Looking for new charge controller

smalltruck
smalltruck Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
So I am in need of a new charge controller and thought that you guys could help me make a good choice. I am a little picky about the displays but we will get to that. First things first. I need 60 amps. I need it to be feed by #6 wire. I would like it to have adjustable high voltage cut out and low voltage disconnect. I would like to be able to adjust the low volatage reconnect to if possible. I would like a backlit display screen. I want it to display what is coming in and what is going out aswell as what is in the battery bank. My panels are 800 watts and my battery bank is 915 amps AGM. I run everything at 12volts. If you need any more specs. please ask. and thanks for the help.
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Looking for new charge controller

    To measure what is in the battery bank requires a shunt. Most charge controllers don't have a connection for a shunt - a few do. Without the shunt, it will know how much went into the battery, but not how much went out, and thus cannot calculate how much is in the battery.

    The function of tracking how much is in the battery is usually handled by a separate battery monitor like the Bogart TriMetric or Xantrex LinkLITE.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Looking for new charge controller
    smalltruck wrote: »
    I would like it to have adjustable high voltage cut out and
    low voltage disconnect. I would like to be able to adjust the low volatage reconnect to if possible. .

    No such thing. "toy" controllers sometimes have load terminals, but the load is very limited, usually < 10 A

    High voltage cutout ? What high voltage? PV voltage ? Battery voltage. Blow dryer voltage ?

    60A solar, you only have a few models. Take a look at the morningstar MPPT 60. You may even be able to series wire some of your PV to reduce copper losses on the input. Controller also has +- sense lines if you are concerned about long runs between controller and batteries. And optional display is backlit on demand.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Looking for new charge controller

    60 amps into 12 vcd limits your choices. One option would be to use a pair of Rogue 3024s, each capable of managing 30 amps into 12 vdc. Nice back lit (turn off able) display, field configurable, and with battery temp sensors. They will certainly handle # 6 wire.

    Tony
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Looking for new charge controller

    What you describe really seems more like a modular system.

    Charge Controller.
    Battery Monitor.
    Adjustable LVD (Low-Voltage Disconnect).

    http://www.tessco.com/products/imagedisplay.jsp?itemID=63022
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