This panel can put out close to 100 watts ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
I've had this controller (well, the 30A version) for a year or two. I've just gone over to lithium batteries and have just ordered the BT-1 bluetooth unit. It seems to work quite well compared to my previous controllers.
This controller is made by SRNE and rebranded by both Renogy and Rich Solar. The Rich Solar is more recommended as the wire connectors are said to be a bit larger and more rugged. I just bought the Rich Solar to upgrade from an old Sunforce PWM controller and i'm quite happy with it so far. Nice video. Greetings from sunny Jamaica.
Tnx Adam... Amazon is delivering one of these this afternoon so the tutorial was timely. Have the little Wanderer 10A but decided to upgrade to MPPT my single 250 watt 36V panel feeding the 115ah battery that runs my ham station, have no doubt there will be a significant efficiency improvement. This should be a good match for my panel.
Good video Adam, thank you. I'm running a 100L portable fridge/freezer that uses a Secop (formerly Danfoss) compressor via 2 x 200W panels and a 135AH LiFePO 4 battery. This configuration has been connected via a Renogy DC-DC/ MPPT controller (DCC50S) and an EpEver Triron controller (4215N). I draw approx. 50W off the panels during the compressor cycle. When this power draw occurs during the Boost stage of the EpEver controller it discharges the battery down to the Boost Return Voltage and then kicks back into the Boost stage to keep the volts above the Boost Return Voltage. When I run the same power draw during the Boost stage of the Renogy controller it uses almost all 50W from the panels and then balances +/-1 volt from the battery, keeping the battery above the Boost Return Voltage the entire time. I've observed this phenomenon just before sunset via a Victron battery monitor (BMV-712). I use 14.2V for the Boost setting and 13.2V for the Boost Return Voltage setting on both controllers. The battery is effectively in cruise control, and never falls below 87%. I was wondering if the Renogy is using a more advanced algorithm than the EpEver to balance the power from the modules vs the power available from the battery. It's not a problem but I thought I'd post it here for further insight from you or one of your learned viewers. Thanks again for the video.
I have a EP ever Tracer 40 amp charge controller that I've been using for 4 years now without an issue I'd like to purchase two more units though and I'm considering the renogy charge controller and another 40 amp EP ever but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
@@AdamWelchUK The plug and play RENOGY BT-1 BLUETOOTH MODULE is around £35.00 then just download the APP and away you go with any fine adjustments you may want to do + it stores the data for 1 year.
I just ordered this off eBay because I don't fully trust the cheapo ueio(can't remember the name) mppt charger you reviewed a while back although I'll still use it for spare. Thanks great demo! 😎❤️👍
I'm new to solar and this video was very helpful in understanding my renogy Rover PG charge controller, thank you. I couldn't figure out how to get into the perimeters to check and set it for the battery type. The battery and user icons are so small I couldn't read them without a magnifier.
Yeah as you saw I had trouble too. I guess it’s not something you do often, but perhaps using the digits to indicate Gel, Fld, Sld, USr like EPEver do might have been better?
@@AdamWelchUK Also, there is nothing in the instructions about having to be on the "user" battery setting to get into the parameters. I finally figured it out by watching your video. Thanks so much!
Just got one at Biltema here in Denmark, it's Biltema branded, different colors, and they rearranged the buttons to be in a row, rather than the cursor key arrangement, but otherwise it appears to be identical. It's funny though, was watching your video and decided I wanted an MPPT charger to play around with, saw they had some in stock at Biltema just 4 kilometers away, so went and picked one up straight away, but I didn't realize it was actually identical to this one until I got home, hooked it up, and started going through the menus.
Seems to be an interesting charge controller for the current price of ~50€ compared to Epever Tracer AN (+temperature sensor) for ~80€. Some people on UA-cam and Amazon complain about incorrect voltage display (0.2V off) but your controller seems to work correctly. But standby current of 63mA is a bit high compared to
I like this charge controller Adam. I've managed to pick up a couple of 275W panels, but most charge controller's don't like high panel voltage (24V) with low battery voltage (12V), so this actually fills that need nicely. Thanks for reviewing it.
I'm considering purchasing this unit currently but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
I've been using the 40A version for a year or so now in 24v user mode, very pleased. I am using the BT unit also, range of about 10-12 meters just gets me to my back door for keeping an eye on things but I also have it rigged up to an Android Tablet in the power shed connected to WiFi to view anywhere in the world via networking.
@@AdamWelchUK Remote desktop i found the most reliable. The same tablet also has all the BMS's connected via WiFi and the other solar charger and PIP inverter settings. I'm finally sorted after a good year or so getting it all tied to one remote connection.
I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
@@garyenwards1608 I've not had any voltage reading issues at all. Could well depend on peoples wiring lengths, wire gauge and connections made, al these would cause a incorrect voltage reading.
Adam Welch I would love to see your thoughts on their Bluetooth device/app. It’s a cheap upgrade and well worth it! That app is what puts this controller above the epever tracer
Hi Adam I have a couple of these on my systems, would love you to do your thing with the RS port. I bought the bluetooth adapter and whilst the output is OK, the range is abysmal and the unit is potted into the case. Although I am a proficient programmer, I wouldn't know where to start on this, I would love tobe able to get continuous data onto my PC to have a permanent record. Keep up the good work.
I am glad you posted this video on Renogy. I have 3 of those and they are great. I did not get the bluetooth adapter because of cost, hopefully you will so I could see if it is worth it. Nice video!
I have a EP ever Tracer 40 amp charge controller that I've been using for 4 years now without an issue I'd like to purchase two more units though and I'm considering the renogy charge controller and another 40 amp EP ever but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
@@garyenwards1608 My Rover 30 Bluetooth phone display does not show the battery voltage or percent charge accurately. It reads voltage too low. The battery state of charge always reads a percentage that is too high. At the moment at night, the app shows 100% battery charge at 13.2 volts. My actual battery voltage is 13.62. This is on the Monitoring screen. On the ''Record'' screen, the kwh same day, amp hours, and maximum watts look about right. What I like about the Rover is that I can remotely turn on the 20 amp load terminals with my phone. I have some Edison screw base 6 watt LED 12 volt bulbs in the shed where the battery pack sits. I can turn the lights on and off from upstairs and verify the function from the skylight. The charge controller is set for lithium batteries and the voltage and % charge function don't seem to be adjustable.
@@garyenwards1608 No, they were off the phone app. I'm away but later when I get home I will check the numbers on the unit and let you know. Normally I leave the onboard unit on the Amps to Battery screen so I can walk past and see current solar strength. Its under a plywood cover with plexiglass window so I don't normally scroll through the screens and rely on the phone app. I have other MPPT'S including more Renogys and a 120 amp Growatt unit, all still in boxes. So, my experience is limited to this unit but I have big plans for the others!
I'd love you to review a Fangpusun D series controller. I've been using one alongside a victron controller and it's keep up well! I've taken readings over an extended period and have found them near identical.
