solar and aerogen controller

[Gunfleet]

I have to replace my solar panel controller (it's dead) and while I'm at it may as well have one that will control my Aerogen too. Of course I'm tempted by eBay where there is a large and confusing choice. Does anyone have any experience of them which will lead to a recommendation? I know, some posh one from a chandlery will do the job but I'd prefer to save a few sovs if I can.
TIA

 

[sarabande]

I had an advertising email from 12vPlanet about a new Ctek charger.

https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/ctek-d250se-dual-input-dc-dc-charger-mppt-solar-controller.html

Dual input. It might be worth having a word with Ctek UK . 12vPlanet tend to be a bit more expensive than some reatilers.

 

[VicS]

I have to replace my solar panel controller (it's dead) and while I'm at it may as well have one that will control my Aerogen too. Of course I'm tempted by eBay where there is a large and confusing choice. Does anyone have any experience of them which will lead to a recommendation? I know, some posh one from a chandlery will do the job but I'd prefer to save a few sovs if I can.
TIA

ITYWF that the Aerogen requires a shunt type of regulator and there is some restriction if you have any other type of charging as well ....... IIRC you will need the dual battery type of Aerogen regulator

Use a separate PWM or MPPT controller for your solar panel. The larger the panel the more sense it makes to use MPPT rather than PWM. Beware of Ebay. Not only a confusing choice but mountains of cheap junk

If you had a Rutland wind turbine you would have been able to control it together with a solar panel using one of the Marlec controllers but I guess you plan on keeping the Aerogen

 

[Graham376]

ITYWF that the Aerogen requires a shunt type of regulator and there is some restriction if you have any other type of charging as well ....... IIRC you will need the dual battery type of Aerogen regulator

Use a separate PWM or MPPT controller for your solar panel. The larger the panel the more sense it makes to use MPPT rather than PWM. Beware of Ebay. Not only a confusing choice but mountains of cheap junk

+1

The Aerogen dumps to a large wire wound resistor and will allow only a small panel to be connected as well, IIRC about 30w. To stop the Aerogen in high winds, the wires are just shorted and you don't want the panel shorted out as well.

 

[Gunfleet]

Thanks for replies. It is a small Aerogen. I’m kind of interested in Sarabande’s suggestion if it’ll fly but £200+ Just for the controller.... ouch. And I’m not sure it saying it’ll control solar and wind generator. Otherwise I may have to think of using the solar panel alone.

 

[ANDY_W]

If it is any help with your deliberations, I have a 120 watt solar panel connected through an old Aero4 controller, the wind generator having died.

It's been running for about 3 years with no problems, the heaviest load being a 25 litre fridge/freezer. In the summer, I don't need a charger or to run the engine for charging. I wish I had done it sooner.

My Aero4 Gen used to blow 15 amp fuses in strong winds so that acted a a rule of thumb guide for the maximum output of solar
panels. My present set up is providing approx 9 to 10 amperes in maximum sunshine ( in Netherlands ).

If you have an Aero2 Gen and have not blown any fuses you can probably find an output / windspeed graph which will give an idea of the maximum output your controller can handle, and you can size your solar panel accordingly.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I have two 50w solar panels and an old Aerogen charging 4 batteries (3 domestic and 1 starter battery). I control the charge using:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10A-20A-...var=602114492340&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
and
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-300W...var=471597365308&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
All batteries are kept toped up including the starter battery which is charged separately by the controller. I have a fridge freezer which is on 24 hours during summer time, the batteries still show 12.7 volts early morning before sunrise.

 

[noelex]

The requirements for solar and wind regulators are quite different.

Solar panels can be disconnected from the battery quite safely. So solar controllers generally regulate voltage primarily by turning the solar panel off and on very rapidly.

This does not work with most wind generators. If the battery is disconnected the wind generator will speed up as the load is removed. This can overspeed the wind generator and when reconnected the higher speed wind generator will momentarily produce more power. To overcome this issue most wind generator regulators use a “dump load”. To regulate voltage the power is diverted to large bank of resistors. Thus the wind generator has a constant load.

This fundamental difference between solar and wind controllers is why there are so few combined solar and wind controllers available. Those that are produced are often just two different regulators lumped in one box. Often the solar side is a rather basic controller.

Generally it is better to choose a separate solar and wind controller. There are exceptions the excellent large Midnite controllers can be configured for both solar and wind, but you still need to buy a separate dump load, and these controllers are suitable only for large arrays.

 

[gregcope]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10A-20A-...var=602114492340&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Classic example of Ebay ... for the 10A/20A versions; the title says MPPT, the details say PWM ...

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Classic example of Ebay ... for the 10A/20A versions; the title says MPPT, the details say PWM ...

The 10 amp is PWM and the 20 amp is MPPT; agree that the script is typical ebay confusing

 

[VicS]

The 10 amp is PWM and the 20 amp is MPPT; agree that the script is typical ebay confusing

Also be wary of any dual battery MPPT controllers. They are not common and you may find that one output, for the engine start battery, is just a low current trickle charge output. Fine if that suits your needs.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Also be wary of any dual battery MPPT controllers. They are not common and you may find that one output, for the engine start battery, is just a low current trickle charge output. Fine if that suits your needs.

I agree it is a trickle charge of approx 1 amp, regulated on/off by the controller; may no be very sophisticated but it works well because it keeps the starter battery charged; its so easy to forget (i forget) to charge the engine battery especially when the engine has not been used for a while.