Charge controllers play nice together

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Hi

I have upgraded my system by adding a new bank of panels and a MX80 charge controller. My old system has a Xantrex c-60 charge controller. Both bank are charging 12 Crown CR-395s (12 volt).
I have looked around and I cant find the optimal bulk charge setting for those batteries. If anyone knows I would appreciate it.
Anyway, 2 different charge controllers. Does anyone have advice to get these two controllers to work together better? Should I just set them both with the same charge values or set one to drop down to absorb before the other?

Thanks
Jon
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Comments

  • Jakachira
    Jakachira Solar Expert Posts: 47 ✭✭
    #2
    Re: Charge controllers play nice together

    What about default settings?
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  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Charge controllers play nice together

    Once battery gets charged at absorb voltage level the efficiency of the controller doesn't matter much unless you are using a hybrid battery based grid tied inverter and intend to sell to grid.

    You are using a PWM controller and a MPPT controller. In the future you might consider changing out the PWM controller to get better efficiency from the array.

    There might be some effect on the MPPT controller as the battery voltage gets close to absorb regulation voltage due to the pulsing ON-OFF action of the PWM controller. This might make the MPPT controller back off its charging current early resulting in longer time to reach absorb regulation voltage.

    Set absorb and float to same voltage.
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