Never feel as if your wasting anyone's time being extremely thorough, which is exactly the reason as to my subscription to your channel, as you've helped me tremendously! with your knowledge and insight that helps us all who appreciate it.... Fantastic Job!! and keep those vids coming my friend... Cheers!!
Absolutely wonderful explanation of the differences, pluses, and minus's of a PWM and MPPT controller. I'm pretty handy, but your videos makes things very clear.
this has probably been the most helpful video as an introduction to all of this. I'm looking into my first solar setup and this is all a completely new language for me. so this was extremely helpful in truly understanding
I have bought a pwm controller for 1x 100 watt panel. There are 3 connectors: panel, battery and load. What do i plug into the load connector? I a very new to this all, so thanks!
The load connector is optional. It is designed so that if the battery discharges to a certain level, the controller can disconnect the battery so that it does not over-discharge. Unfortunately it is not practical to use in a RV as the load connector cannot output enough amps. If the RV has a leveling system or slideouts, they demand a lot of current that the load connector on the solar controller can provide. So normally in a RV, the load connection is not used.
Excellent video, thank you sir. I got a question: can you program both PWM and MPPT controllers for not to overcharge/over-drain lead acid batteries? I have learned that they would only last long in case you charge them to 95% and drain them to 50%. Does the controller do this auto or can it be done by programming the controllers? (I am a beginner just started to learn about solar systems.)
For lead acid batteries, discharging them to less than 50% is indeed hard on them. But overcharging them over 95% is a myth. The typical smart charger has three charge modes; Bulk, Normal (or Absorption), and Trickle charge. When a battery is less than 80% charged, the charger will typically be in Bulk mode. This is the rapid charge rate. When the battery becomes charged more than 80%, the smart charger goes into Normal, which is a lower charge rate. This lets the battery cool down from the rapid charge as it reaches full charge. When the battery becomes fully charged, the charger goes into trickle charge, which is a very low charge. It is sometimes also called a float charge. The low charge rate basically keeps the battery topped off and 100% charged. A lead acid battery can remain on trickle charge indefinitely. A cheap non-smart charger does not have the capability to shift charge rates, and will supply the same charge regardless of the battery charge state. Those type chargers should never be allowed to charge the battery into overcharge as excessive charging causes gassing (loss of water in the electrolyte) and can damage the battery. So a battery can be charged to 100% with the proper charger. With a cheap charger, it should never be allowed to go into overcharge. This is where your 95% of full charge comes into play. Good solar charge controllers such as the name brand MPPT and PWM chargers are smart chargers. But the very cheap chargers from Amazon - you don't know what you get. I have seen them for less than $15, and I would be suspect of those. For the Victron Smart MPPT charge controller, you can change some parameters via smartphone/bluetooth app, but I would not change any settings arbitrarily.
This whole series is awesome but this video specifically is incredible. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into these.
Thank you for your support.
Never feel as if your wasting anyone's time being extremely thorough, which is exactly the reason as to my subscription to your channel, as you've helped me tremendously! with your knowledge and insight that helps us all who appreciate it.... Fantastic Job!! and keep those vids coming my friend... Cheers!!
Thanks for the feedback.
Absolutely wonderful explanation of the differences, pluses, and minus's of a PWM and MPPT controller.
I'm pretty handy, but your videos makes things very clear.
this has probably been the most helpful video as an introduction to all of this. I'm looking into my first solar setup and this is all a completely new language for me. so this was extremely helpful in truly understanding
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you, I learned alot 👍👍👍
Glad it was helpful!
👍👌❤️🇨🇦, thanks for the comparison
Thank you so much
Thanks for watching.
Awesome video
Glad you enjoyed it
Can the victron charge lithium i have the old non bluetooth was wondering if I can use it for a 120 ah lithium battery
I have bought a pwm controller for 1x 100 watt panel. There are 3 connectors: panel, battery and load.
What do i plug into the load connector? I a very new to this all, so thanks!
The load connector is optional. It is designed so that if the battery discharges to a certain level, the controller can disconnect the battery so that it does not over-discharge.
Unfortunately it is not practical to use in a RV as the load connector cannot output enough amps.
If the RV has a leveling system or slideouts, they demand a lot of current that the load connector on the solar controller can provide.
So normally in a RV, the load connection is not used.
Excellent video, thank you sir. I got a question: can you program both PWM and MPPT controllers for not to overcharge/over-drain lead acid batteries? I have learned that they would only last long in case you charge them to 95% and drain them to 50%.
Does the controller do this auto or can it be done by programming the controllers?
(I am a beginner just started to learn about solar systems.)
For lead acid batteries, discharging them to less than 50% is indeed hard on them. But overcharging them over 95% is a myth.
The typical smart charger has three charge modes; Bulk, Normal (or Absorption), and Trickle charge. When a battery is less than 80% charged, the charger will typically be in Bulk mode. This is the rapid charge rate.
When the battery becomes charged more than 80%, the smart charger goes into Normal, which is a lower charge rate. This lets the battery cool down from the rapid charge as it reaches full charge.
When the battery becomes fully charged, the charger goes into trickle charge, which is a very low charge. It is sometimes also called a float charge. The low charge rate basically keeps the battery topped off and 100% charged. A lead acid battery can remain on trickle charge indefinitely.
A cheap non-smart charger does not have the capability to shift charge rates, and will supply the same charge regardless of the battery charge state. Those type chargers should never be allowed to charge the battery into overcharge as excessive charging causes gassing (loss of water in the electrolyte) and can damage the battery.
So a battery can be charged to 100% with the proper charger. With a cheap charger, it should never be allowed to go into overcharge. This is where your 95% of full charge comes into play.
Good solar charge controllers such as the name brand MPPT and PWM chargers are smart chargers. But the very cheap chargers from Amazon - you don't know what you get. I have seen them for less than $15, and I would be suspect of those.
For the Victron Smart MPPT charge controller, you can change some parameters via smartphone/bluetooth app, but I would not change any settings arbitrarily.
@@RVProject that was an excellent explanation thank you !!!!!
Looking for sizeable ceiling fan to run off solar/battery....suggestions??
Ceiling fan like the household type, or vent fan?
There's no comparison here, the MPPT one actually works while the Renogy one is garbage! I got two of them and both are bad!
Victron makes some really nice stuff.