Victron MPPT -Any good?

[madabouttheboat]

Looking at installing a solar setup in time for next season and looking at what to buy, in particular in relation to the charge controller. I want good quality, but I need to keep an eye on cost. I am going to avoid anything that claims to be mppt but is unbranded generic stuff, so am looking at ‘brands’ that I am hoping will do what they say they will. I am currently looking at Victron Mppt bluesolar or smart solar (I haven’t worked out the difference between them yet) controllers as they appear very good value for a well known make.

Am I barking up the wrong tree or are they a decent option. If not, what makes should I be looking at?

Cheers

 

[dunedin]

Yes.
Particularly with the Bluetooth connection to the monitoring app (via a separate plug in on our one)

 

[yotter]

+1 for Vitron, its very good stuff

 

[Sandy]

It is brilliant kit with superb after sales service.

The ability to down load the data to a spreadsheet keeps old geeks like me happy.

Only grip I have is you can't manually set the voltage scale.

 

[noelex]

The Victron controllers are hard to beat for the needs of most yachts. The Smartsolar models have built in Bluetooth which makes changing charging parameters, updating the firmware and viewing results easy.

You can add a Bluetooth dongle to Bluesolar models, but the total cost is similar and the functionality may be a little less.

 

[PaulRainbow]

As above, good kit. Go for the Smartsolar, as it has built in Bluetooth (as mentioned above too).

 

[Aja]

With built in Bluetooth the Victron MPPT controllers work very well and allow you to access it's data and save the last 30 days off line.

As others have mentioned it also allows charging parameters to be altered to suit your charging regime - thanks @PaulRainbow for your help when setting mine up!

 

[Gustywinds]

I have a Smartsolar 75/15 but have never used it…
Reason I have it is the guy who did my install asked if I was ever likely to fit solar. I said not very likely but…
It only added something like 100 Euro to the near 15k I was spending so it’s there.
Mostly Victron stuff (batteries, inverter charger and all the monitoring widgets). All nicely made and has been 100% reliable, still getting my head round some of the software options.
I might look at some panels when we get to the Med next year but other priorities are more pressing.

 

[Gixer]

I bought a second hand Victron Bluesolar as a cheap price. Feeling very chuffed with myself I tried connecting it to my phones app…
I then realised my mistake and ended up buying a Bluetooth dongle for it. Doh

 

[Rafiki]

I bought crap £12 from ebay, after using for one week-end I spent £70 on a Victron Smart Solar. I could then genuinely see if the solar panel was working -- enough said ?

 

[Daverw]

Looking at installing a solar setup in time for next season and looking at what to buy, in particular in relation to the charge controller. I want good quality, but I need to keep an eye on cost. I am going to avoid anything that claims to be mppt but is unbranded generic stuff, so am looking at ‘brands’ that I am hoping will do what they say they will. I am currently looking at Victron Mppt bluesolar or smart solar (I haven’t worked out the difference between them yet) controllers as they appear very good value for a well known make.

Am I barking up the wrong tree or are they a decent option. If not, what makes should I be looking at?

Cheers

Victron every time, also 5 year warranty

 

[dukeofted]

I have one in my shed and one on my boat, now down to just over £40 so no point in using the cheap rubbish.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075NTT8GH

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Had Victron kit on my last boat, my camper van, will be installing it on my current boat and I've even got a BT Victron trickle charger attached to my Motorbike in the garden shed. Never had a problem with any of it and the Bluetooth App is excellent.

This is my current Victron work in progress ...

 

[Thresher]

I bought crap £12 from ebay, after using for one week-end I spent £70 on a Victron Smart Solar. I could then genuinely see if the solar panel was working -- enough said ?

Sorry, not quite enough said. What was wrong with the one from ebay? I know my solar panels are working because i have a multimeter and I can test them, they charge my two lead acid batteries totalling 200ah. I have the cheap controller from ebay and often wonder if i am doing something wrong or shortening the life of my batteries by not having a more expensive controller. What does the Victron offer that the ebay controller doesn't?

 

[samfieldhouse]

I literally live off mine. Cannot commend it highly enough.

 

[Daverw]

Sorry, not quite enough said. What was wrong with the one from ebay? I know my solar panels are working because i have a multimeter and I can test them, they charge my two lead acid batteries totalling 200ah. I have the cheap controller from ebay and often wonder if i am doing something wrong or shortening the life of my batteries by not having a more expensive controller. What does the Victron offer that the ebay controller doesn't?

The eBay one is unlikely to be MPPT and although will work will not be as efficient as the the victron especially in lower sun conditions.

 

[William_H]

Sorry, not quite enough said. What was wrong with the one from ebay? I know my solar panels are working because i have a multimeter and I can test them, they charge my two lead acid batteries totalling 200ah. I have the cheap controller from ebay and often wonder if i am doing something wrong or shortening the life of my batteries by not having a more expensive controller. What does the Victron offer that the ebay controller doesn't?

The cheap controller will be pulse width modulated type not MPPT as claimed. (possibly) PWM is in effect a simple connection solar pV panel to battery with the ability to interrupt charge when battery seems fully charged. It may have a charging (tapering) profile but in practice with small panle will almost always be running full power.
MPPT has the ability to transform the incoming voltage to that needed to charge the battery. 12v up to 14+ volts vrom what ever it can gleen from the PV panel. ie low light still gets some charge in to battery. Max light can actually produce more current than panel. The best part however is the ability to get max power (current) from a large 40v panel into a 12v battery. So yes Victron MPPT is good. ol'will

 

[Trident]

How much solar ? Victron are great as everyone has said but get expensive as you go bigger

Renogy are also excellent and their bigger MPPT (up to 60A and 100A ) are a lot less expensive than Victron and I have fitted lots and lots of these without issue .

 

[Sandy]

Renogy are also excellent and their bigger MPPT (up to 60A and 100A ) are a lot less expensive than Victron and I have fitted lots and lots of these without issue .

Does Renogy talk to the shunt, temperature sensor, shore power and able to give you a CSV file to number crunch in a spreadsheet?

 

[noelex]

How much solar ? Victron are great as everyone has said but get expensive as you go bigger

Renogy are also excellent and their bigger MPPT (up to 60A and 100A ) are a lot less expensive than Victron and I have fitted lots and lots of these without issue .

If there is a need for a large controller such as a 60-100 A unit it is worth considering multiple smaller controllers.

The performance is better and the system will have valuable redundancy. The cost depends on the specific size of the solar array, but it can sometimes be less expensive.