I have this exact model, made myself a simple RJ45 to DB9 serial Adapter, hooked up a 7S21P Lithium pack and fiddled with the charging parameters via PC Software. I'll dig up some links if you're interested. Charges perfectly to 4,15V per cell group.
solaranzeige.de/phpBB3/download/file.php?id=1140&sid=e58cef7fd93e67a1a578697e123753bf&mode=view I hope you can see the picture. It's RJ12, not RJ45, my mistake. Pins are tx, rx, gnd, gnd, +, +. You only need the first 3. Make sure that you connect rx on the rover to tx on the oc and vice versa
I purchased this controller for my boat and am OK with it. I use it to keep 400 AH lithium batteries charged, monitor with the BT2. My energy consumers use relatively low amperage except for the 12 volt fridge and that is somewhat low. My only issue is the Load terminals, they do not output voltage they are in the off mode all the time. It seems like the design is to output voltage when the panels are not powered, this makes no sense to me, unless you are simply using it for a timer after the panels stop producing. I thought the purpose of load is to use surplus energy when the batteries are topped off, that would be a great idea since the solar panels would not have any use for the solar energy after the batteries are 100%+.
great video thanks .. wonder what your thoughts are on >>> i have just connected 2 x 330 panels ( current at pmax 9.52 amp and voltage 34.7 ) to this ( 20 amp version ) do you think parallel or series .. ,, working fine at mo in parallel although have not had full sunshine. thank you . mike
I’m looking to upgrade my 20A EPEver to a 40A unit, so I can run a 25-30A radio direct from the load terminals rather than the battery. Would be great if you could test in future reviews whether they can supply to load current their rating suggests. 👍 It’s also a shame none seem to let you set them for custom battery voltages or load supply voltages, given they can do DC-DC conversion, as I’d love to have a 16v custom LiFePo battery pack so my voltage never drops below 13.8v before the low state of charge cut off kicks in.
Finally I figured it out after months why all my 50 18650 packs on BMS's wasn't charging but giving different readings on the load end & on the pos and neg ends of the batteries. I removed the BMS from one pack while pulling all the fuses on the others my mppt 40A rover started giving me 10a & battery was charging properly whoop whoop. Now I will monitor it for a week. Sat & thought if a lead acid battery can charge without a BMS in 12v & its fine doing so why can't the other packs do the same. Is it that the BMS has flaws & is overcompensating .Now I will probably have to remove all BMS's.....
I have a EP ever Tracer 40 amp charge controller that I've been using for 4 years now without an issue I'd like to purchase two more units though and I'm considering the renogy charge controller and another 40 amp EP ever but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
Trouble with them (apart from price) is that you need 4-5 of them in parallel in order to hook it up to a 1000 watt solar array and that also means you need to buy a lot more cable to hook up 1-2 panels per controller costing you well over $1,000. Best bet is spending $3-400 on a different brand capable of 100-120 amps.
That's fine for those with cash to spare. If you're on a tight budget then building up a system to gradually accommodate more panels and batteries is a better option. The charge controller can be used for future projects, or sold to recoup some of the spend on the new, higher amperage unit.
Presumably there is a Negative Ground version of each model? It certainly looks very well made. Mode selection could be better, by allowing manual settings and 0.1 V increments, and it can benefit by having a different connector to that RJ11 one. Those points aside, I like it. Is the controller taking power from the battery, and indicating that fact? That would explain the non-zero indication when off load. Thanks Adam.
I'm glad you mentioned overcast skies because I often encounter that when camping. It seems you solve it by wiring panels in series. For my RV, I feel I need to wire my panels parallel because some shade across the panels can knock output to nothing. What configuration do you think best for camping in overcast as well as shady locations? Thanks for your thorough breakdown of the product!
Thanks for the video. Question: I'm planning to use this device to charge an AmpereTime 200A Li. Can I connect occasionally this device in parallel with a 40A AC charger from AmpereTime?
Hello. Which of the EPEVER mppt charge controllers in this video is better? Or are there better brand models than the current models? Taking into account the P/P ratio. Thanks.
Hi Adam I’m still having trouble identifying my SLD and programming this 20 amp..it was programmed but I hit a button and now I’m not sure what to do cuz the solar icon is flashing and it doesn’t react like in your video ..can you help me??
I have one of these but didn’t get to use it because I accidentally smashed the screen before I went camping, I was wondering if you’re able to tell me if the screen is a generic part I would be able to source from somewhere? I contacted RENOGY and they don’t do spare parts.
Hi Adam I also have the same controller with four 100 wt panels two in parallel and then in series or visa versa as I dialectic.And they only produce 0.29 amps tops after reconfiguring my panels twice as battrry packs where never properly charged I only just realised the amps go up 5 plus when there is a load thus charging am I doing somthing wrong or is this the way it works.?
I have a EP ever Tracer 40 amp charge controller that I've been using for 4 years now without an issue I'd like to purchase two more units though and I'm considering the renogy charge controller and another 40 amp EP ever but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
Hi apologies for this potentially dumb question. If the MPPT controller powers up and displays when connected to the battery, will it not deplete the battery if it’s not used for a while ?
I'm still hoping one day you'll find an MPPT controller with a super low standby power draw. I can't have any controller on my boat that draws 100mA from my battery when there's no sun. You'd think it'd be easy to have the logic circuits only powered when there was sunlight.
What you need is a charge controller which is powered from the solar, not the battery. I’ve used one, the CTK EV300. Thing is it’s also different to most charge controllers not just because of where it takes it power but it is also a boosting charge controller, so the battery voltage needs to be higher than the solar voltage. So it’s 24v or above on the battery side.
@@AdamWelchUK Many thanks. I'll watch your videos on the CTK EV300. I'm fixed at 12V (single battery) so it may not be an option, but there might be a way. I might end up making something.
so in 5min it says LI battery equalization is --- and time ---, but agm batteries dont need equalization but they are charged like sealed, so can agm battery charged like gel or li but with 14.6V boost voltage
Hi just been watching your video and you say you should put A fuse between the battery and renogy 20 amp controller but what if the fuse blows because they say do not connect the solar panels before you connect the battery but why is this what would happen perhaps you can tell me 😊
@Adam Welch The manual says that Max. Solar Input Power for the 20A charger is 12V@260W. Would that not calculate to a maximum of only 21.6A on the input side? So, wouldn't a solar array producing more than 21.6A or 260W be ill-advised?
An MPPT will limit output to the rating. So you can easily run say 500w and you will still only get 20a out of a 20a controller. While the panels are capable of more.
@Sheps Correct, it's generically called over paneling. You will usually not see more than 70% of panel rating. So adding say 25-30% over the controller rating will give 100% output of the controller. Much over that and you will actually lose potential charge. But no an MPPT is an advanced tech and will simply limit the output to the amp rating of it.
The problem is my speech is messed up and also how much money you have for us. I can't afford it, so I got this. I will do this all the time, Rich Solar.
