Bogart Solar Controller...Comments?

[Rbertalotto]

I bought a Forest River Grey Wolf Cherokee 19RR Toy Hauler and I will be adding solar. My truck camper had a 120w panel and a Morningstar PWM controller and a Bogart Trimetric monitor system. Worked fantastic with one battery and the minimal demands of a truck camper. This TH will see more people in it and more off grid demands.

My plan is two batteries (12v) and two 140 watt panels.

For control and monitoring I'm planning on the new Bogart SC-2030 solar controller and the
Bogart TM-2030A monitor system. I'll also have a Xantrex ProWatt Sw1000 inverter which I used in the TC with great results.

Anyone have any experience with this controller? Any comments on what you read below?

Thanks!

http://www.bogartengineering.com/content/solar-charger

SC-2030 SOLAR CHARGER — 30 AMPS MAX- 12 OR 24V PWM TYPE

The SC-2030 Solar Charger, working with the TM-2030 battery monitor has unusual benefits that can extend the life of your battery system. When designing the SC-2030 we checked many battery company websites, and spoke with experts in their companies to find out what they recommend for charging before we designed it. Many solar charge controllers have very limited ability to adjust--a few even charge with voltage that is lower than what any battery company recommends.

As a result of this research we've added two unusual features to insure that batteries are not damaged by over or under charging:

1.Amp hour counting: During a discharge period it measures precisely the amount of previous discharge, and then when recharging adds back the same amount plus an additional measured percentage of charge: for liquid electrolyte lead acid batteries about 110-120%--or for AGM types about 104-109%.

2. Also unusual in chargers, but frequently now recommended to maintain battery capacity is an extra higher voltage "mini equalization" finishing stage. During the last part of the charge it can increase charging voltage (at a regulated low current value) to avoid undercharge during a limited solar day. (This is sometimes called "IUI" charging.)

To match any battery type it has 8 adjustable charging parameters. To make installing these values easy, select one of 18 "battery profles" which will automatically install all these values for your particular batteries. After doing this, experts with special requirements may modify any of these.

All this is controlled by the TM-2030 Battery Monitor located in your living area--connected with a common phone cable to the SC-2030 usually located near the batteries. So in addition to high quality charging you also get all the benefits of the TM-2030 monitoring system: volts, battery amps, solar amps, extra unused power, replaced percent of charge compared to previous discharge, extra unused solar power, battery temperature and more.

[Rbertalotto]

Thanks, I'll be using a pair of Honda 2000i generators, paired to run the AC when needed.

Between the solar and the Hondas, I should be in good shape to spend a winter down south Texas.

[azrving]

I have Bogart stuff along with a prowatt 600. Seems to work well with four 130 watt panels. Remote start Honda 3000 for the high draw items.

[time2roll]

The Bogart 2030 controller combined with the battery monitor should serve you very well.
Although I do not have direct experience with Bogart.

[Rbertalotto]

Interesting...I just found this information on the Bogart charge controller....

pre-absorb boost charging is not recommended by any battery manufacturers that I know of. It only works on batteries that have been moderately cycled where it can be used to take advantage of peak solar conditions at solar noon, and without excessive heating of the battery. For batteries that have been discharged to 50% SOC it will get your battery way too hot by forcing too many amps into it at the higher boost voltage for the first hour.

Finish charging (delayed boost) is different. It is an algorithm designed to limit current to the battery to no more than C/10 to prevent excessive water use and heating of the battery. And at the same time provide a high voltage finish stage that fully desulfates the negative plates. It is now almost the industry standard recommend charge profile (Trojan, US Battery, Surrette, and all industrial forklift/floor maintenance, locomotive and marine batteries). Industrial grid-powered forklift/floor maintenance and marine chargers have used it for years (IUIa with no float). Currently there are only two RE chargers that I know of that can do it - the XW from Schneider and the SC-2030 from Bogart. Of the two, only the Bogart SC-2030 does it correctly.