How To Properly Size A Solar Charge Controller For An Off Grid Solar Power System

[@offgridstores]

First Time Customers Get 10% Off Their Order With Code " *10%NOW* " At Check-Out
Items Used In This Video:
200W Panels: offgridstores.com/products/rich-solar-200-watt-solar-panel-rs-m200
40A Charge Controller: offgridstores.com/products/rich-solar-40-amp-mppt-solar-charge-controller-rs-mppt40
60A Charge Controller: offgridstores.com/products/rich-solar-60-amp-mppt-solar-charge-controller

[@sundaydanielikechukwu5473]

Good afternoon from here, I am now here and will like to have a direct talk with you

[@TheVoiceofKevinC]

This video is great for beginners. Who want to use solar for a computer. Or phone??? Most of us are using 48 volt. 6-12000 watt system ??

[@shtfgarage]

You can also wire all panels is parallel ya didn't even mention that? I personally did and got 8 100 watt panels

[@markeh1971]

Hi all, I’ve only had experience with Victron chargers, but thermal throttling will take place if you are working them to their full rating. A small 12 volt snale fan to assist cooling is the answer.
I’ve kept within their max limits to give me the max I can get from my limited size array and they will get hot when it is running at the max and I’m in the cool UK.
I’m charging lithium batteries and want them to charge as quickly as possible whilst not damaging them.
Take care all M.

[@hillcountrypressurewashing3018]

Just got a 60 amp Rich controller and it's working perfectly! thanks for the tips!

[@frenchy128]

wish you had talked about parallel connections, and variations of that to make it work with the controller

[@temirtaragay8932]

I was not completely sure how many amps of charge controller capacity I need. I am using two 12 volt 100ah lithium batteries with three 200w 56v, 3.59amp solar panels what capacity of solar charge controller works best? was my question. At 5.46 of your video you clarified that I need 60amp charge controller. Initially I bought 100v/15amp Victron charge controller but later realized that it will be too low of amperage capacity. Then I found a website how to calculate that amperage. I got 62.5 amps as an as an anaswer. This video confirms that calculation. Thanks for your video!
Formula: Charge controller ampere (Size) = (Solar system’s power / Battery bank’s nominal voltage) x Safety factor
Amps = (Solar system Watts / Battery bank Volts) x 1.25
= (600W/12V) *1.25
= 62.5 A

[@MR-ri1qp]

Nicely explained!

[@bobbyjoe6250]

Finally a simple explanation
Thanks for the great video

[@deanhenthorn1890]

A 40 amp controller is cheaper than a 60 amp so use two 40 amp controllers. Split the system into two separate channels except connect the inverter to all the batteries.

[@elmerwaltermeyer8340]

that is a cool idea

[@larryphillips4164]

I have 2 sets of 3-200 watt rich solar panels each having a 40 amp rich solar charge controller going into 1200 amp hours 12 v eg4 server rack batteries. Got everything from rich solar and they said to set it up the way I have done. Been working fine for months. FYI to future system builders, go 48 volts. Just do it and get a 12 volt converter. Do not do a 12 volt system. I was stupid for NOT doing a 48 volt system. Less equipment with a 48 volt system, less money, more options to choose from and far larger expansion capabilities.

[@Etheoma]

Like as far as I was aware you can over pannel as long as you don't get stupid about it, and for a lot of places in the world over panneling makes a bunch of sense because 95% of the time your not going to get what your pannels are rated at peek sun so over panneling by 50W with 600W of solar pannels is not a big deal, like really in places with shitty weather like the UK I don't think 50% over panneling is a bad choice if for example 600W is all the power you need, then buying a charge controller that would give you 600W is what you should do, but having 900W of solar pannels means that when you have sub optimal conditions you will still be getting 600W

[@estozatv]

Sir is this ok the solar panel in series? Your scc and battery is build in 12v.
How about parallel sir.

[@imrannazir5585]

I've got a 12v 100A lead acid battery. Which size controller should I choose? 10A or 20A controller?

[@savageolatunde6731]

I think a mppt charge controller should be able to handle any sizes of solar array provided the Voc of solar is below the rating of the mppt. The mppt takes what it needs to charge the battery from the PV and leave the rest.
It is good to oversize your PV so that you can get enough through the day.

[@pcarr8618]

Great Vid. Given the vid. How can one tell if our existing 30 Amp MPPT that charges my AGM can work with lifepro Lith?

[@Electronzap]

Good info.

[@zarksaheeb9632]

I have 8x600watts solar panels= 4800watts, 4x220ah batteries, and 5kva inverter. Can you advise me on the right mppt amp charging controller I should get?

[@hillcountrypressurewashing3018]

So will this controller work with 200 amp hr. AGM batteries?

[@clofg3698]

@offgridstores please how do you add the PV and contrôler pictures in draw io?

[@rockskipper5353]

Should I just get an 80amp controller or is it possible to be too big?

[@gregc8151]

Thanks for the video, very informative. One question though, you say you can't hook up the three 200w panels (600w total) to the 40A charger controller (specs say max 550w PV input). However that's the exact 600w combination that Rich Solar sells, and it's listed on your website for sale. I must be missing something?

