Advice needed - Solar panel Charge Controller.

[emmitdb]

I've been saving my pennies and just bought an 80watts solar panel.

I know I need a charge controller to regulate the ins and outs of the charge but here's the rub.

On searching I have found that some talk of auto switching on and off at different voltages in order to keep the battery from dropping too low or going overcharged.

Are there any bright sparkies (silly comment, all sparkies are bright. You have to be to understand something you cannot touch or see!!!) who can give me suggestions as to what to look for in this particular region.

Any suggestions greatfully accepted.

 

[JTQ]

I cobbled my system together;

The panel is an 85 Watt Kyocera.

The controller I opted for was a Morningstar SunSaver SS10

See : http://www.reuk.co.uk/SunSaver-10A-Solar-Charge-Controller.htm

With this size panel you can potentially damage your battery if you or a controller are not monitoring the situation.

Your 80 Watt panel is likely to be rated at 17 volts off panel so up to a current of 4.7 amps.

That level of current and the available voltage if sustained after reaching fully charged will cause gassing. So unless you're going to watch the voltage on your battery like a hawk you need something.

This mid priced [

 

[JTQ]

I cobbled my system together;

The panel is an 85 Watt Kyocera.

The controller I opted for was a Morningstar SunSaver SS10

See : http://www.reuk.co.uk/SunSaver-10A-Solar-Charge-Controller.htm

With this size panel you can potentially damage your battery if you or a controller are not monitoring the situation.

Your 80 Watt panel is likely to be rated at 17 volts off panel so up to a current of 4.7 amps.

That level of current and the available voltage if sustained after reaching fully charged will cause gassing. So unless you're going to watch the voltage on your battery like a hawk you need something.

This mid priced [

 

[EmmanuelMuldoon]

I have used the Sunsei CC-10000 from CPC (pt No. BT04166) on both wet & gel batteries with success. It does'nt have a switch to select between the two. The only thing you must watch out for when connecting up this PWM "series" regulator is that you connect the battery first & then the solar panel, and disconnect in the reverse order. I suspect this also applies to other "series" PWM regulators. BTW, IMO, these modern series regulators are very much preferable to the "shunt" types.