Can anyone help me work out what to do in regards to a charge controller that I have installed in my caravan,I bought it online and is suppose to be a mppt version but have just seen a video on UTUBE and they are saying that it is a fake and not mppt, I have to admit to being a novice when it comes to these things,can anyone recommend one that is mppt, were to get them, and how much, also with instructions that are easily understood by everyone.I will be installing it myself and need your help to get set up for my usage in the van .Thankyou. ( I hope that made sense to you all )
I have the same or similar one , and it works fine. It works when the sun is at a low angle and keeps my 2 deep cycle batterys at over 13 volts. Its been to the Cape and back and has been installed for at least 3 years.Just follow the instructions. Bill
03_Troopy said
08:16 PM May 4, 2015
Yes, I think they are fakes mate. I found out after buying one myself. Here is some info from another site. Fake MPPT controllers.
03_Troopy said
08:20 PM May 4, 2015
Yes, I think they are fakes mate. I found out after buying one myself. Here is some info from another site. Fake MPPT controllers.
03_Troopy said
08:23 PM May 4, 2015
Yes, I think they are fakes mate. I found out after buying one myself. Here is some info from another site. www.sustainablesolutions.co.nz/article/fake-mppt-controllers you'll have to cut and paste, the darn site flags it as spam when I post as a link.
Ha, it worked that time
-- Edited by 03_Troopy on Monday 4th of May 2015 08:23:43 PM
Bent Axle Bob said
08:44 AM May 5, 2015
Like Bill12. I also have the same regulator, and assumed it was a genuine MPPT item.. I installed it 2.5 years ago on my van, has been towed all over the country, controlling the charging to 2x105 amp hour deep cycle agm batteries. This it did without the slightest problem. Since then, I have added another panel (3 x 100) and installed bigger batteries{2 x 200 a/h) deep cycle agm. Working a treat. If it is a fake, it is still a verry good regulator and I would have no hesitation in buying the exact same item again. My 5 cents worth!
cruisaderhilton said
08:54 AM May 5, 2015
Okay I will stay with it for now thanks for your replies. JOHN
Jaahn said
09:15 AM May 5, 2015
Can anyone help me work out what to do in regards to a charge controller that I have installed in my caravan,I bought it online and is suppose to be a mppt version but have just seen a video on UTUBE and they are saying that it is a fake and not mppt, I have to admit to being a novice when it comes to these things,can anyone recommend one that is mppt, were to get them, and how much, also with instructions that are easily understood by everyone.I will be installing it myself and need your help to get set up for my usage in the van .Thankyou. ( I hope that made sense to you all )
I have not had one of them but have used a few other cheaper regulators. Usually they default to suitable values when you set them up and you do not have to set every different thing unless you wish to.
As people have said it may not be MPPT but still will work OK, if you have panels that are the right nominal voltage for your batteries. If not, and you have higher voltage panels, then you might need a MPPT. The instructions are always crap on the chinese ones even the better ones. Does no one speak english in the whole country?
The important things are;
1 use heavy wire to reduce losses. Note wire is rated in MM squared for the current rating which is the area of the actual copper wire. At auto shops they sell wire in mm diameter of the outside plastic covering. This copper wire is much smaller and you need it to be much bigger to be OK.
2 connect the regulator to the battery wires first before you connect any of the other wires to it. Double check all the wires are correct before connecting them.
Good luck Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 09:30:15 AM
Cruising Cruze said
02:35 PM May 5, 2015
So that is true,OK
What I like to know is: wich one do we need or recommend you to use on our systems
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 02:36:58 PM
Bent Axle Bob said
03:54 PM May 5, 2015
The item featured at the start of the thread can be purchased from ebay for less than $70. It also has battery discharge protection, adjustable. It is rated at 30amps
cruisaderhilton said
04:34 PM May 5, 2015
what settings have you got yours set to (bent) mine is still as it came to me from new don't know to much about them ,I want to get the use out of it .In my van I have 2 batteries @ 95 A each ,it is also connected to a 170 A solar panel on the roof of the van.
woofta and precious said
05:00 PM May 5, 2015
I had the same one as John which I bought 8 months ago.
All seemed to going well, until one sunny day, I checked the voltage and it said 16.9 volts! It stayed on that for a couple of hours until I disconnected it because I thought it was too high. I have 160 watts of panel, and 2 x 120ah agm batteries.
I then bought a "Tracer" controller, and it seems to be great so far.
I guess if you spend big money on the batteries, it is false economy to get a cheap controller.
Just my two cents worth...
Brian
Bent Axle Bob said
06:01 PM May 5, 2015
My controller is set as follows..(will probably be told by our resident gurus I've got it wrong, but it works for me)
Max voltage in 14.8 volts
Low voltage cut out 11.0v
Power supply out restore 12.1v
Battery voltage 14.3v
Those settings were for 2 x 105 ah agm deep cycle batteries for 2 years. They are now power source for gazebo lights, yard floods, spit roast and water fountain. I also use a small inverter to charge various other equipment... electric battery lawn mower, various battery powered tools and the water fountain at least 12 hours a day usually.Solar charging is via a single 60 mono panel using a similar regulator.
