- With automatic lighting control and time functions.
- Designed with a microcontroller for automatic lighting control functions.
- 16 field adjustable lighting and timer control options.
- Detects day and night using the PV array.
- Suitable for all 12V /24V lamps.
Cons: Manual is jibberish, technical data incomplete, display LED has only one segment, the function button feels really cheap
Comments: Before I get into my commentary, a tutorial and some useful information (stuff that should have been in the manual).
1 The charge controller will manage the load automatically.
2 The minimum battery voltage must be 12.35v or the load will cut off.
3 The setting for keeping the load on (without the timer function) is 6.6 (I will call this the normal setting from here on)
4 The load indicator is always yellow (provided you have sufficient battery power)
5 The charge controller won't work without a battery connected to it.
*/TUTORIAL:
The charge controller has a single digit LED mode indicator which has two states (flashing or steady) that indicate whether you are in programming mode (flashing) or display mode (steady). A number may or may not have a decimal point. If it has a (.) to the right of the number, it means that the number is a decimal. No decimal point means that the number you are looking at is a whole number (totally counter intuitive).
* Every time you press the button (if you are in the programming mode), the number will advance to the next higher number.
* A button press will only advance you to the next number.
* Holding the button down will not cause the number to automatically advance.
* Pressing the button will advance the number through all the whole numbers, all the decimal numbers and then cycle back to the beginning of the sequence (0-9 and then .0-.9)
In order to get to the normal setting, you must:
a) Press and hold the button (there is only one button on the far right) until the LED begins to flash.
b) Repeatedly press the button until you get to the number BEFORE the whole number you are trying to set (in my example, until you see the 5)
c) Press and hold the button once again. This will change the number to 6 and it will stop flashing.
** At this point, you have set the controller for 6.x and you will have to repeat the process to get to .6
d) Press and hold the button until the number begins to flash
e) Repeatedly press the button until you get to the decimal number before 6. (in my example, until you see 5.)
f) Press and hold the button once again. This will change the number to 6. and it will stop flashing.
If you have followed all the steps, have your battery connected (charged above 12.35v) and have your solar panel generating sufficient power, LED-1 (far left) will be green, LED-2 (center) will be green and LED-3 will be yellow (indicating that there is power at the load terminals.
End Of Tutorial */
Beyond the little tutorial above, there's not really much to know about the controller itself. It's pretty much a set and forget device. There is not reset button (to restore it to factory default) and no self test mode but for most purposes it shouldn't be necessary.
Another poster stated that the unit can desulfate batteries. I have not verified that but if that is true, then you should also be able to connect this charge controller to a battery charger to recondition batteries (and save on the expense of a standalone desulfator).
Thanks for reading.This charger has been in service for over a week now. Batteries are charged every sunny day.
Keep in mind, this charger will take a max of 360 watts or 30 amps of solar power at 12 volts; 720 watts or 30 amps max at 24 volts. The "Product Description" doesn't say what size wire you can connect to this but I was able to use 8 gauge wire, no problem.
It does have an LED display for lighting options (on the load side) but I haven't tried to use it. Unless you're very good at reading/understanding broken-English, you'll probably have to read the little manual several times to successfully use the Lighting Control. Says it has a 30 amp load capacity.
Are there better 30amp PWM charge controllers available? Yes.. but not for $25!This is an awesome little package. The instructions say that it can use any wire up to #4.
I used a size 8 .... as #8 and #10 are typical wires for solar and electrical. Even the solar for my house uses these size wires.
It does everything I need it to do, plus some. One thing I really needed to know, did it desulfate the batteries. YES IT DOES ... whoo hoo
Very user friendly and easy to use ... it has little pictures on the machine instead of words ... so you know exactly what goes where, and you don't have to worry about losing the instructions.The broken English manual could really be better. No Support for the product, Not a brand name on it. I bought three and out of the box only one worked the other two. Sill searching for support.If not these two are going back
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Seams better than the HQRP Solar Power Controller I purchased 7 months age. The fuse blew on it and can not be replaced so I bought this one. It seams to be made better and started charging ion a cloudy day. The Manuel is a bit hard to understand but I was use to the old Manuel.
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