I have a Rover 20A PG & the operation of it is causing me a near nervous breakdown! To explain.... I'm using the controller with a 100W Renogy panel & an inverter. Everything seems to work like a dream but.... The company has told me that I shouldn't be drawing power from the unit whilst it is being charged from the panel. This effectively stops all use during the day & I'm now wondering what, if any, is a safe amount of charge to be coming down from the panel to allow me to take power from the battery? Should I only use it at night or after 7.... 😵💫 I think the problem(s,) which I've been told could damage my battery, lies in the charging cycles which I now think are not designed/expecting an inverter to be using the system. The company have told me to put in a circuit breaker for whenever I want to draw power. I'm coming round to thinking that the MPPT is really not designed to work with a setup that uses an inverter? Any views/help?
hi adam will my renogy rover 20 charge 18650 battery pack.used on electric bike 48 to 52volt 14s5p.can split into 7s5p x 2 parallel for 24volt ,can use bt1 bluetooth to monitor volts
Couldn't agree more from looking at what they can do, have just bought a 30 amp unit and the ebox tcp 02. Will be setting up this weekend and hope it is as good as advertised. Should have used their units from the start maybe.
i think the epever just wins out as they is more settings you can adjust from the controller the other is the mt-50 display hard pushed to find much diference then that i guess price diference looking about epever for us in uk seems cheaper
Can you install this in the storage compartment in the front area of a travel trailer? It would be located in storage under queen bed in front of trailer. I was concerned about ventilation, but it seems people are putting them in cargo areas.
I’d imagine you’d be ok - depending on the ambient temperature. These don’t get very hot, but I would try to mount them vertically so the heat sink can cool a little through convection.
No boost is the normal ‘bulk charge’ and equalization is done every 28 days and is a little higher on the profiles where it is enabled. Sorry if that wasn’t clear.
@@AdamWelchUK Renogy uses "boost" to mean both MPPT DC-DC conversion, and also the *Absorption* stage. Check out this quote from page 6 of the manual: > The Rover PG MPPT charge controller has a 4-stage battery charging algorithm for a rapid, efficient, and safe battery charging. They include: Bulk Charge, Boost Charge, Float Charge, and Equalization.
Hi there I wonder if you can help us ,, I have a 48 volt battery bank which are 24 x2volt traction batteries, with a 720 amp hour rating I have a flex one set up with invertor mppt all in The inverter is nearly four kilowatts I have 18 250 watt panels at 1000 v 8amp I have them connected in series My question is would It be better to conect in parallel and would I be able to discharge at little derper in theses darker days coming I will totally understand if you cant help ,but after watching your vids I thought your the guy that could help ,cheers
hi adam big fan i have a question about your epever dashboard , i am setting up my own for my epever UPower inverter charger . i am using ubuntu, python, influxdb, grafana and everything work fine except for the 32 bits register conversion, for example PVwatt is split in two 16 bit data high and low . i noticed that you did a bit of program to solve this issue , i hope you can share your solution . thank you adam
Get a Solarepic. Same thing but with full face touch screen for much cheaper. I got a 60A model. It's built like a brick dunny and the cockroaches can't get in and it doesn't have a fan to go bung and kill the thing.
Yes lead batteries need 14.4-14.8v to charge fully depending on type/manufacturer specs. Most sealed are around 14.4v while the open wet cells are more like 14.8v
@@MoonshineBlack. , are you sure? The Renogy manual, on page 26, says, "Controller to Battery Fuse = Current Rating of Charge Controller. Ex. 20A MPPT CC = 20A fuse from Controller to Battery"
Fuse should be next size up from controller output then make sure wiring can handle that too. Upsizing wiring is always good. So a 20a controller should be like a 25a fuse breaker with 10ga wiring or larger for longer lengths.
hi i have 3 of these charge controllers 60a/40a/20 but they are not pg they li saw someone in the comments say they have one working with pc can someone show me how to make a cable to work with them
I have a EP ever Tracer 40 amp charge controller that I've been using for 4 years now without an issue I'd like to purchase two more units though and I'm considering the renogy charge controller and another 40 amp EP ever but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
I bought a 60 amp make sky blue controller to play with, I'm about to add 3strings to my system, and will be needing 3 x 60 amp controllers, I hope the make sky blue works out, I may end up with 6, plus my EPever tracer A, controllers, have you checked out the real make sky blue's??
I bought one which was a kit rather than a full controller - so no long term experience. Have you seen that some EPEver charge controllers can now be put in parallel and work together?
@@AdamWelchUK are you talking about the larger EPever tracer controllers? Like the 50,60 & 100 amp versions? If I'm not mistaken, they are not reccomended for lithium batteries, correct? For the price of the larger, I may aswell get a midnite classic150, or a outback flexmax 80, or the cloned fm, although the 100amp EPever tracers do seem nice, if I can get the make any blue to last about a year, or until the end of next fall, I may get one of the more premium brands, a couple classic 150 SL's would be nice , yeah, I had forgotten about the diy controller you built, it seems most ppl have trouble with the powMr variant of the make sky blu controllers, I hope it works out, thanks, P.S. what is the EpEver controller you mentioned?? I didn't know of a parallel feature! Thanks again!
I actually thought about buying this. Question will this charge controller handle 4 100 watt solar panels 2 in series and them 2 in parallel? I never heard the max volts it can handle if the answer is yes how many panels you think it can handle without a problem Thanks for your time
SRW Kriss I doubt it. It is likely that other components have such a limit, but without checking all the data sheets I wouldn’t be sure. Caps are handy in this situation because those limits are written on the can.
Hi, I would be extremely grateful if someone could help me out on a couple of points, one on the unit & the other operations in general. I'm running my through a good quality inverter & the whole setup works like a dream but.... Whenever the Rover goes into "Boost" mode & *IF* I have anything plugged into & running through the inverter, it goes nuts because I think it doesn't like the fact a higher than recommended/advised current is going through it. I can reduce the "Boost" voltage under the "USR" setting but wonder if this is negating the benefit of having "Boost" & if, under "USR," you are using a host of random parameters generally? I could get round this by not using the unit when the Rover is in "Boost" mode but just on that - Is the "Bulk, Constant, Float, Boost," a cyclical thing eg. continually repeating during the day or just a once a day thing? I have been running the system without any fusing. Do people recommend fusing? I can't really see where any problem would occur & the inverter is fully fused? Also would fuses lessen the available current going into the battery? Many thanks for any help!
I’ve had issues where my inverter didn’t like the boost charging level the solar charge controller was putting out. I’d lower it personally of this was going to be a regular issue. Lowering the boost charge will reduce the available charge by a little, but will reduce the water loss in flooded cells, and probably make any chemistry last longer (in terms of months/years) because you’re being less aggressive with them. That said, a occasional higher charge may help with sulphate build up. I recommend fusing for safety. I fuse between the battery and the charge controller and the battery to the inverter. The fuses in your inverter protect the inverter. External fuses protect the wiring, which is in the worse case could cause fire.
@@AdamWelchUK Many thanks Adam, that has been most helpful! I suppose the once a month "Equalisation" charge would take care of some of the sulphate build up. Do you have a recommended voltage to take the controller down to to stop the inverter triggering or is it just a "test it & see" situation, once the beeping stops stick at that? Would I do that through the "USR" parameter too? One final (I promise!) question - Should you really be using the system effectively in daytime when it is charging? I have heard you can only put in or take out a solar system but wondered if there was any other detrimental effects of using it when it is putting in power? Thank you again.
