Choosing the right solar charge controller for solar power generation system

Do you wear small or large shoes? If they are too loose, you may get blisters where the shoes rub against your skin, while shoes that are too tight can cause even more problems. Our solar charge controllers are like our shoes; if they don't fit properly, you likely won't enjoy your solar power. There are many factors to consider before choosing the right solar charge controller for your solar power system.

Solar Charge Controller Types

Therefore, every time you design a solar power system, you must use a suitable solar charge controller. That way, you're guaranteed to get enough energy from your solar panels to charge your battery.

Additionally, you will successfully protect your battery from overcharging or undercharging.

Solar charge controllers come in two different forms:

1. Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT): This extracts the maximum power from the solar array and is generally more expensive.

2. Pulse Width Modulation (PWM): As the battery approaches capacity, it slowly reduces the amount of power going into the battery. This is a great low-cost option for solar power systems.

How to find the right solar charge controller for your solar power system

The first is voltage selection. Always make sure the solar charge controller and your system voltage are compatible - standard configurations are 12V, 24V, 48V, etc. This means that if you are connecting a 12 volt battery, you will need a solar charge controller rated for 12 volts.

The next step is to select a solar charge controller that is efficient enough to handle the maximum output current from the solar panel array and determine the correct amount of current. Here's a simple DIY formula to determine if the current is correct.

Panel Wattage × Number of Panels = Minimum Current Required Solar Charge Controller

Inverter DC voltage

For example, you need the minimum current charge controller required for a 1.5kva 48 volt system using a 300 watt solar panel array with four units.

Following the formula above, therefore, the closest solar charge controller rating you should consider is 60A/48v. This is just a beginner’s guide to choosing the right solar charge controller for different solar power system sizes.