I am not a sparky or an auto electrician. I have just finished an installation on a bus I have been prepping for another trip and it all works, using my (MPPT) ?? cough... regulator.
However, if one of the gurus suggest other settings it is your choice .
-- Edited by Bent Axle Bob on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 06:16:15 PM
exa41 said
10:33 AM Aug 14, 2015
I fell into the same trap, and being very cautious about our solar output because everything is 12v and that includes a fridge and freezer I decided to upgrade to the Projecta smart controller . comes with a convenient remote interface which means I don't have to get on my knees to read the dam thing,
Frans said
09:24 AM Feb 3, 2017
The problem with these fake charge controllers are that you will only realise about half the power you could get from the PV.The reason I say this is that the MPPT will give up to 30% more power by matching the PVs to the battery and the cable that most people often use is too thin and too long increasing the losses that can be in excess of another 20%.
Too reduce cable losses without going to cable as thick as one's arm use 24V or high voltage PVs. To get the higher voltage, wire the PV in series instead of parallel. The higher the voltage the lower the losses in the cable from the PV to the MPPT regulator. The MPPT regulator will convert the high voltage low current back to 12V with higher current. The MPPT regulator should be as close as practical to the battery.I found in my system that was output of75Watts when using a PWM regulator and went up to over 120W by replacing the fake MPPT regulator with a realMPPT regulated and rewiring the PV in series to reduce the resistance losses in the cable.
Couple of other points, before connecting higher Voltage PVs to your MPPT requlator check the the sum of the open circuit voltage from the PV doesn't exceed the maximum input Voltage of the regulator. The typical input Voltages for MPPT regulator range from 50V to 150V.
An REAL MPPT regulator when operating correctly has a lower input current to the output current. A PWM regulator, the input current is slightly higher than the output current. Very easy to measure with a DC clamp multi-meter.
Jaahn said
01:37 PM Feb 3, 2017
Hi,
All been said by others here already! But I will sum it up, if I may !
That original regulator/controller is almost certainly not MPPT as are most like it on lots of sites, including some Aussie retailers. They may work well as a normal reg/controller though. Some are better than others. BUT YOU WILL NOT GET ANY EXTRA CHARGE OUT OF USING THEM. But you probably do not know that you are not getting it but there is a small gain to be had, not twice as much though, maybee 20% max or less depending !
The cheapest good MPPT reg/controllers that I know of and have used are Tracer brand supplied by various places here and overseas, on line. They come in a range of current ratings and 12 & 24v auto sense. The input voltage can be 100v or 150v extra cost. DO NOT BUY ANY OTHER MPPT REG/CONTROLLER THAT IS CHEAPER as it is a fake from my research.
However as said already, if you use wire that is too small between the panels and the reg the voltage drop will dissipate any extra voltage available for MPPT current boost, so be generous with the wire sizing. Also (of course) with the reg to battery cables and connections. Good luck
Jaahn
PS you can get a remote display for the Tracer units.
for PWM regulators the current flow is the same into the regulator as it is out to the batteries. Nowhere else to go ! It just switches it on and off.
I note in that comparison test referenced above, the fake controller was actually loosing current somewhere ??????? Now that is crap and is worse than a PWM unit
-- Edited by Jaahn on Friday 3rd of February 2017 04:44:21 PM
Yes, I think they are fakes mate. I found out after buying one myself.
Here is some info from another site.
Fake MPPT controllers.
Yes, I think they are fakes mate. I found out after buying one myself.
Here is some info from another site.
Fake MPPT controllers.
Yes, I think they are fakes mate. I found out after buying one myself.
Here is some info from another site. www.sustainablesolutions.co.nz/article/fake-mppt-controllers
you'll have to cut and paste, the darn site flags it as spam when I post as a link.
Ha, it worked that time
-- Edited by 03_Troopy on Monday 4th of May 2015 08:23:43 PM
Can anyone help me work out what to do in regards to a charge controller that I have installed in my caravan,I bought it online and is suppose to be a mppt version but have just seen a video on UTUBE and they are saying that it is a fake and not mppt, I have to admit to being a novice when it comes to these things,can anyone recommend one that is mppt, were to get them, and how much, also with instructions that are easily understood by everyone.I will be installing it myself and need your help to get set up for my usage in the van .Thankyou. ( I hope that made sense to you all )
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi cruisaderhilton,
I have not had one of them but have used a few other cheaper regulators. Usually they default to suitable values when you set them up and you do not have to set every different thing unless you wish to.