[@closetcleaner]

I'm watching this video for the second time, I think something is not correct on this content. Tell ya later

[@gregc8151]

@@closetcleaner After more investigation, and a call to Rich Solar, the answer is that you CAN indeed hook up 600w of panels to a charge controller with 550w max. 550w is just the conversion max; more than that is just not used. Safety wise, you just have to not exceed max voltage & current. Also 600w will only produce 600w under perfect conditions, and especially if the panels are flat mounted you'll never actually see 600w.

[@markkornett]

what to do if you need a charge controller of 228A? I don't see any for sale online.

[@offgridstores]

Wire your panels in another configuration to not have that many amps. That’s pretty high.

[@kayperkayful]

Do l need a 30 or 60 A one for 200 watts of solar into a lithium 200ah battery?

[@charliecharlie9787]

30 amp will 200 watt
40 amp 400 watt

[@dvoz9023]

But, if I hook up a 30 amp solar panel to a 100 amp charge controller would that hurt?

[@mrwess1927]

The limits posted on the charge controller specifies the MAX amount of solar input it can accept. If the input current goes over the rating for the CC that will cause problems (overheating, short circuit, etc).
So, when purchasing a charge controller so that it can handle the amount of power you plan to pass through it, including upgrades in the future if you plan to upgrade (add more panels) otherwise you would need a bigger CC
Things that need to be balanced are voltage and current input from solar panels V and C for CC, battery voltage, capacity, wire length and thickness (gauge/ awg)... the way these variables relate will greatly impact the useflness and efficiency of your battery/solar system.

[@vincentsgaming]

Can anyone help? Im trying to do my 1st solar diy and keep running into issues. Looking to see what i can do.
I want to get 2x 660w panels
44.89voc each and 18.42 amps each.
So roughly 1200 watts 90voc and 40 amps.
I keep trying to find a charge controller that will pv input 1200 but i cant find a charge controller thatll do more then 720-960watts for 12v battery system. What can i do? Would using 2 charge controllers work and just have 1 panel 1 charge controller each?

[@javiercoronel1169]

Go 24v

[@donaldindividual-1]

Good info, thanks!

[@offgridstores]

Thanks!

[@anonymouspatriotnetwork2740]

By the way, I learned something recently while doing a few scientific experiments with solar power. The experts tell you that when you bang panels together you're supposed to connect the negative to the next positive. Well I know a little thing or two about direct current, and I can tell you when you do that you get Distortion. And that is why most solar energy only produces 25% of the energy it takes in. When you straight wire them negative to negative and positive to positive they produce more like 80% of the energy they take in. And I discovered this accidentally by playing around with those little solar panels to charge phones. I banked 10 of the 60-watt ones together, and I did straight wiring instead of cross wiring, and that little phone charging unit I have right now is producing 600 W. I haven't going into my house into a bank of rechargeable power Banks. Like 15 of them with the 20,000 milliamp hours each, and it's basically like a little Tesla powerwall for charging up devices. It will even charge up a laptop.

[@closetcleaner]

Dude, connecting neg to neg and pos to pos is parallel and currently actually increase. Nothing new... Good luck playing with electricity.

[@robertbosler8831]

we are all learning so calm down killer@@closetcleaner

[@otukucocker365]

The panels won't run at 600w anyways. They suffer power loss from the heat of the sun.

[@dheller777]

I have a problem. I have six 120-watt panels that are producing about 420 volts now at about 32 amps. as measured right before it enters the Epever 60-amp solar controller. I have 2 Weize 100 ah batteries wired in parallel. My amperage going to the batteries is only .2 of an amp from the controller no matter if the batteries are at full charge or at low voltage shutoff of my inverter about 11. volts. I have had 2 new charge controllers and they are both putting out the same voltage to the batteries when I have either one wired up to the system. I am really frustrated as I cannot figure out how to get enough amps flowing into the batteries from the controller to help keep them charged. This results in me having to put a Lipo4 charger on the batteries every day or so to get them charged back up. I have tried about evry setting I can change in the controller to no avail. Could it be the BMS system in each battery? I cannot afford to buy a third controller to see if the other two new controllers are bad bt I highly doubt that scenario. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

[@georgescott6967]

I'm guessing the batteries are LiFePO4. Make sure that the charge controller is configured for that type of battery. I have a rebadged EPEVER CC and found that the instructions were not very clear.
The numbers you state at the beginning do not add up - there is a mistake somewhere. Restating what you said: I have 720 Watts of solar panels that are producing about 13,440 Watts.
How do you have the panels wired up? My guess is all 6 in parallel, and your 420 volts is actually 20 volts. I would investigate rewiring them as 2 in series/3 in parallel giving about 40 volts, 16 Amps. Whatever you do, do not exceed the max input voltage rating of the charge controller (you will likely destroy it).

[@busboy3943]

Stop waving the mouse around and slow down the talk!

[@olasod1]

I gave up after 2 minutes. Buy a proper microphone. Its difficult enough to understand, even with superior sound👍🏼🤜🏻.

[@offgridstores]

You won’t make it far in this game

[@javiercoronel1169]

Clown

[@funtv2208]

Very bad sound. Very bad