@@pup1008 Yes you may want to set the equalisation charge higher to help with sulphation and fore go the inverter for that monthly couple of hours. Have you got a data sheet for your inverter? It should state the maximum and minimum voltages, but I found 14.2 I think was the upper limit in mine (double for a 24v system). If you’ve no data sheet then yeah - test and see. I guess at least you know it is lower than the current setting. Yes, all the settings will need to be set under the user (USR) parameters. Yes use you system if you can while the sun is shining. Your panels will charge the battery and run your loads as long as they are producing enough power - if they can’t produce the power then obviously your battery charge will drop, but if that’s happening regularly then perhaps you need more panels for your use. I’m out at work generally in the day, and after an hour in the morning my panels just tick over because my banks are charged (in the summer at least). This is a bit of a waste really, but I’m just happy that they are full when I want to use the shed in the evenings.
@@AdamWelchUK Many thanks Adam! It kills me that on a good summer's day here in the UK we are about at the optimum operating parameters for solar at about 25C! 😄🌞 You'd think you'd want to be in Aus or California. + We get the longer days. 👍 Thank you again for your kind help.
Great video thanks,can I pick your brain please,am I right in thinking I can run 4/5 100watt panels at 100v roughly in winter(obviously less volts in Scotland Highlands soon🤪)and won't make that but you know what I'm getting at, or is it no more than 3 panels because that's 300watts...been running solar for yrs yet have only ever had them on 18v in to controller...thanks again for video..all best
So this charge MPPT controller (and the EPEver MPPT ones) allow you to put more than the rated capacity on their solar input - but they will only charge your batteries at the rated limit. So for this Renogy charger 240 watts of solar would give roughly 20 amps at 12 volts (actually the manual said 260 - so I guess they are allowing for losses) but if you put say 400 watts on the input, it would still only charge at 20 amps max. It does however allow you to get closer to 20 amps in the winter - so it's handy if you can. Now you'll find that the charge controller is more efficient with panels in a particular configuration. So your panels sound like 36 cell units with a Voc of ~21volts and a Vmp of ~18v. Three in parallel (giving 18v total) may be more or less efficient than three in series (Voc ~63v and Vmp ~54v). Both EPEver and Renogy produce graphs in their manuals suggesting the most efficient configuration.
@@AdamWelchUK yep sounds good info there..I'm going to change them from 5at 18/20v at 500watts too 5 at 100v for winter,I'm in Highlands and there's only a couple weeks left before nights really settle into darkness..I will buy this charger as it looks ideal for my needs and price is good..well thanks Adam,keep up the good work and look forward to your next video..all best Dave
@@tanyano9 Either fine as long as you take into account in your wiring. If you are using it in a vehicle, you may prefer common negative (the same as a vehicles battery system). Otherwise either or. I’ve used both.
Hi Adam - from aka Lbry Tv @Super-Grand-Ad - I tried playing your above vid via Lbry Tv it only played to 1.53 then stopped and jumped to the end - I have tried to play it again today 23 Sept 2020 - it is still stopping at 1.53 - also I noticed that the your video file, although it is mp4 it is 409 meg which is extremely big for a 21 min video - Please try before uploading to youtube, if you are running windows google - Video to Video - it is a Free app - and convert your video to Lbry recommended uploading videos at 720P in an MP4 container, H264 video encoding, this is just a click in the Video to Video free app. I think this is what is causing your Video to stop playing. If you are using any form of linux you will need the Free - ffmpeg terminal App.
CAN'T SAY ENOUGH NEGATIVE-about this POS. Battery setting requires a microscope to read. Scroll < > press Upper case V or upside down V. GEL, LI SLD FLD, USEr and no good description of this.. The online APP is a joke. Terrible customer service in the Philippines.
![Lp. Последняя Реальность #97 ЧЁРНАЯ МАТЕРИЯ [Анти Скинт] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/k4MjXCzKsYw/mqdefault.jpg)
This panel can put out close to 100 watts ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
I've had this controller (well, the 30A version) for a year or two. I've just gone over to lithium batteries and have just ordered the BT-1 bluetooth unit. It seems to work quite well compared to my previous controllers.
You have the best video on this model. I've watched them all before buying one.
It answered my question at 16:04
Bought one to try out, thanks Adam
Thanks for this video, Adam. Based on what I saw and heard I have just now ordered this model.
Thanks best review and instructions I’ve been able to find.
Thanks Adam, another great show.
i always found that the best test are always on the worst days of weather as this tends to be when you need the most from the system
A good point. Cheers
This controller is made by SRNE and rebranded by both Renogy and Rich Solar. The Rich Solar is more recommended as the wire connectors are said to be a bit larger and more rugged. I just bought the Rich Solar to upgrade from an old Sunforce PWM controller and i'm quite happy with it so far. Nice video. Greetings from sunny Jamaica.
Another very useful video thats practical and well explained, thanks Adam
Thank you.
Tnx Adam... Amazon is delivering one of these this afternoon so the tutorial was timely. Have the little Wanderer 10A but decided to upgrade to MPPT my single 250 watt 36V panel feeding the 115ah battery that runs my ham station, have no doubt there will be a significant efficiency improvement. This should be a good match for my panel.
How's upgrade to Rover 20A gone please? I also have Wanderer10A and am considering this.
Thanks Adam. I'll buy to test.
Thx for the look inside
I have 4 of the Renogy charge controllers they work great
Good to hear.
Great video's keep them coming 😀 👌
Very informative!
Good video Adam, thank you. I'm running a 100L portable fridge/freezer that uses a Secop (formerly Danfoss) compressor via 2 x 200W panels and a 135AH LiFePO 4 battery. This configuration has been connected via a Renogy DC-DC/ MPPT controller (DCC50S) and an EpEver Triron controller (4215N). I draw approx. 50W off the panels during the compressor cycle. When this power draw occurs during the Boost stage of the EpEver controller it discharges the battery down to the Boost Return Voltage and then kicks back into the Boost stage to keep the volts above the Boost Return Voltage. When I run the same power draw during the Boost stage of the Renogy controller it uses almost all 50W from the panels and then balances +/-1 volt from the battery, keeping the battery above the Boost Return Voltage the entire time. I've observed this phenomenon just before sunset via a Victron battery monitor (BMV-712). I use 14.2V for the Boost setting and 13.2V for the Boost Return Voltage setting on both controllers. The battery is effectively in cruise control, and never falls below 87%. I was wondering if the Renogy is using a more advanced algorithm than the EpEver to balance the power from the modules vs the power available from the battery. It's not a problem but I thought I'd post it here for further insight from you or one of your learned viewers. Thanks again for the video.
I have a EP ever Tracer 40 amp charge controller that I've been using for 4 years now without an issue I'd like to purchase two more units though and I'm considering the renogy charge controller and another 40 amp EP ever but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
Epever or renogy rover which is best ?
I have one and it's just perfect 👌
That’s great to hear. Thanks Enigma.
@@AdamWelchUK The plug and play RENOGY BT-1 BLUETOOTH MODULE is around £35.00 then just download the APP and away you go with any fine adjustments you may want to do + it stores the data for 1 year.
I just ordered this off eBay because I don't fully trust the cheapo ueio(can't remember the name) mppt charger you reviewed a while back although I'll still use it for spare. Thanks great demo! 😎❤️👍
I'm new to solar and this video was very helpful in understanding my renogy Rover PG charge controller, thank you. I couldn't figure out how to get into the perimeters to check and set it for the battery type. The battery and user icons are so small I couldn't read them without a magnifier.