As people have said it may not be MPPT but still will work OK, if you have panels that are the right nominal voltage for your batteries. If not, and you have higher voltage panels, then you might need a MPPT. The instructions are always crap on the chinese ones even the better ones. Does no one speak english in the whole country?
The important things are;
1 use heavy wire to reduce losses. Note wire is rated in MM squared for the current rating which is the area of the actual copper wire. At auto shops they sell wire in mm diameter of the outside plastic covering. This copper wire is much smaller and you need it to be much bigger to be OK.
2 connect the regulator to the battery wires first before you connect any of the other wires to it. Double check all the wires are correct before connecting them.
Good luck Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 09:30:15 AM
So that is true,OK
What I like to know is: wich one do we need or recommend you to use on our systems
for a fair amount of money
I use one of this model
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Green-30A-12V-24V-LCD-Solar-Charge-Controller-Regulator-regulateur-solaire-/270879505633?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368
so far so good no complains
Cheers John
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 02:36:58 PM
The item featured at the start of the thread can be purchased from ebay for less than $70. It also has battery discharge protection, adjustable. It is rated at 30amps
All seemed to going well, until one sunny day, I checked the voltage and it said 16.9 volts! It stayed on that for a couple of hours until I disconnected it because I thought it was too high. I have 160 watts of panel, and 2 x 120ah agm batteries.
I then bought a "Tracer" controller, and it seems to be great so far.
I guess if you spend big money on the batteries, it is false economy to get a cheap controller.
Just my two cents worth...
Brian
My controller is set as follows..(will probably be told by our resident gurus I've got it wrong, but it works for me)
Max voltage in 14.8 volts
Low voltage cut out 11.0v
Power supply out restore 12.1v
Battery voltage 14.3v
Those settings were for 2 x 105 ah agm deep cycle batteries for 2 years. They are now power source for gazebo lights, yard floods, spit roast and water fountain. I also use a small inverter to charge various other equipment... electric battery lawn mower, various battery powered tools and the water fountain at least 12 hours a day usually.Solar charging is via a single 60 mono panel using a similar regulator.
I am not a sparky or an auto electrician. I have just finished an installation on a bus I have been prepping for another trip and it all works, using my (MPPT) ?? cough... regulator.
However, if one of the gurus suggest other settings it is your choice .
-- Edited by Bent Axle Bob on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 06:16:15 PM
The problem with these fake charge controllers are that you will only realise about half the power you could get from the PV. The reason I say this is that the MPPT will give up to 30% more power by matching the PVs to the battery and the cable that most people often use is too thin and too long increasing the losses that can be in excess of another 20%.
Too reduce cable losses without going to cable as thick as one's arm use 24V or high voltage PVs. To get the higher voltage, wire the PV in series instead of parallel. The higher the voltage the lower the losses in the cable from the PV to the MPPT regulator. The MPPT regulator will convert the high voltage low current back to 12V with higher current. The MPPT regulator should be as close as practical to the battery. I found in my system that was output of 75Watts when using a PWM regulator and went up to over 120W by replacing the fake MPPT regulator with a real MPPT regulated and rewiring the PV in series to reduce the resistance losses in the cable.
Couple of other points, before connecting higher Voltage PVs to your MPPT requlator check the the sum of the open circuit voltage from the PV doesn't exceed the maximum input Voltage of the regulator. The typical input Voltages for MPPT regulator range from 50V to 150V.
An REAL MPPT regulator when operating correctly has a lower input current to the output current. A PWM regulator, the input current is slightly higher than the output current. Very easy to measure with a DC clamp multi-meter.
Hi,
All been said by others here already! But I will sum it up, if I may !
That original regulator/controller is almost certainly not MPPT as are most like it on lots of sites, including some Aussie retailers. They may work well as a normal reg/controller though. Some are better than others. BUT YOU WILL NOT GET ANY EXTRA CHARGE OUT OF USING THEM. But you probably do not know that you are not getting it
but there is a small gain to be had, not twice as much though, maybee 20% max or less depending !
The cheapest good MPPT reg/controllers that I know of and have used are Tracer brand supplied by various places here and overseas, on line. They come in a range of current ratings and 12 & 24v auto sense. The input voltage can be 100v or 150v extra cost. DO NOT BUY ANY OTHER MPPT REG/CONTROLLER THAT IS CHEAPER as it is a fake from my research.
However as said already, if you use wire that is too small between the panels and the reg the voltage drop will dissipate any extra voltage available for MPPT current boost, so be generous with the wire sizing. Also (of course) with the reg to battery cables and connections. Good luck
Jaahn
PS you can get a remote display for the Tracer units.
for PWM regulators the current flow is the same into the regulator as it is out to the batteries. Nowhere else to go ! It just switches it on and off.
I note in that comparison test referenced above, the fake controller was actually loosing current somewhere ??????? Now that is crap and is worse than a PWM unit
-- Edited by Jaahn on Friday 3rd of February 2017 04:44:21 PM