solar charge controller 12v

solar charge controller 12v

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There are several components to a solar powered home that many people are unaware of. Most people think that you just buy some solar panels and wire them into the houses electrical wires. It's not that quite simple.

Let me first describe the components required in a solar powered home.

1) Solar Panels

2) Charge Controller

3) House Batteries

4) Power Inverter

5) Electrical Box

6) Cut off Switches

7) Fuses

Wire

The purpose of this article is to discuss charge controllers. I've covered power inverters in a previous article and I'll cover the other components in future articles.

A charge controller is an essential component in the system. Without an adequate charge controller, the house batters could be permanently damaged. This device plays a few different rolls. As power is generated by the solar panels, it flows into the charge controller. The charge controller constantly monitors the condition of the batteries. It also regulates the charging process. If the batteries were connected directly to the solar panels without the use of a controller, they could easily be overcharged.

When we first bought our little home it had a few solar panels and some deep cycle batteries installed. Our home is in the mountains and the previous owner used it as a cabin. He only visited it on the weekends. The problem with this approach was that the batteries were constantly being overcharged and damaged. Without a charge controller, there wasn't anyway to discontinue the charging process when the batteries were fully charged. The previous owner thought that the solar panels were not working correctly. He didn't have any idea that they were working so well that they were overcharging the house batteries.

When we bought the home, we recycled the old battery bank, bought and installed a charge controller, and corrected some other installation problems. From that point on, it has functioned perfectly.

Charge Controllers are also required for homes that have wind turbines. They play two roles in this application. The first is regulating the charging process. The second is redirecting the excess power that is created when the batteries have reached their full state of charge. The traditional tactic is to have what is called a "diversion load" or a "dump load". With wind turbines, you can't just turn them off when the batteries are fully charged. They continue to create electricity and that power has to go somewhere or it will build up as heat and destroy everything. Charge controllers will sense when the charging process is complete, and divert the electricity to something like heating water.

Whether you're buying one solar panel to keep your remote cabin's house batteries charged or you are installing a huge array of panels on your primary home, don't forget the charge controller. You're batteries will thank you for it and they'll last for many more charging cycles than they would without one.

Patty Hahne
My personal websites:
12V Inverter
Booney Living

Phocos DC Fluorescent Light Bulb 12V, Battery with Solar charge controller Video 3