Yeah as you saw I had trouble too. I guess it’s not something you do often, but perhaps using the digits to indicate Gel, Fld, Sld, USr like EPEver do might have been better?
@@AdamWelchUK Also, there is nothing in the instructions about having to be on the "user" battery setting to get into the parameters. I finally figured it out by watching your video. Thanks so much!
I have the 40Amp and it works great. Only thing I dislike is the screw mechanism for the wires.
Just got one at Biltema here in Denmark, it's Biltema branded, different colors, and they rearranged the buttons to be in a row, rather than the cursor key arrangement, but otherwise it appears to be identical. It's funny though, was watching your video and decided I wanted an MPPT charger to play around with, saw they had some in stock at Biltema just 4 kilometers away, so went and picked one up straight away, but I didn't realize it was actually identical to this one until I got home, hooked it up, and started going through the menus.
Tons of the controllers are relabeled with a brand name. Sometimes one can open them up and find board/component part numbers proving it.
Seems to be an interesting charge controller for the current price of ~50€ compared to Epever Tracer AN (+temperature sensor) for ~80€. Some people on UA-cam and Amazon complain about incorrect voltage display (0.2V off) but your controller seems to work correctly. But standby current of 63mA is a bit high compared to
I like this charge controller Adam. I've managed to pick up a couple of 275W panels, but most charge controller's don't like high panel voltage (24V) with low battery voltage (12V), so this actually fills that need nicely.
Thanks for reviewing it.
Cheers John. On first look it looks like a nice unit. I'm going to try and run this one for a bit.
I'm considering purchasing this unit currently but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
Thank you for the feedback
I've been using the 40A version for a year or so now in 24v user mode, very pleased. I am using the BT unit also, range of about 10-12 meters just gets me to my back door for keeping an eye on things but I also have it rigged up to an Android Tablet in the power shed connected to WiFi to view anywhere in the world via networking.
That’s neat that you can view stats over the net using the Bluetooth. Do you use a Remote Desktop or VNC app on the tablet then?
@@AdamWelchUK Remote desktop i found the most reliable.
The same tablet also has all the BMS's connected via WiFi and the other solar charger and PIP inverter settings.
I'm finally sorted after a good year or so getting it all tied to one remote connection.
Mark Andrews Great. Glad it is working well for you. Cheers.
I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
@@garyenwards1608 I've not had any voltage reading issues at all.
Could well depend on peoples wiring lengths, wire gauge and connections made, al these would cause a incorrect voltage reading.
Yes, Nice unit I think. I'll be keeping my EpEver.
I wouldn’t go out and swap - but if you were in the market for a new one it might be worth considering.
pulesjet I agree. My Epever is still working fine.
Adam Welch I would love to see your thoughts on their Bluetooth device/app. It’s a cheap upgrade and well worth it! That app is what puts this controller above the epever tracer
Love the bluetooth on the rover but the range could be better. Very nice unit.
Hi Adam
I have a couple of these on my systems, would love you to do your thing with the RS port. I bought the bluetooth adapter and whilst the output is OK, the range is abysmal and the unit is potted into the case. Although I am a proficient programmer, I wouldn't know where to start on this, I would love tobe able to get continuous data onto my PC to have a permanent record. Keep up the good work.
I am glad you posted this video on Renogy. I have 3 of those and they are great. I did not get the bluetooth adapter because of cost, hopefully you will so I could see if it is worth it. Nice video!
I have a EP ever Tracer 40 amp charge controller that I've been using for 4 years now without an issue I'd like to purchase two more units though and I'm considering the renogy charge controller and another 40 amp EP ever but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
@@garyenwards1608 My Rover 30 Bluetooth phone display does not show the battery voltage or percent charge accurately. It reads voltage too low. The battery state of charge always reads a percentage that is too high. At the moment at night, the app shows 100% battery charge at 13.2 volts. My actual battery voltage is 13.62. This is on the Monitoring screen. On the ''Record'' screen, the kwh same day, amp hours, and maximum watts look about right. What I like about the Rover is that I can remotely turn on the 20 amp load terminals with my phone. I have some Edison screw base 6 watt LED 12 volt bulbs in the shed where the battery pack sits. I can turn the lights on and off from upstairs and verify the function from the skylight. The charge controller is set for lithium batteries and the voltage and % charge function don't seem to be adjustable.
@@kimmer6 okay thats interesting to know thanks for the response. are the numbers also off on the unit itself on its digital readout?
@@garyenwards1608 No, they were off the phone app. I'm away but later when I get home I will check the numbers on the unit and let you know. Normally I leave the onboard unit on the Amps to Battery screen so I can walk past and see current solar strength. Its under a plywood cover with plexiglass window so I don't normally scroll through the screens and rely on the phone app. I have other MPPT'S including more Renogys and a 120 amp Growatt unit, all still in boxes. So, my experience is limited to this unit but I have big plans for the others!
@@kimmer6 Thanks man!
Thank you for an insightful video. In your example of changing parameters, were those suggested settings, or purely investigating the function?
I saw another review and the guy managed to program it using the 4 buttons.
👍
I'd love you to review a Fangpusun D series controller. I've been using one alongside a victron controller and it's keep up well! I've taken readings over an extended period and have found them near identical.
That is because they are
I have this exact model, made myself a simple RJ45 to DB9 serial Adapter, hooked up a 7S21P Lithium pack and fiddled with the charging parameters via PC Software. I'll dig up some links if you're interested. Charges perfectly to 4,15V per cell group.
hi i have th rover li how did u mad your cable
solaranzeige.de/phpBB3/download/file.php?id=1140&sid=e58cef7fd93e67a1a578697e123753bf&mode=view
I hope you can see the picture. It's RJ12, not RJ45, my mistake. Pins are tx, rx, gnd, gnd, +, +. You only need the first 3. Make sure that you connect rx on the rover to tx on the oc and vice versa
Great. Thanks for this. I’ve got some rj12s on order already. :-)
@@AdamWelchUK I sent you an email with even more information
I purchased this controller for my boat and am OK with it. I use it to keep 400 AH lithium batteries charged, monitor with the BT2. My energy consumers use relatively low amperage except for the 12 volt fridge and that is somewhat low. My only issue is the Load terminals, they do not output voltage they are in the off mode all the time. It seems like the design is to output voltage when the panels are not powered, this makes no sense to me, unless you are simply using it for a timer after the panels stop producing. I thought the purpose of load is to use surplus energy when the batteries are topped off, that would be a great idea since the solar panels would not have any use for the solar energy after the batteries are 100%+.
hi, to main questions, unit have backlight? how reset? thanks.
The little icon in the lower right shows the battery type that is selected.
