Advice on solar controllers needed

[lw395]

Anyone ordering solar regulator - well worth a look at Google and YouTube. Lots reviews out there.

https://youtu.be/KA3X8XLxWHU

Youtube is very variable.
Some brilliant resources.
Some complete idiots missing the point entirely.
Some grey areas in between.

If you want to know if something works, why not measure what it does before pulling it apart?

There are some great videos or people ripping apart things like welders. not aware that a bit of bent metal can be an inductor or a current shunt...

 

[[176172]]

Richard, yes i do know what is going on.
I do owe you an apology, which I offer unreservedly, and hope it will be accepted.
It would appear that posts sent by me, intended for another contributor quite wrongly were sent in reply to yourself.
My other comments regarding the controller issue as to my experience remain the same.
Regards Mike

 

[RichardS]

Richard, yes i do know what is going on.
I do owe you an apology, which I offer unreservedly, and hope it will be accepted.
It would appear that posts sent by me, intended for another contributor quite wrongly were sent in reply to yourself.
My other comments regarding the controller issue as to my experience remain the same.
Regards Mike

No problem Mike. It's all good.

Richard

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have gone with this one: https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en...harge-controller-with-a-remote-LCD-meter.html, and will report back if there are any problems! I decided that going for one capable of handling a larger current would a) provide for expansion in the furture and b) provide a safety overhead.

 

[[176172]]

A good choice, I don't think you will regret it.

 

[JumbleDuck]

A good choice, I don't think you will regret it.

Looks a bit cheap to me ...

<g, d & r>

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Postscript:

The Photonics Universe controller arrived, and I went to the boat to fit it last Thursday. Sadly, the unit was faulty - the screw on one of the connectors just turned without anything moving. Rang Photonics Universe, and had a very friendly conversation, and they sent a replacement controller which the guy got from stores while I was on the phone. Absolutely no quibbles and good service. They didn't even want the faulty one returned.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Fingers crossed for a successful outcome. :encouragement:

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Further update - I finally installed the controller today. No problems, just a few minutes when I thought I had another bad unit - but found it was a blown fuse in the wiring, probably caused by wires accidentally touching when I reorganized the wiring. A new fuse, and it all worked. The monitor showed believable values for everything thing it measures. So hopefully, we have success!

 

[Caladh]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have gone with this one: https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en...harge-controller-with-a-remote-LCD-meter.html, and will report back if there are any problems! I decided that going for one capable of handling a larger current would a) provide for expansion in the furture and b) provide a safety overhead.

Looks like a rebadged Morning Star 15 amp

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Looks like a rebadged Morning Star 15 amp

Except it's rated at 20 amps.

 

[Caladh]

Except it's rated at 20 amps.

Still looks like a rebadged Morning Star unit. Maybe I was mistaken about the 15 amps !

 

[JumbleDuck]

Still looks like a rebadged Morning Star unit. Maybe I was mistaken about the 15 amps !

The same unit is available with half a dozen different names on it.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

The same unit is available with half a dozen different names on it.

Yes, that's true. It also comes in several power ratings - I've seen 10A and 20A, and Caladh reports a 15A version. I suspect that it's only the output stage that varies.

 

[ghostlymoron]

The same unit is available with half a dozen different names on it.

And prices ranging from £15 on eBay to £50+ on other sites.

 

[Molteni]

 

[Pagetslady]

Hi my MPPT from Photonic Universe has a monitor pluget into it which gives loads of detail it does serve 2 sets of batteries mine is 10 amp but 20 amp is available the monitor is however an extra.
Mike