Solar Controllers--Don't be a Sucker! :(
Just got to say it again, how it is we are sitting here for five months off grid on solar with no problems at all (third season on solar like this), using the non-programmable, non-MPPT, solar control...
Forum Discussion
12th- OK, I agree my 20% in boost mode is too low. I have my current solar setup for 6 years now. I have been going consistently out of boost by noon or 1 pm. I think you'll find that most RV'ers will have similar results. That means mppt production is more like 50%. The moment you're out of boost, battery current will taper.
You mentioned running tv and going back into mppt. You may have an old fashioned tv that consumes 20A, but probably not. My tv consumes 2A. Your solar has the potential of more than 20A. A 2 or 5A load will not cause mppt when battery charge current has already appreciably tapered. A coffee maker operated in the afternoon may cause mppt for a few minutes, but nothing substantial. At sunset or an hour before, you may or may not go into mppt. But there's no punch behind the sun's power. There's so much atmospheric diffusion that you can look at the sun with the naked eye. The couple of hours before sunset or after sunrise are more or less meaningless solar production. Also, at those low sun altitudes, there's usually some obstruction (trees, hills, etc).
Sal
You mentioned running tv and going back into mppt. You may have an old fashioned tv that consumes 20A, but probably not. My tv consumes 2A. Your solar has the potential of more than 20A. A 2 or 5A load will not cause mppt when battery charge current has already appreciably tapered. A coffee maker operated in the afternoon may cause mppt for a few minutes, but nothing substantial. At sunset or an hour before, you may or may not go into mppt. But there's no punch behind the sun's power. There's so much atmospheric diffusion that you can look at the sun with the naked eye. The couple of hours before sunset or after sunrise are more or less meaningless solar production. Also, at those low sun altitudes, there's usually some obstruction (trees, hills, etc).
Sal
