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.

[Almot]

BFL13 wrote:
If the solar controller by itself-- nothing to do with the Tri-- has adjustable voltages and timings, then that can make it superior to others which don't.

Their controller doesn't have anything adjustable, by itself. Fixed 13.2 Float, and 2 choices of V Abs - 14.2 or 14.7. Without a Tri it would've been inferior to most any other charger.

But since the OP is going to buy the whole farm - both Tri and controller, it's different. The "brains" of this pair are in the Tri, so to speak.

PS: few more thoughts.

BFL13 wrote:
... a "matching" controller, so that controller depends on the Tri to be right...

You're onto something here. It's a very basic controller that is, in turn, controlled by Tri. Now, I don't remember all the bells and whistles of the Tri, BUT, if the adjusting commands in this combo are triggered by Amp-Hr counter, this is good - though might not be the best.

My MPPT controller terminates the Abs stage when charging current drops to certain level. Still not perfect 'cause there can be loads affecting the current, but better than a fixed Timer. In my controller the Timer is still adjustable manually, forcing it to transition to Float when Timer expires, no matter what the charging current is.

So... if they want PWM for 280W - which means running a beefy cable or limiting future expansion options because of cable not beefy enough - and if they want something "automatic" that won't require any manual intervention, and if they want a monitor, and not just "a monitor" but a Tri, then... well, then this is what they will have. And it will work. Perfect - no. Nothing is.

[Slownsy]

We have the bogart system including temp censer and it works great, also checked with hydrometer and not had to ad a drop of water in 4 months. Amazing people who haven't oven botheret to read anything about a product rubbishing it.but then they know everything.
Frank.

[EsoxLucius]

Same trepidation regarding the BlueSky controllers with the IPN-ProRemote, but they do work together.

[Bend]

Its programing upgrades in the firmware of the controller not the monitor. You are not full Luddite, you learned Watts right?

8>)

[BFL13]

So, "tweak wise" you can have your "matching" controller at a different version from the version in the Tri? But Ralph will get it all sorted out for you if you keep after him? Yipes!

I have enough troubles without adding more, thanks very much!

So I am a Luddite. Works for me. 🙂

[Padlin]

I've got the Bogart set and am happy with it. Took me some time to understand all the settings and how the interact, along with several calls to Ralph. If you are good with one of the preset sets then you really don't need to understand all the options.

Got one of the 1st batch last summer, need to send it back for it's 2nd upgrade in a year. Good to know they are staying on top of it, tweak wise.

Might want to make sure you have the latest software. The SC-2030 is still at 1.1, from last fall I think. As of Aug 12th they went to Rev 2.3 with the TM-2030. Don't know if you can tell without opening them up though and looking at the boards. I would imagine Bogart can tell from the SN.

I'll send mine back in November, you pay shipping to Bogart.

[Rbertalotto]

Mexicowanderer......Now THAT'S Funny!

Thanks!

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I be mesmerized by APPS and downloads, and automatic do this and the square root of altitude gained cubed to the KPS download speed versus high definition porno movies and oh krap just tried to dial but the phone no workee.

Tis the era of haffass. Miniature movies on a screen size that could be licked and stuck on a letter. A keyboard that demands the always misplaced stylus. Gizmos, the realm of pandemic attention deficit disorder. It is soooooooo bad that I NEVER place an order by telephone anymore. Short term memory loss rules the sales counter. Printed and recorded orders are the only way business can be transacted because like it or not computers remind workers to blow their freakin' nose. I am surprised that young people do not walk by a mirror and frighten themselves half to death because short term memory loss made them forget what they look like. Yeah and you know the cause. Me? Frightened to drive in the USA?

"Hey dude, ya know I didn't really mean to smack into you. Like I didn't see you or nuthin'. My name? uhh, here, let me get my license out. Oh! here's my wallet. Like wow man this is going to turn out to be a real bummer"

[BFL13]

Bend wrote:

BFL13 wrote:

...
My Tri is very good at being an ammeter, voltmeter, and AH counter (but that needs "interpretation" by me depending on the situation)

I totally disagree that 97% = 100% which apparently the Tri guy thinks is it is. Then it has tons of geeky "history" stuff in its geeky program that seems to depend on the accuracy of the 97% = 100% notion in the first place! What a farce! IMO of course---maybe I am too stupid to appreciate all its virtues. Don't know.
...

As I've stated before... apply some of your "interpretations" to the monitor's user adjustable L3 options and most of your 97%=100% concerns will go away.

Just don't need to. What I should be saying in all fairness is that the Tri/Controller combo would not make camping any easier for me. Somewhere in RV land there must be folks who would appreciate all the features Bogart has put into it.

There is an article in the paper about all the fancy features in the new cars and how people don't use them or even know they are so fitted. They just want to get from A to B like always without all the complicated gizmo stuff. That's me!

[Bend]

BFL13 wrote:

...
My Tri is very good at being an ammeter, voltmeter, and AH counter (but that needs "interpretation" by me depending on the situation)

I totally disagree that 97% = 100% which apparently the Tri guy thinks is it is. Then it has tons of geeky "history" stuff in its geeky program that seems to depend on the accuracy of the 97% = 100% notion in the first place! What a farce! IMO of course---maybe I am too stupid to appreciate all its virtues. Don't know.
...

As I've stated before... apply some of your "interpretations" to the monitor's user adjustable L3 options and most of your 97%=100% concerns will go away.

[grizzzman]

Crabbypatty wrote:
Yesterday was my first day powered up with 448 watts over 4 panels with an outback combiner box going to a Morningstar ts45 PWM controller. I also installed the Trimetric Battery meter 2030rv I believe. If I didnt see the green LED on the controller you would never know it was on. I picked this unit as I may increase solar another two panels or 224 watts. So 30 amp controller wasnt enough. Going dry camping for a week and it would be nice if we didnt need the genny, but Im brining it anyway. I bought my controller and trimetric from Altestore.com and the tech support was great for a first timer like me.

Nice set up for shure. The Bogart TM3020 will with a simple phone cord mod run two SC3020s for a total of 62 amps. Perhaps this info will help others who need higher amps.

[Rbertalotto]

I leave relatively close to AltE and will be picking everything up on Monday and doing the install next week.

Thanks!

[Crabbypatty]

Yesterday was my first day powered up with 448 watts over 4 panels with an outback combiner box going to a Morningstar ts45 PWM controller. I also installed the Trimetric Battery meter 2030rv I believe. If I didnt see the green LED on the controller you would never know it was on. I picked this unit as I may increase solar another two panels or 224 watts. So 30 amp controller wasnt enough. Going dry camping for a week and it would be nice if we didnt need the genny, but Im brining it anyway. I bought my controller and trimetric from Altestore.com and the tech support was great for a first timer like me.

[Rbertalotto]

WOW!!! Next I'm going to ask for comments about motor oil! ??
Thanks for the great reparte' ....I'm going with Bogart!