I am not looking to start anything. This is just a data point; a mini-review for anyone who's trying to decide on a controller. And it's just one person's experience.I bought this controller on Ebay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/261279374317?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITIt failed after 1 hour using a 100w panel.The failure happened after the seller's 14 day warranty, so I don't expect anything to be done about it. I've contacted the seller for tech advice, to see if there is anything I can check or do. His English is okay, but his answers are shaky. OK, whatever, that is part of the deal and I knew that when I bought it. Whenever I buy something cheap from China. (With one exception: the LED bulb guy is great!)BTW, it said to connect the panels last. I may have violated this, although I really don't recall. It was running though, and failed while still connected.I paid $14 on best offer.

Thanks for testing that unit out for us. I don't recall anyone else commenting here on testing that version. The unit that they badmouth on their Ebay ad, has worked fine for me with my 120 Watt panel and up to 7 amps input into the battery. Of course, I don't mess with or use the light timer function, I only use it to adjust and control the voltage that the battery receives during bulk and absorbption charging phases.You always hook the battery up first, so that the controller knowns and learns to charge for 12V.

BoonHauler wrote:You get what you pay for.Yeah, if it was mission critical I wouldn't have considered it. OTOH I've gotten some good value for the money on Chinese electronics too.

My $12 CMP-12 15 amp is doing great. But its the same one that is used on 75% or the $400 portables, so I expected it to be a good basic one, only at a cheap price. They are selling at solar dealers for $59-79. No, you don't always get what you pay for, forget that idea !Oh yeah, that makes 1 failure in how many thousand cheap ones ?A fantastic failure rate if ya ask me !

Ebay controller failure | Good Sam Community

JiminDenver
Explorer II
Mar 22, 2014
As a teat I ran a load off of my controller without the battery connected, it didn't die. That said there was a person here that did hook up the panel first and their controller didn't do so well.
BFL13
Explorer II
Mar 22, 2014
Connecting to battery first lets it pick which battery voltage to use before the panel is attached. You could have done it somehow or it might have had a bad component, who knows?

I have fried two cheapo controllers (so far) by accidentally letting wires touch something or other. No idea exactly what touched what in each case. For me it is just the price of being a spaz! :(
RJsfishin
Explorer
Mar 22, 2014
My $12 CMP-12 15 amp is doing great. But its the same one that is used on 75% or the $400 portables, so I expected it to be a good basic one, only at a cheap price. They are selling at solar dealers for $59-79.

No, you don't always get what you pay for, forget that idea !

Oh yeah, that makes 1 failure in how many thousand cheap ones ?
A fantastic failure rate if ya ask me !
Snowman9000
Explorer
Mar 22, 2014
BoonHauler wrote:
You get what you pay for.

Yeah, if it was mission critical I wouldn't have considered it. OTOH I've gotten some good value for the money on Chinese electronics too.
NinerBikes
Explorer
Mar 22, 2014
Thanks for testing that unit out for us.

I don't recall anyone else commenting here on testing that version. The unit that they badmouth on their Ebay ad, has worked fine for me with my 120 Watt panel and up to 7 amps input into the battery. Of course, I don't mess with or use the light timer function, I only use it to adjust and control the voltage that the battery receives during bulk and absorbption charging phases.

You always hook the battery up first, so that the controller knowns and learns to charge for 12V.
BoonHauler
Explorer
Mar 22, 2014
You get what you pay for.
Snowman9000
Explorer
Mar 22, 2014
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