What a Solar Charge Controller Do?
The solar charge controller (also known as the solar regulator) is a controller used to regulate the charging and discharging processes in the solar system. The main function of the charge controller is to control the charging current flowing from the PV panel to the battery, and keep the current not too large to prevent the battery pack from overcharging.
MPPT vs PWM: Charge Difference
PWM charges the battery through constant 3-stage charging (bulk, float and absorption), while MPPT is the maximum power point tracking, which can be considered as multi-stage charging. Compared with PWM, the conversion efficiency of MPPT is 30% higher.
Advantages of MPPT Charging Controllers:
1. Quickly scan the entire I-V curve and track the PV battery PowerPoint in a few seconds.
2. Innovative maximum power point tracking technology can significantly improve the energy efficiency of the solar system, and the conversion efficiency is as high as 97%.
3. Compared with PWM, the charging efficiency is increased by at least 20%.
4. Under the same load, the MPPT charging method can reduce the power of the PV module and reduce the cost of the module.