True MPPT solar regulator

	True maximum power point tracking solar regulator with outstanding features and quality. Brought to you by Battery Value Pty Ltd, your supplier of quality AGM deep cycle batteries and perfectly matched charging gear. contact us

You are at a state of the art 12V/24V 120W/240W true MPPT solar regulator, soft- and hardware modified to suit RV, marine and stationary applications, for maximum battery life and capacity.	FAQ How it compares to other solar regulators. Solar panels with different voltage ratings. What's this software/hardware modification about? I've seen similar units, are they the same? My system is 24V, can your regulator handle this? What panel wattage is recommended with this solar regulator? How many charging amps is it supposed to deliver to the battery? I've got a number of mismatched panels, how do I make them work at maximum output power? I want to quickly connect/disconnect a pair of folding solar panels in a mobile situation. Isn't the one solar regulator which is attached to my folding panels the best suitable unit? How to connect the temperature sensor? I want to observe the charging/discharging process more closely, is there a display? What's the maximum distance between solar regulator and remote control/display unit? Can I fine tune things like the charging voltage temperature compensation?
Q: Why are other MPPT solar regulators like Wel.see so much higher rated at a similar price to yours?	A: simply because they aren't MPPT solar regulators at all - you're being deceived. These units don't have the chunky inductors which allow to perform the DC/DC conversion. DC/DC conversion is required to match the panel's varying maximum power voltage to the battery voltage (which also varies with the state of charge). Their internal controller also lacks the number crunching ability to perform the MPPT function. In short, this is a very basic on/off solar regulator, worse than a single stage battery charger. Battery temperature sensing isn't available, so your expensive battery's life will be shortened because the charging voltage isn't being adjusted accordingly. Another example is Solar.ate: this unit isn't true MPPT either in that the controller assigns the maximum power point to a fixed panel voltage i.e. 17V for a 12V system, and 34V for a 24V system. This isn't true MPPT functionality because the ratio panel/battery voltage is fixed although it needs to be variable for maximum solar power harvest. Battery temperature sensing doesn't work as we've tested this in our lab: as soon as you plugin the sensor, the solar regulator starts doing all sorts of silly things. Nice socket for the sensor though. The main shortcoming of this unit is an underpowered microcontroller which doesn't have the muscle to perform true MPPT, nor for temperature compensation of the charging voltages.
Q: Why would I want to connect a solar panel with a different voltage rating?	A: sometimes these are cheaper, or you intend to minimise voltage drop in the wires between solar regulator and battery, or in very hot conditions, when a pair of folding panels wired in series (giving 24V instead of 12V) ensures ample leg roomfor the true MPPT to perform its magic.
Q: What do you mean by optimised charging algorithm?	A: we spent some time researching the typical usage pattern for this type of solar regulator. Most likely, there'd be a 80~150W solar panel connected to it, while the unit supplies continuous power to a portable fridge. Because the fridge compressor cycles on/off, and solar input varies, proper multistage battery charging can be tricky. The only algorithm which can accommodate these variables is cumulative absorption stage charging. The algorithm is in four parts: bulk, absorption followed by conditional (mild) equalisation to 14.8V, and float. Our unit has been programmed to supply a total of 90 minutes of 14.4V absorption voltage (temperature compensated), in any 24 hour period, but only if the state of charge dips below ~95% for longer than 5 minutes. When absorption stage charging is finished, the regulator then applies 13.8V float charging voltage. That way, the battery receives exactly the amount of charge required, to keep it in top shape for years to come.
Q: I've seen a similar unit without the external temperature sensor, are these the same ones?	A: Basically yes, but without the improved charging algorithm, and without the external battery temperature sensor and the solar panel quick connect/disconnect. These features are unique to our range. Your valuable battery/s will thank you for that.
Q: I've got 2x12V wet cell batteries in a 24V system, can I use your solar regulator?	A: Yes, this regulator senses the battery voltage and adjusts all charging parameters accordingly.
Q: How big a panel can I connect?	A: There's no limit, but the maximum panel voltage needs to stay below 100V which is typical for a 48V rated panel. MPPT functionality is guaranteed up to 120W, but has been tested to work up to a rated panel wattage of 160W (real life operating conditions).
Q: What's the maximum charging current your solar regulator can supply?	A: This is electronically limited to 10A, which corresponds to a charging power of 145W @ a battery voltage of 14.5V. A 160W panel is required to supply this under peak insolation and real world operating temperatures.
Q: I've got 3 solar panels, 2 are rated 12V/80W each and the 3rd is rated 24V/140W. Can I use all 3 of them in my 12V system?	A: Yes, just wire the 2 smaller ones in series, and the 3rd one goes on a second solar regulator for a combined charging current of 20A peak. The 2 solar regulators can share the same battery while the different panels work at their individual maximum power point voltage.
Q: The plugs on the photo look a bit flimsy, are they any good?	A: Yes, we've found these to be totally adequate. Each plug/socket combo is rated 24A while the max solar panel current can't exceed 8.5A (regulated limit). These connectors are locking, for proper electrical contact yet are easily connected/disconnected. The housing is made of durable nylon. Just use a small screwdriver and wire the pos/neg of your solar panels up to the terminal block (see photo). For best efficiency wire any pair of 12V folding panels in series instead of parallel, giving you 24V at the solar input.
Q: My folding solar panels came with a solar regulator attached to one of them. Isn't this the preferred regulator?	A: Definitely not. For a number of reasons like high operating temperature on the panel's back, battery temperature cannot be obtained (not that these regulators have a sensor input for this), no multistage charging is possible due to the simple nature of these units. The switched load output is also compromised by high temperature (internal re-settable fuseactivates early).
Q: How do I connect the battery temperature sensor?	A: simply attach it to one of the battery terminals for good thermal contact. In case you manage to damage the sensor or the wire, just order a new one from us - it's easily replaced as you can see on the photo. FYI, the solar regulator keeps working without the temperature sensor connected - it'll just default to 24 degrees.
Q: I'd like to get an idea about solar panel voltage and amps, battery voltage/amps, load amps, Wh in/out, Ah in/out etc.	A: We can supply an optional remote control/display unit which provides these. You can also adjust the temperature coefficient, for fine tuning the charging process.
Q: How far away can the display be mounted from the solar regulator?	A: if you purchase the optional remote display unit, it comes standard with 1.5m length of cable which can be extended easily to tens of metres using a cat5 (networking cable). The pluggable joiner, comes free of charge if you need it for this purpose. Just let us know before we ship the display to you.
Q: Is fine tuning of the temperature coefficient required at all, and how to do this?	A: the solar regulator comes with a pre-programmed temperature coefficient of -4mV/degree/cell which is recommended by a majority of AGM battery manufacturers. The optional remote control/display unit provides access to that, and other parameters .
	Pickup location is Everton Hills QLD 4053 (NW subs Brisbane). We ship Australia wide, using registered Australia Post, for $20.00. This quality product is made available to you by Battery Value Pty Ltd, a registered Australian business with ABN. Your questions are important to us, so please email us Or call Peter on 0422405013. www.batteryvalue.com.au