system. The typical value is 14.4V, 28.8V and 57.6V.
Battery Over discharging Protection Voltage
Battery over discharging protection voltage is also called undervoltage cut off voltage. The voltage value should be set according to the battery type. The voltage value range is between 10.8V to 11.4V for 12V system, 21.6V to 22.8V for 24V system and 43.2V to 45.6V for 48V system. The typical value are respectively 11.1V, 22.2V and 44.4V.
Battery Floating Charging Voltage
Float voltage is the voltage at which a battery is maintained after being fully charged to maintain that capacity by compensating for self-discharge of the battery. Generally, the battery floating charging voltage is 13.7V for 12V system, 27.4V for 24V system and 54.8V for 48V system.
Solar Charge Controller voltage Setting
A solar charge controller can handle a variety of battery voltages, from as low as 12 volts to as high as 72 volts. But the most expensive models can handle up to 72 volts, which is necessary if you plan on storing your energy for extended periods of time. While solar panels can be connected in parallel to provide maximum output voltage, a basic charge controller may only accommodate a maximum input voltage of 12 or 24 volts.
To use a solar charge controller, you need to set the voltage and current parameters. You can do this by adjusting the voltage setting of the charge controller. The voltage setting determines how fast your solar cells can recharge. You can change these settings Via PC software, or on your charge controller. It is recommended that you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to get the most from your solar energy system. Otherwise, your system will not be able to achieve its full potential.
Solar Charge Controller Setting Steps:
- wiring the solar charge controller to the battery bank and panels properly.
- The controller screen will light up if the power is detected
- Hold the Menu button for seconds to entering setting menu
- You will see the charge current (PV to Battery)
- Long Press the Menu Button to entering Batter Type Selection
- Controller will auto detect the battery voltage
- Setting the float Charge Voltage,absorption charge voltage, low voltage cutoff value, low voltage recovery value according to the battery user manual.
- set discharge value for DC load (if have)
- the charge controller will start the charge process instally.
solar charge controller settings for agm battery
In order to maximize your solar charging efficiency, you must know how to adjust the settings of your solar charge controller. The profile setting determines the maximum voltage and current that your solar charge controller will output. Different batteries require different charging parameters. For example, lead-acid batteries have different optimum charging parameters than lithium-iron-phosphate batteries. Therefore, the manufacturer of your battery should tell you how to configure your solar charge controller to maximize the charging efficiency.
AGM batteries are different from lead-acid batteries because they use a fibre-boron-silicate glass separator instead of a liquid electrolyte. The result is a spill-proof battery. The same holds true for solar panels. With the right charge controller, your solar panel can jump-start your vehicle when it is running low on power. It is also compatible with all types of vehicles.
solar controller settings for lifepo4 battery
The optimum solar charge controller settings for a Lifepo4 battery will depend on the type of battery you have and the type of solar system you have installed. For example, if you are installing a 12V system, your solar charge controller settings will be different from those for an AA or AAA battery. LiFePO4 batteries do not need voltage compensation or temperature compensation. In general, however, they require different charging parameters.
To get the most out of your LifePo4 battery, you should use an MPPT solar charge controller with a “user” or “custom configuration” mode. These charge controllers will not boost the voltage of the battery, but rather regulate the voltage from a high panel to a low voltage. These settings are best suited for heavy-duty applications. Lastly, you should be sure to install a charge controller with low-voltage protection.
solar controller settings for lead acid battery
Lead acid batteries for solar power system use to be a classic configuration, once you set the lead acid battery type, most charge controller will charge it with original setted parameters for lead acid batteries. in most cases, plug and play.
Reset the solar controller if necessary
all the charge controllers support reset if the charge controller cannot charge the battery, referring to this charge controller reset guide and find the best solar power system on your own.
Originally published at https://zhcsolar.com on April 24, 2022.
