HOW DOES A SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER WORK?

A solar charge controller is a very key part of your solar system array as it plays a vital role in controlling the amount of charge your battery receives. Please DO NOT connect a solar panel directly to the battery! Always use a solar charge controller when using a solar panel to charge a battery.

Now let’s discuss how a charge controller works:

A solar charge controller’s main job is to regulate the voltage flow from your solar panel(s) to your battery. Throughout its charging cycle, the controller will constantly monitor the state of your battery, adjusting automatically in order to charge your battery efficiently and safely. When the battery is fully charged, the controller will automatically lower the number of volts being sent to the battery to match its discharge amount to maintain a full charge without over-charging it. This gives you a fully topped-off battery that’s ready to use anytime. All Newpowa solar charge controllers come with over-voltage and temperature compensation safeguards built-in to protect your system from failing.

The two primary types of Solar Charge Controllers are PWM & MPPT controllers. A PWM controller reads the battery and determines how many volts it will need to fully charge. Then it takes the required voltage needed and turns them into equally timed pulses, which then distributes the charge into the battery, allowing it to charge properly and safely. One thing to note is that PWM controllers have 3 charging stages – Boost, Equalization, and Float. These controllers are smaller, more cost-effective, and can fit in tight spaces making them the go-to for most people.

An MPPT charge controller does the same job, just a little differently. MPPT stands for Maximum Power Point Tracking, and what this means is that the controller has the ability to recognize the maximum charging level of your battery and increase the current from your panels to bring your battery to a full charge. One important thing to note is that an MPPT charge controller will not overcharge your battery as it has multiple charging stages – MPPT, Boost, Equalization, and Float. Another added benefit of an MPPT controller is that it’s more efficient at drawing out the most power from your solar panel(s) even in low light conditions, hence the name “Maximum Power”.

So, when you’re ready to hook up one of your solar charge controllers to your solar panel and battery, know that it’s super simple and requires only 2 stages to complete the process.

First, connect your battery to the solar charge controller. Then connect your charge controller to your solar panels. Once complete, you can connect your load directly to your battery or just use the controller for trickle charging to maintain the overall charge on the battery. That’s it! You’re good to go because it’s just that easy!

Solar Charge Controllers have come a long way with recent developments in technology. Most of them are now the size of your hand and some are even available as waterproof options, which is perfect for those looking to install solar for marine applications or hydro systems.

At Newpowa we use our expertise of the industry to focus on new innovations and will continue pushing the boundaries of technology to deliver the quality products you deserve!