![]() ![]() Here’s an example: Say you have a single 100-watt solar panel and a 12-volt battery. Thankfully, solar panels are designed to put out more voltage than a battery needs at any given time. So, to add energy to the battery, the output voltage of a solar panel must always be a little higher than the voltage of the battery it’s charging. How solar power gets from panels to batteriesĪs we mentioned above, power flows from high voltage to low. The charge controller has a diode that allows power to flow in one direction, preventing electricity from feeding back into the panels. Because electricity flows from high voltage to low voltage, the power in the battery would flow into the solar panels if there was nothing in place to stop it. When the sun isn't shining, the solar panels aren't producing any voltage. It does this by reading the voltage of the battery and calculating how much additional energy is required to fully charge the battery.Īnother important function of the charge controller is to prevent current from traveling back into the solar panels. The main function of a solar charge controller is to ensure the amount of power that is sent to the battery is enough to charge it, but not so much that it increases the battery voltage above a safe level. For example, a typical 12-volt AGM lead-acid battery will show a voltage of 11.8 volts at 10% charged to 12.9 volts at 100% charge. Therefore, the ability of a battery to provide or accept power can be measured by its voltage. The battery can be damaged if an additional charge is applied past this limit. Allow power to flow only from the solar panels to the batteriesĪs a battery charges, its voltage increases, up to a limit. ![]() Monitor the voltage of the battery to prevent overcharging.Control the amount of power sent to the battery.Accept incoming power from solar panels.The four main functions of a solar charge controller are: How a charge controller works within an off-grid solar system. The battery feeds into an inverter that changes the DC power into AC to run appliances (aka "loads"). If you need a refresher on how these things work together, check out our article on watts, kilowatts, and kilowatt-hours.Ī solar charge controller is connected between solar panels and batteries to ensure power from the panels reaches the battery safely and effectively. How does a solar charge controller work?įair warning before we get started: we're about to discuss voltage, amperage, and wattage. This application requires a high-voltage charge controller and usually involves rewiring the system to direct a portion of the solar output through the charge controller. There are also charge controllers aimed at providing battery backup for an existing grid-tied solar system that is on the roof of a home or business. If you're looking for information on how to use solar and batteries off the grid, you're in the right place! In most cases, this means a small off-grid setup like solar panels on an RV or cabin. Show more Who needs a solar charge controller?Ī charge controller is necessary any time a battery bank will be connected to the direct current (DC) output of solar panels. ![]()
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