I'm satisfied with this PWM PV charge controller. Compared to other charge controllers and even those of PWM or MPPT, this one has the best cost. Only around $30 compared to those that do the same and cost around in the $100's. With PWM techonlogy, the charger is neither on or off like some of the cheaper controllers. Instead it regulates the voltage so it is constantly chargeing and then float chargers when the batteries are full. Also, because the voltage is being regulated closer to the batteries voltage. The batteries do not gas as much. A second thing with PWM controller, the batteries receive pulses of a charge, similar to a battery desulfator. So the batteries plates will not sulfate as much either. I found the charger regualtes the voltage .5V higher than the batteries readings. And float regulate around 13.3V. Controller can handle up to 10Amps (150Watts of PV power) and can control discharge through the controler at 10Amps. Which makes it good for outdoor ligthing or ponds where if the batteries become too low, the controller will automatically shut them down until the batteries are fully recharged.
good screw terminal connections
connections for the solar panel, a battery, AND (this is key) a device you want to hook up TO the solar/battery system.
This last point is awesome it provides a no-brainer way to hook up a device to a regulated / protected solar /battery system, and allows you to use the battery for power when the sun goes down or during cloudy periods in fact, the system automatically delivers power from the battery as needed.
Also critical is a Low Voltage Disconnect for a solar fountain project, I first used another product without the LVD my battery was drained completely overnight, and batteries discharged 100% can't be recharged easily (they register as an open circuit or cause other problems). This unit takes away that worry.
The unit has a switch on it so you can turn on/off the device you're powering right from the unit.
The unit seems to be designed for rural electrification (i.e. remote villages in india needing electric lights at night). It has a conformal coating on the circuit board (anti-rust).
For me, I combined a 500 gph Rule bilge pump, this unit, a 30 watt 12 volt solar panel, and a cheap $35 12 volt tractor battery and I have an AWESOME solar fountain. I'm pretty psyched on this device, and just ordered 2 more.This device does what it says. Has good indicator lights for status and good quality pinch-screw connectors.
There is one point I wanted to mention. IT MATTERS the order in which you hook up the connections to the battery, load, panel, etc.
Follow the instructions on the little booklet. If you hook up out of sequence, the unit will lock up and not run until it is completely unhooked and then powered up correctly!I was initially very disappointed with the instructions. The were a low-quality photocopy of condensed instructions and were also reduced 50%.
Another review mentioned hooking up the wires in the proper order being critical well, you can't ever read that part of the booklet because of the lower quality and tiny print.
I visited HQRP.com and made use of their contact form to request a PDF of the instructions and I also made use of their real-time customer support chat. The agent on the chat was able to send me a PDF of the full-size instructions (4 8.5x11 pages). Later that day, I also received a response to their contact form. I was impressed that both forms of customer support received a response.
The correct order is:
(-) Battery
(+) Battery (Battery LED comes on)
(-) Solar panel
(+) Solar panel (Solar panel LED comes on)
(-) Load
(+) LoadOur Honda civic is not driven enough to keep the battery full charged. After killing a replacement battery in six months, due to sulfation, I built a charger around the HQRP solar charge regulator.
There is no way to plug in a conventional charger, so I assembled a 16 volt battery pack, with current limiting resistors, to drive the HQRP regulator without exceeding it's 10 amp rating. The output of the regulator is connected to the car battery through a 30 Amp fuse as recommended, with clips. After the car battery tops off in four hours I bring the battery pack back to the apartment and recharge it.
Powering the HQRP regulator from a predictable power supply gave a unique opportunity to study it,s charging characteristics.
First it charges at full power until 14.4 volts is reached, then it applies an equalizing charge at 14.6 to 14.7 volts long enough to equalize the six cells in the battery but not produce significant hydrogen. Thus water is not depleted.
After full charge is reached it goes into a float charge mode holding the battery at 13.2 to 13.9 volts.
This is a pulse charger so it prevents and over many hours reverses sulfation, provided it is not severe. No load resting battery voltage increased from 12.4 volts to 12.8 volts. These readings were made with the battery at 70 80 degrees F.
UPDATE NOV 22 / 2011: With the arrival of cold weather I was able to verify that the temperature compensation works. Recently on a cold night with heavy frost the float charge settled at 14.5 volts with 40 mA current to the battery being charged. This is right on target voltage and current wise. Now I am even more happy with this excellent product.
This is a superb product for the price that was designed with a full knowledge of lead acid battery charging.
More aggressive desulfators can be purchased or built from kits, but these should not be used on a battery when it is connected to the car's electronics.
My long term plan is to get a 2 or 3 Amp solar panel that will fit in the car windshield, but these high efficiency panels are rather expensive.
Update: May 21, 2013. Still working perfectly.
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