Yeah thanks. It’s very little but I guess you don’t need to see it once it’s set.
great video thanks .. wonder what your thoughts are on >>> i have just connected 2 x 330 panels ( current at pmax 9.52 amp and voltage 34.7 ) to this ( 20 amp version ) do you think parallel or series .. ,, working fine at mo in parallel although have not had full sunshine. thank you . mike
If I put one of these controls on my unite do I have to keep a load on the unite it get it to cycle so I don't over charge the battery
I’m looking to upgrade my 20A EPEver to a 40A unit, so I can run a 25-30A radio direct from the load terminals rather than the battery. Would be great if you could test in future reviews whether they can supply to load current their rating suggests. 👍
It’s also a shame none seem to let you set them for custom battery voltages or load supply voltages, given they can do DC-DC conversion, as I’d love to have a 16v custom LiFePo battery pack so my voltage never drops below 13.8v before the low state of charge cut off kicks in.
I just ordered one...cant wait...itll be here thursday...have heard its great
Can always use load terminals to control the trigger of a relay at 30/60/120a etc depending on relay used. It's actually the safer way to do it.
Finally I figured it out after months why all my 50 18650 packs on BMS's wasn't charging but giving different readings on the load end & on the pos and neg ends of the batteries. I removed the BMS from one pack while pulling all the fuses on the others my mppt 40A rover started giving me 10a & battery was charging properly whoop whoop. Now I will monitor it for a week. Sat & thought if a lead acid battery can charge without a BMS in 12v & its fine doing so why can't the other packs do the same. Is it that the BMS has flaws & is overcompensating .Now I will probably have to remove all BMS's.....
I have an Epever and a Renogy rover and I’m happy with both. The Renogy Bluetooth app is a bit better though
006canadian i just got the epever bluetooth link and i’m not particularly impressed with their app. i think i’ll be going back to the mt50 monitor.
I have a EP ever Tracer 40 amp charge controller that I've been using for 4 years now without an issue I'd like to purchase two more units though and I'm considering the renogy charge controller and another 40 amp EP ever but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
Trouble with them (apart from price) is that you need 4-5 of them in parallel in order to hook it up to a 1000 watt solar array and that also means you need to buy a lot more cable to hook up 1-2 panels per controller costing you well over $1,000. Best bet is spending $3-400 on a different brand capable of 100-120 amps.
That's fine for those with cash to spare. If you're on a tight budget then building up a system to gradually accommodate more panels and batteries is a better option. The charge controller can be used for future projects, or sold to recoup some of the spend on the new, higher amperage unit.
You cannot use more than 1 MPPT unless they are designed for such use. Only the 100A is designed for such use.
Presumably there is a Negative Ground version of each model?
It certainly looks very well made. Mode selection could be better, by allowing manual settings and 0.1 V increments, and it can benefit by having a different connector to that RJ11 one.
Those points aside, I like it.
Is the controller taking power from the battery, and indicating that fact? That would explain the non-zero indication when off load.
Thanks Adam.
What is a Negative Ground version? Thanks.
I'm glad you mentioned overcast skies because I often encounter that when camping. It seems you solve it by wiring panels in series. For my RV, I feel I need to wire my panels parallel because some shade across the panels can knock output to nothing. What configuration do you think best for camping in overcast as well as shady locations? Thanks for your thorough breakdown of the product!
Thanks for the video. Question: I'm planning to use this device to charge an AmpereTime 200A Li. Can I connect occasionally this device in parallel with a 40A AC charger from AmpereTime?
Do you know what the max amp draw is from the Load Terminal?
Hello.
Which of the EPEVER mppt charge controllers in this video is better? Or are there better brand models than the current models? Taking into account the P/P ratio.
Thanks.
My only complaint so far is the bleed over with the status lights. Other than that it runs perfectly.
Hi Adam I’m still having trouble identifying my SLD and programming this 20 amp..it was programmed but I hit a button and now I’m not sure what to do cuz the solar icon is flashing and it doesn’t react like in your video ..can you help me??
I have one of these but didn’t get to use it because I accidentally smashed the screen before I went camping, I was wondering if you’re able to tell me if the screen is a generic part I would be able to source from somewhere? I contacted RENOGY and they don’t do spare parts.
Hi what are those boxes next to the renogy and where can I get one please thanks
I believe rj11 and 12 are the same plug but 11 only uses 4 pins and the 12 uses 6 but I'm not positive
Yu mention 20A max charge on the battery, is 20A not also a limit for the load output ?
Hi Adam I also have the same controller with four 100 wt panels two in parallel and then in series or visa versa as I dialectic.And they only produce 0.29 amps tops after reconfiguring my panels twice as battrry packs where never properly charged I only just realised the amps go up 5 plus when there is a load thus charging am I doing somthing wrong or is this the way it works.?
I think you're saying a solar array can be added. Ie 1 x 420w solar panel is not going to cook it?
my 30 amp rover comes with the BT attachment
I have a EP ever Tracer 40 amp charge controller that I've been using for 4 years now without an issue I'd like to purchase two more units though and I'm considering the renogy charge controller and another 40 amp EP ever but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
Hi apologies for this potentially dumb question. If the MPPT controller powers up and displays when connected to the battery, will it not deplete the battery if it’s not used for a while ?
From 11:46 he tells us that the unit is only drawing a negligible 63ma. If your system is live at all times of the day you'll be fine
I'm still hoping one day you'll find an MPPT controller with a super low standby power draw. I can't have any controller on my boat that draws 100mA from my battery when there's no sun. You'd think it'd be easy to have the logic circuits only powered when there was sunlight.
What you need is a charge controller which is powered from the solar, not the battery. I’ve used one, the CTK EV300. Thing is it’s also different to most charge controllers not just because of where it takes it power but it is also a boosting charge controller, so the battery voltage needs to be higher than the solar voltage. So it’s 24v or above on the battery side.
@@AdamWelchUK Many thanks. I'll watch your videos on the CTK EV300. I'm fixed at 12V (single battery) so it may not be an option, but there might be a way. I might end up making something.
I just disconnect my wires when the sun goes down
I am sure that there is an automatic switch to turn off/on break electricity circuits when there is no sun. Just physically disconnect the circuit
so in 5min it says LI battery equalization is --- and time ---, but agm batteries dont need equalization but they are charged like sealed, so can agm battery charged like gel or li but with 14.6V boost voltage
Hi just been watching your video and you say you should put A fuse between the battery and renogy 20 amp controller but what if the fuse blows because they say do not connect the solar panels before you connect the battery but why is this what would happen perhaps you can tell me 😊
ML2420 is literally an EPSolar/EPEver product ID.
Does the rover series have low temp cutoff for lifepo4? Via the included temp sensor. Epever Tracer does so....?
No. The temp sensor is not to be used with lithium.
@Adam Welch The manual says that Max. Solar Input Power for the 20A charger is 12V@260W. Would that not calculate to a maximum of only 21.6A on the input side? So, wouldn't a solar array producing more than 21.6A or 260W be ill-advised?
An MPPT will limit output to the rating. So you can easily run say 500w and you will still only get 20a out of a 20a controller. While the panels are capable of more.
@Sheps Correct, it's generically called over paneling. You will usually not see more than 70% of panel rating. So adding say 25-30% over the controller rating will give 100% output of the controller. Much over that and you will actually lose potential charge. But no an MPPT is an advanced tech and will simply limit the output to the amp rating of it.
The problem is my speech is messed up and also how much money you have for us. I can't afford it, so I got this. I will do this all the time, Rich Solar.
