best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

andersondiaz

good morning, I need recommendation for a charge controller to
6 panel 235 watt. with a maximum price of 200 dollars.


PVM: 235
VMP: 30
IMP: 7.9
VOC: 36.
ISC: 8.7

these are some of the options I see that I have,:

MorningStar TriStar TS-60 Amp
Schneider Electric C60 Charge Controller 60A

but if you know other brands and lower prices, please tell me.

tks.

Cariboocoot

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

Whoa. You have a problem.
Your panel Vmp is 30. They are not going to work at full power on any battery system without using an MPPT type controller, and you are not going to get a good 60 Amp MPPT type controller for less than about $500. Neither of the controllers you list are MPPT; they are both PWM type.

If this is for a 24 Volt system you will need to run those panels two in series in order to have sufficient charging Voltage after losses. With a 1410 Watt array on 24 Volts you'd see about 45 Amps peak current which would just fit on a Morningstar TriStar MPPT 45, but that is $410.

solarix

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

I'm glad your asking this question as you are on the wrong track looking for a cheap charge controller to handle this many panels. Six 235 watt panels are like 1400 watts and worth upwards of $1500. Don't cripple them with a cheap controller. They are 24Volt type which actually like to run at 30V. If you use a cheap PWM controller, it will waste a sizable amount of their capability clamping them down to a 12V battery. (I assume your using 12V since looking for a 60A controller). You really should be looking for a MPPT controller with this much of an array, however they are definitely not cheap. If you stepped up to a 48V battery, you could get by with the new Midnite Kid controller for under $300 or if you go with a 24V battery, a Morningstar TS-MPPT-45 is under $500, although a TS-45 (PWM and about $200) would work pretty well on a 24V system also.

Cariboocoot

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

solarix wrote: »

although a TS-45 (PWM and about $200) would work pretty well on a 24V system also.

No it wouldn't.
If he parallels all the panels on a PWM for a 24 Volt system the array Vmp of 30 is <2 Volts above the typical Absorb Voltage of 28.8. With the V drop from the panels heating up and loss in wiring the batteries will never reach Absorb Voltage and will be ruined quickly.

andersondiaz

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

thanks for your quick response, then the desicion will Morningstar TS-MPPT-45 TriStar 45, is for a 24 volt system with panels in parallel.

Cariboocoot

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

andersondiaz wrote: »

thanks for your quick response, then the desicion will Morningstar TS-MPPT-45 TriStar 45, is for a 24 volt system with panels in parallel.

No, you will need to have parallel strings of at least two of those panels in series in order to meet the charging Voltage requirements of a 24 Volt system.

andersondiaz

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

Cariboocoot wrote: »

No, you will need to have parallel strings of at least two of those panels in series in order to meet the charging Voltage requirements of a 24 Volt system.

3 pairs of 2 panels connected in parallel and joined in series, correct?

BB.

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

Yes... You need Vmp-array >=35 volts Vmp for a 24 volt battery bank.

With a good quality MPP controller, Vmp-array can approach 100 VDC. Check the manual and many companies have an online sizing tool for their controllers.

MidNite Solar Classic Sizing Tool

-Bill

rich

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

Ive used windynation branded c/cs, they were about 170$ a pop ...they are a 40 amp unit , they are robust, they are mildly programmable...they work flawless...they are mppt type.

Cariboocoot

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

andersondiaz wrote: »

3 pairs of 2 panels connected in parallel and joined in series, correct?

Connect two panels in series to make a string.
Make three strings.
Connect the three strings in parallel.

solarix

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

The specs page on the Trakmax controller has mysteriously disappeared, but I believe its input voltage is only 30 volts so you can't use it with anything except 12Volt panels in parallel. There is no "free lunch" especially in the MPPT controller world.

jimindenver

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

Even on ebay the no name 60a MPPT controllers run between $2-300 once you have shipping and possible a exchange charge. I was looking aat them because I got lucky with the 20a MPPT controllers I started using 2 years ago and might get lucky again.

I finally gave up because once I dug around in the specs and features, there was always something that made it so it wasn't idea for my situation. Even if I was willing to deal with the limitations, finding user reviews is hard and while they are less expensive than a reputable unit, $2-300 isn't cheap.

So for now I'll keep using the small controllers to keep the trailer going until I can afford a decent controller with the features I need.

rich

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

The trakmax can handle 50 volts , I use them for a 24 volt system..2 of them in parallel, although I have since purchase a pair of kids by midnite....

CDN_VT

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

Manual & spec's link for the Windynation MTTP CC

I also have the a few Kid 's :-) And the Classic's

andersondiaz

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

hello again
at the end the person who owns the panels, opted to buy cheap equipment.
It was impossible to me convince them to make better use of your money.

bought these yesterday:

Morningstar TriStar TS-60 Controller 12/24/48V 60Amp
AIMS Power 5000W Modified Sine Wave Inverter 10kW Surge 24V PWRINV500024W

which would be the best combination for the installation of these components?

Tks.

Photowhit

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

I take it they purchased the PWM TS60? It'll be fine if they want to lose 80% of their charging ability or want to replace batteries often, just remind them if they replace the batteries after 18months-3yrs, they might have expected 5 yrs or more if they had gone with an MPPT type charge controller. It should be criminal to sell sub 34vmp panels as '24 volt' panels.

From what I've read, the Aims would make good ballast for a sail boat, or perhaps premature recycling, but we also just had someone with an 'industrial Aims' inverter in a large size who had it working well for 2 years...so maybe, not for me though.

The manuals will tell you what fusing or breakers are needed, at least for the Morning star, might verify any cabling suggestions for the Aims with us or a max amps guide for carrying capacities.

andersondiaz

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

this combination is still the best option to place the panels


"Connect two panels in series to make a string.
Make three strings.
Connect the three strings in parallel."

Cariboocoot @Post #10
'

ILFE

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

andersondiaz wrote: »

this combination is still the best option to place the panels


"Connect two panels in series to make a string.
Make three strings.
Connect the three strings in parallel."

Cariboocoot @Post #10
'

Yes. 2 panels in series.
3 sets of these going to the combiner.

You could go with a cheaper MPPT controller. But, you would have to go with a 48vdc battery bank. You could use a Midnite Kid Controller, at $285 USD.
Here is the Midnite Kid sizing tool.

Or, you can see where I plugged your parameters in already. The results are attached:

andersondiaz

Re: best 60a charger controler under 200 dollars.

thank you all. .