Solar Charge Controllers

Solar technique in general use

Solar technique is not a topic for green politicians and ecofreaks anymore. It has become a part of daily life, especially in a mobile form. On camping sites, boats or on caravans it is a low-cost and space-saving possibility  to charge batteries. Besides solar panels you also need a charge controller to charge batteries completely. Charge controllers are used to adjust the input voltage so different types of batteries can be charged. Thats why batteries need a constant voltage and amperage - both can't be provided by a panel.

The right charge controller for your solar panel

Depending on the design and and the performance of your panel a suitable charge controller has to be used. Especially the panel's max. output is important here. If the panel has a max. output of 5A the charge controller must be  able to handle this amperage. Detailled information about charge controllers and their performance classes can be found in our shop. Please make sure which function the charge controller must have to meet the requirements of your solar system.

Which special functions does the charge controller need?

As charge controllers are mostly designed for the use with lead-accumulators they come with the necessary features to support them. That means that they protect the battery from deep discharge. Additionally they should be able to charge a caravan's 12V starter battery as well as the 12 or 24V on-board battery. Of course charge controllers should come with a overvoltage-shutdown. Unfortunately this is  not a standard with all models. The same counts for temperature. If overheated there should be a shutdown - if cooled down the charging process has to proceed. Another not unimportant feature of a charge controller is that both positive and negative clamp can be grounded.

That makes the charge controller much more versatile and connectable to different systems. Besides a deep discharge protection it should also prevent the battery from overloading. Moreover it should protect the system from short-circuits on modules and consumers and a  current-reflow into the solar panels during the night.