I have a Rover 20A PG & the operation of it is causing me a near nervous breakdown!
To explain....
I'm using the controller with a 100W Renogy panel & an inverter. Everything seems to work like a dream but.... The company has told me that I shouldn't be drawing power from the unit whilst it is being charged from the panel. This effectively stops all use during the day & I'm now wondering what, if any, is a safe amount of charge to be coming down from the panel to allow me to take power from the battery? Should I only use it at night or after 7.... 😵💫
I think the problem(s,) which I've been told could damage my battery, lies in the charging cycles which I now think are not designed/expecting an inverter to be using the system.
The company have told me to put in a circuit breaker for whenever I want to draw power.
I'm coming round to thinking that the MPPT is really not designed to work with a setup that uses an inverter?
Any views/help?
hi adam will my renogy rover 20 charge 18650 battery pack.used on electric bike 48 to 52volt 14s5p.can split into 7s5p x 2 parallel for 24volt ,can use bt1 bluetooth to monitor volts
Why aren't the white lights on?
I have the 20amp epever tracer. I have a question about the load connection. Would it be a maximum of 20 amps as well?
Yes that’s correct. 20 amps max on the load connections.
you can how ever, use the load connection to trigger a relay to shunt larger amps.
are you related to jack massey welch
Good day Sir, Renogy Bluetooth Module RJ12 can you have a video what inside and schematic diagram? and if possible to use Arduino? Thanks
These products look great but does anyone know the difference between this model and their Rover Elite? Both are 20amp and both are MPPT...?
I mean being able to adjust things without anything extra would be cool but isn't that the same as the epever
Couldn't agree more from looking at what they can do, have just bought a 30 amp unit and the ebox tcp 02. Will be setting up this weekend and hope it is as good as advertised. Should have used their units from the start maybe.
i think the epever just wins out as they is more settings you can adjust from the controller the other is the mt-50 display hard pushed to find much diference then that i guess price diference looking about epever for us in uk seems cheaper
Do I need to set the mppt to volts min max or is it plug and play so won’t over charge ?
You should only need to set the battery voltage. Mppt can figure out the rest.
Can you install this in the storage compartment in the front area of a travel trailer? It would be located in storage under queen bed in front of trailer. I was concerned about ventilation, but it seems people are putting them in cargo areas.
I’d imagine you’d be ok - depending on the ambient temperature. These don’t get very hot, but I would try to mount them vertically so the heat sink can cool a little through convection.
@@AdamWelchUK Thank you. I'm also going to install a small fan.
Adam, are you sure boost is equalisation ? I always thought Boost was the same as the 'Bulk' charge.
No boost is the normal ‘bulk charge’ and equalization is done every 28 days and is a little higher on the profiles where it is enabled. Sorry if that wasn’t clear.
@@AdamWelchUK Renogy uses "boost" to mean both MPPT DC-DC conversion, and also the *Absorption* stage. Check out this quote from page 6 of the manual:
> The Rover PG MPPT charge controller has a 4-stage battery charging algorithm for a rapid, efficient, and safe battery charging. They include: Bulk Charge, Boost Charge, Float Charge, and Equalization.
Frater Mus thanks for looking that up.
@@fratermus5502 ...good work...and look up "PG"....i think it means positive grounding system instead of normal negatively grounded...WATCH OUT!!!
Hi there I wonder if you can help us ,, I have a 48 volt battery bank which are 24 x2volt traction batteries, with a 720 amp hour rating
I have a flex one set up with invertor mppt all in
The inverter is nearly four kilowatts
I have 18 250 watt panels at 1000 v 8amp
I have them connected in series
My question is would It be better to conect in parallel and would I be able to discharge at little derper in theses darker days coming
I will totally understand if you cant help ,but after watching your vids I thought your the guy that could help ,cheers
hi adam big fan
i have a question about your epever dashboard , i am setting up my own for my epever UPower inverter charger .
i am using ubuntu, python, influxdb, grafana and everything work fine except for the 32 bits register conversion, for example PVwatt is split in two 16 bit data high and low .
i noticed that you did a bit of program to solve this issue , i hope you can share your solution .
thank you adam
This controller use PT--1
or PT--2 blutoot
Hi , Any one Knows to factory reset the Epever controller? Without any accessories? Thanks in Advance
Get a Solarepic. Same thing but with full face touch screen for much cheaper. I got a 60A model. It's built like a brick dunny and the cockroaches can't get in and it doesn't have a fan to go bung and kill the thing.
Nice complete video, do you think that the fact the terminals aren't different for the 40Amp model could give problems?
for an 12volt acid battery is 13.8 voltage to low, 14.4 is normal. The battery will not be 100% charged.
Yes lead batteries need 14.4-14.8v to charge fully depending on type/manufacturer specs. Most sealed are around 14.4v while the open wet cells are more like 14.8v
Interesting video. What fuse would you recommend between the MPPT Controller and the battery?
16mm2 cable and a 50amp breaker
@@MoonshineBlack. Right, thanks.
@@MoonshineBlack. , are you sure? The Renogy manual, on page 26, says, "Controller to Battery Fuse = Current Rating of Charge Controller. Ex. 20A MPPT CC = 20A fuse from Controller to Battery"
Fuse should be next size up from controller output then make sure wiring can handle that too. Upsizing wiring is always good. So a 20a controller should be like a 25a fuse breaker with 10ga wiring or larger for longer lengths.
hi i have 3 of these charge controllers 60a/40a/20 but they are not pg they li saw someone in the comments say they have one working with pc can someone show me how to make a cable to work with them
I have a EP ever Tracer 40 amp charge controller that I've been using for 4 years now without an issue I'd like to purchase two more units though and I'm considering the renogy charge controller and another 40 amp EP ever but I've seen multiple people say that the renogy charge controllers don't read the batteries accurately. In your experience is it reading accurately have you tested with a multimeter at the batteries to compare to the charge controller?
It is clearly show u r in SLD battery mode
Looks like a EPEver Tracer ... little redesign
Renogy makes very few products themselves. Most is rebadged.
Rumor is these are made by SRNE as are Rich Solar
I bought a 60 amp make sky blue controller to play with, I'm about to add 3strings to my system, and will be needing 3 x 60 amp controllers, I hope the make sky blue works out, I may end up with 6, plus my EPever tracer A, controllers, have you checked out the real make sky blue's??
I bought one which was a kit rather than a full controller - so no long term experience. Have you seen that some EPEver charge controllers can now be put in parallel and work together?
@@AdamWelchUK are you talking about the larger EPever tracer controllers? Like the 50,60 & 100 amp versions? If I'm not mistaken, they are not reccomended for lithium batteries, correct? For the price of the larger, I may aswell get a midnite classic150, or a outback flexmax 80, or the cloned fm, although the 100amp EPever tracers do seem nice, if I can get the make any blue to last about a year, or until the end of next fall, I may get one of the more premium brands, a couple classic 150 SL's would be nice , yeah, I had forgotten about the diy controller you built, it seems most ppl have trouble with the powMr variant of the make sky blu controllers, I hope it works out, thanks,
P.S. what is the EpEver controller you mentioned?? I didn't know of a parallel feature! Thanks again!
