Yet Another PWM vs MPPT Comparison Test
I was able to run a couple tests with blue sky at same time of year and location as my test from two years ago (flat, tilted, tracking results one) that : A. compares PWM with MPPT, and B. compares ...
Forum Discussion
Nice comparison. PWM is pulse width modulation. It "lops" the incoming voltage coming in to whatever it thinks the batteries need, then eventually just pulses a charge. MPPT (maximum point power tracking) will fiddle with the amps/volts to get the right voltage coming in. PWM is cheaper, but you lose a good chunk of energy due to the fact that what it can't use, it discards. For example, a 24 volt, 300 watt panel will essentially be a 12 volt, 150 watt panel, while with a MPPT controller, it can use the higher voltage and downconvert it.
For a large area of solar panels, a PWM controller might be useful. For the limited real estate on most RVs, you want every single watt you can get, thus a good MPPT controller.
For a large area of solar panels, a PWM controller might be useful. For the limited real estate on most RVs, you want every single watt you can get, thus a good MPPT controller.