Only thing I don’t like is there’s no battery AH setting.
So should we assume the rover knows what it is? All my other charge controllers had an option to enter it. I'm confused by this.
I actually thought about buying this. Question will this charge controller handle 4 100 watt solar panels 2 in series and them 2 in parallel? I never heard the max volts it can handle if the answer is yes how many panels you think it can handle without a problem Thanks for your time
Yes
It will do up to 100A DC for the 40A mppt controller, thats (4) 100w panels if the max volts is under 25vdc each
did you connect back led's in charge controller?
I need to check this because they didn’t seem to do anything did they?
@@AdamWelchUK yes i think they needed to indicate atleast battery and pv input ;) but this looks like great new charge controller to buy
how do you think if i would replace 100v input capacitors with 150v caps... that would alow me to conect more than 100v from solarpanels?
SRW Kriss I doubt it. It is likely that other components have such a limit, but without checking all the data sheets I wouldn’t be sure. Caps are handy in this situation because those limits are written on the can.
@@AdamWelchUK ok tnx ;)
Hi, I would be extremely grateful if someone could help me out on a couple of points, one on the unit & the other operations in general.
I'm running my through a good quality inverter & the whole setup works like a dream but.... Whenever the Rover goes into "Boost" mode & *IF* I have anything plugged into & running through the inverter, it goes nuts because I think it doesn't like the fact a higher than recommended/advised current is going through it. I can reduce the "Boost" voltage under the "USR" setting but wonder if this is negating the benefit of having "Boost" & if, under "USR," you are using a host of random parameters generally? I could get round this by not using the unit when the Rover is in "Boost" mode but just on that - Is the "Bulk, Constant, Float, Boost," a cyclical thing eg. continually repeating during the day or just a once a day thing?
I have been running the system without any fusing. Do people recommend fusing? I can't really see where any problem would occur & the inverter is fully fused? Also would fuses lessen the available current going into the battery?
Many thanks for any help!
I’ve had issues where my inverter didn’t like the boost charging level the solar charge controller was putting out. I’d lower it personally of this was going to be a regular issue. Lowering the boost charge will reduce the available charge by a little, but will reduce the water loss in flooded cells, and probably make any chemistry last longer (in terms of months/years) because you’re being less aggressive with them. That said, a occasional higher charge may help with sulphate build up.
I recommend fusing for safety. I fuse between the battery and the charge controller and the battery to the inverter. The fuses in your inverter protect the inverter. External fuses protect the wiring, which is in the worse case could cause fire.
@@AdamWelchUK
Many thanks Adam, that has been most helpful!
I suppose the once a month "Equalisation" charge would take care of some of the sulphate build up.
Do you have a recommended voltage to take the controller down to to stop the inverter triggering or is it just a "test it & see" situation, once the beeping stops stick at that? Would I do that through the "USR" parameter too?
One final (I promise!) question - Should you really be using the system effectively in daytime when it is charging? I have heard you can only put in or take out a solar system but wondered if there was any other detrimental effects of using it when it is putting in power?
Thank you again.
@@pup1008 Yes you may want to set the equalisation charge higher to help with sulphation and fore go the inverter for that monthly couple of hours.
Have you got a data sheet for your inverter? It should state the maximum and minimum voltages, but I found 14.2 I think was the upper limit in mine (double for a 24v system). If you’ve no data sheet then yeah - test and see. I guess at least you know it is lower than the current setting.
Yes, all the settings will need to be set under the user (USR) parameters.
Yes use you system if you can while the sun is shining. Your panels will charge the battery and run your loads as long as they are producing enough power - if they can’t produce the power then obviously your battery charge will drop, but if that’s happening regularly then perhaps you need more panels for your use. I’m out at work generally in the day, and after an hour in the morning my panels just tick over because my banks are charged (in the summer at least). This is a bit of a waste really, but I’m just happy that they are full when I want to use the shed in the evenings.
@@AdamWelchUK
Many thanks Adam!
It kills me that on a good summer's day here in the UK we are about at the optimum operating parameters for solar at about 25C! 😄🌞 You'd think you'd want to be in Aus or California. + We get the longer days. 👍
Thank you again for your kind help.
Great video thanks,can I pick your brain please,am I right in thinking I can run 4/5 100watt panels at 100v roughly in winter(obviously less volts in Scotland Highlands soon🤪)and won't make that but you know what I'm getting at, or is it no more than 3 panels because that's 300watts...been running solar for yrs yet have only ever had them on 18v in to controller...thanks again for video..all best
So this charge MPPT controller (and the EPEver MPPT ones) allow you to put more than the rated capacity on their solar input - but they will only charge your batteries at the rated limit. So for this Renogy charger 240 watts of solar would give roughly 20 amps at 12 volts (actually the manual said 260 - so I guess they are allowing for losses) but if you put say 400 watts on the input, it would still only charge at 20 amps max. It does however allow you to get closer to 20 amps in the winter - so it's handy if you can.
Now you'll find that the charge controller is more efficient with panels in a particular configuration. So your panels sound like 36 cell units with a Voc of ~21volts and a Vmp of ~18v. Three in parallel (giving 18v total) may be more or less efficient than three in series (Voc ~63v and Vmp ~54v). Both EPEver and Renogy produce graphs in their manuals suggesting the most efficient configuration.
@@AdamWelchUK yep sounds good info there..I'm going to change them from 5at 18/20v at 500watts too 5 at 100v for winter,I'm in Highlands and there's only a couple weeks left before nights really settle into darkness..I will buy this charger as it looks ideal for my needs and price is good..well thanks Adam,keep up the good work and look forward to your next video..all best Dave
Does anyone know the difference between this model and the newer black model.....?
This one is common positive - or positive ground (PG). The black one is common negative I believe. Otherwise the same if memory serves.
@@AdamWelchUK is there an advantage to either..?.... The older model is still being sold...🤷
@@tanyano9 Either fine as long as you take into account in your wiring. If you are using it in a vehicle, you may prefer common negative (the same as a vehicles battery system). Otherwise either or. I’ve used both.
@@AdamWelchUK using it in a narrow boat which has a negative earth.....
Well for ease, I’d probably go common negative personally.
Hi Adam - from aka Lbry Tv @Super-Grand-Ad - I tried playing your above vid via Lbry Tv it only played to 1.53 then stopped and jumped to the end - I have tried to play it again today 23 Sept 2020 - it is still stopping at 1.53 - also I noticed that the your video file, although it is mp4 it is 409 meg which is extremely big for a 21 min video - Please try before uploading to youtube, if you are running windows google - Video to Video - it is a Free app - and convert your video to Lbry recommended uploading videos at 720P in an MP4 container, H264 video encoding, this is just a click in the Video to Video free app. I think this is what is causing your Video to stop playing. If you are using any form of linux you will need the Free - ffmpeg terminal App.
I don't like these PG models because they use the strange Positive Ground.
Not available at my country
CAN'T SAY ENOUGH NEGATIVE-about this POS. Battery setting requires a microscope to read. Scroll < > press Upper case V or upside down V. GEL, LI SLD FLD, USEr and no good description of this.. The online APP is a joke. Terrible customer service in the Philippines.
Tt